Applications Due June 1 for Penn IUR Fellows in Urban Leadership Program

The Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR) reminds interested undergraduate students that applications for the 2026–27 Penn IUR Fellows in Urban Leadership Program are due Monday, June 1.

The selective yearlong program brings together Penn undergraduates interested in the future of cities and provides direct access to leaders working across government, business, nonprofit organizations, planning, finance, and public policy. Through intimate monthly seminars and experiential learning opportunities, Fellows engage with practitioners addressing some of the most pressing urban challenges facing cities today, including housing affordability, transportation infrastructure, climate resilience, economic development, public health, and equitable growth.

Throughout the academic year, Fellows participate in candid discussions with nationally recognized urban leaders, including former mayors, elected officials, city agency directors, developers, nonprofit executives, and policy experts. The program also includes immersive day trips to New York City and Washington, D.C., where students meet with public, private, and civic-sector leaders shaping urban policy and development.

The Fellows in Urban Leadership Program is open to rising juniors and seniors from all schools at the University of Pennsylvania. Exceptional sophomores with a demonstrated interest in urban issues are also encouraged to apply. Students from a wide range of disciplines, including political science, urban studies, design, business, English, engineering, public health, environmental studies, criminology, and sociology, have participated in the program.

Applicants are required to submit:

• A completed application form
• A 500-word essay describing their interest in urban leadership and policy
• A current transcript
• One faculty recommendation letter

Semi-finalists will be interviewed in early June, and selected Fellows will be notified later that month.

Founded to cultivate the next generation of urban leaders, the program offers students a unique opportunity to connect academic study with real-world urban policymaking and practice while building relationships with peers and professionals committed to strengthening cities and communities.

More information about the program and application process is available on the Student Programs section of the Penn IUR website.