Please choose a topic below:
The youSC Portal and Your Admission Decision

Please review our video tutorial titled, “The Decision Letter and Intent to Enroll Form” for more information.

When will I receive my admission decision?

Due to the many factors involved in the departmental review process, we cannot estimate when decisions will be made. However, you should check your email often. You will be notified via email once your decision is available on youSC.

How will I be notified of my decision?

You will be notified via email once your official letter is posted and available to view on youSC. If you are admitted, you can also certify your enrollment using the Intent to Enroll form there.

Please note: Not all graduate programs use youSC to notify students of their admission decisions. If you have been notified of a decision but your decision letter is not available on youSC, please contact your department directly.

What should I do if I am unable to log in to youSC (you.usc.edu)?

If you are logging in to youSC for the first time, click on Register and enter the email address used on your application. A temporary password will be emailed to the address provided. If you have any questions about logging in to youSC, please refer to our FAQ.

Please email us if you continue to experience problems logging in or viewing your decision.

Can I appeal the decision if I was denied admission to my intended program?

Given that all graduate-level admission decisions are made by individual programs, all appeal requests are handled by them as well. We recommend you contact your intended graduate department with any questions or concerns regarding your admission decision.

How do I re-apply if I was denied admission to my intended program?

You will need to create and submit a new online application in order to re-apply to USC. Transcripts and test scores already received by the Office of Admission will be kept on file and do not need to be sent again. You will, however, need to send us any new test scores and transcripts for coursework you have completed since your last application.

Please log back in to the online application system using your previous user name and password. In the Add Programs tab, select the program to which you wish to apply. In the Academic History section, you can add any new schools or test scores. Lastly, the Program Materials section will be the only other part of the application you will need to complete.

 How do I defer my admission if I am unable to attend USC for the term to which I was admitted?

If you were accepted to a program and wish to be considered for a later term OR if the department did not render a decision on your file, you may submit a request through our Contact form.

I have applied to multiple programs but have received a decision for only one program so far. When will I hear from my other programs?

Due to the many factors involved in the departmental review process, we cannot estimate when decisions will be made. Each of your decisions will be posted on youSC as they are issued.

Please note: Not all graduate programs use youSC to notify students of their admission decisions. If you have been notified of a decision but your decision letter is not available on youSC, please contact your department directly.

Certifying Enrollment and Commitment Deposits

Please review our video tutorial titled, “The Decision Letter and Intent to Enroll Form” for more information.

How do I accept my offer if I have been admitted to a graduate program at USC?

You can certify your intent to enroll via youSC. Please note, you will only be able to certify once you receive an email notification of your official admission letter posting on youSC.

Does my program require a commitment deposit? If so, how do I pay it?

Please check with your program to find out if it requires a commitment deposit. If so, the deposit will be applied to your first semester’s tuition once you enroll.

If your program collects the deposit via youSC, you will be able to pay it once you select your program in the Statement of Intent form. If your program collects the deposit separately, they will contact you with payment instructions. Please note, USC does not refund commitment deposits.

What is the deadline to certify for my program?

Reply deadlines are set by academic departments and schools, not the central Office of Graduate Admission. Please contact your academic program to confirm its deadline.

Can I defer my admission if I am unable to attend USC for the term to which I was admitted?

USC does not offer deferments in the traditional sense of the term. However, admitted students may request an update to their file.

An application update is not a guarantee of re-admission, but rather a request that your original application be evaluated for admission to a subsequent term. Updates are available only for applicants who have been admitted or who have not yet received a decision.

An application may be updated to a term within one year of the original application. You do not need to pay the application fee again, and all documents already on file are kept in our system. However, you must log back in to the application and add any new coursework you may have completed since the original application and send us transcripts when they become available. You must also add any new test scores and request that the test provider send your official scores to USC. If you are an international student, you will also need to inform us of any changes in your residency status.

Applicants who have been denied admission must re-apply to USC by submitting a new graduate application.

How do I decline my offer of admission if I have decided not to attend USC?

You can withdraw your application via youSC. A link will be provided in your official online admission letter. By withdrawing your application, you will no longer receive notifications from the university.

I have been admitted to USC but would like to be enroll in a different program. Can I do that?

If you wish to be considered for a different program in a different school at USC, you will need to apply directly to that program.

To change programs within your school, you will need to complete your first semester in the program to which you have been admitted. You may then request a transfer to another program, using the Change of Major form. Your request will be reviewed by the department to which you are requesting transfer. Requests for a change of program are not automatically approved and the decision is at the discretion of the department.

Next Steps for Newly Admitted Students (e.g. Receiving USC NetID, Orientation, Registration & Degree Verification)

What should I do if I have certified my enrollment but am having problems activating my USC NetID? 

Please allow at least 24 hours after your certification is confirmed (you should receive a confirmation email) before requesting your NetID. If you continue to experience problems, contact the Customer Support Center.

Can I receive transfer credit if I was previously enrolled in a graduate program at another institution?

Transfer credit from other graduate programs is possible but not guaranteed. After you are admitted and enroll at USC, you may request a transfer credit evaluation from the Office of Degree Progress. Coursework is subject to the approval of both your USC academic department and Degree Progress (or the Office of Graduate Admission if the courses were taken outside the United States). We do not conduct pre-admission transfer credit evaluations for prospective graduate applicants.

My admission letter says I am required to verify my previous degree. How do I do this?

Admitted graduate students must provide documentation of a bachelor’s degree earned from a regionally accredited institution in the United States, or an equivalent foreign degree. If your degree could not be verified during the initial admission review process, it will need to be verified before the end of your first term at USC.

The Office of Degree Progress oversees the verification process. If you hold an undergraduate degree from a U.S. institution, you may verify your degree by bringing a final, official transcript to Degree Progress, located in Trojan Hall. The transcript must specify the degree(s) conferred, date(s) of conferral and be enclosed in the sealed, original envelope with security marks intact.

Students who hold degrees from overseas institutions will need to have their previous degrees verified through the International Education Research Foundation (IERF). For detailed information on how to obtain an IERF verification report, please refer to the Degree Progress website.

What does it mean if my admission letter says I have been admitted “without advanced standing”?

Students admitted without advanced standing are not eligible to receive graduate transfer credit for their previous studies.

How do I arrange for payment of tuition and fees?

Student fee bills are managed through the office of Student Financial Services. Please visit their website for more information about payment options and their interest-free payment plan.

Does USC offer orientation programs for admitted graduate students?

Yes. For more information, please visit the Office of Orientation Programs website.

Does USC offer resources for admitted students with disabilities?

Yes. Please contact our Office of Student Accessibility Services for more information.

Does USC offer resources for admitted students who are veterans?

Yes. Please contact the Veterans Certification office for more information.

What housing options are available to graduate students?

Please visit the USC Housing homepage or contact them directly for more information.

Where can I find information about transportation options and parking at USC?

Please visit the USC Transportation homepage.

Which immunizations do I need before I can enroll at USC?

Please refer to our checklists for admitted students here. They include links to information about health and immunization requirements for new students. Please contact the Engemann Student Health Center if you have additional questions or concerns.

Communicating with USC

How do I contact USC if I have further questions?

You are welcome to email our office with any questions regarding general admission policies and procedures. If you have specific questions about your intended program of study, we recommend you contact the program directly. Please keep in mind that during our peak admission season (November-April) our office receives hundreds of messages every week, so it may take us five to seven business days to respond to emails.

I am unable to attend any of the scheduled campus tours. How can I familiarize myself with USC? 

We encourage prospective students to visit USC, even if they are unable to attend one of our on-campus information sessions. A campus visit will give you the opportunity to tour the campus and schedule meetings with departmental representatives (if available). We have created a downloadable guide (in PDF format) that will introduce you to our campus, its landmarks, traditions and academic programs. To access it, click here.

How do I meet with an admission or program representative from USC?

In addition to our Spotlight: USC events, a graduate admission officer is on call at the campus Admission Center, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday through Thursday. All in-person counseling is walk-in only and subject to staff availability. Additionally, USC graduate departments may be available to meet with prospective graduate applicants (though availability may vary). Please contact your intended graduate department or school for details.

Do you offer information sessions or recruitment events for prospective graduate applicants?

Yes. We strongly encourage applicants in the Los Angeles area to attend one of our Spotlight: USC sessions, which are held on-campus during the fall semester. In addition, the Office of Graduate Admission also participates in a number of off-campus events for prospective graduate applicants. For more information, please visit our Learn About USC page.

How do I get help with technical issues?

  • USC CAS Application: On the bottom left corner of your application you will find the Instructions and FAQs and Contact Us Please review the instructions and FAQs before requesting help via email. If you are unable to find what you need, please send your CAS ID, the school to which you are applying, and a brief description of your issue to uscsupport@liaisoncas.com or call (857) 304-2092 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM Eastern Time, Monday-Friday.
  • youSC: For technical issues related to youSC, please refer to our youSC FAQ

How do I let you know if my personal information (such as mailing address, telephone number, email address) has changed?

If your application is in progress, please use the directions in the Biographical Information section to make the necessary changes.

If you have already submitted your application, be sure to update it AND contact us directly.

How do I check the status of my application?

Because of the high volume of materials we process, we do not send confirmation emails when specific items have been received. We will contact you only if we need to request additional materials. To ensure that you have submitted a complete application, please refer to our checklists.

Please review this video tutorial to navigate the application status verification process.

The Notification status page on your application will include the following updates:

  • Receipt of transcripts uploaded to the application.
  • Receipt of official GRE and TOEFL scores.
  • Receipt of recommendation letters.

You may contact us via email to check the following:

  • Receipt of official (mailed or electronic) transcripts.
  • Receipt of GMAT, IELTS and PTE scores.
  • Status of your application.

Graduate admission staff are also available via Skype from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday-Thursday. Please add graduate.admissions.usc to your contact list.

Frequently Asked
Questions