General Chemistry Lab Waivers

Download the waiver application [PDF, 62K]

Students may apply for lab waiver(s) only if they:

  1. Take and pass one of our internal placement exams for Chemistry 101 and 102 – given during NSO week and during the first week of spring semester classes.
  2. Successfully complete the courses for Chem 101 and 053 and then enroll in Chem 102 – an application for Chem 054 waiver will be considered.*
Students can only receive Penn credit for Chem 101 and 102 through the placement exams. Credit is not granted for the lab courses (Chem 053, 054). Waiver letters do not carry Penn credit, but satisfy virtually all requirements, i.e. Chem / Biochem Majors, SEAS lab requirement, Medical School applications, etc.

* Lab Waiver applications are not considered for High School courses in the absence of a qualifying exam score (e.g. 5 on AP exam or 6,7 on I.B. exam).

Waiver applications are handled by:
Billy Werner
Chemistry Undergraduate Coordinator
Room #553 Chem Bldg., 898-8311
chemugrad@sas.upenn.edu

If your high school is already in our database from previous years, then the waiver can be granted immediately.

Otherwise, you will also need to supply:

You will be contacted via e-mail after your waiver request has been reviewed.