International Student Next Steps

To accept your admission offer, please visit youSC to submit the Intent to Enroll form. This must be completed before you can enroll. Deadlines to certify your enrollment vary by program, so please check with your program for updates. We encourage you to review “The Decision Letter and Intent to Enroll Form” video tutorial below.

Several graduate programs at USC require certified students to pay a nonrefundable commitment deposit to reserve their spot in the incoming class. This deposit is applied to your first-semester tuition charges. Your program will notify you of any required program deposits and the deadline to submit them. Visit youSC portal to pay the Commitment Deposit (if applicable).

Your USC NetID is your official USC username and password, which will allow you to log in to a variety of online tools and resources, including your university email account, the wireless network, myUSC and Blackboard. You will be able to activate your NetID within one to two business days after you submit the Intent to Enroll form.

Continue to check your USC email for information about attending a university-wide orientation program for graduate students. Additionally, many academic departments offer their own school-specific events, so keep an eye out for information from your department. You are also welcome to visit your program’s website or the Office of Orientation Programs for updates.

Be sure to complete all health requirements and steps as mandated by USC Student Health.

Please read the guidelines for obtaining an I-20 from USC at the I-20 Processing page. The Office of Graduate Admission is responsible for processing your initial I-20/DS-2019, but USC’s Office of International Services will advise you regarding all immigration-related issues once you arrive at USC.

You are required to complete Immigration Status Verification with the Office of International Services within 15 days of your arrival in the United States. This will verify your immigration status to ensure that you are eligible to start an academic program at USC for the upcoming semester. Graduate students must complete Immigration Status Verification (ISV) before they can register for classes.

If your official letter of admission indicates that you have a continuing registration requirement to take the International Student English (ISE) examination, please contact the American Language Institute to register for the test.

If you have met USC’s TOEFL/IELTS threshold with new scores since you were admitted, submit your updated scores to American Language Institute so that the examination requirement can be waived.

Before you register for classes, you should review the USC Schedule of Classes and meet with your academic advisor to plan your first semester of coursework. Some of your courses may require D-clearance (special departmental permission) before you can register for them. Your advisor will provide the necessary D-clearances for any such courses.

Register for courses online through the Web Registration link in myUSC, the university’s portal to online campus resources.

As your student ID card, the USCard provides access to a number of campus services. If you sign up for a meal plan, you will use the USCard to pay for meals in the residential restaurants on campus. You can also load discretionary funds onto the card and use it to purchase food, books, tickets to various sporting and entertainment events, and many other items on campus. In addition, the card will grant you borrowing privileges in USC libraries. Visit USCard Services to obtain your USCard.

Be sure to carry your USC ID card at all times while you’re on campus.

You will need to satisfy any continuing registration requirement for degree verification by the end of your first semester at USC. (This requirement will be listed on your offer of admission.) If you do not verify your previous degrees, you will not be able to register for your second semester of classes. Learn more about how to satisfy this continuing registration requirement by visiting the Degree Progress department at the Registrar One Stop Center.

Once you register for classes, check your USC email for a notice from Student Financial Services that your first-semester tuition and fee bill is due. Your first-semester charges must be paid by 5:00 p.m. Pacific time on the Friday before the start of classes. Charges can be paid online through our online billing system, USCe.pay.