Tuition and Financial Aid Information

Federal Direct and Direct Grad PLUS Loans

Federal student loans available to graduate/professional students are all unsubsidized loans. Direct Unsubsidized loans will accrue interest while you are in school.

Federal Direct and Direct GRAD PLUS Loans offer fixed interest rates, low fees, favorable repayment benefits, ease of application, and electronic disbursement of funds directly to your student account.

Both loan programs require the completion of the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Private Alternative Loans

A number of private lenders and other financial institutions offer education loans for students. These loans are called private alternative loans.

Private alternative loans are not subsidized, and generally have tiered and fixed interest rates and fees based on your credit score. Cosigners may be required. Unlike Federal Direct and Grad PLUS loans, private loans do not have an income-based cap on monthly repayments. Therefore, we encourage U.S. citizens and permanent residents to first consider the Federal Direct and Direct Grad PLUS loan programs when you need to borrow. You can review a comparison of Grad PLUS and private alternative loans on the Student Financial Services website.

If you are an International student who is neither a dual U.S. citizen nor a U.S. permanent resident, we encourage you to investigate all sources of funding within your home country, including government and private scholarships and loans.

Wharton has a new partnership with Quorum Federal Credit Union that will provide a non-cosigned loan product for incoming international students. This loan program does not require a U.S. cosigner, and specific information on this program will be made available to admitted students. Some U.S. banks will also permit international students to borrow through them provided you have a creditworthy U.S. citizen cosigner.

Note 1: If you are an international student planning to borrow through the International Loan Program with Quorum Federal Credit Union, you will be limited to borrowing up to 80% of the MBA Student Budget for the first and second year of the program.

Note 2 (OFAC Sanctions): In accordance with mandatory federal regulatory guidelines, students from the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets (OFAC) sanctioned countries are not eligible for the private education line of credit through Quorum Federal Credit Union. If you are an applicant from these countries, please complete a thorough search of funding opportunities to help you with the cost of attendance.

American Association of University Women

Bureau of Indian Education

Fulbright Scholarships 

Giva Student Scholarship

Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)

Instituto Ling Scholarship Program 

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

National Society of Hispanic MBAs Scholarship Program

Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFAO)

Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program

Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans

Thouron Award

Toigo Fellowship

FastWeb

FinAid

Graduate Management Admissions Council

Sallie Mae Scholarship

Scholarships.com

Created in 2005 through a grant from the Leon Lowenstein Foundation—at the recommendation of John Bendheim, W’40, and his son Tom, WG/Lauder’90—the John Bendheim Loan Forgiveness Fund for Public Service is designed to encourage Wharton MBA graduates to pursue careers in the public and non-profit sectors. The fund is managed by the Wharton Social Impact Initiative.

The Loan Forgiveness Award is open to Wharton MBAs during the first five years after graduation. The application process is competitive, and award selection is determined by a team representing Wharton Social Impact Initiative, MBA Career Management, MBA Admissions and Financial Aid, the MBA Program Office, and former recipients of the award.

Eligible candidates must pursue careers in the public and non-profit sectors (and work for organizations recognized by the IRS as tax-exempt under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code). The awards are based on a combination of activity, career goals, and financial need.

If selected for this program, we will send up to $20,000 per year to to your lenders to pay down your loans. There is no limit to the number of times an alumnus/alumna may be chosen as a recipient during the first five years following graduation.

Please visit the Wharton Social Impact Initiative (WSII) to learn more about the application process for the Loan Forgiveness Fund for Public Service.

Joseph Wharton Fellowships are named in honor of Joseph Wharton, the founder of the Wharton School. These fellowships are awarded to students with outstanding records of academic, personal, and professional achievements.

Established in 1992, in honor of former Wharton professor Howard E. Mitchell, WG ’51, this fellowship is awarded to traditionally underrepresented domestic populations, specifically Black/African American, Latino/Hispanic, Native American/American Indian or Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian/Asian Pacific Islander to provide financial support to graduate students of color, based on proven leadership, academic excellence, work experience, and/or demonstrated commitment to empowering traditionally underrepresented groups. Each year, a cohort of students receives full tuition, engages in leadership programming, and joins a large network of other Mitchell Fellows and alumni.

Emerging Economy Fellowships are offered to support students from emerging economies throughout the world.

Forte Fellowships are awarded each year to outstanding female students who demonstrate exemplary leadership academically, professionally or creatively, as well as a proven commitment to the empowerment of women in education or the workplace.

The Reaching Out LGBT MBA Fellowship was created as a joint effort between MBA programs and Reaching Out to demonstrate that business schools are the top destination to developed the out LGBT and active ally business leaders of tomorrow. This is awarded to candidates who self-identify as LGBT and have demonstrated leadership in LBGT related roles either academically, professionally, or in the community.

Social Impact Fellowships are offered to students with demonstrated leadership in the public and/or not-for-profit sectors.

The following select list of corporations and foundations are fellowship supporters of named Wharton MBA fellowships:

• Alcoa Inc.
• American Express Philanthropic Program
• Bain & Company, Inc.
• Bank of America Corporation
• Bechtel Foundation
• Citigroup Foundation
• Credit Suisse
• Daimler Chrysler Corporation Fund
• Deutsche Bank
• Exxon Mobil Corporation
• Ford Motor Company Fund
• General Mills, Inc.
• General Motors Foundation
• The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
• Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
• New America Alliance Institute
• Pension Real Estate Association
• Robert A. Toigo Foundation
• Robert R. Nathan Memorial Foundation

Tuition and living expenses for first-year students for the academic year of August 2016 – May 2017 is $105,265.

Yes. MBA students typically finance their educations through a combination of educational loans, fellowships, and scholarships. These are available through external sources or Wharton.

Information on financing options is available through the Wharton MBA Program website and through Student Financial Services.

All admitted students are considered for fellowship support at the time of admission. There is no separate fellowship application. Wharton fellowships are merit based. Criteria for selection may include academic achievement, compelling leadership, exceptional professional development, and unique personal qualities. If you are selected for a fellowship, you will be notified within your admissions and financial aid letter.

If you are selected for a fellowship, you will be notified within your admission decision letter. You will also receive the financial aid Fellowship and Cost of Attendance Letters that detail the amount of the fellowship you have been awarded and loans you are eligible to borrow. This will be sent via email shortly after you receive your admission decision. If you are not chosen for a fellowship, the Cost of Attendance Letter will only reflect your loan eligibility for the upcoming year.

You should also consider any organizations to which you belong that might provide aid, such as: religious organizations, fraternal organizations, clubs, athletics, veteran groups, ethnic groups, unions, employers, Rotary clubs, and charitable foundations.

The Tax Reform Act of 1986 states that grant assistance is taxable income to the extent that it exceeds tuition, required education fees, and course-related expenses. Course-related expenses are those for books, supplies, and equipment required for your courses. For non-resident aliens, the University is required to withhold federal income tax on grants received in excess of the expenses described above.

The University of Pennsylvania offers information on several educational financing programs to assist students in meeting their educational expenses. These programs include Federal Direct Loans, Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loans, and alternative private loan programs. Please visit the Student Financial Service (SFS) website for more information.

The University of Pennsylvania allows online payment of tuition through an American Express card. There is a 2% convenience fee for students who choose this option. The fee is reflected in your American Express billing statement. Please visit the Student Financial Services (SFS) website for more information.

The director of the Global Immersion Program submits an official Participants List to Wharton’s Financial Aid Office. The student budget may be increased to make students eligible for additional loans to cover the cost of these programs.

MBA students are occasionally able to obtain a teaching or research assistantship through one of Wharton’s academic departments, research centers, or administrative offices. Time commitment and remuneration vary with the position. Qualified students should contact the department(s) of their choice directly. You are not limited to the Wharton School in your search for an assistantship. Your skills and expertise may be attractive to other schools within the University.