A coordinated dual degree
A BA in International Studies from the College and a BS in Economics from Wharton, in a four-year programme.
Undergraduate · Penn
Penn's Huntsman Program: a dual degree you apply to from the start
Penn's Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business is a coordinated dual degree: a BA from the College of Arts and Sciences in International Studies and a BS in Economics from Wharton. Unlike a major, it has its own application elements: applicants choose it in the first-year application, answer one additional essay and choose a target language, and Penn says no transfer or internal applications are accepted. For an A-level or IB applicant, the decision is whether a language-based, business-and-international programme fits, and whether to accept the possibility of a single-degree fallback. This guide is not a guide to Penn's other schools.
Official information · read 31 October 2026, no entry-year label
What Penn says about Penn Huntsman Program
Taken from Penn Admissions' Four Schools, Specialized Degree Programs, International Applicants and Testing pages and the Huntsman Program's own pages, read on 31 October 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.
Applied for at first-year admission only
Penn says no transfer or internal applications are accepted, and one additional essay is required.
Intermediate-level target language
Applicants are expected to have achieved intermediate-level proficiency, choosing from 11 target languages.
A secondary single-degree choice
Because the program is small, applicants can list a single-degree program as a secondary choice if they are not admitted.
The SAT or ACT is required
Penn's testing page says applicants are required to submit scores, with a waiver for hardship.
Official sources
- Penn Admissions: The Four Schoolsadmissions.upenn.edu
- Penn Admissions: Specialized Degree Programsadmissions.upenn.edu
- Penn Huntsman Program: The Program and Admissionshuntsman.upenn.edu
- Penn Admissions: Testingadmissions.upenn.edu
Read on 31 October 2026 on Penn Admissions' Four Schools, Specialized Degree Programs, International Applicants and Testing pages and the Huntsman Program's own pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. Penn's Huntsman curriculum pages, the application essay prompt, the target-language placement details, deadlines and financial aid were not read and are not stated.
The programme
What Penn and the programme say it is
Penn's specialised-degree page lists Huntsman as a program in which students earn a BA from the College in International Studies and a BS in Economics from Wharton. The programme describes a four-year jointly administered dual degree in language, the liberal arts and business, with a target language, a mandatory semester abroad and a first-year residency. The target languages are Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. This guide did not read the curriculum or essay prompt.
Is it the right route?
Huntsman, Wharton or the College
Penn describes each as a separate route, so the choice is made when applying. Avandy's comparison is general.
Huntsman fits if
you already have a language at intermediate level or beyond and want it at the centre of a business-and-international degree.
Wharton fits if
your focus is business without a language emphasis. Avandy's Penn Wharton guide covers it.
The College fits if
you want a broad arts and sciences route. Avandy's Penn College guide covers it.
Admission and testing
SAT or ACT, predicted scores and no fixed A-level or IB scores
Huntsman applicants apply within the general Penn application, whose embedded essays include the Huntsman segment. Penn's testing page says applicants are required to submit SAT or ACT scores, with a waiver for hardship. Penn says it has no explicit course requirements or minimum test score requirements and accepts predicted scores when final results are not yet available. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Penn's.
Is your target language already at intermediate level?
The programme expects it of applicants.
Do you want business and international affairs together?
The two degrees come from different schools.
Are you comfortable with a fallback choice?
Penn lets applicants list a single-degree program as a secondary choice.
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 requirements and descriptions on the pages read on 31 October 2026, which carry no entry-year label
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Penn has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any department prerequisites not quoted here: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Penn for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Check your language level, read Penn's specialised-degree page and plan the SAT or ACT.
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 to Huntsman after arriving at Penn?
Penn says no transfer students or internal applications are accepted for Huntsman.
Which degrees does Huntsman award?
A BA from the College of Arts and Sciences in International Studies and a BS in Economics from Wharton.
Which languages can I choose?
Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.
Is there a year abroad?
The Huntsman page describes a mandatory semester abroad.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
Penn's testing page says applicants are required to submit scores, with a waiver for hardship.
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 Huntsman Program
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their language level, their interest in business and international affairs 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.