Resources & FAQ

You will receive an invitation in your USC email within five to seven business days of submitting your enrollment commitment deposit (or waiver). Please contact our office if you do not receive your email invitation within seven business days of submitting your deposit.

Students admitted to the fall semester participate in Welcome Trojans summer orientation, with sessions taking place from late May to the end of July.

Students admitted to the spring semester participate in Welcome Trojans winter orientation, with sessions taking place from late November to early January.

Specific session details are available when you make your reservation.

If you did not attend orientation prior to your deferral, you should participate in Welcome Trojans orientation for academic advisement and course registration.

If you deferred your admission for one or more semesters and attended orientation prior to your deferral, we recommend that you still complete your Welcome Trojans reservation to secure your course registration date and time. Your academic advisor will contact you to complete your registration.

Attending the engagement sessions is optional but recommended, as you will be able to meet other incoming students and receive any updates for the current semester.

You will have the opportunity to enter any accommodation requests when making your Welcome Trojans reservation. All virtual sessions will be live-captioned using Zoom’s auto-captioning feature.

All students and guests attending summer or winter orientation programs are responsible for their own travel and lodging costs.

When making your Welcome Trojans reservation, make sure to sign up for an orientation event that occurs after your Course Registration date. Academic advising and course registration take place online for all students. Academic advisors are not available during On-Campus Orientation events.

If you are unable to register prior to your reserved on-campus or online orientation date, our team will work with you to reschedule your course registration. You are still welcome to attend your on-campus or online orientation experience!

As part of the orientation process, you will be able to sign up for your first-semester courses. Course Registration takes place online for all students. You will have until the end of the third week of classes to make changes to your schedule. You must complete your Pre-Registration Checklist and Online Academic Advising prior to Course Registration.

You will register for courses on the date and time you selected when making your Welcome Trojans reservation. Session availability is determined by academic departments. All times are Pacific time.

The registration permit time displayed in Web Registration will not be updated until the day of your reserved registration date, so don’t worry if the time does not match the one listed in your confirmation email!

Spaces will be made available in courses during each Course Registration session, so don’t worry if you select a later date! Your academic advisor will work with you to make sure that you have a first-semester schedule that meets your degree requirements.

Yes. After you have registered for courses, your registration permit remains open so that you can make changes until the end of the third week of the semester. You will not be able to access Web Registration during other Welcome Trojans Course Registration sessions.

During Welcome Trojans Orientation, academic advising is limited to first-semester course planning and may be held individually or in groups. Advising appointments are scheduled separately from Course Registration. Your academic advisor will contact you via your USC email address about scheduling your appointment.

Once the semester has begun, you will be able to schedule a longer, one-on-one appointment with your advisor to discuss your long-term academic plans. Academic advising procedures are specific to each academic department, so keep an eye on your USC email for more detailed information from your academic advisor.

Reviewing academic requirements is an important part of completing the Pre-Registration Checklist. Parents and guests are welcome to refer to department websites for more information, but all students must follow the Pre-Registration Checklist to ensure that they have the most current details for their major.

Your academic advisor can assist you with a recommended course plan that accounts for any pending exam scores. Once USC receives your official scores, you can work with your academic advisor to make any adjustments to your first-semester schedule.

Your advisor can help you determine what is right for you. Most students typically enroll in 16 units (four, 4-unit courses). Some majors may have different recommendations.

Tuition is charged at a flat rate for 12 to 18 units, so you may want to enroll in 16 units for your major requirements and then add a 2-unit elective course in a subject of your choice.

Classes generally end 10 to 15 minutes before the hour, which is usually sufficient time for you to make it to your next class. You can check the USC interactive map to find out where buildings are on campus.

Courses are held in person unless otherwise specified in the Schedule of Classes. The university will notify students if the class includes an online onboarding process.

Please direct all questions about deferrals to the Office of Admission.

See the USC Financial Aid website for information.

Per university policy, the deadline to settle fees is the Friday before the first day of classes. Refer to the Student Financial Services website for details on how to pay your fee bill.