Experience Ivy League coursework from anywhere in the world
Summer Session I: May 26 - July 1, 2026
Summer Session II: July 2 - August 7, 2026
- Classes occur depending on their class meeting schedule.
- Synchronous class times are in the Eastern Time Zone.
The Pre-College Online Program is designed for academically curious high school students interested in the intellectual challenge of Ivy League academics. Students enroll in online credit-bearing undergraduate courses from a wide array of disciplines taught by Penn faculty, staff, and visiting scholars and are in class alongside other Penn undergrads. 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.
In the Pre-College Online Program, students enroll exclusively in online courses and participate from home alongside other Penn undergraduate students. We are unable to accommodate requests for students taking online courses to be in residence on campus.
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.
Summer 2025 Pre-College Online Program Courses
Summer 2026 courses will be released in spring 2026.
Earn academic credit from the University of Pennsylvania
Pre-College Online 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.
Course registration details
Students will be emailed to submit their course registration form once they have been admitted and submitted their program deposit.
Registration in a desired course is not guaranteed, and many courses fill up, so early application is strongly advised. Students are required to choose alternate courses when registering, as courses may fill or be canceled. Students can choose to take Pre-College Online Program courses on a pass/fail basis, but they may not audit a course.
