2027 First-Year Application Overview
Application Checklist
The Common Application
Personal essay
Short answers
Activities list
Quick takes
Secondary school report
Letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor
Additional materials if required by major
Official high school/secondary school transcripts
Official SAT or ACT scores (optional)
Mid-Year Report/fall grades
Official English proficiency exam and proof of financial support (international students)
Find more details at admission.usc.edu/first-year.
Apply at admission.usc.edu/commonapp.
The University of Southern California admits students of any race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical disability or mental disability and does not discriminate on any such basis. The University’s full non-discrimination policy can be found online at ocrc.usc.edu.
Application Deadlines
admission.usc.edu/deadlines
NOVEMBER 1, 2026
• First-Year Early Decision (ED) deadline.
• First-Year Early Action (EA) deadline.
• USC Merit Scholarship deadline.
ED: Binding and restrictive. Not available for certain majors (see below).
Designed for students committed to enrolling at USC. Decisions or deferrals to Regular Decision released in mid-December 2026.
EA: Non-binding. Not available for certain majors (see below).
Decisions or deferrals to Regular Decision released in mid-January 2027.
DECEMBER 1, 2026
• Regular Decision for all majors in the schools of Dance, Dramatic Arts and Music.
• USC Merit Scholarship deadline for these programs.
JANUARY 10, 2027
• Regular Decision for all other majors.
Admission decisions for Regular Decision released by April 1, 2027.
Merit Scholarships
admission.usc.edu/scholarships
USC offers merit scholarships to top candidates. Apply for admission by the appropriate deadline listed above.
Financial Aid Deadlines *
Early Decision: November 1, 2026 | Early Action: November 15, 2026
Regular Decision: February 3, 2027
Cal Grant: March 2, 2027 (California residents only)
USC requires both the FAFSA and the CSS Profile.
financialaid.usc.edu * Dates accurate as of July 2026.
USC Scholarships are administered consistent with the University’s Notice of NonDiscrimination. Recipients are chosen without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited characteristic.