Application Process FAQs
International Applicants FAQs

Who should I contact for more information on a particular program?
What are USC's official graduate admission policies?
How much does it cost to apply and can I receive a fee waiver?
Is admission offered for spring semester?
What does the faculty review committee look for in candidates?
How long does the admission process take?
Are courses offered in the evenings?
Can I work while in graduate school?
How can I find employment at USC?
What is USC's tuition?
Does RSOE offer scholarships?
Does RSOE offer TA-ships or fellowships to graduate students?
How can I find out if courses previously taken will transfer?
Is professional work experience required?
I am an admitted student who has just completed my bachelor's degree. Where do I send my final transcripts?
When will I receive information about orientation and registration?
Where can I find information on housing?

Who should I contact for more information on a particular program?
The Office of Recruiting and Admissions is here to assist you with questions regarding the programs we offer and the application process. You may reach a staff member by calling 213-740-0224, e-mailing soeinfo@usc.edu, or visiting the 8th floor of Waite Phillips Hall on the USC campus. If you would like to meet with someone in person, it is best to schedule this in advance to ensure that you receive a comprehensive visit. If you would like to meet with program faculty and current students, as well as take a tour of campus, please Schedule a Campus Visit (will go to new link when Schedule a Campus Visit weblink is created) to notify us of your interest.

What are USC's official graduate admission policies?
The USC catalogue section titled "Graduate and Professional Education" details the graduate admissions policies. The current catalogue can be accessed online at http://www.usc.edu/catalogue/graduate/.

How much does it cost to apply and can I receive a fee waiver?
The fee for applying to graduate study at USC is $85 per application. Fee waiver requests are reviewed and approved or denied by the Office of Graduate Admissions. If your request for a fee waiver is denied, you must pay the application fee. Fee waivers are granted only under the following conditions:

• You are a full-time USC employee, or dependent of a full-time USC employee.
• You are a U.S. citizen/permanent resident, and paying the fee would cause financial hardship. If so, you need to obtain and submit verification of financial hardship from the financial aid office of the institution you last attended. Please note that you must use the paper application (not the online form) when using a fee waiver.
• You are a USC student or alumnus/alumna.
• You are a McNair Scholar.
• You have participated in the Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers (IRT) Program.
• You are a Pickering, PPIA or IPP Fellow.
• You are a Global Communication/LSE program applicant.
• You are or have been a student at Hebrew Union College.

Fee waivers will not be honored until appropriate supporting documentation has been mailed to:
USC Office of Admission
GRADUATE
University Park Campus
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0915

Domestic applicants requesting a fee waiver based on financial hardship must submit verification of financial hardship from the financial aid office of the institution last attended.

Is admission offered for spring semester?
The Rossier School of Education accepts applications for fall admission only, except for the MAT and MFT programs, which only offer summer admission.

What does the faculty review committee look for in candidates?
The faculty review committee looks for someone who is passionate about their program of interest, who can clearly articulate reasons why they want to enter this program and work in a particular field, and who demonstrates the capacity to excel in graduate level coursework and as a future professional in the field. Faculty members review an applicant's entire application file and consider all materials and test scores submitted when making admission decisions.

How long does the admission process take?
The Office for Recruiting and Admissions staff make it our priority to process applications as quickly as possible in order to get a decision to applicants in a timely manner. Applicants who submit a complete application will receive a faster decision than those who are missing required materials. It is recommended that applicants review the application checklist for a particular program to ensure that all required materials are submitted.

When your application is complete, it is processed both in the USC Office of Graduate Admissions and the Rossier School of Education Office of Recruiting and Admissions. Your official record is created when you submit an on-line application for USC Graduate Study, and the USC Graduate Admission Office processes your transcripts and other official documents when they receive them. After documents are processed by both offices, you will be notified by e-mail when your file is ready for review. Be sure to include a current e-mail address and phone number with your application materials, and notify the Office of Recruiting and Admissions if your contact information changes during the application process.

Are courses offered in the evenings?
Class times are 4:15 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. for the majority of our programs. Due to their program structure, the MAT and the Ph.D. programs are an exception, with classes taking place during the day. Please view the online Schedule of Classes for more information.

Can I work while in graduate school?
Many of our programs allow you to work while in graduate school. Many students keep a part-time or full-time job while studying in a Master's or doctoral program at USC. Due to the MAT and Ph.D. program structures, outside employment is discouraged.

How can I find employment at USC?
You may search for part-time or full-time employment at USC through our Jobs@USC website. Graduate Employment Positions offered through USC's Division of Student Affairs offer part-time work experience in Student Affairs departments around campus. For more information, visit http://sait.usc.edu/gradjobs/.

What is USC's tuition?
Tuition at USC is per unit, and varies from year to year. The Schedule of Classes lists tuition per unit for the upcoming academic year. Please visit our Financing Graduate Study web page for additional information on funding.

Does RSOE offer scholarships?
Yes. RSOE offers a limited amount of scholarship awards to incoming and continuing graduate students. Please visit our Financing Graduate Study web page for additional information on scholarship resources.

Does RSOE offer TA-ships or fellowships to graduate students?
Teaching assistantships are usually reserved for doctoral students.

How can I find out if courses previously taken will transfer?
If you have taken a graduate-level course, it may be recognized by USC. University policy states the maximum number of transfer credits that may be applied towards a Master's degree, subject to departmental approval, is: 8 units in programs requiring 33-40 units, and 12 units in programs requiring 41 or more units. There is no guarantee that units will transfer, but if you compare coursework taken to courses in your preferred program, you can get an idea of whether or not units might be accepted at USC. It is suggested that you contact the faculty lead for your program of interest in order to get an idea of whether or not your coursework may transfer.

Is professional work experience required?
For the Master's programs, professional work experience in the field you are interested in is not required, but it can make your application more competitive. Internships, fieldwork, coursework, volunteer work, or other related positions in your field of interest can all make you a more competitive applicant. Please note that the ME TEFL program is an exception, as it does require previous full-time teaching experience.

As an admitted student who has just completed my bachelor's degree, where do I send my final transcripts?
Final official transcripts should be sent directly to the central USC Admissions Office at the following address: File No. 51158, Los Angeles, California 90074-1158

When will I receive information about orientation and registration?
Information about orientation and registration will be provided within a few months after you are admitted. Orientation is handled through each Program Office, so you may contact your particular office for assistance:

Master's Programs Office
rsoemast@usc.edu
213-740-3255

Ed.D. Program Office
rsoe.ed.d@usc.edu
213-740-9323

Ph.D. Program Office
rsoephd@usc.edu
213-821-1517

Where can I find information on housing?
USC Trojan Housing offers a limited number of graduate housing units. The Trojan Housing website offers more information and application instructions. USC also offers students a subscription to a housing search service for non-USC-owned housing, the Housing4Students. This search service can also be used to find roommates.

USC's Office of International Services (OIS) website has an informative section that provides housing resources. Both international and domestic students can find resources related to apartment hunting and commuting to USC. In the Apartment Hunting section, there is a list of online external websites such as Westside Rentals that can assist with the search for area housing. As the OIS website states, this is not an endorsement of the facilities and practices of the listed entities. Many sites are free, but some sites, like Westside Rentals, may charge a membership fee.

Additional places to search for housing options include the Daily Trojan, USC's student newspaper (under the Classifieds heading, click on the pdf document for that day), and the Los Angeles Times classifieds.