د University of Southern California بورسونه ۲۰۲۷ په امریکا کې

University of Southern California (USC) Scholarships 2027 د international students لپاره Undergraduate او PhD funding لري.

Main Undergraduate Merit

• Trustee: full tuition.
• Presidential: 50% tuition.
• Deans: 25% tuition.

PhD

many programmes multi-year funding via fellowships، TA/RA، tuition، stipend، health insurance.

International undergraduate applicants automatic consideration ترلاسه کوي که admission د scholarship deadline پورې submit کړي.

Important

international undergraduates USC need-based aid نه اخلي. Even full-tuition Trustee housing/food/travel etc. نه پوښي.

Overview

• Level: Undergraduate / PhD
• USC، Los Angeles
• Undergraduate awards usually up to 8 semesters
• Architecture may reach 10 semesters

Selection

academics، leadership، service، talent، application strength.

Deadlines Fall 2027

• 1 Nov 2026: most majors merit consideration.
• 1 Dec 2026: Dance/Dramatic Arts/Music.
• 10 Jan 2027: final Regular Decision, generally outside main merit consideration.
• PhD: department-specific, usually Dec–Jan.

Trustee

full tuition، renewable، international eligible; not housing/food/travel/books/personal costs.

Presidential

50% tuition، renewable.

Deans

25% tuition، renewable.

PhD funding may include

full tuition، stipend، RA/TA، fellowship، health/dental، fees.

Examples

• USC Price: 4 years.
• Political Science/IR: 5 years full funding in good standing.
• Marshall: full tuition + stipend + health/dental/fees.
• Viterbi RA/TA: stipend + tuition + insurance/fees.

Undergraduate eligibility

first-year applicant، complete USC application، strong academics/leadership/service، English requirements، portfolio/audition if needed. No guaranteed GPA threshold.

SAT/ACT

currently test-optional.

English recommended minimums from source

IELTS 7.0؛ TOEFL revised 5 overall/4 each section؛ Cambridge C1 185/169 each؛ PTE 68؛ Duolingo 130.

PhD

Bachelor’s/equivalent، strong academics، research preparation، recommendations، SOP، English، programme-specific requirements.

Apply – Undergraduate

• choose programme.
• Common App + USC questions.
• no separate merit form.
• English proof.
• Financial Statement + first-year funding evidence.
• automatic merit review.

Financial evidence

bank statement/letter، sponsorship، approved loan، investment portfolio.

PhD

choose programme/supervisors، prepare transcripts/CV/SOP/recommendations/research docs، submit department application، review funding terms carefully.

Typical docs

Undergraduate: Common App، supplements، school transcripts، recommendation، English proof، passport، financial docs، optional portfolio/audition. PhD: degrees/transcripts، CV، SOP، recommendations، English، GRE if required، proposal/writing sample/publications.

FAQ

Trustee = full tuition only. Presidential = half. Deans = quarter. No USC need-based aid for international undergrads. No separate merit application. Many PhDs funded department-by-department. SAT/ACT optional. IELTS can be replaced by another approved English exam.

Criteria for University of Southern California Scholarships

Undergraduate Merit Scholarships

To be considered for USC merit scholarships, applicants should

Apply as first-year undergraduate students

Submit a complete USC admission application

Meet the academic requirements of their intended programme

Demonstrate strong academic achievement

Show leadership, service, talent, or significant extracurricular achievement

Meet USC’s English-language requirements

Complete any portfolio or audition required by their programme

There is no minimum GPA or test score that guarantees a USC Merit Scholarship. USC describes the selection process as highly competitive and based on holistic review. International students are explicitly eligible for USC Merit Scholarships.

SAT and ACT

USC currently operates a test-optional admission policy. Applicants can decide whether to submit SAT or ACT results, and students applying without scores are not disadvantaged in either admission or merit scholarship consideration.

English-Language Requirements

International applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. USC currently does not provide waivers from this requirement.

Recommended minimum scores include

IELTS: 7.0

TOEFL under the revised scoring system: 5 overall with at least 4 in each section

Cambridge C1 Advanced: 185 overall with at least 169 in each skill

PTE: 68

Duolingo English Test: 130

USC notes that competitive applicants often achieve scores above these minimums. You can also review our guide to scholarships without IELTS.

PhD Funding Eligibility

Applicants normally need

A bachelor’s degree or recognised equivalent

Strong academic results

Appropriate preparation for the selected research field

Research experience where relevant

Strong recommendation letters

A convincing statement of purpose

English-language proficiency

Programme-specific requirements

Funding decisions are usually made by individual academic departments together with admission decisions. International students can receive university fellowships and departmental merit scholarships, although they are generally ineligible for US federal financial aid.

for University of Southern California Scholarships?

Undergraduate Merit Scholarships

• Choose your USC undergraduate programme and check whether it requires additional materials such as a portfolio, résumé, writing sample, or audition.
• Complete the Common Application and USC-specific questions.

The application normally includes

Personal information

Academic record

Activities

USC supplemental responses

Intended programme

High-school transcripts

Recommendation letter

Additional programme materials where required

• Submit a strong scholarship-level application.

USC does not use a separate Trustee, Presidential, or Deans Scholarship application. Your admission application is used to select candidates for these scholarships.

Focus on demonstrating

Academic excellence

Leadership

Community service

Creativity

Significant extracurricular achievement

Intellectual curiosity

Contribution to your school or community

• Submit English-language evidence if required.

International applicants whose native language is not English must submit one of USC’s approved English proficiency examinations.

• Upload your international financial documentation.

USC requires international applicants to submit a Financial Statement of Personal or Family Support together with proof that sufficient funds are available for at least the first academic year. Scholarship applicants must still provide this evidence because merit scholarships are not guaranteed.

Acceptable evidence can include

Bank statement

Bank letter

Government or organisational sponsorship

Approved education loan

Investment portfolio

• Wait for USC’s scholarship selection.

Applicants meeting the scholarship consideration requirements are automatically reviewed for USC Admission Merit Scholarships. Selected students receive further instructions from USC.

USC PhD Funding

• Select a USC PhD programme closely aligned with your academic and research interests.

Review

Faculty members

Research laboratories

Current projects

Programme requirements

Funding arrangements

• Identify potential supervisors where appropriate.

Read recent publications before contacting faculty and attach a concise academic CV.

• Prepare your graduate application.

Typical documents include

Academic transcripts

Academic CV

Statement of purpose

Recommendation letters

English-language test result

Research experience

Writing sample or research proposal where required

Use our guides on preparing an academic CV, statement of purpose, and scholarship recommendation letter.

• Submit your application to the selected USC doctoral programme.

Most PhD funding is awarded through the department, fellowship competition, teaching assistantship, or research assistantship rather than through one separate central USC scholarship application.

• Review the funding offer carefully.

Confirm

Tuition coverage

Annual stipend

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Mandatory fees

Funding duration

Teaching requirements

Research assistantship requirements

The individual department’s funding offer is the most reliable source for the exact support you will receive.

Documents Required for University of Southern California Scholarships

Undergraduate Documents

International applicants should prepare

Common Application

USC supplemental responses

Official high-school transcripts

Recommendation letter

English-language test result

Passport

Financial Statement of Personal or Family Support

Bank statement or other acceptable financial evidence

Predicted IB or A-Level results where applicable

Portfolio, audition, résumé, or writing sample where required

PhD Documents

Applicants generally need

Graduate application

Bachelor’s degree certificate

Master’s degree certificate where applicable

Academic transcripts

Academic CV

Statement of purpose

Recommendation letters

English-language test result where required

GRE or another test where required

Research statement or proposal where required

Writing sample where required

Publications or research evidence

Applicants can use these ScholarshipRoar guides

Academic CV for Scholarship

Statement of Purpose for Scholarship

Scholarship Recommendation Letter

Scholarship Interview Questions and Answers

Website

For more information about University of Southern California Scholarships, visit

USC Merit Scholarships

USC Merit Scholarship Guide

USC Graduate School PhD Fellowships

Frequently Asked Questions

Does USC offer scholarships to international students?

Yes. All international undergraduate applicants who apply by the appropriate scholarship consideration deadline can compete for USC Merit Scholarships.

Is the USC Trustee Scholarship fully funded?

The Trustee Scholarship covers full undergraduate tuition, but it does not cover the complete cost of attendance, including housing, food, travel, and personal expenses. It is therefore a full-tuition scholarship rather than a completely fully funded scholarship.

How much does the USC Presidential Scholarship cover?

The Presidential Scholarship covers half of USC undergraduate tuition.

How much does the USC Deans Scholarship cover?

The Deans Scholarship covers one-quarter of undergraduate tuition.

Do international students receive USC need-based financial aid?

No. USC states that international undergraduate applicants are not eligible for USC need-based financial aid. They can instead compete for merit scholarships and departmental awards.

Do I need a separate application for USC Merit Scholarships?

No. Applicants who submit their USC admission application by the appropriate scholarship consideration deadline are automatically considered for the main USC Admission Merit Scholarships.

Are USC PhD programmes fully funded?

Many USC PhD programmes provide comprehensive multi-year funding, but the exact guarantee differs by department. For example, USC Price, Political Science and International Relations, and Marshall provide packages including tuition, stipends, and health-related benefits.

Is SAT or ACT required for USC Scholarships?

No. USC is currently test-optional, and students who do not submit SAT or ACT scores are not disadvantaged in merit scholarship selection.

Is IELTS compulsory for USC?

IELTS specifically is not compulsory, but international applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency through a USC-approved examination. Accepted options include TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge C1 Advanced, PTE, and Duolingo under USC’s current rules.