Stuart Weitzman School of Design
102 Meyerson Hall
210 South 34th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Below is an estimated student budget for two semesters (nine months). If your program is longer or includes a summer semester, your costs will be higher.
Please keep the following in mind as you review the costs below:
Direct Costs | |
Tuition Master's Degree Students |
$61,020 |
Tuition Doctoral Degree Students |
$43,174 |
General Fee |
$3,954 |
Clinical Fee |
$716 |
Indirect Costs | |
Housing* |
$6,750 - $12,564 |
Meals |
$4,500 - $5,796 |
Books and Supplies |
$2,500 - $4,000 |
Health Insurance** |
$4,412 |
Personal Expenses |
$450 - $2,008 |
Transportation |
$864 - $1,062 |
TOTAL FOR MASTER'S DEGREE STUDENTS |
$85,166 - $95,532 |
TOTAL FOR DOCTORAL DEGREE STUDENTS |
$67,320 - $77,686 |
The upper limit of the ranges listed above represents the maximum borrowing amount for federal student loans. Students should set their own living expense budget based on their own preferences and choices in housing, but should be aware of the maximum allocated amount for loan borrowing purposes.
Billing
Billing is handled by the University's Student Registration and Financial Services office. SRFS offers a wide range of payment options, including four- and five-month payment plans, and has dedicated staff to assist our students with their financial needs.
Books, Supplies, and Travel
Some programs may have higher costs for books and supplies, including printing, plotting, and fabrication. Student travel is a mandatory component for Architecture, City Planning, Historic Preservation, and Landscape Architecture and may lead to an increase in expenses. Students may request an increase in loan eligibility if their expenses are higher than the projected budget. Requests for increased loan eligibility require documentation and are reviewed on a per-case basis by Penn’s Student Registration and Financial Services (SRFS) Office.
Computer and Software Requirements
Many of our programs require that you own a computer. Students eligible for federal loans may be permitted to take out an additional, one-time only loan to purchase a computer. Review our computer and software recommendations for more information.
*Housing
Penn graduate students live off-campus. There is no on-campus housing for graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania. Penn's Off-Campus Services can assist in all stages of the off-campus living experience, including locating appropriate housing, understanding leases, and mediating conflict. Visit the Off-Campus Services website to learn how to plan a successful housing search, view apartment listings in the online database, and sign up for email updates.
Penn College Houses and Academic Services (CHAS) hires Graduate Resident Advisors (GRA), graduate students who live in one of Penn’s 13 College Houses and provide counseling, academic support, supervision, and activities for resident students. The priority application is typically April 1. Visit the CHAS website for more information.
**Health Insurance
All full-time students must carry comprehensive health insurance as a condition of student enrollment at the University of Pennsylvania. If you have your own insurance coverage, you may request approval to waive enrollment in the Penn Student Insurance Plan. Please review the information on insurance requirements and waiver criteria on the Wellness at Penn website.
Scholarships for Master’s Degree Applicants
Both US and non-US citizens are eligible for merit-based Weitzman School of Design scholarships. Scholarships are awarded on the merits of your application, which includes your essay responses, academic performance, portfolio (if applicable), letters of recommendation, and video interview. Your financial need or background is not included in the admissions review nor is it considered in the scholarship review process.
Candidates do not apply for these scholarships; rather, the faculty admissions committees will distribute these during the admissions review. If you are being awarded a scholarship, this information will be included in your admission letter.
Federal Loans and Work-Study (US Citizens/Permanent Residents)
US citizens or Permanent Residents enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree program qualify for US Federal Student Aid and should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form by May 31. Penn's Federal School Code is 003378.
Students enrolled in a stand-alone certificate program or non-degree coursework do not qualify for US Federal Student Aid nor Weitzman scholarships.
We are unable to provide US Federal Student Aid eligibility information in admission decision letters regardless of whether you have submitted a FAFSA; only scholarship information will be included in the admission decision letters. If you have questions about the US Federal Student Aid options, please review the U.S. Federal Student Aid website and Penn's Student Registration and Financial Services (SRFS) website. If you have questions about loans or work-study eligibility not answered by these resources, please email us at fin-aid@design.upenn.edu.
PhD Applicants
PhD applicants will be automatically considered for the funded PhD program. However, if a PhD applicant has an external source of funding for the program, they should select "Externally Funded" on their admission application. The answer to this question has no bearing on the admissions review process.
Visit Types of Aid to learn more about scholarships, loans, military benefits, and repayment options.