UPenn International Student Financial Aid Yes/No?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
1

Hi everyone!

I’m applying to Penn’s Wharton School as an intended Actuarial Science Major RD for the class of 2023. I am an international student and my parents make around $130-140k a year. Penn’s tuition is quite steep imo and my parents want me to apply for fin aid, otherwise we wouldn’t really be able to pay for it.

I know that Penn is not need blind for international students (I’m not from Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico). And because of this, applying for financial aid may drastically change my ability to be accepted. I think that my chances for getting into Penn is relatively okay.

I take the full IB diploma and I’m predicted a 40 (7,7,6 on HL’s 7,6,6 in SL’s and 1 for TOK & EE). My SAT superscore is 1460 (below average but within the middle 50%). Some of my notable activities include joining an international academic decathlon and debate competition for 5 years (winning 1st in Literature and 1st Science on an international scale, and other awards both individually and with my teammates), becoming my coach’s assistant (for said academic decathlon and debate comp) and doing paid debate coaching to elementary students in my school in preparation for these competitions (my students got 3rd, 4th, 5th and 8th place team on an international scale, beating middle school students). I’m also an executive in my school’s MUN Club for coaching and finance, as well as my school’s dance team.

With my stats do you think I should apply for financial aid or is it too risky? If I don’t, do you think there are other aid or large scholarship options that could help? thanks :slight_smile:

2

I would say that your stats are good but so are other applicants so don’t put too much hope into getting in Penn especially as an international student. If you can’t afford the Penn tuition, apply for financial aids because there is no point to not apply if you can’t afford Penn even if you are accepted. Most scholarships that I have heard for international students are for graduate degrees so I am not exactly sure on that. Let me know if you have any questions!

3

Most parents cannot pay the full tuition out of current income. I paid for my son’s Wharton education out of savings.
Can your parents take out a loan? I feel a Wharton’s degree is worth it and you will probably be able to repay your parents from your future income.

4

Thank you for the replies!

My family were heavily considering applying for financial aid but decided against it as we realized that we could pay the tuition out of a real estate investment.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply!