Explore exciting topics in college-level courses on campus
June 30 - August 8, 2026
- Residential move-in date: June 30
- Student orientation: July 1
- Move-out date: August 8
- Classes occur between July 2 and August 7
The Pre-College Residential Program is designed for academically curious high school students interested in the intellectual challenge of Ivy League academics. Students enroll in credit-bearing undergraduate courses from a wide array of disciplines taught by Penn faculty, staff, and visiting scholars and are in class on campus alongside other Penn undergrads. A majority of the courses are 1 course unit (c.u.)* unless the course has a required lab, and then the course is generally 1.5 c.u. 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.
Once accepted into the Pre-College Residential Program, students choose one of four challenging curricula:
- One college-credit course unit (1 c.u.)*
- Biology 101 with lab (1.5 c.u.)
- Two college-credit courses (2 c.u.)
- Biology 101 with lab and a second college credit course (2.5 c.u.)
NOTE: International students who need visa sponsorship to attend the Pre-College Residential Program on campus must enroll in a minimum of 1.5 c.u.
In the Pre-College Residential Program, students must reside in campus residence halls and cannot commute from other locations.
Residential students cannot enroll in online courses offered during the same session.
Summer 2025 Pre-College Residential Program Courses
Summer 2026 courses will be released in spring 2026.
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIOL 1101 920 | Introduction to Biology A |
| BIOL 1101 921 | Introduction to Biology A |
| CIMS 1002 920 | Introduction to Media Studies |
| ECON 0100 920 | Introduction to Micro Economics |
| HSOC 1120 920 | Science Technology and War |
| PHIL 1170 920 | History of Modern Philosophy |
| PSYC 0001 920 | Introduction to Experimental Psychology |
| SOCI 1120 920 | Law and Society |
Earn academic credit from the University of Pennsylvania
Pre-College Residential Program students are evaluated by the same academic standards and procedures as Penn undergraduates. 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 Residential Program courses on a pass/fail basis, but they may not audit a course.
