Penn Global Seminars Funding & Application Process

Penn Global Seminars are funded by a generous donation from the Ahmad Fund, as well as contributions from Penn's Global Engagement Fund. These funds cover the majority of program costs and are intended to make this program accessible to all students.

PGS students will be charged only a flat program fee of $950 for participation. This flat fee serves as the student contribution toward the full program travel experience and includes round-trip airfare, all hotels and accommodations, all ground transportation, entrance fees, translation and guide services, and group meals. Students will only be responsible for the cost of any personal meals and incidentals, as well as any visa/consular fees.

For eligible students with demonstrated financial need, It is the policy of Student Registration & Financial Services to cover these programs with a mixture of grant and loan funding. Penn Abroad will provide your PGS program costs to SRFS, which will add that amount to your cost of attendance, increasing your eligibility for financial aid. SRFS first increases your parent contribution by 5% to help cover the difference. For your remaining financial need, SRFS will offer 60% of the funding in the form of a grant and 40% as a loan. To calculate the additional aid you can expect to receive from SRFS, please use the Short Program Calculator.

You are not required to accept any loans that are offered to you, but if you do, please discuss next steps with your financial aid counselor. The process is different for federal loans, student aid loans, and alternative loans. Any financial aid recipients with further questions should make an appointment with their assigned financial aid consultant.

All costs related to the on-campus component of the program are the responsibility of the student and are not calculated into the program budget for SRFS.

Full PGS Financial Guidelines

• Penn Global Seminars are open to full-time, degree-seeking Penn undergraduates

• Students in their final semester at Penn are not eligible to take a PGS course if the travel component occurs at the end of the semester

• Some seminars may have additional requirements, please see the course descriptions for details

• You may only apply to one Penn Global Seminar per semester. If you would like assistance in selecting a Penn Global Seminar, please reach out to pgs-abroad@upenn.edu to set up an advising appointment.

Applications typically open the semester prior to the start of each course in alignment with advanced registration. You are invited to join our mailing list to stay up to date on PGS opportunities, reminders about the application process, and other Penn Abroad programs.  

In order to be considered for a Penn Global Seminar, students must complete an application through PASSPORT. 

• Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee of Penn Abroad staff and the program faculty leader(s).

• Some programs may invite strong applicants in for an interview. 

• Students who are placed on the waitlist will be notified as they are removed from the waitlist.