University of Southern California (USC): Admission for International Students

The University of Southern California (USC) is a private research university in Los Angeles, best known for its schools of cinema, communication, business and engineering. The 2026–27 cost of attendance for a student living on campus is $103,162, and USC offers no need-based aid to international applicants. Merit scholarships remain, but none covers the full annual cost, and USC links merit consideration to its early deadlines. For autumn 2027 there are three plans: binding Early Decision and non-binding Early Action by November 1, 2026, and Regular Decision by January 10, 2027. The SAT and ACT are optional.

USC is often confused with the University of California, the state's public system that includes UCLA. USC is not part of it: it is an independent private university with its own application, its own deadlines and one tuition rate for all students, whereas UCLA, as a public university, charges out-of-state and international students more than California residents.

Is USC a good fit?

Students choose USC for a specific school and for Los Angeles as a working environment, especially in film, media and communication. If the same program exists elsewhere and the budget is tight, compare USC with the public universities in our guide to universities in California and with private universities that offer need-based aid to international students, such as Northwestern.

Schools and programs

At USC you apply to a specific school or college. The largest is the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, home to the sciences, humanities and social sciences. Alongside it are the professional schools: Viterbi (engineering), Marshall (business), Annenberg (communication and journalism), the School of Cinematic Arts, the Thornton School of Music, the Kaufman School of Dance, the School of Dramatic Arts, the Roski School of Art and Design, the School of Architecture and the Iovine and Young Academy, which combines arts, technology and the business of innovation.

Several programs need extra material by the same deadline as the application:

• Portfolios for architecture, Roski, some cinematic arts programs and Iovine and Young.
• Auditions and recordings for music, dance and dramatic arts, which accept applications only by December 1 and do not take part in early plans.
• World Bachelor in Business at Marshall, which accepts applications only by November 1 and no longer takes part in Regular Decision.

How to apply

International applicants follow the same steps as US applicants, with two extra requirements: a financial statement and an English test.

Application file

• Common App and the application fee; a fee waiver can be requested in the Profile section.
• Official academic records covering the equivalent of US grades 9–12, sent directly by your school. Records not in English are submitted in the original language with a certified English translation.
• External exam results or predictions, if your school system has them.
• One recommendation from a school counselor or a teacher; some programs ask for more.
• Fall grades of the final year through the Mid-Year Report.
• A passport copy, with your name in the application written exactly as in the passport.
• The financial statement (see below) and English test scores, within two weeks of your deadline.

The admission office does not hold interviews and does not track demonstrated interest. USC also states that it does not work with, and is not represented by, educational agents: only the university decides on an application.

SAT and ACT

Applicants for the 2027–28 academic year do not need to send test scores. If you do send them, they must be official reports from the testing agency; USC does not accept self-reported scores. USC records the highest section scores across sittings. For Early Decision and Early Action, October is the last test sitting it will consider. Our comparison of the SAT and ACT helps you decide whether testing is worth it.

English requirements

USC grants no waivers to applicants whose native language is not English. The most competitive applicants score well above these minimums: admitted students average above 111 on the TOEFL iBT, with at least 25 in each section. Students with lower scores are admitted, but at reduced rates. Anyone admitted with only a Duolingo score must take the International Student Exam at the USC American Language Institute on arrival.

Autumn 2027 timeline

International students may apply Early Decision. Applicants not admitted in ED are deferred to Regular Decision. You may not apply ED anywhere else, but non-binding EA and RD applications to other universities are allowed.

The key detail for international applicants concerns scholarships. USC's deadline pages state that ED and EA applicants, and performing arts applicants who apply by December 1, are considered for merit scholarships. The January 10 deadline carries no such note. If a scholarship matters, apply by November 1.

A month-by-month plan:

1. By September 2026: take the English test; if you plan to take the SAT, sit it by October.
2. September–October: write the Common App essay and USC questions, ask a counselor or teacher for the recommendation, and ask your school to send translated records.
3. August–October: obtain the bank statement, which must be dated August 2026 or later.
4. By November 1: apply Early Action or Early Decision, then upload the financial documents and test scores within two weeks.
5. After the decision: confirm enrolment, pay the deposit, apply for housing and obtain the I-20.

Cost for 2026–27

USC charges the same tuition to every student, regardless of citizenship or state of residence.

New students also pay $450 in their first semester. The 2025–26 total was $99,139, so plan for annual increases. Health insurance, flights and visa costs are extra. Our guide to the cost of studying in the USA shows how to build the full budget.

Scholarships and proof of funds

USC does not offer need-based financial aid to international applicants. International students are considered for merit scholarships on the same basis as everyone else, with no separate application and no minimum requirements. Awards range from a few thousand dollars to full tuition; last year more than 1,000 admitted students received $10,000 a year or more, and about 10% of the fall 2026 entering class received a merit scholarship. A separate $20,000-a-year award is tied to the US National Merit program for American high school students.

USC warns that international applicants cannot rely on a merit award to show they can pay, and that no merit scholarship covers the full cost of attendance.

That is why international applicants upload the following to the Applicant Portal at the application stage:

• a signed Financial Statement of Personal or Family Support;
• proof of funds covering at least the full first-year cost of attendance;
• a passport copy.

Accepted evidence includes bank statements or bank letters, sponsor letters from a government or company, approved education loans and investment portfolios. For autumn 2027, documents must be dated August 2026 or later. Tax returns, salary statements, mortgages, property and vehicle valuations, life insurance and retirement accounts are not typically accepted. Without proof of funds, USC cannot issue a formal letter of admission or the documents needed for a visa.

Families paying from Russia face a separate practical task; our guide to paying for studies abroad from Russia covers lawful routes only. To find universities that do give need-based aid, see our overview of financial aid for international students in the USA.

Housing and the city

The cost of attendance uses average USC housing and the standard meal plan: $13,510 and $8,442 a year. Off-campus housing is budgeted at almost the same level, $13,140, and transport costs more for students living with relatives. Los Angeles is spread out, so first-year students are usually better off living near the University Park Campus. For later years, see our guide to student housing in the USA.

F-1 visa and work

USC issues the I-20 after admission, enrolment confirmation and review of your financial documents. You then pay the SEVIS fee ($350) and the visa application fee ($185, set by 22 CFR 22.1).

The US Embassy in Moscow provides no nonimmigrant visa services, and the State Department directs Russian citizens to the US Embassy in Warsaw or in Astana for interviews. Russian citizens do not need a visa for Kazakhstan, while an interview in Warsaw requires the right to enter Poland. Kazakh citizens apply in Astana or Almaty. F-1 applicants must make their social media profiles public. The January 2026 pause concerned immigrant visas only and did not affect F-1 students. The consulate decides whether to issue the visa. Our F-1 visa guide covers the process, and the guide to working while studying and OPT explains on-campus work and post-study options.

Notes for applicants from Russia and Kazakhstan

• Grade 9–11 records. USC has no separate requirements page for the Russian school certificate; the committee reviews grades in the context of your school. The school sends the records in Russian or Kazakh with a certified translation.
• English is the main hurdle. IELTS 7 or TOEFL 100 should be in hand within two weeks of your deadline.
• A budget without aid. The plan must rest on family or sponsor funds; a merit award is a welcome bonus, not the foundation.
• Apply early for merit. Early Action by November 1 keeps your options open and keeps you in merit review.
• Fresh bank documents. The statement must be recent, in English and cover the full annual budget.

Common mistakes

• Applying ED without being ready to pay. Early Decision is binding if you are admitted.
• Waiting for January 10 while hoping for a scholarship. The deadline pages tie merit review to the early plans.
• Self-reporting SAT scores. USC only accepts official scores.
• Sending an old bank statement. A statement issued before August 2026 will not be accepted for the autumn 2027 intake.
• Choosing Duolingo when TOEFL or IELTS is available. Duolingo is a fallback, and it triggers an extra exam after admission.
• Mixing up USC and UCLA. They are different universities with different applications and costs.

USC in the rankings

Overall rankings say little about the strength of individual USC schools, especially the creative ones; when choosing a program, look at its own requirements and graduates.

FAQ

Where is the University of Southern California?

In Los Angeles, California. Most schools are on the main University Park Campus, close to downtown Los Angeles.

How much does USC cost for international students?

The 2026–27 cost of attendance for a student living on campus is $103,162, including $75,384 in tuition. New students pay an extra $450 in the first semester; insurance, flights and visa costs are separate.

Does USC give scholarships to international students?

USC offers no need-based aid to international students but considers them for merit scholarships worth from a few thousand dollars to full tuition. The USC admission office decides on these awards, and none covers the full cost of attendance.

Is the SAT required for USC?

No. USC remains test-optional for 2027–28 entry. If you send scores, they must come officially from the testing agency, and USC records your highest section scores.

What English score does USC expect?

The recommended minimum is TOEFL iBT 100 (or 5 on the new scale), IELTS 7, PTE 68 or Cambridge 185. Admitted students average above 111 on the TOEFL; Duolingo at 130 or higher is accepted only when an approved exam is not available.

What is the difference between Early Decision and Early Action at USC?

Both deadlines are November 1. Early Decision is binding if you are admitted, with decisions by mid-December; Early Action is non-binding, with decisions in January and a reply deadline of May 1.

When are the financial documents due?

Within two weeks of your application deadline: the Financial Statement form, proof of funds covering the full annual cost and a passport copy. Without them USC cannot issue the I-20, and the US consulate then decides on the visa.

Sources

• USC Admission: First-year students, deadlines and checklist
• USC Admission: Deadline FAQs
• USC Admission: International students
• USC Admission: Academic expectations for international students
• USC Admission: Scholarships
• USC Admission: What we look for and the fall 2026 first-year profile
• USC Financial Aid: Cost of attendance 2026–27
• U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Russia: Visas
• U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Kazakhstan: Visas
• ICE: I-901 SEVIS fee
• eCFR, 22 CFR 22.1: Schedule of consular fees
• THE World University Rankings 2027
• ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026

All amounts are in US dollars as published by the university, so no currency conversion is needed; checked on October 1, 2026. More US universities are listed on our study in the USA page. If you want to work through your route, send a request: document preparation and submission are provided under an agreement with StudyU, and the university makes the admission decision.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.