Credit: Kate Ahn
If you’re new to the University, it’s important to know that your PennCard unlocks more than just dorms, libraries, and campus buildings. From free subscriptions to discounted experiences around Philadelphia, here’s a list of free perks that come with being a Penn student.
Subscriptions
By logging in with Penn credentials, students receive access to a range of media, academic, and entertainment subscriptions.
For your daily news, look no further than Penn Libraries, which provides free subscriptions to The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Le Monde, Bloomberg, and The Financial Times. To use these subscriptions, students simply need to register for an account on each website using their PennKey. Students can access The Philadelphia Inquirer for free when connected to AirPennNet Wi-Fi.
As a major research institution, Penn also maintains a variety of open-access agreements with academic publishers such as Springer, Elsevier, and Cambridge University Press. Students can access a variety of the publications’ academic journals such as Nature, Science, and Cell Press by logging in with their Penn credentials.
Finally, students living in on-campus housing can access Xfinity digital streaming by logging into Xfinity on Campus with a PennKey. With this subscription, students get full access to 291 channels including ESPN, TNT, and CNN, which they can access on their mobile devices by downloading the Xfinity Stream app.
Transportation
Getting around Philadelphia can be hectic, but a PennCard makes it easier.
Penn Buses operate on three fixed bus routes Mondays through Fridays from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. Students can ride these — as well as all Drexel University bus services — for free by showing their PennCards.
LUCY — or Loop through University City — also offers a free SEPTA shuttle for Penn students from campus to William H. Gray III 30th Street Station from 6:10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
If you’re looking to get out of Philadelphia, Amtrak offers a 15% national student discount, and Penn students are also eligible for a 25% New Jersey Transit discount.
Finally, before and after major school breaks, Penn’s Undergraduate Assembly offers free shuttle service to the Philadelphia International Airport for undergraduate students.
Technology
Penn Libraries offers a wide range of technologies that students can check out and use with a valid PennKey, including phone and laptop chargers, gaming consoles, and 3D printers. Students can browse Penn’s technology offerings and where to access them on Penn Libraries’ equipment directory.
Penn students can also receive discounts on certain Apple, Dell, and Lenovo purchases, and some students may qualify for discounted AT&T Wireless or Verizon cellular service.
If you’re struggling in a class, you’re not alone — Penn students also receive free access to a variety of educational software, including Mathematica and MATLAB.
Sign up for our newsletter
Get our newsletter, DP Daybreak, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.
Experiences
Finally, a PennCard can be a magic ticket to a variety of activities on and around campus.
All Penn students receive free admission to the Morris Arboretum, a 92-acre, Victorian public garden operated and maintained by Penn, as well as the Penn Museum, an archaeology and anthropology museum that houses over 1 million objects excavated from around the world.
If you’re looking for a new way to stay active or to support a friend, have no fear: Penn students receive discounted tickets to the Class of 1923 Ice Skating Rink, as well as $10 tickets to any Penn Live Arts performances by using the promo code PENNSTUDENT and showing a valid PennCard and email.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.