Penn Engineering Graduate Newsletter 03-30-2026
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Announcement for the Month| Registrar Reminders |Grants, Scholarships, & Fellowships |Events| Career & Networking| Previous Issue
Important Dates: 
| Date | Event |
| March 23rd – April 6th | Advance Registration for Fall Term |
| March 30th | Last Day to Withdraw from a Course |
| April 29th | Last day of Classes |
| April 30th – May 3rd | Reading Days |
| May 4th – 12th | Final Exams |
| May 12th | Spring Term Ends |
| May 14th | Ph.D. Graduation Ceremonies |
| May 15th | Master’s Graduation Ceremonies |
| May 18th | University Commencement Ceremony |
Spring 2025 Semester Advising Hours
| Day of the week | Time | Location |
| Mondays | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (EST) | Virtual |
| Tuesdays | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (EST) | In-Person, Towne 109 |
| Wednesdays | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (EST) | In-Person, Towne 109 |
| Thursdays | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (EST) | Virtual |
| Fridays | No Advising |
* Information with Zoom links for virtual advising days (Monday/Thursday) is emailed to students throughout the semester. If you are unable to attend scheduled advising hours, additional times may be available by appointment only. Please email to request an appointment.
Announcements for the month
Penn’s Off-Campus Housing Fair
Everything you need to know for your next big move, all online.
Opens March 25, 2026, and runs through July 24, 2026
Live Dates: April 16
9:00am – 5:00pm EST
Click here to learn more.
Registrar Reminders
–Today, March 30, is the last day to withdraw from a course.
-Advance Registration for Fall 2026 runs through Monday, April 6. Summer 2026 registration is open.
-The May 2026 PhD graduation application closes April 22.
Emails were sent out with application instructions and FAQs. No applications will be accepted late. Please apply to graduate on time!
-The Office of the University Registrar (OUR) will provide standard enrollment verification letters, degree verification letters, and can complete some document verification processing as well. Full details and instructions can be found here. Please allow 5-7 business days for OUR to process your request. (7-10 business days during peak times of the year.) Degree verification letters, including those required for H1-B visa applications, will not be processed until the degree has been awarded. Please review your unofficial transcript to see ‘degree awarded’ before requesting this type of letter.
Grants, Scholarships & Fellowships
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
The National Science Foundation offers approximately 2,500 graduate fellowships each year. Fellowships provide three years of support for graduate study leading to research-based master’s or doctoral degrees at US universities in science, mathematics, and engineering, and a few other quantitative research fields supported by the NSF, and are intended for students in the early stages of their graduate study. Application deadline – October 27th. Click here to learn more.
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
Fulbright Grants fund 8-12 months of international experience in over 140 countries. With a long-standing mission of promoting mutual understanding through educational and cultural exchange, Fulbright opportunities can be categorized into two main grant types:
- Study/Research grants offer the opportunity to carry out your own international research project in any discipline (or in some countries, to pursue a graduate degree)
- English Teaching Assistantships (ETA) grants place Fulbrighters in classrooms abroad to teach English and share American culture
Interested candidates should enroll in CURF’s Canvas site for Fulbright applicants(link is external). Application Deadline – October 7th, 2026. Click here to learn more.
Contact Information:
Walter Lohmann: wlohmann@upenn.edu
2026 ShanghaiTech Summer Lab Program
This non-credit and tuition-free program is designed exclusively for international undergraduates from our partner institutions. It offers a unique opportunity for participants to join a research lab of their choice, utilizing world-class facilities and national science platforms rarely accessible to external students. Application Deadline: April 30, 2026. Click here to learn more and apply.
Events
Launch Your Startup the Right Way
Join Venture Lab, ISSS, and Klasko Immigration Law Partners to learn how to grow your startup while staying visa-compliant. Includes a live Q&A with immigration experts.
Thursday, April 9
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Tangen Hall 708
Click here to register.
Important Federal Loan Changes Effective July 1st
Beginning July 1, new federal student loan regulations will take effect, and it is important that you understand how these changes may impact the financing of your graduate degree at Penn.
To help you prepare, we will be hosting a variety of information sessions—both virtual and in person—designed to ensure you are well informed before these changes go into effect. These sessions will cover what’s changing, how it may affect your eligibility and borrowing limits, and what options are available to you.
Students who will continue their program past May 2026 and have borrowed loans are required to attend one session. Attendance will be taken. Registration can be found here.
For those who do not currently borrow student loans, we strongly encourage you to register for a session that fits your schedule so you can feel informed if you need to consider loan funding in the future.
Food will be provided at all in-person sessions.
TIME TO GET YOUR CAP AND GOWN!
The Penn Bookstore is pleased to serve as the University’s academic regalia provider for all current and alumni graduates, as well as participating faculty, marshals, and trustees. If you choose to order online, it’s recommended to do so by March 20th to ensure delivery prior to Commencement ceremonies. If the above deadlines pose significant challenges for you, please call the Bookstore at 215-898-7595 or email capandgown@upenn.edu as soon as possible to explore alternative options.
Penn Carey Law International Arbitration Conference
The Penn Carey Law International Arbitration Association (PCLIAA) will be hosting the 8th Annual Penn Carey Law International Arbitration Conference on Friday, April 3, 2026, at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Levy Conference Center. The conference, titled “Arbitration in an Evolving Geopolitical Environment,” will explore how global geopolitical and economic developments are reshaping international dispute resolution.
As sanctions regimes expand, global M&A markets face geopolitical uncertainty, and third-party funding continues to influence access to justice, international arbitration is adapting in real time. The conference will bring together leading practitioners, academics, and arbitration specialists to discuss these developments through four thematic panels:
- Third-Party Funding in International Arbitration
- Arbitration at the Front Lines of Sanctions
- M&A Arbitrations and Geopolitical Risk
- Enforcement and Sovereign Immunity
The keynote address will be delivered by Professor George A. Bermann of Columbia Law School, Director of the Center for International Commercial and Investment Arbitration. Our speakers include leading arbitrators, academics, and practitioners from across the United States and internationally.
Friday, April 3, 2026
Time: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm
Levy Conference Center, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
Click here to register
2026 Engineering Summer Academy at Penn (ESAP)
The Penn Engineering OAS office would like to invite you to reapply to work as a Teaching Assistant for one of our courses in the ESAP 2026 program. The expected start date is Wednesday, July 8th, with a 2-hour training, with the expected last date being Friday, July 31st. TAs are paid $3000, or $25 per hour, over the course of this period. Please review and complete the 2026 ESAP TA Application for more details on this opportunity. For more information about ESAP, please visit our new ESAP site. Please complete this form as soon as possible. The deadline to apply is April 24th. If you have any questions, please contact esap@seas.upenn.edu. We look forward to potentially working with you.
Beyond the Benchtop: A Workshop on Reimagining STEM Graduate Education in Energy & Sustainability
STEM students need not only technical skills but also training in energy justice, energy policy, communication, and community engagement in order to become effective future climate leaders. The goal of this workshop is to give faculty and students engaged in energy and sustainability work across disciplines the opportunity to interact, learn from each other, and build resources to reshape graduate training.
Thanks to support from the University Research Foundation at the University of Pennsylvania, the workshop is free to all attendees. Click here to learn more.
Friday, May 8th
9:00 am – 7:00 pm
Singh Center for Nanotechnology, Glandt Forum
Click here to register
