Next Steps Spring

Intent to Enroll Deadline:

First-year students: May 1

Submit the Admit Reply Form

Commitment Deposit Deadline:

First-year students: August 1
(or within two weeks of receiving your admission letter)

Transfer students: June 1
(or within two weeks of receiving your admission letter)

To accept our offer of admission and reserve your place in the incoming class, you must submit the Intent to Enroll form online in your applicant portal.

First-year students admitted to the spring term should submit their Intent to Enroll form by May 1 if they wish to be considered for the fall term (should space become available). Even if you choose to submit your Intent to Enroll form by May 1, you may still wait until August 1 to submit your deposit, as it is not required to be considered for movement to the fall term.

Transfer students admitted to the spring semester are not required to submit an Intent to Enroll form but must submit the Commitment Deposit or a request for a waiver by the June 1 deadline, or within two weeks of receiving the admission letter.

A deposit of $300, or a deposit waiver, is required by the deadline listed for your class. We cannot guarantee your space in the class if you submit your enrollment commitment deposit after the deadline. The deposit is nonrefundable and will be applied to your spring 2026 tuition and fees.

Deposit waiver: If financial hardship prevents you from submitting the deposit, you may select a waiver when submitting the online Admit Reply form.

If you have questions, please contact your USC admission counselor. You may also call the Office of Admission at (213) 740-1111 or email us by visiting ask.usc.edu and clicking on the “Email Us” link at the top of the page.

New Transfer Admits
Visit our Transfer Admit FAQ page.

Not Enrolling at USC?
If you do not intend to enroll at USC, please let us know by visiting your applicant portal and declining your offer of admission on the Intent to Enroll form.

Financial Aid Application Deadline: ASAP

Visit our “Manage Your Finances” page and the Financial Aid website to learn more about completing your financial aid application and funding your USC education.

To view the status of your financial aid application, visit your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) portal.

Housing Application Open: July 1, 2025

Visit the USC Housing website to review housing options available to you as an incoming student, submit your housing application online and participate in the optional roommate matching process. Students admitted to spring 2026 may apply beginning July 1, 2025. If you have additional questions, feel free to email [email protected] for assistance.

Both first-year and transfer students may apply for USC housing. However, space is extremely limited, and spring admits are not guaranteed an assignment in USC housing. Therefore, we recommend spring admits explore other housing options as well.

Special Accommodations

If you have a disability and would like more information about academic and/or housing accommodations, please visit the Office of Student Accessibility Services.

1 to 2 days after submitting your Enrollment Commitment

After activating your USC NetID, you will be able to access a wide array of online services and resources, including your USC email, which is the university’s official means of communication. Information about registering for orientation, described below, will be sent to your USC email only.

Orientation Sign-Up Opens: April 2025

Welcome Trojans Orientation – Winter 2026

We encourage all new students admitted to the spring semester to participate in the hybrid winter Welcome Trojans orientation program. Welcome Trojans connects new students and their families to the campus community through an inclusive online and in-person experience that enriches their transition into the university and the Trojan Family.

The hybrid orientation experience comprises course registration and student engagement programs. All students will complete academic advising and course registration online.

Student engagement programs will be available online during the fall semester or on campus in the summer prior to the fall semester. Students must submit their Admit Reply form by July 1, 2025, to receive an invitation to the on-campus event for spring students. There will also be a student services fair for incoming students on move–in day in January. 

Invitations to Welcome Trojans orientation will be emailed beginning in April to all first-year and transfer students who have submitted their Admit Reply form. Reservations are required and students will have the ability to include a guest when they register. For more information, please refer to the  Orientation website. 

Note for all new international students:
Welcome Trojans Orientation programs are separate from the Immigration Status Verification (ISV) process. ISV is a mandatory online check-in procedure that verifies an international student’s entry into the U.S., as well as their immigration status. It does not restrict them from participating in Welcome Trojans events or registering for courses online. 

You will be required to complete Immigration Status Verification (ISV) with the Office of International Services (OIS) upon your arrival for the spring 2026 term.

Academic Records Submission Deadline:

First-year students: July 1

Transfer students: ASAP

All newly admitted students should have their final high school and/or official college transcripts, as well as any standardized exam scores, sent to USC. This ensures that you receive proper transfer credit for any completed college-level coursework. It will also allow your academic advisor to help plan your course of study at USC.

To see how your previous college coursework may transfer to USC, we also encourage you view our Transfer Credit Resources page.

Transcripts

E-transcripts must be submitted by your school. Transcripts uploaded or sent by students are not considered official.

First-year students: Have your school send the Office of Admission a final, official transcript showing the date of your high school graduation. A photocopy of your high school diploma is not sufficient. The deadline is July 1. We understand that some students attending schools outside the U.S. may have difficulty meeting this deadline, so USC extends a grace period for the submission of final transcripts. However, this population of students will not be permitted to continue their USC enrollment beyond the first semester if this requirement is not met.

Transfer students: Have all of your colleges and universities send official transcripts showing final grades as soon as your current term is complete and grades are available.

If your school requires an email address for transcript submission, please use [email protected]. If your school does not support the electronic submission of transcripts, please have your transcripts mailed to the Office of Undergraduate Admission in an official envelope from the school, with the seal and any other security features intact. Physical transcripts can be mailed to the following address:

USC Office of Admission
Undergraduate
University Park Campus
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0911

Transfer Credit Earned Prior to High School Graduation

Undergraduate students may receive a combined maximum of 32 elective units for AP, IB and/or A-Level examinations, as well as select college courses taken before high school graduation.

Restrictions apply, and not all courses will meet our criteria for credit.

Review the Exam Credit page on the Registrar’s website for more information.

Senior-Year and Final-Term Grades

Your admission to USC is conditional on your continued achievement at the same level of academic performance. In some cases, you may have specific conditions of admission. The Office of Admission carefully reviews all final transcripts. If your senior-year or final-term grades decline or you have not met your specific conditions of admission, we will contact you. In the most serious cases, offers of admission will be rescinded. If you have questions or concerns you wish to bring to our attention, please contact your USC admission counselor. 

International Coursework

First-year students: First-year students must provide one official copy of all records of academic coursework, in their native language. Records must be sent directly from the school and be accompanied by a certified English translation.

Transfer students: Transfer students who have completed coursework at institutions outside the U.S. should contact the International Education Research Foundation for a “Detail Report with Course Level Identification.” IERF will evaluate your documents and transmit a report directly to USC. USC will then complete a transfer credit evaluation.

Transfer Credit Reports (TCR)

After we receive your enrollment commitment deposit and complete, official transcripts of all your college or university work, as well as AP, IB and/or A-Level exam scores, USC will provide a transfer credit report (TCR) summarizing the degree credit awarded for your transfer courses. This report will be essential for helping you and your academic advisor plan your coursework at USC.

Transfer credit reports will be available online at my.usc.edu by early December, in time for course registration. Your TCR will be updated throughout the summer as official transcripts and exam scores are reported, and it will be finalized by the time you attend orientation.

USC students represent over 130 countries around the world. International students make up nearly a quarter of our entire student population.

Visas

To be eligible to study at USC, international students need to have a valid non-immigrant visa status. The F-1 visa is the most common student visa and is issued to full-time students enrolled in an academic degree program at USC.

I-20 Form

To apply for the F-1 visa, students must first receive their USC I-20, a four-page form issued by the Office of Admission with a USC official’s signature on page 1.

I-20s are available to admitted students who have committed to enroll at USC and have submitted their commitment deposit.

To receive your I-20:

Log in to Trojan International and submit the “New F-1 Student Request” e-form located in the “Admission” section. New undergraduate students should request an “Initial I-20.”

Upload your financial statement, along with supporting documentation and a copy of your passport, even if you already submitted these during the admission process. You will need to upload new documents, as the Office of Admission will not be able to provide you with previously submitted copies.

Students currently attending a U.S. school on F-1 status:

Follow these instructions for transferring your SEVIS record to USC. Submit the “New F-1 Student Request” e-form in Trojan International and request a “Transfer I-20”.

More Information:

Guidelines for preparing documents: Trojan International Checklist
General information: Admission I-20 Processing
Acceptable financial documentation: Guidelines for Financial Support

English Language Proficiency and Testing

Students who were asked to demonstrate English proficiency in the application review process and who did not submit a valid, USC-approved English Language Proficiency exam are required to sit for the International Student Exam (ISE) through USC’s American Language Institute (ALI) later this summer. Students who submitted a valid, USC-approved English Language Proficiency exam do not need to sit for the ISE exam. Even if you applied test-optional, we strongly encourage you to submit one of USC’s approved exams—including the SAT or ACT—to waive this English placement test before orientation.

Transcripts

Transfer students who have completed coursework at institutions outside the U.S. need to contact the International Education Research Foundation (IERF) to have their coursework evaluated.

“I studied abroad at the American University of Paris, where I traveled to seven different countries that I had never been to before, and it ended up being the best experience of my entire life. Looking back, I wouldn’t trade those four months for anything else.”

—Moera Ainai. Fall Semester at the American University of Paris

Your admission to USC is secure for the spring term, but what can you do in the fall? It’s up to you to decide how you’ll spend your time before enrolling at USC in January.

You could enroll in college—even abroad—to stay on pace to finish your degree in four years. Alternatively, you could take time off to work, explore new cultures or participate in a service-learning opportunity to improve the lives of those in your community or around the world. We’ve created helpful information to guide you through your options.

Study

Most spring admits will graduate with their peers who started in the fall. One way you can ensure on-time graduation* is to take courses in the fall that will count toward USC degree requirements. Our team can help you select courses to make sure you stay on track. Choose a community college or enroll as a non–degree-seeking student at a local university (look for visitor status, continuing education or extension/professional studies programs). You might even explore study abroad opportunities such as those listed below.

*Please note that some majors require that a certain number of semesters be spent at USC. Therefore, spring admits in those majors will graduate later than their classmates admitted in the fall, regardless of coursework taken in the fall.

Before you enroll:
Familiarize yourself with USC’s General Education program, found in the Spring Admit Course Planning Worksheet. This worksheet will help you determine how you may complete some of these requirements before enrolling at USC.

Also be sure to review the requirements for your intended USC degree in the USC Catalogue. Pay close attention to lower-division courses you can complete during the fall. Check with the admission office in the Dornsife College (science majors, take note) or Viterbi School of Engineering if you intend to pursue a course of study in these schools. Some schools, including study-abroad agreement schools, may not be a good fit for majors with lower-division science requirements.

Next, refer to the Resources section for spring admits. You can see if your courses have already been evaluated for transfer credit, request pre-approval for any courses we have not previously reviewed, or find out which standardized exams fulfill GE Core Literacies or major-related requirements.

Consider these enrollment options:

Community College
Most first-year spring admits choose to enroll in a community college, often close to their home, during the fall. Community colleges encourage you to apply right away to allow ample time for placement testing and academic advisement. USC does not prefer one community college over another, so choose the school that is most convenient for you.

Study Abroad
USC has established agreements with these five American institutions in Europe. Each is U.S. accredited and provides instruction in English. Each school has its own brief, fast-tracked application in the links provided below. Students will stay connected as a USC-bound cohort, so upon returning to the U.S., you will have an instant network of fellow Trojans. Space may be limited, so apply soon.

American University of Paris
Franklin University Switzerland
Richmond, The American International University in London
John Cabot University, Rome
Anglo-American University, Prague

Please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] if you have any questions about one of our agreement institutions.

Four-Year Options
Do not enroll in a four-year college under the false pretense of finishing your degree there. Doing so may take up a valuable space for someone else who wanted to attend the school. Enroll as a non–degree–seeking student or in a continuing education program.

Gap Semester

Taking a break between high school and college is a common choice around the world, and it’s becoming increasingly popular in the U.S.

Although USC does not maintain formal partnerships with these programs, here is a sampling of some opportunities for travel, volunteering or exploring in the U.S. and abroad.

(Please note that USC does not award college credit for gap programs. Any college credit offered by these programs cannot be applied toward your USC degree requirements. Students should consider these options for cultural exploration and volunteer opportunities only.)

Adventures Cross-Country
Make friends, develop leadership skills and spend a gap semester in Asia, Africa or Latin America.

World Endeavors
Choose from international internship, volunteer or study abroad programs around the world.

EF Gap Year
Prepare to thrive in an ever-changing world on an EF Gap program where you can gain experience through service learning, language study, internships and leadership workshops—in up to six countries per semester.

Pacific Discovery
Offered throughout Asia and Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and Central and South America, these programs emphasize leadership development, outdoor and wilderness education, volunteer and service-learning opportunities, and sustainability.

Art History Abroad
Explore the connections between art, music, literature, history and philosophy while traveling throughout Italy.

Carpe Diem Education
Carpe Diem provides three-month and yearlong gap programs focused on community, cultural immersion, service learning and adventure.

National Outdoor Leadership School
A leader in outdoor education, NOLS leads students on wilderness expeditions to teach them technical outdoor skills, leadership and environmental ethics.

Work and Internships

Many students also choose to gain valuable hands-on experience and professional skills through internships and paid work. Community colleges may allow you to complete an internship for academic credit. Check with their advising or career office for more information. You may also check with employers in your area for job opportunities.

Stay Connected

ZeeMee Group for Spring Admits
Visit your applicant portal for a link to the private group created specifically for spring admits. It’s a great way to meet other students before you even begin classes!

Documents and Publications

Below you will find publications and copies of event presentations that may be relevant to your fall plans. 

• Course Planning Worksheet 
• Study Abroad Booklet 

Course Planning

We understand that many spring admits choose to enroll in college coursework in the fall. No matter where you enroll for the fall semester, your goal should be to make progress toward fulfilling General Education requirements, as well as any lower-division courses that may be completed for your major.  Below are some resources and guidelines to follow as you make your enrollment plans. 

If you are attending a California community college: 

USC’s articulation agreements with California community colleges will show you which classes transfer and how they will transfer to USC. You can find your institution from the drop-down menu provided on the website. 

If you are attending an out-of-state community college: 

Although USC does not maintain articulation agreements with out-of-state community colleges, most courses that will transfer to the major four-year, public institutions in your state will transfer to USC, although they may not fulfill the same requirements or offer the same course equivalences. Please feel free to email [email protected] if you need help with course selection. 

If you are attending a four-year institution or study abroad agreement school as a non–degree-seeking or visiting student: 

USC’s articulation histories with four-year schools will show you which courses have been accepted in transfer in the past and are likely to be accepted now. This includes courses at our preferred study abroad institutions. If a course is not listed, it means that it has not been evaluated by USC’s Undergraduate Transfer Credit Services and may or may not transfer. 

Standardized Exams: 

It is possible to satisfy some General Education requirements through AP, IB, or A-Level exams. Visit our Exam Credit page to see which categories can be fulfilled by exam credit. 

Interactive Planning Guide: 

Intended primarily for students at California community colleges, the interactive Transfer Planning Guide (TPG) will display courses that have been evaluated and earn subject credit or satisfy lower-division requirements for the selected major. The TPG does not contain a complete list of courses or colleges. If your intended school or courses are not listed, please use the articulation agreements, histories and resources above to plan your courses. 

Spring Admit Pre-Approval Form: 

Lastly, you should use the Spring Admit Pre-Approval form only if you are uncertain whether or not your intended courses will transfer for GE credit. Please list only those courses for which you intend to register. You should submit these forms to us at [email protected] well before you register for classes. Pre-approval forms will be processed in July and August. The deadline to submit a pre-approval form is August 1.