A vibrant community of students at Penn who share a passion for broad intellectual exploration

Pursuit of Knowledge

BFS offers small, challenging classes that reach out to non-specialists, facilitate close engagement with faculty, promote independent thinking, stimulate research, and encourage curiosity outside the box.

A Sense of Community

BFS fosters a community within one of the world's great universities through its distinctive curriculum, shared housing in Hill College House, and a bustling calendar of BFS events. BFS is an umbrella program covering scholars programs for students in all four undergraduate schools: the College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the School of Nursing, and The Wharton School.

Exploration

BFS is a campus-wide program, building bridges among all four Undergraduate schools.  We encourage exploration beyond the concentration, and even outside the home college. Special BFS programs bring in world-renowned speakers, and provide opportunities for international internships.

Read more about the guiding principles of the Benjamin Franklin Scholars Program