FAQ

After submitting your Admit Reply form and enrollment deposit (or deposit waiver), you will receive a confirmation email that includes your 10-digit USC ID number. You will need that number to activate your USC Net ID online.

Our Financial Aid Office is working as quickly as possible to send out financial aid summaries. Please make sure all necessary materials are submitted via your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) portal.

Yes! Visit our Admitted Students Events page for more information. You can make reservations for the program(s) you would like to attend through the Explore USC page in your applicant portal.

Providing final official high school transcripts showing proof of graduation is one of the conditions of admission for every first-year USC student. Students attending high schools outside the U.S. must send both a final high school transcript and, if applicable, any leaving examination results (e.g., International Baccalaureate, A-Levels, etc.). Please have your high school send us your official transcript to our office as soon as it is available.

Yes. USC’s AP, IB and A-Level exam credit policies are documented on our Transfer Credit Services website.

A few days after you submit your Admit Reply form, and after you’ve activated your USC Net ID, you will receive an invitation at your USC email address to reserve your spot for the Welcome Trojans orientation program. The Office of Orientation Programs also provides step-by-step instructions. All program details are in your invitation. We do not post event details on our website.

You will register for classes online, with your department, during your Welcome Trojans orientation program. Course registration for first-year students will take place in June for fall admits and in December for spring admits. Similarly, course registration for transfer students occurs in July for fall admits and in December for spring admits.

Your Pre-Registration Checklist will include the necessary details for scheduling an academic advising appointment. Appointments are conducted online prior to your course registration date.

To review the requirements and ensure you are prepared for your advisement appointment and course registration, log in to Brightspace to access your Pre-Registration Checklist. As part of the checklist, you will need to complete a pre-advisement worksheet. This must be done prior to meeting with your academic advisor, who will guide you through the registration process to ensure you are enrolling in the appropriate courses. You will meet with your advisor prior to your registration date.

You are also welcome to familiarize yourself with the USC Catalogue, where you can review the graduation requirements for your major.

The Office of Admission does not facilitate switching majors. A change of major is granted at the discretion of the academic departments, who set their own policies and procedures for doing so. If you wish to change majors, you must contact both your current and intended academic departments to receive the appropriate permission and advising.

If you have committed to USC and activated your USC Net ID, log in to Brightspace to access the information for your department of interest and to review the requirements for your intended major.

Some majors have a separate application process, so a change of major may not be complete in time for you to register for your first semester of classes. This means that you should plan to attend all orientation and registration activities for the major to which you were admitted. However, you should review all information and requirements for your intended major and inform your current academic advisor of your plans to change majors. They can help you select courses that will best prepare you for whichever major you pursue.

Most students who add a second major or a minor typically do so after their first semester. However, you are welcome to bring this up with your academic advisor during your advisement meeting. Please note that you will not need to—or be able to—declare a second major or minor during your registration time.

Please visit your Brightspace account and follow the instructions in your Pre-Registration Checklist.

Spring admission allows us to accommodate more students in our incoming class and offers you the unique opportunity to study abroad or simply relax during the fall semester. Most spring students find that the transition to campus life is relatively easy and that they arrive well-prepared for USC’s challenging academic environment.

This is our most commonly asked question, and we understand that you expected to begin your studies in the fall semester. The short answer: It’s possible, if space becomes available. These decisions are based on current enrollment levels (not on rankings, level of interest or wait-list order), so availability varies from year to year. If you are an incoming first-year student, to ensure that you are considered for fall admission, accept your offer of spring admission by submitting your Intent to Enroll form by May 1 in your applicant portal. Similarly, for incoming transfer students, you must submit your intent to enroll by June 1 or within two weeks of receiving a decision, whichever is later. All students who accept the spring offer will be considered for any openings that become available in the fall.

Please do not send any supplementary information, appeals or petitions.

We expect to enroll 350 to 500 first-year students and an additional 300 to 400 transfer students in the spring.

USC housing is not guaranteed for students admitted to the spring semester. Please visit the USC Housing website for more information or contact housing@usc.edu to learn more.

Involvement with and access to university resources will become available when your classes begin in January. Proximity to campus does not dictate access to university systems or resources before you are officially enrolled.

All new students, whether entering in the fall or spring, must complete 12 USC units and earn a 2.5 USC GPA or higher to participate in Greek Life recruitment. The unit count and GPA apply to USC classes only. They do not include transferable courses taken outside of USC (community college, study abroad, etc.).

If you meet eligibility requirements, as a spring admit, the earliest you may participate in the formal recruitment process is fall 2026 or spring 2027. Some Greek organizations recruit new students every semester, although many recruit students only during the spring semester.

Visit greeklife.usc.edu for more information.

Yes, you will be able to purchase football tickets. In early August, spring admits who have submitted their enrollment commitment deposits should keep an eye out for an email from the USC Ticket Office.

Important updates and reminders from USC will be emailed to your USC email address throughout the summer and fall.

We also encourage you to explore these resources and services for spring admits. You can sign up for these virtual sessions in your application portal beginning in late May:

• Course planning information sessions for students who plan to take transferable courses in the fall prior to arriving at USC in January.
• Study abroad pre-departure program for students who choose to enroll at a preferred study-abroad institution.
• One-on-one advising appointments throughout the summer to provide support and guidance as students plan their fall semesters.

The Undergraduate Transfer Credit Services office will prepare a transfer credit report (TCR) for you based on the official transcripts you submit. Until your report is prepared, you can spend time reviewing our articulation agreements (most California community colleges) and articulation histories (other schools) to see how courses you have already completed may transfer.

Please note that articulation histories are not official nor are they comprehensive. As we do not maintain formal agreements with four-year universities or community colleges outside of California, we cannot guarantee how courses will transfer until the Articulation Office reviews your transcript. However, it is very likely these courses will continue to transfer the way they are listed on the articulation histories.

The Transfer Credit Services office is working on TCRs as quickly as possible. They prioritize TCRs for students with upcoming registration dates. If you have not already submitted your final official transcripts, please arrange to have all colleges send your official transcripts electronically as soon as possible. If your school’s system requires an email address in order to send the transcript, please use  etrans@usc.edu. Physical transcripts can be mailed to the following address:

USC Office of Admission
Undergraduate
University Park Campus
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0911

Once you activate your USC NetID, you will be able to access myUSC, the official USC student portal. There, you can see your degree progress through OASIS.

Transfer Credit Services will work throughout the summer to update TCRs with new information, such as new exam scores, updated transcripts, etc. as additional documents are received and processed. Spring admits should expect their TCRs to be available by December, in time for course registration.

USC housing is not guaranteed for transfer students. Please visit the Housing FAQ for more information or contact housing@usc.edu with questions.

You will find information for your Welcome Trojans orientation program on the  Orientation website. 

Whether you are new to USC or have been on campus for a while, Transfer Student Soul Search connects you to resources and opportunities to network and socialize with other transfer students. The self-discovery modules are designed to support you in finding community and learning about the benefits of being a member of the Trojan Family.

Some modules are linked with social events hosted by USC’s Transfer Student Assembly—providing opportunities to build relationships with other transfer students. To get involved or learn more about the Assembly’s programming, follow the TSA on Instagram @usc.tsa or contact the student leadership team by email at tsausc@usc.edu.

Read, watch, learn, make friends — and have fun!

I-20s are available to admitted students who have committed to enroll at USC and have submitted their commitment deposit.

To apply for the F-1 visa, students must first receive their USC I-20, a four-page form issued by the Office of Admission with a USC official’s signature on page 1.

To receive your I-20:
Log in to Trojan International and submit the “New F-1 Student Request” e-form located in the “Admission” section. New undergraduate students should request an “Initial I-20.”

Upload your financial statement, along with supporting documentation and a copy of your passport, even if you already submitted these during the admission process. You will need to upload new documents, as the Office of Admission will not be able to provide you with previously submitted copies.

Students currently attending a U.S. school on F-1 status:
Follow these instructions for transferring your SEVIS record to USC. Submit the “New F-1 Student Request” e-form in Trojan International and request a “Transfer I-20.”

More Information:
Guidelines for preparing documents: Trojan International Checklist
General information: Admission I-20 Processing
Acceptable financial documentation: Guidelines for Financial Support