Undergraduate Students

Financial aid for undergraduate international students is very limited. The USC Financial Aid Office outlines some financial aid options for students, including merit-based scholarships and private financing. They also provide additional website resources that connect students to additional financial aid opportunities that may not be affiliated with USC.

Graduate Students

Graduate international students* should contact their academic department to find out about financial aid possibilities. There are several options for financial assistance for graduate international students. The following topics are outlined:

  • Need-based financial aid and application fee waivers
  • Department fellowships, assistantships and merit-based tuition waivers
  • On-campus jobs
  • Grants, scholarships and financing programs

The Graduate School also provides details on several fellowships opportunities available at USC.

*Engineering Master’s and Ph.D. students should contact Viterbi Admission & Student Engagement (VASE) for more information on financial aid options

On-Campus Employment

On-campus employment is available for both F-1 and J-1 students. However, students should not expect to support their tuition and living expenses through an on-campus employment because positions generally only pay about $15 to $17 an hour.

Please review the on-campus employment requirements for the appropriate student visa category.

USC Payment Plan

The USC Payment Plan gives students the option to pay for tuition, fees, university housing, meal plans, and other miscellaneous university charges in five monthly installments in a given semester. This plan is available in fall and spring semesters only – it is not available in the summer semester.

The Student Financial Services office provides more details about the Payment Plan, including the application process, enrollment process, payment methods, etc.