Tuition and Fees, Fall 2023

Tuition is payable in advance unless special arrangements are made for deferred payments as described below. Tuition is the same for resident and nonresident students. Registration is completed when the bill has been settled.

Auditors pay the regular tuition rate. Auditors are not required to participate in class exercises (discussions and examinations); they receive no grades or credit and there is no transcript notation of courses taken for audit. An instructor, dean or university officer may give permission to an individual to attend a class as a guest. Otherwise, attendance in class is limited to enrolled students.

These fees are based upon current information available at the time of publication and are subject to possible later change. The university reserves the right to change without notice any of the terms stated herein.

The number of units for which tuition is charged is indicated by the unit number below the title of each course listed in the Courses of Instruction .

Tuition (semester)

Mandatory Fees 

Special Fees 

Late Registration and Late Settlement Fees

Registration is not permitted after the third week of classes.

Finance Charges

The university currently assesses a monthly finance charge on all past due balances. The current annual rate is 12 percent, subject to change.

Returned Items

A “returned check charge” of $25 is assessed for a check or electronic fund transfer returned by the bank for any reason. Under California Civil Code #1719, a returned check may create a liability for treble (three times) the amount owed, but not less than $100. Any returned items will void outstanding deferments, making all balances due in full immediately. The university may, at its option, cancel enrollment of any student whose check is returned unpaid by the bank. If the university does not exercise this option, the student will be responsible for all tuition and fees incurred. Students and parents should be aware that non-local checks may be held by the bank for the maximum time allowed by law. Please allow ample time for non-local funds to be made available by the date payment is due.

Obligation for Payment

Request for registration constitutes a legal financial obligation to which students will be held liable if they do not follow the proper procedure to change or cancel their registration through the Office of Academic Records and Registrar. They must receive written confirmation (the Registration Confirmation form) to verify that their requested change has been made.

By registering, students agree to be held responsible for all tuition and fees, including, but not limited to, payments denied by student loan lenders, agencies of the United States government, and agencies of foreign governments.

Tuition and fees for all students, including those whose tuition has been deferred, become an obligation in accordance with the provisions of the Withdrawal Refund Policy as follows: Tuition and fees are due, in full, by the settlement deadline. Failure to make payments of any indebtedness to the university when due, including but not limited to tuition, deferred tuition, housing, student loans, lab fees and USCard, is considered sufficient cause, until the debt is settled with the university to (1) bar the student from classes and examinations; (2) withhold diploma or scholastic certificate; (3) bar the student from university housing; (4) suspend all university services and privileges; (5) suspend the student; (6) assign the student to a collection agency (students who have been assigned to an outside collection agency may be required to pay in advance for all future registrations and services); and (7) report the student to a credit bureau. This policy will be equally enforced against debts discharged through bankruptcy.

Permission to cancel enrollment does not constitute, nor shall it be construed as, a waiver by the university of a student’s financial obligation. Students are still responsible for all outstanding debts and contracts with the university. Furthermore, students must not have any delinquent financial obligations to USC at the time classes begin or their registration may be revoked.

For additional information please contact the Cashier’s Office, Student Union 106 (STU 106), (213) 740-7471 or cashier@usc.edu.

Methods of Payment

You may pay your bill online (sfs.usc.edu/epay), by mail or in person. If you are paying by mail, be sure to mail your payment early enough for the university to receive it by the settlement deadline.

USCe.pay allows you to manage your student account online. You can pay your tuition and fees by transferring funds from your savings or checking account (via ACH) or by wire. You can also print e-receipts and view your billing statements or current account information. In addition, you can set up individual guest user access for parents or anyone else you choose so they can make payments on your account. For more information, visit sfs.usc.edu/epay. To access your USCe.pay account, log in to myUSC (my.usc.edu) and select the USCe.pay link.

In fall and spring semesters, USC offers a monthly payment plan. An application must be made each term after the student has registered for classes but before the settlement deadline.

More detailed information about student accounts, settlement options and procedures is available at sfs.usc.edu.

Financial Aid

Financial aid recipients will have most of their available financial aid (such as scholarships, grants, loans and graduate assistantship tuition awards) applied to their university accounts each semester as direct credits against their total charges. Federal and state aid such as Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Cal Grants, Direct Loans and Direct PLUS Loans are applied only to tuition, mandatory fees, room and board unless the student has completed a Title IV Charges and Credit Balance Authorization to grant permission to apply these funds to other charges. Federal and state aid will disburse to student accounts no sooner than 10 days before the first day of classes for the term. Students must complete all application steps and meet all disbursement requirements before funds will be applied to their accounts. For details, visit financialaid.usc.edu.

Federal Work-Study awards are not reflected as credits on a student’s account. These awards are earned through employment, either on-campus or with an approved off-campus employer. The student is paid by check or direct deposit bi-weekly for hours worked and may earn up to the amount of the Federal Work-Study award under the program.

Billing Information

Monthly billing notifications on all active student accounts are emailed to the student’s official USC email address (ends in @usc.edu) and to their designated guest users. USC does not mail printed statements to currently enrolled students.

In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, university representatives will not disclose any specific information about a student’s account to any third party (including family members) without the student’s permission. Information about granting permission is available on the Student Financial Services website for parents and sponsors (sfs.usc.edu/epay/).

Although the university will accept payments from a third party, the student is responsible for settling all debts to the university by the appropriate deadlines.

Refund of Tuition

Tuition is refundable entirely at the discretion of the university. Refunds will be computed as of the date on which a student cancels or drops a course through the Registration Department. Request for a refund must be made to the Cashier’s Office.

Refunds for the regular/general 12- to 15-week fall or spring session are made through the end of the third week of classes (the refund deadline). No refunds are issued for classes canceled after the deadline.

If you are enrolled in any other fall or spring session, or if you are enrolled in the summer, a different refund deadline may apply. Verify the refund deadline for a specific course on the USC Schedule of Classes by clicking the calendar icon that appears next to the course.

If students receive Title IV federal financial aid funds (Pell Grant, SEOG, Federal Direct Loan, Federal Direct PLUS Loan) and withdraw from all classes after the refund deadline, they may be required to return any “unearned” Title IV federal financial aid, even if they are not entitled to a refund of tuition. Refer to Withdrawal Implications for Recipients of Financial Aid  for more information.

Tuition Refund Insurance

Elective insurance is available that provides full coverage for tuition and mandatory fees (excluding health insurance) for you if you suffer a serious illness or accident that makes it necessary for you to leave the university before the semester is completed.

What Tuition Refund Insurance Covers

The insurance covers 85 percent of the tuition and mandatory fees (excluding the student health insurance fee) for the semester if a student withdraws from all classes due to injury, sickness or psychological and emotional conditions (as defined in the DSM-IV manual). The plan covers payments made directly by the student, loans, grants or scholarships. USC grants and scholarships are credited back to the university and loans may be credited back to the lender as determined by the Financial Aid Office.

By default, at the time you register, Web Registration will enroll you in Tuition Refund Insurance. This will result in a charge equal to approximately .28 of 1 percent of your tuition and mandatory fees, which will be added to your student account.

If you wish to remove Tuition Refund Insurance after you have registered, you may make the change on Web Registration by clicking the Tuition Refund Insurance button and following the prompts. You may decline tuition refund insurance up until the end of week three (session 001) or the 20 percent mark of all other sessions in the fall or spring semester. For all summer sessions, the deadline is the 80 percent mark of session 050, deadline to drop with a mark of W. 

The Tuition Refund Plan is offered through a private insurance carrier, A.W.G. Dewars, Inc. (collegerefund.com/usc). Further information and application brochures are available from the Cashier’s Office and Academic Records and Registrar. Information is also available online at arr.usc.edu/registration-counseling/registration/usc-tuition-refund-insurance-program/.

Exit Loan Counseling

All students who borrowed a Direct Loan or Direct Graduate PLUS Loan must complete exit loan counseling when they graduate, withdraw or are no longer enrolled at least half time. Exit loan counseling is a two-part requirement for borrowers of Direct and/or Direct Graduate PLUS loans. First, a borrower must complete online exit loan counseling at iGrad. This online process takes about 30 minutes. Second, a borrower must also participate in an in-person exit loan counseling information session or an exit loan counseling webinar. Information and schedules for in-person exit loan counseling and webinars is available online at financialaid.usc.edu at the end of each semester.

Students who have borrowed a Health Professions Student Loan, Loans for Disadvantaged Students, Primary Care Loan or any academic loan, must complete an online session at heartlandecsi.com. Diplomas and transcripts will not be released if the student does not complete exit loan counseling.

Tuition Assistance Benefits

The Tuition Assistance Benefits program provides USC tuition payments for eligible faculty and staff, their eligible spouses or registered domestic partners, and their children who are admitted in a USC degree program. The amount of tuition payment varies based on who is taking the class, the type of class and the maximum number of units eligible for assistance. Tuition assistance is limited to tuition and does not apply to any fees or books.

An employee must be eligible for tuition assistance (i.e., met any waiting period requirement, etc.) on or before the first day of classes and on or after the last day of the semester (for summer, it is the end of the semester not the end of the individual sessions) for which application is made. The academic calendar for each semester will provide the official start and end dates for all semesters. Please see the Tuition Assistance Benefit Program Document for complete information regarding eligibility and requirements, available online at USC Benefits – Tuition Assistance (employees.usc.edu/tuition-assistance-employees/) for a complete definition of who is tuition benefits eligible and requirements.

A student who receives tuition assistance is responsible for payment of a prorated amount of tuition assistance if a post-registration audit reveals any change in employment status of the employee or sponsoring employee during the semester(s) or tuition assistance has been applied to any ineligible tuition or fees or the maximum allowed units of tuition assistance has been exceeded.

Applications for tuition assistance are available online in the tuition benefits section of the USC Employee Gateway website (employees.usc.edu). 

General information about the tax liability for certain types of tuition assistance is included in the Tuition Assistance Benefit Program Document on the USC Employee Gateway website (employees.usc.edu). Questions regarding tax liability should be directed to the USC Payroll Office. For additional information on tuition assistance, contact the HR Service Center at (213) 821-8100 or email uschr@usc.edu. 

Tuition assistance eligibility does not guarantee the student admission to the university. The prospective student must apply for university admission through the USC Admission Office.

Only those USC classes that can be applied to the student’s degree at USC are eligible for tuition assistance benefits. Special education programs, seminars, certificate programs and other classes not listed in the USC Catalogue are not eligible for tuition assistance.

Cancellations

Defined as complete withdrawal from the semester or session, cancellation refunds are computed based on the date the application to cancel enrollment is presented to the Registration Department.

Drops

Drops are defined as withdrawal from one class or part of registration. The refund schedule applies as of the date the drop is processed by the Registration Department.

This policy is enforced equally for settled and unsettled registrations.

Financing Alternatives

Prepayment Program (PP)

This option offers individuals the opportunity to stabilize tuition costs by avoiding future tuition increases. Under this plan, the university will accept the prepayment of the student’s total USC tuition plus mandatory fees at the current tuition rate for up to the next four or five years. The student must be admitted to the university before establishing a prepayment account. For further information, contact Student Financial Services at (213) 740-4077 or visit our website at sfs.usc.edu.

USC Payment Plan

The USC Payment Plan, administered by Student Financial Services, enables students and parents to pay tuition, fees and university housing and meal plan charges in monthly installments rather than in a single payment at the beginning of each semester. Payments are made over a five-month period for each semester, beginning August 1 for the fall semester and January 1 for the spring semester, and may be made only by electronic transfer. A trimester plan is offered for a few programs. For more information, visit our website at sfs.usc.edu. There is a small application fee each semester. The student must be in good financial standing at the university. For further information, contact Student Financial Services, (213) 740-4077 or by email at uscsfs@usc.edu. Application must be made on USCe.pay. For more information, please visit our website at sfs.usc.edu.

Long-Term Financing Options

Several long-term financing options are available to all families regardless of eligibility for scholarships or need-based financial aid. These programs, which include Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Parent PLUS Loans and private loans, can help students and families cover the USC cost of attendance. Information about loan programs is available online at financialaid.usc.edu or at the USC Financial Aid Office.

Student Health Insurance

Please see studenthealth.usc.edu/insurance for updates on the fall and spring insurance rates.

Eligible Veterans and Dependents

Eligible veterans and dependents must register with the Veterans Certification Office each semester in order to claim GI Bill® or Vocational Rehabilitation benefits. Students may expect an educational allowance based only on courses that are a legitimate part of the degree program approved for veterans. The student must notify the Veterans Certification Office immediately upon any change of major or leave of absence. In addition, direct monthly enrollment verification with the VA is now required via text or email for Post 9/11 GI Bill® recipients who receive MHA and/or kicker payments. 

The Veterans Certification Office is located in John Hubbard Hall, Room 101, (213) 740-4619, vets@usc.edu. Virtual meetings are available here.

For more information, visit usc.edu/va.

Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC)

The Department of Naval Science courses are structured primarily to meet commissioning requirements of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program but are open to all undergraduate students. The NROTC program eventually leads to a commission as an officer in the United States Navy or the United States Marine Corps. Most USC NROTC midshipmen apply and compete for a national scholarship while seniors in high school. The scholarship pays full tuition, fees, a book stipend and a $250 to $400 monthly subsistence stipend to help defray living expenses, or students may elect to take a scholarship toward room and board. The university also provides an additional automatic scholarship of $4,000 per year for each NROTC scholarship recipient to help pay for living expenses. Students who directly enroll in the NROTC college program may compete for Navy/Marine Corps scholarships. College program students receive no NROTC financial aid until they are selected for a scholarship, are qualified medically, and meet naval body composition and fitness standards. College program students who are not selected for a scholarship may apply for advanced standing status during their sophomore year, which enables them to continue in the program and makes them eligible to receive a subsistence stipend beginning in their junior year. Upon completion of the bachelor’s degree and NROTC requirements, scholarship and advanced standing students are commissioned as active duty Ensigns in the U.S. Navy or as Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Marine Corps, and proceed to advanced training in the Navy Officer communities of aviation, submarines, surface ships, and naval special warfare or Marine Corps Military Occupational Specialties such as aviation, infantry, intelligence, artillery, etc. For specific information, contact the Department of Naval Science at (213) 740-2663 or visit priceschool.usc.edu/rotc/nrotc/.

Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC)

The Department of Aerospace Studies and the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) is open to all students pursuing a degree at USC. The open enrollment classes consist of one hour of academics for AEST 100a , AEST 100b  and AEST 200a , AEST 200b , and three hours of academics for AEST 300a , AEST 300b  and AEST 400a , AEST 400b . Additionally, the Department of Aerospace Studies offers Leadership Laboratory courses. Prerequisites to enroll in Leadership Laboratory include enrollment in at least one AEST course, and application to become an AFROTC cadet. Students who are dual-enrolled as AFROTC cadets receive competitive opportunities to travel to various leadership symposia and professional development opportunities during the academic year and over the summer. AFROTC offers a variety of scholarships, some of which pay the full cost of tuition, books and fees. AFROTC cadets on scholarship and all juniors and seniors receive a monthly tax-free stipend. The university also provides an additional automatic scholarship of $4,000 per year for each AFROTC scholarship recipient to help pay for living expenses. The USC Price School of Public Policy offers an additional scholarship for one unit in excess of 18 units per semester. Upon successful completion of AFROTC academic classes and leadership laboratories, students will qualify for a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force or United States Space Force. For more information, you may visit our website at priceschool.usc.edu/programs/afrotc/ or contact the Department of Aerospace Studies (AFROTC) by email at afrotcdet060@usc.edu or by phone at (213) 764-5983. 

Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (AROTC)

The Army Reserve Officer Training Corps is one of the most demanding and successful leadership programs in the country focused on educating, training, and commissioning leaders of character for the Army. Courses take place both in the classroom and in the field throughout the academic year. Students also have opportunities to attend additional summer programs, such as Airborne or Air Assault School as well as a myriad Army internships. Upon completion, an Army ROTC graduate earns the rank of Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. The USC Army ROTC program has a limited number of full-tuition scholarships for full-time undergraduate and graduate students. Scholarships are offered on a competitive basis to all qualified applicants and are not based on financial need. Students (cadets) may compete for either Active or Reserve Component Duty. All scholarship and contracted cadets receive a monthly stipend of $450 and a book stipend per semester. The university also provides an additional $4,000 scholarship per year for each AROTC scholarship recipient to offset living expenses. All enrolled cadets receive uniforms, military science textbooks, and any other required items from the department. The AROTC program runs concurrent with all academic majors offered by the university. Prior to degree completion, students will choose from 17 Army officer career fields. Veterans, Reservists, National Guard members, and AROTC Basic Camp graduates qualify for advanced placement. For further information, visit the Army ROTC office located in the Physical Education Building, Room 110, call (213) 740-1850 or visit the website at uscrotc.com and follow our Instagram at usc_army_rotc.