Applied to through a school
Penn says you apply to one of four undergraduate schools or a coordinated dual-degree programme. Cognitive Science sits in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Undergraduate · Penn College of Arts and Sciences
Penn Cognitive Science: the study of intelligent systems, in four catalogue concentrations
Penn says applicants apply to one of four undergraduate schools or a coordinated dual-degree programme. Cognitive Science is a B.A. major in the College of Arts and Sciences that the catalogue publishes as four entries, one for each concentration. This guide sets out what the shared overview says; it read the Individualized entry and does not describe the other three in detail.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Penn says about Penn Cognitive Science
Taken from Penn's University Catalog entry for Cognitive Science, BA: Individualized 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.
Four catalogue entries
The catalogue lists Cognitive Neuroscience, Computation and Cognition, Individualized, and Language & Mind as entries for the BA.
At least 36 course units
The catalogue lists a minimum of 36 for graduation in the major.
An interdisciplinary science
The catalogue says it combines results from biology, computer science, linguistics, mathematics, neuroscience, philosophy and psychology.
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: Cognitive Science, BA: Individualizedcatalog.upenn.edu
- Penn Admissions: Testingadmissions.upenn.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on Penn's University Catalog entry for Cognitive Science, BA: Individualized and Penn Admissions' Four Schools, Specialized Degree Programs, International Applicants and Testing pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. The department's own pages, the course descriptions, deadlines and financial aid were not read and are not stated.
The programme
What the catalogue says the programme is
Penn's catalogue describes cognitive science as the empirical study of intelligent systems, including the human mind, and as an interdisciplinary science that combines results from biology, computer science, linguistics, mathematics, neuroscience, philosophy and psychology to study language processing, perception, learning and other activities of the mind, with applications for information technology and the study of artificial intelligence. The minimum is 36 course units. The catalogue publishes the BA as four entries; this guide read only the Individualized entry and does not list courses.
Is it the right route?
Cognitive Science beside Psychology and Computer Science
Penn describes these as separate schools and programmes, so the choice is made at application. Avandy's comparison is general.
Cognitive Science fits if
you want the mind studied across psychology, computing, linguistics and philosophy.
Psychology fits if
your interest is behaviour and mental processes within one discipline. Avandy's Penn guides to related College majors cover that ground.
Computer science fits if
your interest is building computing systems. Avandy's Penn Engineering first-year guide covers the engineering route.
Admission and testing
The College, 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. Cognitive Science is not a separate application: the application is to the College of Arts and Sciences. 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 several disciplines studied around the mind?
The catalogue describes an interdisciplinary science.
Which concentration draws you in?
The catalogue publishes four.
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 Cognitive Science?
You apply to the College of Arts and Sciences, one of four undergraduate schools. Penn says you do not technically apply to Penn itself.
Is Cognitive Science one entry or several in the catalogue?
The catalogue lists four entries for the BA, one for each concentration: Cognitive Neuroscience, Computation and Cognition, Individualized, and Language & Mind.
How many units?
The catalogue says a minimum of 36.
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.
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 Cognitive Science
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their interest in the mind, language and computation, how they weigh the four concentrations 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.