Credit for Pre-College Courses

Some students enter Penn having already taken college-level courses during high school, either in competition with college students or as part of a special program taught at their high school. Penn treats these two cases differently, and students must be careful to observe the criteria below.

College and University Courses

In order to seek credit for college work completed prior to matriculation at Penn, a student must present their request directly to the Office of Transfer Credit and Advanced Placement, observing the following:

• Any college courses used to fulfill high school graduation requirements are not eligible for credit at Penn.

• The college or university must be fully accredited.

• The course must correspond to a course offered by Penn, or be deemed equivalent in depth and intensity.

• A grade of C or better must have been received.

• The course must be part of the normal curriculum published in the college’s catalogue.

• The course must be taught on the college campus by a member of the regular faculty.

• The course must be open to enrollment by, and graded in direct competition with, regularly matriculated undergraduates at that college.

• The student must request that the college send an official transcript directly to Penn’s Office of Transfer Credit and Advanced Placement (215.898.6080 or xfer@admissions.upenn.edu) along with a letter stating that the course was part of the normal curriculum published in the college’s catalogue, taught by the regular faculty on the college campus and was open to enrollment by, and graded in direct competition with, regularly matriculated undergraduates at that college.