Accounts and Technology

Setting up Your Penn Accounts

PennCard is the official identification card of the University of Pennsylvania and is required for all students; your PennCard gives you access to many University facilities and services.

New Students can visit Campus Express online before arriving to sign up for you PennCard, order textbooks, buy a new computer, register your property, and purchase discounted transit passes. Consult with your program on where to pick up your card.
Current students can obtain replacement cards at the PennCard Center at the Penn Bookstore, 3601 Walnut Street, 2nd Floor. There may be a charge for lost or damaged cards.

Spouses/domestic partners and children of current students can also obtain a PennCard to access many campus services, visit the PennCard website to learn how to obtain a card.

PennCash is a pre-paid debit card feature available on your PennCard, which reduces the need to carry cash, debit cards, and credit cards on campus. Just swipe and go.

PennKey and Password gives you access to PennNet, a Penn email account, and many other essential online services.

Two-Step Verification protects you even if your PennKey password becomes compromised. Two-Step helps to keep your personal data and Penn’s systems safe!

Path@Penn is your main hub for information about your academic records, financial aid, and student profile. Use your PennKey and password to log on for billing, financial aid, and student loan information, as well as online course registration, course schedules and academic records, updating selected address information, and updating privacy settings. Learn more and see user guides and how-to videos at srfs.upenn.edu/path-at-penn

**Important Note: Until June 2022, students will use both Path@Penn and Penn InTouch for registration and academic planning.

Penn Email
Please check with your school IT support team for information about setting up your school email.

PennO365
PennO365 provides full-time Penn students, faculty and staff at participating Schools and Centers with access to Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus services and applications. Office 365 ProPlus features a full version of Microsoft Office, which includes: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, Teams, and more.

Purchasing Computers and Software

A list of supported hardware and software information can be found on ISC's website, which contains recommended networking and anti-virus software for students. Instructions for accessing AirPennNet are also available here.

Visit Campus Express online for information about purchasing discounted academic technology and software.

Free software and technology

All Penn students have free, unlimited data storage via Penn+Box, a cloud-based collaboration service for securely managing and sharing files and folders within the Penn community and externally. Users can access, create, manage, and distribute content across various device types and operating systems.

Most full-time Penn students have free access to PennO365, which provides access to Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus services and applications. Office 365 ProPlus features a full version of Microsoft Office, which includes: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, Teams, and more. Learn more and activate your account.

There are many space on campus where you can access software necessary for class and research that you may not have on your personal computer. Check with your program and school for computer labs with discipline-specific software you may need to use. Penn Libraries also provide a list of public computer labs and software available on campus.

Student Computing and IT Resources

The Office of Information Systems and Computing (ISC) helps students, faculty, and staff take full advantage of Penn's technological assets.

All Penn students have unlimited data storage via Penn+Box, a cloud-based collaboration service for securely managing and sharing files and folders within the Penn community and externally. Users can access, create, manage, and distribute content across various device types and operating systems.
The Computing Resource Center provides computer support for graduate students who reside off-campus or in Sansom place.
PennNet, Penn's wireless network, can be accessed through the AirPennNet-Help option on the list of available wireless networks. After this network is selected, students can launch a browser to access the XpressConnect configuration wizard.
Computing Labs (on-campus)
ISC has put together a Remote IT Support Guide to assist students with accessing and using virtual instruction and software.

Located in Van Pelt Library, the Tech Center provides assistance to Penn students with technical issues, including: general technology issues, software installation, virus removal, and more.

Canvas is course management software used, in one way or another, by every school at Penn. Faculty can choose to upload course readings, grades, and even facilitate class discussion through Canvas. The Thrive at Penn modules are also administrated through Canvas. This is a vital piece of software to understand during your time at Penn.

There are many space on campus where you can access software necessary for class and research that you may not have on your personal computer. A list of computer labs on campus is kindly provided by our friends at the library. These resources can save grad students a lot of money!

Zoom is web based software used by may groups at Penn for video conferencing, breakout classrooms, and huddle spaces.

If you have any specific computing or software needs Penn Library is a great place to start. From research formatting to citations the Library staff has lots of great ways to make your academic life easier!

Tips to improve your internet access and how to turn your mobile phone into a Hot Spot to connect your computer to the internet.

Student IT Support by School

Annenberg School for Communication

Arts & Sciences

Dental Medicine

Engineering and Applied Science