Student Grants

Who is eligible to apply?

Individual University of Pennsylvania undergraduate and graduate students and student groups are eligible to apply for Sachs Program Student Grants.

What do the grants support?

Student Grants support creative practice, including independent projects, thesis and dissertation-related work, programs, and initiatives that engage the student body or the broader public.
Examples of previously supported projects can be reviewed on our website.

How much can I apply for?

Students and student groups may request up to $3,500.

How and when do I receive the grant funds?

Students must receive Student Grants as awards through Penn Marketplace, except for student groups with active SAC accounts (if approved by the Office of Student Affairs).
Penn Marketplace awards are considered taxable income, and some percentage of grant funds will be due as tax. The tax amount will differ depending on an individual’s residence and tax status. International students will be taxed on their award based on relevant treaties between the US and their home country, not to exceed 30%.
Students receiving awards through Penn Marketplace are encouraged to include a line item for taxes in their project budgets. The university does not provide tax advice, so any tax implications should be reviewed and handled by an external accountant.
Student groups without SAC accounts may either designate one individual to receive the grant on the group’s behalf or set up an LLC to receive the grant on behalf of the group.
Please refer to our general information page about grants disbursement for complete guidelines about receiving grant funds.
The earliest date that 2027 Student Grant award funds may be available is March 2027. Students should take this into account when planning their project timelines and budgets. For students looking to support activities taking place in the spring, we encourage you to think carefully about what is feasible. We are happy to discuss this with you and will do our best to assist you on a reasonable timeline. Grant award funds can be used to reimburse students for expenses already incurred, within reason.
Any questions? Please email Sachs Program Associate Director Chloe Reison at reison@upenn.edu.

What do I need to know to apply?

The deadline to submit a grant inquiry form for 2027 Student Grants is MIDNIGHT on Friday, November 6, 2026.
Applicants must submit a grant inquiry form from the Sachs Program website to receive a link to the full online application. A link to the online application (via SlideRoom) will be sent to the email address provided when submitting the grant inquiry form.
The deadline for submitting completed applications online via SlideRoom is MIDNIGHT on Friday, November 20, 2026.

Grant Inquiry Form

You must submit a grant inquiry form from the Sachs Program website to receive a link to the full online application. A link to the online application (via SlideRoom) will be sent to the email address provided when submitting the Grant Inquiry Form.

The last day to submit a grant inquiry form is November 6, 2026.

* Required Fields

First Name *

Last Name *

Pronouns

Email *

Student Status (select one) *UndergraduateGraduate

I am submitting this inquiry as (select one) *an individual.the lead applicant for a Penn student group.

What is the name of the student group? *

Penn school and department (individual student or lead applicant) *

Intended major or degree (individual student or lead applicant) *

Year of anticipated graduation (individual student or lead applicant) *

Project Description (one paragraph) *

Unlike in previous years, we will no longer be scheduling individual meetings to review applications. If you have questions about your application, bring them to one of our scheduled grant information sessions or email Sachs Program Associate Director Chloe Reison at reison@upenn.edu.

When submitting this form, your name and email address will be added to our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation.

Applicant Guidelines

A complete list of grantmaking criteria can be found on the Sachs Program website. The Sachs Program grantmaking criteria serve as guideposts for our grantmaking process and describe what is expected of a competitive application.
To be eligible for consideration, an application must be an appropriate fit for the category in which it is submitted. If an application is not an appropriate fit for its category or does not align with Sachs Program mission priorities, the Sachs Program reserves the right to withdraw submitted applications.
Students must be enrolled when they apply.
If a student group is supported by the Penn Student Activities Council (SAC), they may only apply to the Sachs Program for projects and activities that are not covered by their SAC budget.
Sachs Program funding is competitive and is not guaranteed. Applicants must make a case for the urgency and expected impact of funding in their applications.
Since Sachs Program funding is not guaranteed, any student applying for support for thesis work or other degree-related projects must develop and share a backup plan for supporting their project should their Sachs Program application not be successful.
Applicants with an open Sachs Program grant must turn in their final report before the current application deadline before submitting an application for another Sachs Program grant.
If you are applying for support for equipment, software, or other resources that may already be available to you through the University of Pennsylvania, a strong case must be made for why these purchases are necessary for the success of your project.
If you have any questions about the eligibility of your proposal, please contact Sachs Program Associate Director Chloe Reison at reison@upenn.edu.

Evaluation Process

Student Grant applications are evaluated by a group of committee members, which may include former grantees, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. All deliberations will be guided by Sachs Program mission priorities and grantmaking criteria. More information about application evaluations can be found on the Sachs Program website.

Award decisions for Student Grant applications in the 2027 grant cycle will be made in February 2027.

Important Information

The Sachs Program has limited resources and will, therefore, be unable to fund all requests.
Receiving counsel from Sachs Program staff or board members on an application does not guarantee funding.
The Sachs Program aims to support projects that meet our grantmaking criteria, align with the guidelines for each grant category, and support our mission priorities. Should a proposal or application not meet the criteria or not align with our priorities, Sachs Program staff may recommend that a previously submitted application be withdrawn.
The Sachs Program provides equal opportunity and supports a pluralistic Penn community. We are committed to supporting individuals and groups from all races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, disabilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

2027 Information Sessions

Following the opening of our 2027 grant cycle on September 21, 2026, the Sachs Program will host a series of information sessions during the month of October to review 2027 grant opportunities.

Applicants are encouraged to attend for a chance to learn about each opportunity in discussion with Sachs Program staff and previous grantees.

Learn More