Admission

There are several ways to become part of the Vagelos Scholars Program in the Molecular Life Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania.

• Entering students who accept the offer of admission to the College of Arts & Sciences have the opportunity to express interest in participating and provide further information after completing the matriculation survey.
• Any student who receives a notice of admission to the College of Arts & Sciences (Early or Regular Decision) may request review of their eligibility. Students who apply Early Decision will be reviewed at the same time as regular decision students.
• Any student who enrolls as a first-year student in May may request review of their eligibility any time up to the start of the fall semester.

The Vagelos MLS Program is intended for highly motivated students with strong verbal and mathematical skills. Prior to starting with the program, all students should have taken at least the equivalents of one year (two semesters) each of Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus. Ideally, students should have taken all the Advanced Placement or university-level courses in science and mathematics offered by their high schools.

There is no separate formal application to this rigorous program. Each year 40-60 students from the first-year class opt to start with the Vagelos MLS Program upon arriving at Penn. Of these, many discover that one of the many other academic opportunities available at Penn is a better fit.  In recent years, roughly 18-32 from students class continue with the program and receive summer stipends after their respective second and third years.

The program is not open to transfer students nor to students after the start of the first semester.  Nonetheless, the program directors are happy to consult with students to craft a similar undergraduate experience centered in the natural sciences and scientific research.