International Advanced Standing

Advanced Standing placement may allow the student to complete a Penn degree in less than four years.

High performance on some nationally sponsored or administered secondary school examinations may entitle a student to advanced standing at Penn. These exams include the A- and AS-levels, the French Baccalaureat, the Abitur, the IB (higher-level subjects), the Italian Maturita, the Federal Swiss Maturity Certificate, Denmark's Studentereksamen, Iceland's Studentsprof, and Finland's Matriculation Certificate.

Advanced standing is not granted until the student has been admitted and the original or an official copy of the certificate from the appropriate examining agency has been received and evaluated by Penn.

Students enrolled in their first year of university studies in the Philippines, or those who will not have university examinations to present to the selection committee, should apply as freshmen.

In order to earn a Penn degree, a transfer student must complete at least two academic years at Penn, or the equivalent of one half the courses required for the degree. Applicants for a second bachelor's degree (where the first degree is considered equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree) will not be considered; the exceptions are students seeking a second degree in Nursing, and Engineering applicants without a science-related or engineering-related first degree. Transfer applicants must furnish original or certified true copies of educational records (with certified English translations if appropriate) reflecting all completed secondary and university course work and examinations, as well as an official catalog or syllabus from each university.