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, from independent projects to thesis and dissertation-related work to programs and initiatives that engage the student body or 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 2026 Student Grant award funds may be available is March 2026. 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.

Apply

Student Grants are now closed for the 2026 grant cycle.

We are not accepting applications for Sachs Program Student Grants at this time. The deadline to submit a completed Student Grant application in the 2026 grant cycle was December 19, 2025.

Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest information about Sachs Program grant opportunities and more.

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 2026 grant cycle will be made in February 2026.