Graduate Resource Guide Resources for New Students

New Student Checklist
Our incoming students' checklist is a list of everything you need to do before you arrive at Penn.

SET UP YOUR PENN ACCOUNTS
Before you get to campus, be sure to sign up for your PennCard and register your PennKey, which gives you access to Penn email and other essential online services. Once you have a PennKey, you can access and update your student information and records on Path@Penn and visit Campus Express to order textbooks, register your property, and purchase discounted transit passes.

The Graduate Student Center is excited to welcome you to Philadelphia and help you transition to graduate life at Penn. The Graduate Student Center organizes New Student Orientation activities each summer for incoming graduate and professional students. 

Our Graduate and Professional Student Orientation activities are intended to supplement required school-specific programs and introduce you to the broader community at Penn and in Philadelphia. All of our orientation activities are optional and open to all incoming graduate & professional students - pick and choose what's most convenient for you! 

Graduate Student Orientation Hub 

New Student Orientation Activities

Online Sessions for Incoming Students

Thrive at Penn for Graduate and Professional Students 
Graduate Thrive at Penn (or G-TAP) provides information about resources available to support graduate student success. Topics covered include academic integrity; campus engagement, wellness and health; and healthy relationships and sexual violence prevention. G-TAP is available in Canvas throughout students' career at Penn. Students are encouraged to complete the modules at their own pace, and review often.

Graduate Thrive at Penn (G-TAP)

Penn is situated in the University City section of West Philadelphia, just across the river from Center City Philadelphia. The city’s neighborhoods and suburbs offer a wide range of housing choices, nightlife, culture, and recreation. We encourage you to visit Philadelphia and explore its diverse neighborhoods.

• Learn more about On-Campus and Off-Campus Housing at Penn and explore additional resources available to students living off-campus. Each spring, the University offers online sessions about housing so that incoming graduate students can get this critical information before arriving on campus. 

• See options for transportation, parking, & maps of campus and visit Penn Transit Services website and SEPTA public transportation website to learn more about travel to and around Philadelphia.  

• Arriving from the Airport? Learn more about your transportation options here. 

• Take some time to get to know campus. You can explore on your own with a virtual or self-guided campus tour - or - join us for a guided tour and meet other new students. We offer a series of guided tours of campus throughout the summer - check our events calendar to sign up for an upcoming tour! 

• Learn more about visiting and living in Philadelphia and Penn's commitment to maintaining a safe and respectful campus environment for all students.

Visit our Living in Philadelphia page to learn more about visiting and living in Philadelphia.  

We are thrilled you are at the University of  Pennsylvania, where you will find countless opportunities to strengthen and grow your intellectual and professional skills. Penn prepares graduate students to teach, work, and do research that advances the frontiers of knowledge in their fields, while also providing many benefits and programs that support graduate student life, research, career advancement, and work-life balance across campus.

There are a number of resources and steps you can take to help you integrate into the Penn community, manage your expectation and commitments, and enjoy a successful start to your academic career.

Below are a few suggestions to help you get started. 

• Get Oriented. Attend New Graduate Student Orientation programs and explore other activities and resources to help new students learn more about the campus, community, and their academic programs. Important resources include: 
   
  • Thrive at Penn (TAP) is an online program for incoming graduate and professional students that provides information about resources available to support student success. TAP is available in Canvas throughout students' career at Penn. 
     
  • Our New Student Checklist and FAQ cover cover the key things you need to do before you arrive on campus and once you've arrived. 
     
• Find your footing. Graduate school requires navigating a complex set of academic, professional and social experiences.  Remember to pace yourself in a realistic manner, and remind yourself that you don’t have to know and do everything right now. If you're feeling lost or need help connecting with the right resources on campus,  the Graduate Student Center brings together all the campus resources that help our graduate students be successful and healthy at Penn.
   
• Get to know University staff. From organizing orientations, providing a supportive ear to students, or ensuring that you fulfill your degree requirements, graduate program coordinators and advisors are often your first point of contact into graduate school. Professional and administrative staff members are a vital part of the resource network you will need to be successful throughout your graduate education. 
   
• Attend department events. Whether they are faculty or peer presentations, departmental meetings, working committees, or peer pub nights, there are numerous opportunities to connect with peers, staff, and faculty throughout the year.  
   
• Set yourself up for academic success. It's completely natural to feel excited and anxious about attending your first graduate course or starting a new graduate program. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take now to be sure you are well prepared for the academic challenges and experiences ahead. 
  • Learn about Academic Policies and Support and review other relevant policies and handbooks set forth in the Pennbook. For information about required classes and course registration, be sure to contact your individual School & Program. 
     
  • The Weingarten Center provides resources, tools, and advising to help you prepare for succeed in graduate courses. Each fall, the Weingarten Center and Grad Center cosponsor a "Success in Graduate Studies" workshop series focused on common challenges and strategies to help students succeed in the classroom and beyond. Check our events calendar for upcoming sessions. 
     
• Find your community. The University of Pennsylvania is a large and complex institution, and we know that a feeling of belonging on campus is critical to your success and well-being. It makes a difference to find and connect with people who can support your whole self and not just your role as a graduate or professional student.
   
  • Find ways to connect with others and get involved on campus and beyond in the Campus and Community Engagement section of our resource guide. Join one of the many graduate student organizations at Penn or get involved in campus activities and student centers that interest you. 
     
  • Connect with your Graduate Program Advisor for referrals to student organizations, affinity groups, or additional campus resources. You can also reach out to the Graduate Center for assistance by emailing gradcenter@upenn.edu.  

  • International students: to prepare before you arrive on campus, you can view a recording of one of our webinars for incoming international students. All incoming international students MUST register with International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS), which provides a variety of resources for new international students.

  • New Students with Children: learn more about Resources & Benefits for Penn Students with Children.

• Learn more about recent initiatives to support a vibrant graduate student community and enhance work-life balance for graduate students on the University's Valuing Graduate Students website. We encourage you to tap into resources that can help you thrive as you navigate graduate student life. 

Please refer to the Graduate Center's resource guide. for even more resources, services, and opportunities for graduate and professional students at Penn.