The deadline for the 2027 cycle is January 27th, and the application will open on November 11th. A winner will be announced in April. Upon starting your application, you should complete and submit your pre-application form, which opens the ability to request letters from your Penn project mentor and recommender, as soon as you have your team, mentor, and recommenders finalized. This will provide everyone with the necessary time to complete their portions of the application process. You can view an example of the PEP application here and an example of the PIP application here.
There will be a series of introductory joint President’s Prize information sessions, held on the upcoming dates:
- Thursday, October 15, 4-5 p.m. (Zoom)
- Wednesday, October 28, 4-5 p.m. (In-Person)
We ask that you please register in advance for both sessions here: https://forms.gle/8xrbpxdig8FcBx2J6
The 10/15 virtual session link will be provided upon registration. The 10/28 in-person information session will be held in the CURF Office in College Hall, G08/09. During information sessions, we will provide a general overview of both Prizes, including application requirements and timeline, as well as answer any questions you have.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to email pennpep@upenn.edu (Engagement Prize) or pennpip@upenn.edu (Innovation Prize).
The Projects for Progress (P4P) award is managed by the Office of Social Equity & Community. Learn more about it here.
Resources for Prize Applicants
- 2026 Joint PEP/PIP Information Session Slides (PDF)
- Wharton Social Impact Initiative presentation (PDF): how to create a project and make a strong case for it
- Penn Tax Office presentation (PPT): Potential tax implications of the prize; applicants are encouraged to discuss further with a tax advisor. You may also see a recording of the recent tax info session here.
- International Considerations of the Prize (PDF): Presentation from Penn Global on considerations when working overseas
- International Considerations checklist (PDF): A helpful checklist of things to consider--this is a companion piece to the presentation above.
- Resources for Prize Applicants (PDF)