🏠 University of Pennsylvania — Parent Guide

Helping parents understand dorm options, safety, accessibility, and what to expect at University of Pennsylvania.

💡 Tips for parents reviewing dorm options:

🏠 How housing selection works at University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania requires most undergraduate students to live on campus and provides housing for four years.

First-Year Housing: First-year students are assigned to residence halls by the Housing Office. Most freshmen live in designated residence areas.

Upperclass Housing: Returning students participate in a lottery system for on-campus housing selection each spring. A wide range of residential options are available, including residential colleges and themed communities.

Room Selection: Students participate in a lottery pool and room selection. Both traditional and suite-style housing options are available.

As of May 8, 2026

📍 Location

Philadelphia, PA

🏛️ College Type

Private Research University

👥 Enrollment

23,265 total students

🏠 Housing

14 dorm buildings reviewed on DormScouter

📊 Dorm Comparison by Safety & Cleanliness

DormOverall ★Safety ★Cleanliness ★ReviewsFeatures
Harrison College House 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Harnwell College House 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Graduate Housing — The Quad 0
Fisher Hassenfeld College House 0
Hill College House 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Kings Court English College House 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Riepe College House 0
Ware College House 0
Lauder College House 0
Du Bois College House 0
Gregory College House 0
Gutmann College House 0
Rodin College House 0
Stouffer College House 0

🔗 More Resources

🔗 Penn Housing Services

Open link ↗

🔗 Residential Living

Open link ↗

🔗 Housing Application

Open link ↗

🔗 First-Year Housing

Open link ↗

🔗 40th Street Housing

Open link ↗

🎓 Class-Year Housing Guides

Year-specific advice for University of Pennsylvania dorms — what changes from freshman to senior year:

🎓 Freshman Guide📚 Sophomore Guide📖 Junior Guide🎉 Senior Guide

🔍 Filter by Amenity

Looking for something specific? Browse University of Pennsylvania dorms filtered by amenity:

❄️ with Air Conditioning🍳 with Shared Kitchen🛗 with Elevator♿ ADA-Accessible🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ Friendly🚿 with Private Bathrooms🛁 with Semi-Private Bathrooms🧼 with Communal Bathrooms♀ All-Female