Applied to through a school
Penn says you apply to one of four undergraduate schools or a coordinated dual-degree programme. Bioengineering sits in Penn Engineering.
Undergraduate · Penn Engineering
Penn Bioengineering B.S.E.: applied to through Penn Engineering
Penn says applicants do not technically apply to Penn but to one of four undergraduate schools or a coordinated dual-degree programme. Bioengineering is a B.S.E. major in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, so an applicant interested in engineering and medicine is choosing a school as well as a subject. The catalogue describes a 37-unit curriculum with an optional concentration, and this guide sets it beside Nursing, Artificial Intelligence and the dual-degree routes.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Penn says about Penn Bioengineering
Taken from Penn's University Catalog entry for Bioengineering, BSE and Penn Admissions' Four Schools, Specialized Degree Programs, International Applicants and Testing pages, read on 1 November 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Penn's pages for the 2028-entry details.
A 37-unit B.S.E.
The catalogue says the B.S.E. reflects a total of 37 course units, including a two-semester Senior Design Project.
Nine optional concentrations
Concentrations include Neuroengineering and Therapeutics, Drug Delivery & Nanomedicine, and are not required.
Calculus and physics are the expected exposure
Penn says Penn Engineering is looking for exposure to calculus and physics. Penn has no explicit course requirements for admission.
The SAT or ACT is required
Penn says applicants must submit scores for the SAT or ACT, with a waiver for hardship.
Official sources
- Penn Admissions: The Four Schoolsadmissions.upenn.edu
- Penn University Catalog: Bioengineering, BSEcatalog.upenn.edu
- Penn Admissions: International Applicantsadmissions.upenn.edu
- Penn Admissions: Testingadmissions.upenn.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on Penn's University Catalog entry for Bioengineering, BSE and Penn Admissions' Four Schools, Specialized Degree Programs, International Applicants and Testing pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. Penn Engineering's Bioengineering department pages, the course descriptions, the Plan of Study, deadlines and financial aid were not read and are not stated.
The major
What the catalogue says bioengineering is
Penn's catalogue calls bioengineering a multidisciplinary area where the engineering sciences meet biology, biomedical sciences and medicine to advance human health. The curriculum combines bioengineering courses, calculus, physics, chemistry, molecular biology and human physiology with social-science and humanities electives, and ends in a two-semester Senior Design Project. The page is dated as a guide for students entering in Fall 2026 and later, so it is the best available guide, not a confirmed 2028 curriculum.
Is it the right route?
Bioengineering, Nursing, Artificial Intelligence or a dual degree
Penn describes these as separate schools and programmes, so the choice is made at application. Avandy's comparison is general.
Bioengineering fits if
you want engineering analysis and design applied to biology and medicine, with calculus and physics behind it.
Penn Nursing fits if
your aim is patient care. Penn describes Nursing as seeking a commitment to patient care and chemistry exposure, and Avandy's Penn Nursing guide covers it.
Artificial Intelligence B.S.E. fits if
your interest is intelligent systems rather than living ones. Avandy's Penn Artificial Intelligence guide covers it.
A coordinated dual-degree programme fits if
you want two degrees across two schools and accept the heavier workload Penn describes.
Admission and testing
Penn Engineering, an SAT or ACT and predicted grades
Penn requires applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores, with a waiver for hardship. It has no explicit course requirements or minimum test score requirements, and it asks schools to provide predicted scores if final exams are not yet available. Bioengineering is not a separate application: the application is to Penn Engineering. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Penn's.
Do you want to be an engineer first and a biologist second?
The school you apply to grants the degree and shapes the curriculum.
Is your calculus and physics exposure strong?
Penn says Penn Engineering looks for it.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT with your A levels or IB?
Penn requires one of them from applicants.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Penn's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Penn's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The curriculum on the Penn catalogue page read on 1 November 2026, which describes itself as a guide for students entering in Fall 2026 and later
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Penn has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any updated curriculum for the 2028 cohort: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Penn for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read the catalogue entry and plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with the University of Pennsylvania. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Can I apply directly to Penn Bioengineering?
You apply to Penn Engineering, one of four undergraduate schools. Penn says you do not technically apply to Penn itself.
How many course units does the B.S.E. need?
The catalogue says the B.S.E. reflects a total of 37 course units.
Do I have to choose a concentration?
No. The catalogue says concentrations are not required, and students may select one of nine.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
Yes. Penn says applicants must submit scores for the SAT or ACT, with a waiver for hardship.
Does Penn name specific A levels or IB subjects?
Penn says it has no explicit course requirements for admittance, and Penn Engineering looks for exposure to calculus and physics.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Penn's wording with no entry-year label. Check Penn's pages again when Penn publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Penn Bioengineering
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, how they weigh engineering against nursing or computing and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.