Housing
You’ll find a wide range of housing options throughout Philadelphia and its suburbs, all with easy access to campus.
Housing Options and Resources
On-Campus Housing
Residences for MBA students on Penn's campus include furnished studio efficiencies and two-bedroom apartments located in two high-rise graduate-student apartment buildings at Sansom Place. More »
Rittenhouse Square and Center City
Many students live near Rittenhouse Square, an elegant neighborhood over the bridge in Philadelphia's Center City. A variety of apartment buildings and brownstones are available for rent within a 25-minute walk, or 10 to 15 minutes by public transportation or bike.
Other popular Philadelphia neighborhoods — including Old City, Queen Village, Northern Liberties, Bella Vista, Society Hill, and Fairmount — offer an eclectic mix of affordable and livable housing options, from historic townhouses to converted lofts. Prospective students can visit apartments and houses throughout the city during Wharton Winter Welcome and Wharton Welcome Weekend, our annual admitted student weekends in February and April.
University City
Thousands of Penn students, faculty, and staff live in neighborhoods throughout University City, an area that offers rich ethnic, cultural, and economic diversity. Convenient to both the campus and Center City, the neighborhood has great restaurants, large apartments, and striking Victorian architecture.
Much of University City is in the eligible area for Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School (known as the Sadie School), a pre-K through eighth grade public school assisted by the University and the Penn Graduate School of Education. Opened in 2001, this neighborhood public school has been labeled a "gold standard" by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities for bringing the most effective, research-proven educational practices into the classroom.
Suburban Living: Some students decide to live in the suburbs, particularly those with families, those with partners who work outside of Philadelphia, and those who plan to remain in Philadelphia after graduation.
The towns in the near western suburbs along the Main Line, such as Bala Cynwyd, Narberth, Wynnewood, Ardmore, and Bryn Mawr are close to campus (a 15-minute direct commuter train ride) and are known for excellent public schools. Other students choose suburbs to the north of Philadelphia or in New Jersey, also a train ride away.
Within the Philadelphia city limits, the residential neighborhoods of Germantown, Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy, Roxborough, Overbrook, and Wynnefield offer tree-lined streets, architectural charm, and family-friendly single and twin homes.
Apartments and houses for rent are easy to find in all of these areas.
Transportation
Wharton students travel from campus to other parts of the city on foot (it is a safe, pleasant walk from campus to Center City), by bike, or on Philadelphia's comprehensive public transportation system, which includes buses, trolleys, and trains.
In addition, the University offers its own transportation options. Both PennBUS East and PennBUS West operate on a fixed schedule and an established route, and they pick up and deliver passengers at designated stops on campus and at any off-campus corner along their route.
Various shuttle vehicles provide transportation to and from campus transit stops, University City, Powelton Village, and Center City. Penn Shuttles operate between 6:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m., 7 days per week, and provide riders with off-campus, "to-door" service within defined boundaries.
Safety and Security
Students at Wharton have safety concerns similar to those of students in any major city. Wharton operates under the careful eye of the Division of Public Safety at the University of Pennsylvania, which is committed to enhancing the quality of life of the campus community and operates a fully commissioned police force with state-of-the-art safety and security technology. For more information, visit Safety and Security at Penn's website.
