First-Year Students
Welcome
At USC, incoming first-year students are selected from more than 70,000 talented applicants each year. We invite you to apply Early Action or Regular Decision, and explore our academic programs, scholarships and financial aid. Thrive and connect at USC!
“What sets USC apart is its universal appeal regardless of your race, ethnicity or interests. USC’s diverse and inclusive environment ensures that you’ll find people who [not only] share your interests but [will] also embrace them with enthusiasm.”
Dates and Deadlines
Early Action (EA) vs Regular Decision (RD)
Applying by the Early Action (EA) deadline enables you to receive an admission decision and plan for college sooner. It also ensures that you will be considered for USC Merit Scholarships. Early Action (EA) is non-binding, non-restrictive, and is not available for majors requiring a portfolio or audition. Students choosing to apply under USC’s Early Action (EA) plan will need to submit their application materials earlier in the process but will receive an admission decision (or deferral to Regular Decision) sooner than Regular Decision applicants.
We recommend this option for those who have thoroughly researched their college options and have settled on USC as their top choice. We estimate that about one-third of our admission spaces will be granted during the EA round.
USC’s Regular Decision (RD) plan follows a more traditional timeline: If you submit your application by December 1 or January 15, depending upon major, you will receive a decision by April 1.
Students applying to these schools must submit their application materials by December 1 to be considered for admission and USC Merit Scholarships. Please refer to the Regular Decision deadlines for more information.
The following programs do not participate in Early Action:
Iovine and Young Academy
Kaufman School of Dance
Roski School of Art and Design
School of Architecture
School of Cinematic Arts
School of Dramatic Arts
Thornton School of Music
World Bachelor of Business (Marshall School of Business)
Students applying to these schools must submit their application materials by December 1 to be considered for admission and USC Merit Scholarships. Please refer to the Regular Decision deadlines for more information.
Early Action
Applicants selecting Early Action will be notified of their admission or deferral to Regular Decision in mid- to late January 2025.
Application Deadline: November 1, 2024
Early Action (EA) is non-binding, non-restrictive, and is not available for majors requiring a portfolio or audition. Students must apply EA in order to be considered for USC Merit Scholarships, unless their intended major does not participate in Early Action.
Students applying to majors requiring a portfolio or audition (see below) will be considered for USC Merit Scholarships as part of the Regular Decision process.
Regular Decision
Applicants selecting or deferring to Regular Decision will be notified of a decision by April 1, 2025.
For majors requiring a portfolio or audition:
Application Deadline: December 1, 2024
This is the final deadline for students applying to majors in the following schools:
Iovine and Young Academy
Kaufman School of Dance
Roski School of Art and Design
School of Architecture
School of Cinematic Arts
School of Dramatic Arts
Thornton School of Music
World Bachelor of Business (Marshall School of Business)
See Additional Major Requirements for information about your intended program.
Regular Decision candidates applying to these programs by December 1 will be considered for USC Merit Scholarships.
All other majors:
Application Deadline: January 15, 2025
Final first-year deadline for majors not requiring a portfolio or audition.
Financial Aid
Early Application Deadline: December 13, 2024
Regular Decision Deadline: February 5, 2025
Applicants who want to be considered for need-based financial aid must submit the FAFSA* and CSS Profile applications by the appropriate deadline.
*Undocumented or DACA students should submit their 2023 tax return and third-party letter confirming undocumented status instead of the FAFSA.
Cal Grant Application Deadline: March 3, 2025
California residents should apply for Cal Grants by this date.
Visit our Financial Aid page for more information. To check on the status of your financial aid application, visit the FAST page in your applicant portal.
Early Action FAQ's
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Early Action applicants apply earlier and may be informed of their admission to USC in January. Early Action is required for most students wishing to be considered for merit scholarships. It might also be an attractive option for those with particularly strong records who consider USC one of their top choices. Regular Decision applicants follow a more traditional timeline, with later deadlines and a decision notification date of April 1. Neither plan requires admitted students to enroll at USC.
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Yes, unless your intended major does not participate in Early Action. Early Action is not available if you are applying to the Iovine and Young Academy, the World Bachelor of Business program or majors in Architecture, Art and Design, Cinematic Arts, Dance, Dramatic Arts or Music. Applicants to these majors should apply by December 1 to be considered for both admission and merit scholarships.
Other scholarships offered through USC-affiliated organizations are available but require a separate application. Visit our Scholarships page for more information. USC also offers a robust need-based financial aid program. More information is available on the USC Financial Aid website.
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No, we cannot guarantee that fall grades will be considered if you apply Early Action.
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We anticipate that about one-third of the class will be admitted early. Early Action applicants who are not admitted in January will be able to defer their application to the Regular Decision round.
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Not all early admits will be selected to continue in USC’s merit scholarship process. Early admits who are selected as scholarship finalists will be notified of their next steps in February.
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No, Early Action admission is non-binding and does not require enrollment at USC.
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No, no one will receive a denial letter in January. Students who are not admitted early will be given the chance to defer their application for consideration in the Regular Decision round. We expect that two-thirds of the class will be admitted Regular Decision.
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Most admitted students will receive their financial aid summaries around the same time. EA applicants should apply for need-based financial aid by December 13, 2024, and RD applicants should apply by February 5, 2025, to be considered for all types of financial aid for which they may be eligible.
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No, but transfer applicants interested in Dance, Music, and BFA majors in Cinematic Arts and Dramatic Arts must apply by December 1. The admission and scholarship application deadline for all other transfer applicants is February 15.
Application Checklist
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1
Complete the Common Application.
If the application fee poses a financial burden, you may request a fee waiver through the “Profile” section of the Common Application.
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2
For students who submit test scores, USC records the highest scores from tests taken more than once. The highest scores for each section of the SAT and ACT exams will be recorded, even if achieved in different sittings. USC does not require the writing section for either the ACT or the SAT. Find answers to any questions you may have about how our test-optional policy will affect your application.
Our SAT school code is 4852.
Our ACT school code is 0470. -
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First-year applicants should submit official transcripts of all high school and college coursework completed.
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One letter is required from either your school counselor or a teacher from your school. Applicants to the School of Cinematic Arts must submit two letters of recommendation.
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5
Provide portfolio, resume and/or additional writing samples, if required by your intended major. Performance majors may also require auditions. Refer to the Additional Application Requirements section below for more information.
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6
Use the Mid-Year Report Form included in the Common Application or visit your applicant portal to submit your fall grades.
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Affirmations will be available in the portal after we receive your application. Your digital signature may be submitted after the application deadline.
International applicants: Please refer to the International Students page for Additional Requirements.
The USC Office of Admission reserves the right to make admission decisions with unofficial documents and may collect official documents post-admission or enrollment.
Additional Application Requirements
If you are applying to a major in any of the schools listed below, it is your responsibility to complete your application by the appropriate deadline. Unless otherwise noted, all deadlines are the same as those listed on the Dates and Deadlines section. Be sure to obtain any required supplementary forms and to fulfill all departmental requirements.
Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Roski School of Art and Design
Iovine and Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation
Marshall School of Business (World Bachelor in Business)
Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Home-Schooled Students
Home-Schooled applicants must also submit answers to the home-school questions on the Common Application Secondary School Report. Be sure to include information about your home-schooling philosophy, curricular choices and textbooks used. Although the application process for the 2024-2025 Academic Year is test-optional, we still find it helpful to have work from home-schooled students that is externally graded or examined. Therefore, we recommend submitting either SAT/ACT results, SAT subject exam results, AP exam results, or transcripts from college courses or other accredited online schooling programs, if possible.
Interviews
USC does not conduct admission interviews. However, prospective students are welcome to contact their USC admission counselor with any questions about the admission process. To learn more, please visit our Find Your Counselor page.
International students interested in providing additional evidence of English language ability should visit our Additional Requirements page for more information.
Undocumented and DACA Students
Information for undocumented and DACA students can be found on our Immigration & DACA Status page.