FAQ

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

Our Financial Aid Office is working as quickly as they can to send out financial aid summaries. Please make sure all necessary materials are submitted via your FAST portal.

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. 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 thoroughly documented on our Registrar’s website.

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, you’ll 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 a step-by-step guide on its website.

You’ll 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 Blackboard to access your Pre-Registration Checklist. As part of the checklist, you’ll 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’re enrolling in the appropriate courses. You’ll meet with your advisor prior to your registration date.

You’re 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. An admitted student who wishes to change majors must contact both their current and intended academic departments to receive the appropriate permission and advising.

If you’ve committed to USC and activated your USC Net ID, log in to Blackboard 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 the 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 the first semester. However, you’re 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 Blackboard account and follow the instructions in your Pre-Registration Checklist.

Spring admission ensures that the university can offer admission to all the qualified students who have earned a spot in our incoming class. It 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. To ensure that you’re considered for fall admission, accept your offer of spring admission by submitting your Intent to Enroll form in your applicant portal. All students who accept the spring offer will be considered for any fall openings that become available.

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 with questions.

Involvement with and access to university resources will become available once you enroll in January. Proximity to campus does not dictate access to university systems or resources before you become an enrolled student.

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 applies to USC classes only. It does not include transferable courses taken outside of USC (community college, study abroad, etc.).

If you meet eligibility requirements, the earliest you may participate in the formal recruitment process is fall 2025 or spring 2026. Some Greek organizations recruit new students every semester, although many only recruit students during the spring semester.

Visit greeklife.usc.edu for more information.

Yes, you’ll 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 your time away.

Student Development Programs also has several resources and services for spring admits:

• Spring Admit Ambassadors: current students who provide their perspective, insight and advice to incoming students.
• Community college information sessions for students who plan to take transferable courses at a community college.
• Study abroad pre-departure programs for students who choose to enroll at a preferred study-abroad institution.
• One-on-one phone advising appointments throughout the summer to provide support and guidance as students plan their fall semesters.

The Articulation 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’ve 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 schools outside California, we cannot guarantee how courses will transfer until the Articulation Office reviews your transcript. However, it’s very likely these courses will continue to transfer the way they’re listed on the articulation histories.

The Articulation 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 your college send your transcripts electronically as soon as possible. If your school’s system requires an email address in order to send the transcript, please use uetrans@usc.edu.

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

The Articulation Office will work throughout the summer to update TCRs with new information, such as new exam scores, updated transcripts, etc.

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

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

Whether you’re 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—chances 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 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 documentation and a passport copy, even if you already submitted these during the admission process. You’ll 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
• Guidelines for acceptable financial documentation