The Office of Admissions and Financial Aid is committed to making your graduate education affordable. We are available to provide consultation and advice on federal loan programs, federal loan repayment programs, third-party billing, and more.  

2023-2024 Academic Year

All tuition and fees are subject to the approval of the Trustees and the University of Pennsylvania and are subject to change without notice. 

Budgeting and Estimated Living Expenses 

Cost of Living Budget 

The following living expense budget is the standard budget the University uses for Penn GSE and reflects the maximum a student may borrow in loans for living expenses over 9 months; these are NOT always billable expenses. The amount you need for living expenses will vary based on your lifestyle, and we suggest only borrowing the amount you need. Your refund per semester will be the difference between your total direct charges and total credits. If your charges differ between semesters, the amount of refund may likewise differ. Loans will be disbursed after you are registered and billed for each semester. Be sure to enroll in Direct Deposit to expedite receipt of your refund. Living expenses for the summer are prorated at roughly $3,100 per session. 

**NOTE: All full-time students are required to have comprehensive health insurance. Full-time, non-executive students are also required to pay a separate Clinical Fee set by the University to help support the on-campus health clinic. Students with their own coverage may petition Student Health to waive the Penn Insurance by contacting their office at 215-746-3535, by email at shinsur@pobox.upenn.edu, or via the Penn Student Insurance Plan website.

University Student Health Services and Health Insurance Requirements

The University of Pennsylvania requires students to meet certain health requirements, including carrying adequate health insurance coverage and immunization against diseases. All full-time, dissertation and exchange students (in classes for one term or longer) are required to have comprehensive health insurance. The Penn Student Insurance Plan (PSIP) is available for students who do not have insurance, whose plans do not provide coverage in the Philadelphia area, or whose plans do not meet our criteria for alternative insurance. Learn more about current rates for PSIP. All full-time students, whether enrolled in PSIP or not, will be charged a mandatory clinical fee in the fall and spring. This gives students access to Student Health Services.

All rates are subject to change without notice.

Tuition & Fees for Traditional-Format Programs

These prices reflect the combined tuition and fees for the 2023-24 academic year. The rates listed are effective summer 2023 through spring 2024. Please refer to your program page for the required number of course units. All tuition and fees are subject to the approval of the Trustees and the University of Pennsylvania and are subject to change without notice.

Tuition rates do not apply for executive-format and non-traditional masters. Students enrolling in classes outside of Penn GSE should be aware CU rates may vary in other University of Pennsylvania schools and programs.

* Registration is not required during the summer; however, students who plan to use University facilities, take comprehensive or preliminary examinations, hold dissertation hearings, or graduate must register and pay the tuition. Ph.D. students are charged the Ed.D. rate in the summer.

Additional Information

Master's students may not be registered for more than 5-course units per semester. Doctoral students may not be registered for more than 4-course units per semester. General Admission students will be billed according to this tuition schedule. Full-time students are charged a clinical fee during the fall and spring semesters. In addition to the clinical fee, full-time students are also required to have comprehensive health insurance. 

General Fee is capped at the cost of 1-course unit for each summer session in which a student is enrolled.

Master's Registration is for those who have completed coursework, but would not otherwise be registered for the semester in which they wish to graduate.

Dissertation Status is tuition for the semester following a successful final dissertation defense. Tuition will be waived one time only. Students in the Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, who do not graduate in 3 years will be billed Ed.D. dissertation plus program fee each semester beyond their 9th semester.

Privacy Settings

The University strives to ensure the privacy of each student. To fully comply with the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA), we would like to remind you to update the privacy settings via the Penn Portal. You can designate with whom we can share financial aid or academic information. Examples of people you may want to authorize us to speak with about your account are spouses, parents, employers, or anyone else involved in funding your education. Without prior authorization, we are limited in what we can discuss with anyone other than you, and this may limit our ability to fully assist you. Read more about the University’s privacy policy.