Frequently Asked Questions

Format:

Letters of recommendation should be written according to the following guidelines:

• must be written in English
• on official letterhead of the writer’s organization or institution whenever possible
• include the writer’s signature/name and organization
• range from 500 to 1,500 words

Content:

Letters should reference the Penn Engineering Online program you are applying to and should not be reused from a different program.

Your letters of recommendation should be written by people know the applicant well and who have evaluated the applicant in some capacity and can write objectively about their aptitudes and capabilities in an academic or work setting. Examples of recommenders are current or former supervisors or managers, instructors, professors, clients, etc. Please note – recommenders should not be friends or family members. If choosing professional recommenders, they should be individuals who are above the applicant on the organizational chart, such as a supervisor, manager, director etc. They should not be work colleagues that are on the same organizational level as the applicant.

Due Date:

All letters of recommendation are due by the application deadline. Late letters of recommendation will not be considered and may disqualify the applicant from the admissions process. Please be mindful of the application deadlines.

Yes! Penn Engineering Online degree programs are tuition remission eligible for Penn employees. You can learn more at the Penn Benefits website.

Email our colleagues at the Student Registration and Financial Services office or call them at 215-898-6636.

We bill the VA each semester based on the number of credits you’re registered for. We cannot bill the VA for the entire program all at once.

In addition to the standard requirements for admission, you’ll need to provide English-language transcripts from every institution where you’ve earned course credit. If you’re an international applicant or a non-U.S. citizen/permanent resident for whom English is not their first language, you’ll also need to submit official English Language Proficiency test scores (TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo). See the program’s Admissions page for details.

No, our program is 100 percent online.

No, we cannot sponsor visas for students because these programs and courses are based entirely online.

Yes, but you’ll have to wait for the next admissions cycle. To reapply, you’ll need to submit the standard application materials along with answering an additional essay question. 

You can check the status of your application through the applicant portal. If your application is complete, the app status will read “Under Review.” If your application is missing required materials, you can view the missing materials listed in the checklist.

Your letters should focus specifically on your qualifications for the specific Penn Engieering program you are applying for, so we encourage you not to reuse letters from a different program. If you’re reapplying, your recommenders may resubmit the previously written letters with your new application. If you started an application in a previous term but never submitted and are now applying to the current term, your recommenders will have to resubmit their letter or you may choose new recommenders.

No, letters of recommendation must be submitted online through the application portal.

Your references can leave a section blank or approach the questions through a broad lens. For example, your recommender can respond to “How many students do you supervise?” by writing about your role in supervising employees.

To make changes to your recommenders, log in to the application portal and follow the link to the recommenders page of your application. You can then edit the recommender’s information or exclude the recommender and add a new one by clicking the “edit” button.

You can see the status of your letters of recommendation by reviewing your application portal. You can even send your recommender a reminder by following the link to the recommenders page of your application and clicking “edit.”

Yes. All required documents, including a minimum of two letters of recommendation, must be submitted by the application deadline.

Yes, while we only require two letters, we recommend asking three people to write such letters in case one of the letters does not arrive before the deadline. The more evidence you can provide that you will succeed, the better.

No, you do not need to submit official transcripts in order to apply; unofficial transcripts are acceptable. Note that all transcripts must be translated to English.

Every for-credit course that you have taken needs to be represented on a transcript that includes all of the following: course name, credits received, and grade. If you submit a transcript that includes transfer credits without the listed grades earned, such as T for Transfer, you will also need to submit the transcript from the original institution that contains the actual grades received.

If you have an international transcript, we strongly recommend using a NACES service (e.g., Certifile, WES) to submit your transcripts as this will greatly assist the admissions team with the evaluation of your documents.

If admitted, you will be required to provide official transcripts or a NACES evaluation (all non USA transcripts) of all previous academic work to verify the information provided in your uploaded application documents. Official documents must be translated to English, if applicable. Offers of admission and matriculation into the program are not binding until academic records are verified. If there are discrepancies between the self-reported academic work and official records, your offer of admission may be withdrawn or you may be removed from the program. Details regarding the process for submitting official transcripts will be sent to admitted students.

Letters of recommendation should be written according to the following guidelines:

• written in English
• include the writer’s name, organization and signature
• range anywhere from 500 to 1,500 words

For additional instructions and guidelines, please review Application Instructions: How to Navigate Letters of Recommendation on our website.

As part of the online application, you’ll provide contact information for your references. The system will then send each reference a unique link to the application portal, where they will upload their letter. Letters submitted by your recommenders will be automatically attached to your application even after you have submitted it. Please note that at least two recommendations must be received by the deadline in order for your application to be considered.

Your letters of recommendation should be written by people know the applicant well and who have evaluated the applicant in some capacity and can write objectively about their aptitudes and capabilities in an academic or work setting.

Examples of recommenders are current or former supervisors or managers, instructors, professors, clients, etc. The title or position of the recommender is not as important as his/her ability to comment knowledgeably and specifically about you.

If you do not have an academic reference or direct supervisor, consider clients (if you own a business), military personnel or community leaders.

Please Note – recommenders should not be friends or family members. If choosing professional recommeders, they should be individuals who are above the applicant on the organizational chart, such as a supervisor, manager, director etc. They should not be work colleagues that are on the same organizational level as the applicant.

If admitted, and after the offer of admission is accepted, students will need to arrange for their official transcripts and degree documents to be sent directly to Graduate Admissions as soon as possible. For institutions in the United States, we require final official transcripts showing completion of coursework required for the degree, degree earned, and the date of degree conferral. Transcripts should be submitted via a secure electronic service.

For institutions outside the United States: We require a course-by-course evaluation of any transcript(s) from non-U.S. colleges or universities from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). These evaluations should be sent directly from the NACES member to Penn Engineering Graduate Admissions. This evaluation should include course titles, grades received, GPA, and U.S. degree equivalency.

Please contact the Penn Engineering Online Admissions team at online-admissions@seas.upenn.edu.

No! We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible. However, please note that an application is not considered complete and ready for review until at least two letters of recommendation have been submitted.

After being accepted to the program you may transfer up to two courses, subject to faculty approval. Please see the Penn Engineering Online Student Handbook for further details.

All international applicants who are not US Citizens or US Permanent Residents, for whom English is not their native language, must submit official test scores from one of the following test providers:

• IELTS: International English Language Testing System
• TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language
• DET: Duolingo English Test

Test results are valid for two years and must be valid at the time you submit your application. Test scores must be received directly from the Testing Center by the application deadline.

This requirement can be waived if the candidate has completed a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree where the medium of instruction at the institution is English. The degree must be completed before matriculation into the Penn Engineering Online program. For applicants that meet this qualification, the English Proficiency requirement will automatically be waived upon submission of the application. Waived requirements will show a grey checkmark on the applicant checklist in the application portal.