VIPER isn't just a dual-degree program — it's a launchpad. From your first semester, you're immersed in real energy research alongside students and faculty who are working on some of the most pressing challenges of our time. You'll graduate with two degrees — a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) — and the kind of research experience most students don't get until graduate school. The program is small by design: personalized advising, a tight-knit cohort, and an interdisciplinary education on fundamental science and engineering applications are built into the experience. VIPER's mission is to develop the next generation of leaders who will use science and engineering to power the world sustainably. 

Your VIPER experience starts before you ever set foot on campus. Over the summer, you'll connect with your cohort and your VIPER Peer Advisors through virtual events designed to help you hit the ground running. Those same Peer Advisors — current VIPER students who've been exactly where you are — will guide you through New Student Orientation and be a go-to resource as you settle into Penn. 

Once you arrive, first-year VIPER students live together in Hill College House, where the cohort dynamic takes shape naturally — through late-night study sessions, shared meals in the dining hall, and the everyday moments that turn classmates into friends and future collaborators. You're navigating a new university, a rigorous dual-degree program, and the beginning of a research journey, and you're doing it alongside the same group of people you'll be with for the next four years.  

VIPER admits approximately 25 students each year. The small cohort size means you'll know your classmates, your advisors, and your faculty directors — and they'll know you. You'll take VIPER-specific seminars together, grow together as researchers, and build friendships that last well beyond Penn. 

VIPER is looking for students who are genuinely curious about energy science, motivated to do research, and ready to take on the challenge of a rigorous dual-degree program. Strong applicants typically have a solid foundation in science and math, but just as important is intellectual drive and a real interest in using your skills to make a difference. Students are often torn between majoring in science or in engineering, and in VIPER, they can pursue both. 

We strongly encourage prospective students to take the highest level classes in physics, math, and chemistry available to them. Students who enter with pre-college credit granted by their scores on Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or A-level exams may find that those credits create additional flexibility in their dual-degree planning — though they are not a requirement for success in the program. 

Senior high school students apply to VIPER through the Penn undergraduate admissions process. No separate application is required, although students applying to VIPER will answer additional supplemental questions.  

When filling out your application, simply indicate VIPER as your program of choice. You can apply Early Decision (ED) or Regular Decision (RD). You'll also be asked to select a secondary single-degree option in case you aren't admitted to VIPER directly. 

If you aren't admitted to VIPER, your application is automatically considered for your second choice — just as it would be if you had applied there directly. 

Already at Penn? First-year students can apply to VIPER through an internal transfer process. The deadline is by the end of your first fall semester. 

In the application, you can indicate whether you want your secondary program choice to also be considered under the binding Early Decision agreement. If you say yes and you're not admitted to VIPER, your second-choice program will be reviewed under ED. If you say no, your second-choice application moves to the Regular Decision cycle instead.  

If space allows, current Penn first-year students can apply to join VIPER through an internal transfer process before the end of their first fall semester. VIPER does not admit external transfer students. 

Energy challenges don't fit neatly into one discipline — and neither will your career. A dual degree in science and engineering gives you the analytical depth of a science education and the problem-solving toolkit of an engineer. You'll be able to think across fields, which is exactly what the energy sector needs. And despite what it sounds like, a dual degree doesn't mean double the workload — many courses count toward requirements in both schools, and careful planning and support makes it manageable. 

VIPER students typically complete both degrees in four years. Because many courses count toward requirements in both schools, the dual degree is more achievable than it might sound. Occasionally, students pursuing additional options such as an accelerated master's degree may need a bit more time — but four years is the norm. 

Each VIPER cohort takes a seminar series in their first year spring (VIPR 1200) and sophomore fall (VIPR 1300). VIPR 1200 introduces you to energy research, helps you identify a faculty research mentor, and prepares you to propose your first summer research project. VIPR 1210 builds your science communication skills — think posters, presentations, and learning to explain complex research to different audiences. From sophomore year onward, students continue their development through an ongoing asynchronous course (VIPR 1300) course that encourages students to participate and reflect in many activities that are important to their overall development as energy leaders. 

Penn's campus is home to faculty conducting cutting-edge research across many energy-relevant fields. VIPER provides a generous summer housing stipend, supplemental research funding, and financial support for conference travel. The VIPER program also provides extensive training in how to get started in research and communicate science effectively.  

During VIPR-1200, you'll explore current energy research topics, dive into scientific literature, and narrow in on the kind of research that excites you. You'll get hands-on guidance finding a faculty mentor whose work aligns with your interests — including how to reach out to professors, have productive one-on-one conversations, and evaluate whether a lab is the right fit for you. 

Once you've identified your mentor, you'll craft a research proposal for the work you'll do that summer. VIPER provides secure funding so that finances are never a barrier to participating — including a housing stipend and supplemental research support. VIPER also hosts regular summer lunches to keep you connected to the VIPER research community across different labs and departments. 

Research in VIPER isn't a one-summer checkbox — it's a multi-year arc. Students complete at least two summers of energy research, and the goal is to work continuously in a lab for two to three years. Many VIPER students graduate as co-authors on peer-reviewed publications. That's not a requirement, but it's a real and common outcome. 

After your first summer on Penn's campus, you can continue with your Penn faculty mentor, or propose a project in another location, such as a national laboratory, another university, or an institution abroad. A third funded summer at Penn is also an option — and students who complete one can use it to fulfill an energy course requirement. 

Throughout the academic year, students interested in going deeper can register for independent study credit, working formally under their faculty advisor's supervision. 

VIPER partners with Penn's Global Research and Internship Program (GRIP) to help provide VIPER students with an international research experience while fulfilling their summer research requirements.  

If you're selected for a GRIP program and your energy research project proposal has been approved, VIPER contributes to your stipend support. VIPER students have done research through GRIP in Singapore, Germany, and France — gaining international perspective while staying on track with their research requirements. 

VIPER students are driven, curious, and collaborative — and because the cohort is small, you build real relationships. You'll take core courses together, share a student lounge, and navigate the dual-degree experience together. The program also has an active VIPER Student Board that organizes community events, peer support, and engagement with alumni. VIPER students also have access to all resources available to Penn students generally. It's a tight community inside a big university — the best of both worlds. 

Yes. VIPER students are involved in research, clubs, leadership roles, athletics, and more. The dual degree requires work, but it doesn't consume your entire life. VIPER advisors help you understand your options and build an academic plan that balances the different things you want to pursue. 

Not at all. VIPER-specific courses are limited to VIPR 1200, VIPR 1210, and VIPR 1300. All other courses are taken alongside the broader Penn student population. As you advance in your major, you'll share classes, labs, and projects with students from across the university. 

VIPER graduates go everywhere. Many pursue Ph.D. programs at institutions like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and Caltech. Others go on to master's programs at Penn or Cambridge. Many enter industry as engineers or research scientists. Some have gone into energy consulting, entrepreneurship, medicine, law, and finance. The dual-degree foundation and independent research experiences are versatile. 

VIPER's alumni network is young, ambitious, and growing. The first VIPER class graduated in 2016, and graduates are now working in PhD programs at top research universities, energy companies, startups, consulting firms, and beyond. The VIPER Alumni Board — built and run by graduates — is expands the opportunities for connection, mentorship, and collaboration between current students and the broader VIPER community. 

Current students hear directly from VIPER graduates about their career paths and experiences in a variety of ways – from career panels to fireside chats. The centerpiece of alumni engagement is VIPER Day, an annual tradition every spring that brings 15–20 alumni back to campus for a full day of programming. The day includes the Senior Showcase — where graduating seniors share reflections on their VIPER journeys — and an alumni panel where graduates spanning PhD programs, industry, energy policy, entrepreneurship, and more speak candidly about how VIPER shaped their paths.  

Beyond the formal programming, VIPER Day is simply a chance to be in community — shared meals, friendly competition, and the kind of candid conversations that don't happen in a classroom. Alumni come back not just to celebrate, but to stay connected to the program and to each other. For current students, it's a reminder that the VIPER network extends well beyond four years at Penn.