First Steps

Orientation

Graduate student orientation is held in August before the start of fall semester classes and in January before the start of spring classes. This program is designed to welcome you to the community of scholars at USC. You will learn about opportunities for campus involvement, campus safety, and resources related to health and wellness, among other topics. You will also have the opportunity to take an optional campus tour following orientation.

You will be able to register for graduate student orientation through the Office of Orientation Programs once your Statement of Intent form has been received by the Office of Admission.

Many academic departments and schools at USC also offer program-level orientation for incoming graduate students. Contact your department for more information.

Office of Orientation Programs contact info:
(213) 740–7767
orient@usc.edu

Academic Advisement

USC strongly recommends you contact your academic department for help in planning your program of study before registering for classes. Entering students should refer to the most current USC Catalogue, which includes USC’s academic policies, degree requirements and course offerings.

Teaching Assistant Orientation

Because teaching assistants (TAs) are vital members of the academic community at USC, and because the TA experience can be valuable to you in your professional career, TAs are provided with high levels of support. All new TAs are required to attend a comprehensive training and orientation program offered by the USC Center for Excellence in Teaching (CET), or by your department or school. CET also offers teaching seminars and classes throughout the semester, as do many departments.

For information about departmental programs, contact your graduate advisor.

Center for Excellence in Teaching contact info:
(213) 740–3959
usccet@usc.edu

Registration

Before you register, be sure to contact your academic advisor to discuss your course selection. If your admission letter places a restriction on the courses you may take, please speak with your advisor to determine how to proceed.

After you set up your USC Computing Account, you can register for classes using our online Web Registration system. To obtain a copy of your schedule, view your student fee bill or modify your course registration, visit the myUSC student services portal at my.usc.edu.

Please note: International students must complete Passport Verification and attend orientation before registering for classes.

Tuition and Fee Payment

Each student at USC has a student billing account, which can be accessed via USCe.pay. Every month, a statement of any outstanding balances or recent payments will be sent to your USC email address. Any fall or spring tuition and fees not settled (paid in full) by 5:00 p.m. Pacific time on the term due date (the Friday before the start of classes) will be subject to late fees as described in the Schedule of Classes at classes.usc.edu.

Also, please check your student account balance on USCe.pay any time you make a change to your enrollment. During late registration periods (the first three weeks of the fall and spring terms), all tuition and fees are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday of the week in which the change was made. For information about tuition and fee amounts, monthly billing statements, tuition refunds and your legal obligation for tuition payment, refer to the current Schedule of Classes at classes.usc.edu.

Student Financial Services offers many ways to pay your bill. Please visit sfs.usc.edu/payment for complete details. If you have paid your tuition and subsequently decide not to attend USC, please review the Registration section of the Academic Records and Registrar website. Even if you cancel your enrollment, you are still responsible for all outstanding university debts.

For detailed information about USC student accounts, payment methods, the USC Tuition Payment Plan, campus-based loans and education tax credits, visit the Student Financial Services website at sfs.usc.edu.