FAQs

Undergraduate students from all Schools and any major may enroll in SNF Paideia designated courses. Some courses may also be open to Penn graduate students. See our course offerings here.

Penn faculty can propose to develop a new course using this form. Please provide as much detail as possible.

Penn students can suggest a course or faculty member they would like to see included within the SNF Paideia Program using this form.

We want to hear your ideas!

Spring semester of a student’s first year. Learn more about our fellows program here.

We organize and support a wide range of events from small group dialogues to large, scholarly lectures. Visit our events for details.

The SNF Paideia program recognizes that individual and community wellness are integral to the healthy functioning of democratic society. Being attuned to our social and intellectual wellbeing shapes the way we engage as citizens in robust dialogue and the way we authentically serve our communities. These encounters can influence individual feelings of wellbeing and the social health of the various communities of which we are a part. Attending to wellness can be a potential contributor to, outcome of, and strategy for effective dialogue, service, and active citizenship. Thoughtful, engaged citizenship calls for the integration and awareness of our whole selves to offer complex responses to the dynamic issues of our time. For these reasons, SNF Paideia aims to integrate attention to wellness into our courses, workshops, and collaborations with students, faculty, and staff.

Sign up for our newsletter here.

Our application for our fellows program opens on December 1, 2025 and will be due February 13, 2026. We will have an information session on January 13 from 3-4pm in College Hall.

Course requirements for SNF Paideia fellows are 3; .5 credit classes (ProSeminar I, Pro Seminar II and Pro Seminar III with their cohort of 25 fellows comprised of students from all 4 undergraduate schools) + 2 SNF Paideia classes (any of or classes and we off 50 + each academic year).

Any Penn students can take SNF Paideia classes. They are open to all (except for our Pro Seminar classes, those are just for fellows).

Drop by for Cafe Paideia which happens each Friday of the academic year 1-3pm in College Hall G13. We have tea, snacks, conversation, puzzles and it’s an opportunity to meet our current fellows, staff and friends of the program. You are welcome to drop by any Friday that works for you.

Sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on all the news about the program. You can do so by visiting the homepage of our website here. Tap the link in the upper right and click “subscribe.”

Yes, you may apply for a grant while you are still enrolled in the course. However, the funds are intended to be used after the course has completed. Course Extension Grant funds are not designed to fund required course assignments.

You may apply for course extension grants any time after you have completed a Paideia-designated course while you are a student at Penn.

Yes, you may apply for multiple Course Extension Grants. However, priority will generally be given to applicants who have not yet received Paideia funding.

SNF Paideia Fellows are not eligible for course extension grants. You may, instead, apply to use your dialogue funds to support research-related work.

Yes, Course Extension Grants are considered taxable income and must be reported when filing your taxes each year.

Yes! But please be aware that if you are an international student, your award is subject to a 30% nonresident tax unless exempted under a tax treaty or reduced rate of 14% for F, J, or M visa holders. Payments are reported on Form 1042-S for the calendar year. To learn more about how to request tax exemption or a reduced rate, you can connect directly with Penn’s Tax & Compliance department at doftaxoper@pobox.upenn.edu and they may be able to help you.