Applied to through a school
Penn says you apply to one of four undergraduate schools or a coordinated dual-degree programme. Materials Science and Engineering sits in the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Undergraduate · Penn Penn Engineering
Penn Materials Science and Engineering B.S.E.: inventing the materials of the future
Penn says applicants apply to one of four undergraduate schools or a coordinated dual-degree programme. Materials Science and Engineering is a B.S.E. major in Penn Engineering, so an applicant interested in chemistry and physics applied to new materials is choosing a school as well as a subject. This guide sets out what the catalogue says and what it leaves unsaid.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Penn says about Penn Materials Science and Engineering
Taken from Penn's University Catalog entry for Materials Science and Engineering, 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.
Chemistry and physics together
The catalogue says the major is where chemistry and physics come together to invent the materials of the future.
A 37-unit B.S.E.
The curriculum ends in a two-semester Senior Design project.
Tailorable
Undergraduates can tailor their education from AI to entrepreneurship to research.
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: Materials Science and Engineering, BSEcatalog.upenn.edu
- Penn Admissions: Testingadmissions.upenn.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on Penn's University Catalog entry for Materials Science and Engineering, 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. 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 Materials Science and Engineering as the hub of major scientific and technological breakthroughs, from transportation and energy to medical implants, AI and quantum computing, and as the place where chemistry and physics come together. Students can tailor their education towards new products, ventures or research. The B.S.E. reflects 37 course units and ends in a two-semester Senior Design project. The page is dated as a guide for students entering in Fall 2026 and later. This guide does not list individual courses.
Is it the right route?
Materials Science beside other Penn Engineering majors
Penn describes these as separate schools and programmes, so the choice is made at application. Avandy's comparison is general.
Materials Science fits if
you want to design the materials behind devices and energy technology, with chemistry and physics at the base.
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering fits if
you want chemical processes. Avandy's Penn Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering guide covers it.
Bioengineering fits if
you want engineering for medicine. Avandy's Penn Bioengineering guide covers it.
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. Materials Science and Engineering is not a separate application: the application is to the School of Engineering and Applied Science. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Penn's.
Are chemistry and physics both comfortable foundations?
The major combines them.
Do you want room to tailor the degree?
The catalogue stresses tailoring.
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 Materials Science and Engineering?
You apply to the School of Engineering and Applied Science, 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 37.
Is there a senior project?
Yes. The catalogue lists a two-semester Senior Design course.
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 Materials Science and Engineering
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their chemistry, physics and mathematics, how they weigh materials against other engineering routes 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.