First Steps

Now that you have been admitted to graduate study, you may need to finalize the arrangements for your financial support.

Federal Financial Aid

Citizens and eligible non-citizens of the United States may qualify for federal financial aid, including the Federal Direct Loan and Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan. Please visit financialaid.usc.edu for more information.

Application Steps and Deadlines

The following application steps and deadlines apply to students who enter in any semester within the next academic year. Students must meet this deadline and all eligibility requirements to be considered for all forms of financial aid, as well as to ensure the proper disbursement of financial aid funds prior to the beginning of the semester. Applications received after this date are considered for Federal Direct and Graduate PLUS loans only.

Step 1: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Visit studentaid.gov to complete the FAFSA application online. USC’s Federal School Code is 001328. You may apply any time beginning in December 2023 but before the financial aid deadline, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Distance learning and online students should submit their FAFSA and Enrollment and Housing Form at least eight weeks before the start of the program, or sooner if possible.

Step 2: Enrollment and Housing Form
To complete the Enrollment and Housing Form online, log in to your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) page via youSC. You will find the Enrollment and Housing Form in the “Document Library.”

Federal Work-Study

To be considered for Federal Work-Study, graduate students must submit their FAFSA and their Enrollment and Housing Form by the published deadline, enroll in eight (8) or more units per semester, and satisfy a financial need requirement. Federal Work-Study is not available for students participating in distance learning or online programs.

Loans

Once your financial aid eligibility has been determined by the Financial Aid Office, you can review your financial aid summary online at financialaid.usc.edu. You will need to complete additional steps to apply for any loans in your financial aid package.

Private student loans from banks and lending institutions are also available. Students should exhaust all Federal Title IV assistance available, including the Federal Direct Loan and the Federal Graduate PLUS Loan before considering a private student loan program. The repayment terms of federal loan programs may be more favorable than the terms of private loan programs.

Federal student loans are required by law to provide a range of flexible repayment options, including but not limited to, Income-Based Repayment and Income-Contingent Repayment plans, as well as loan forgiveness benefits, which other student loans are not required to provide. Federal Direct Loans are available to students regardless of income.

Private student loans may not be included in Federal Direct Consolidation Loans, are not eligible for Federal Income-Based Repayment Plans, and are not eligible for Federal Economic Hardship Deferments.

Please visit financialaid.usc.edu/loans for more information about federal and private loan programs, and how to apply for any loans in your financial aid package.

Other Financing Options

In addition, the USC Office of Student Financial Services offers various payment options, including the USC Payment Plan, which allows you to pay for each semester in five monthly installments, and the USC Prepayment Plan, which allows you to prepay up to five years of full-time tuition and mandatory fees. Please visit Student Financial Services for more information about these payment plans.

Departmental Fellowships and Assistantships

Graduate fellowships and scholarships are awarded to graduate students on a competitive basis by USC schools and departments, as well as by outside agencies. Assistantships are awarded by academic departments on the basis of scholastic accomplishment, academic promise and competence. Awards consist of tuition credit and/or stipends.

If you apply for federal financial aid, departmental awards may not appear on your initial financial aid summary because they are often granted later than those administered through the Financial Aid Office.

If you are offered a departmental award, your financial aid will be adjusted to ensure that the total of all awards does not exceed your expected cost of attendance. Stipends are disbursed on a nine-month schedule. If you are awarded a graduate assistantship from USC for the fall term, you will receive your first check at the end of August. Please contact your department for more information.

All students should sign up for direct deposit with the appropriate department representative. Remember to update and maintain your local and permanent addresses in the Online Academic Student Information System (OASIS) at my.usc.edu.