Submatriculation Programs

Submatriculation programs are an exclusive offer for University of Pennsylvania undergraduates to explore graduate education and apply up to four courses to both degrees, at no additional cost. Through submatriculation, you can begin your master's program as an undergraduate, saving time and money — and you won't have to take the GRE.   To take full advantage of this opportunity, students are encouraged to apply for submatriculation during their sophomore or junior year. 

Penn undergraduates can apply to enroll in up to four courses from any of the programs listed below. 

*Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, and Swarthmore College undergraduates with a GPA of 3.0 or higher may apply to the Urban Teaching Apprenticeship Program and take up to two graduate courses towards this degree. 

To discuss requirements and eligibility for your school, contact the representative for your school listed below:

Dr. Alice Lesnick – Director/Term Professor
Bryn Mawr/Haverford Education Program

Dr. Diane Anderson - Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Educational Studies Swarthmore College

How to Apply

There is a two-step application process to submatriculate into one of GSE’s graduate degree programs.  GRE scores are not required for consideration to these programs.

STEP 1:  Students are encouraged to apply for submatriculation during their sophomore or junior year. Deadlines to apply are August 1 for Fall; December 1 for Spring, and May 1 for Summer I & II.

  1. Complete the online Submatriculation Application.  You will be asked to upload your resume, a personal statement of no more than 750 words, and your unofficial Penn transcripts to this application.
  2. Please submit two letters of recommendation via email to: submatriculation@gse.upenn.edu.  At least one of these letters should come from an academic source.  Letters should be sent directly from the writers’ email addresses.  

STEP 2: To be completed in your final undergraduate semester.  This step will change your status to a graduate student for the following semester.

  1. Apply online to officially become a graduate student at Penn GSE. On the Program Information page, please be sure to choose “Submatriculant” in the Degree Selection question.  The only credential you will need to submit with this application is your unofficial transcript.

For students from Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, and Swarthmore College:

STEP 1: Students are encouraged to apply for submatriculation during their sophomore or junior year. Deadlines to apply are August 1 for Fall; December 1 for Spring, and May 1 for Summer I & II.

  1. Apply online and select “Non-Degree” for your degree selection and “General Admission – Graduate School of Education” for your program selection.  Along with this application, you will be asked to upload a resume, a personal statement of no more than 750 words, and unofficial transcripts.
  2. Please submit two letters of recommendation via email to:submatriculation@gse.upenn.edu.  At least one of these letters should come from an academic source.  Letters should be sent directly from the writers’ email addresses. 

STEP 2: To be completed in your final undergraduate semester.  Follow the same instructions as provided above for Current Penn Undergraduates.

 Students from either Penn or the Quaker Consortium who have already obtained their bachelor's degrees are not eligible for this submatriculation program but can apply for graduate study through our traditional application process.