Experience Ivy League coursework from anywhere in the world
Classes occur between June 29 and August 4, 2023. Synchronous classes are in Eastern Time.
Applications for summer 2023 are now closed.
In the Pre-College Online Program, students enroll exclusively in online courses and participate from home alongside other Penn undergraduate students.
Once accepted into the Pre-College Online Program, students choose one of the following challenging curricula:
- One college-credit course (1 c.u.)*
- Two college-credit courses (2 c.u.)
Online students do not have access to or participate in on-campus resources and activities.
Explore summer 2023 online courses
Registration in a desired course is not guaranteed, and many courses fill up, so early application is strongly advised. Summer undergraduate online courses are typically smaller in size and taught by Penn faculty, staff, and visiting scholars. Most classes meet two to five times weekly, Monday through Friday, and assign homework, research papers, midterms, and/or finals. Textbooks and additional course materials may be required for a class. Students are required to choose alternate courses when registering, as courses may fill or be canceled. Students are able to choose to take Pre-College Programs courses on a pass/fail basis, but they may not audit a course. We are unable to accommodate requests for students taking online courses to be in residence on campus.
Earn academic credit from the University of Pennsylvania
Pre-College Program students are evaluated by the same academic standards and procedures as Penn undergraduates. Students earn one course unit (1 c.u., the equivalent of 4 college credit hours) for each course taken. Upon successful completion of the program and all coursework within, students may request official transcripts from Penn’s Registrar (fee-based). Students planning to transfer these grades to their future undergraduate record or institution should be aware that transfer credit is awarded at the discretion of the institution, including the University of Pennsylvania. Learn more about Penn’s transfer credit policies for pre-baccalaureate coursework.
Registration for admitted students
Admitted and deposited students can begin the course registration process starting on March 21.
Students will be emailed to submit their course registration form after April 15 as long as they have accepted their offer of admission, made their non-refundable deposit, and have completed their enrollment forms with Summer Discovery.
We ask that students choose one first choice course and two alternates for each course selection. Course descriptions include any pertinent information about the course and an overview of the course. Students may enroll in courses provided the courses do not conflict with their high school coursework. Please be sure to check the dates and times of your selected courses. Pre-College courses only take place during Penn Summer Session II. Waitlists for courses are not maintained, but students may be able to change their courses during the first week of the semester. Students must choose courses from the Pre-College course listing; courses outside of this list are unavailable to Pre-College Online Program students.
Please allow two weeks from the date of submission of your registration Qualtrics form for registration confirmation. Instructors will be in touch with students prior to the first day of the course in June with any necessary information.
The Pre-College online courses are undergraduate-level courses taken alongside Penn undergraduates and visiting scholars. The sessions run on a condensed schedule, and Pre-College students are graded on daily assignments, midterms, and finals. Students should expect to spend about 3-5 hours a week on assignments or reading outside of class time. Upon successful completion of their course, students can request a transcript via the Penn Registrar.
Course instructors decide if their online classes will be synchronous or asynchronous, or a mix. All synchronous courses are in Eastern Time (ET).
