Based in the vibrant city of Los Angeles, the University of Southern California is a leading private research university. According to Times Higher Education rankings, it is the 19th the best university in the nation. USC traces its roots back to the year 1880 when its founder Robert M. Widney established it with only 53 students. Today it is home to over 48,000 students. The university spent a whopping $941 million on research in 2020. At USC, students are taught by Nobel Laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and recipients of other great honors. USC is known worldwide for technological innovation. It is the birthplace of technologies such as Domain Name System, DNA Computing, antivirus software, and many others. Several popular movies like The Forrest Gump, The Social Network, and Legally Blonde, were filmed at USC. Along with all this, it doesn’t fall behind in sports too. USC Trojans participate in the Pac-12 conference and are known for their legendary football. If you’re interested in getting into USC, keep reading to know the admission requirements in detail.

English Proficiency Test Requirements

Meeting English proficiency requirements will let the university know your ability to keep up in the demanding academic environment. As an international applicant, you’ll need to submit these scores if you’re a non-native English speaker or didn’t have English as the primary language of instruction during school. You can meet the requirements through any of the following methods:

• 100 or above in TOEFL (or TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition) with no less than 20 in each section*
• 7 or above in IELTS (or IELTS indicator)
• 68 or above in Pearson Test of English
• 650 or above in the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section
• 27 or above in the ACT English section

*USC doesn’t accept TOEFL ITP Plus for China.

ACT/SAT Requirements

USC has extended the test-optional policy till the 2023-24 academic year due to the Covid 19 pandemic. As per this policy, you can choose whether to submit your standardized test (ACT or SAT) scores or not. No specific score requirement has been laid down by the university. Following are the benchmarks you should be aiming for

Tuition Fee and Cost of Living

Studying at a top university while living in the state of California is going to be a hefty expense as an international student. The below-mentioned figures are to give you an idea of the expenses you’ll incur. Visit the USC website to know the exact figures.

Note: A New Student Fee of $450 is charged extra in the first semester.

The conversion from USD to INR has been made with $1=₹75. The cost may vary with changes in the exchange rate.

Application Portal

You can apply to the University of Southern California through the following portal:

• Common Application 

Go through the given link and search for the University of Southern California in the ‘Find a college’ tab to proceed. 

USC Writing Supplement

Highly selective universities like USC, need candidates to submit supplemental essays along with the Common App essay prompts. In this case, you’ll have to complete two essay prompts (250 words) and 10 short-answer questions. Try to showcase your unique personality in the best possible way through your responses.

Prompt 1: Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections (250 words).

Prompt 2: Respond to one of the prompts below (250 words).

Option 1: USC believes that one learns best when interacting with people of different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Tell us about a time when you were exposed to a new idea or when your beliefs were challenged by another point of view. Please discuss the significance of the experience and its effect on you.

Option 2: USC faculty place an emphasis on interdisciplinary academic opportunities. Describe something outside of your intended academic focus about which you are interested in learning.

Option 3: What is something about yourself that is essential to understanding you?

Prompt 3 (Optional): Starting with the beginning of high school/secondary school, if you have had a gap where you were not enrolled in school during a fall or spring term, please address this gap in your educational history. You do not need to address a summer break (250 words).

Short Answer Prompts: Respond to all the prompts below (100 characters unless otherwise specified)

1. Describe yourself in three words (25 characters each)
2. What is your favorite snack?
3. Best movie of all time
4. Dream job
5. If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
6. Dream trip
7. What TV show will you binge-watch next?
8. Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?
9. Favorite Book
10. If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?

Application Deadlines

Following are the application deadlines for applying to the University of Southern California-

Conclusion

Attending the University of California is a feat that more and more candidates want to accomplish because of the perks. USC shapes its young minds to be the best in their field. Several alumni of the university went on to become Nobel Prize winners, Olympic Medalists, Emmy Award winners, Academy Award winners, etc. 29 of its alumni even went on to become billionaires. But entering the world of innovation and growth at USC is not easy. This year, it admitted only 3,668 applicants out of 71,031. That makes its acceptance rate a mere 12.5 percent. 

To get admission, you’ll have to apply with the best possible application you can. And for that, who better to guide you than someone who has already done so. Sign Up at UniRely and connect with your mentor already studying at the University of Southern California. They will guide you at each step of the application process. You can also make use of our platform’s amazing tools like Uni Videos, Uni Comparison, Uni Essays, etc. Best of Luck!