Issuu

2027-2028

Investing in Graduate Education

Financial Aid at USC Graduate and professional students at USC have a variety of financial aid and financing options available to them. In many cases, these options can cover all or most of your cost of attendance. This brochure will introduce you to these programs, their eligibility requirements and how to apply for them. We encourage you to visit financialaid.usc.edu for more information. MASTER’S PROGRAM ESTIMATED COSTS Figures are based on tuition rates for 2026-2027.

Full-Time

Flat Rate

(Taking 8 to 14 units* per semester)

(Taking 15 to 18 units per semester)

Tuition*

$50,780

$75,384

Mandatory Fees

$2,065

Housing

$14,760

Food

$8,442

Books and Supplies

$900

$1,200

Personal and Miscellaneous

$2,016

Transportation TOTAL**

$1,188

$80,151

$105,055

Calculating Your Cost of Attendance USC uses an estimated cost of attendance to determine your financial aid eligibility. We include amounts for tuition and mandatory fees based on your enrollment plans and any Direct Loan fees you may pay, as well as average amounts for standard educational expenses such as housing and food, books, supplies and other living expenses. Housing and dining amounts are based on the assumption that students will not maintain the same standard of living they did while employed. This may mean cutting expenses by living with roommates, preparing more meals at home or making other lifestyle adjustments.

Keep in mind that your actual costs may differ. Estimated budgets for students in some programs may be higher or lower due to longer or shorter enrollment periods, special laboratory or studio supply fees, or other additional costs incurred by all students in the program. Estimated costs of attendance for master's and doctoral students, and program-specific costs are available at financialaid.usc. edu/graduates/COA. Tuition and mandatory fees are billed to your student account each semester. Housing and food/meal plan may be billed to your account if you are living in university housing. Non-tuition living expenses are estimates only. Before you borrow any loans to cover these costs, we strongly encourage you to review your expenses and determine your monthly budget.

*The estimated full-time tuition amount is calculated based on 10 units of study. If you take more than 10 units and would like to request an increase to your estimated cost of attendance, visit financialaid.usc.edu/grad-special-circumstances. **Add $55 USC New Student Fee for the first semester.

Who Can Apply For and Receive Federal Financial Aid? To apply for federal financial aid, all applicants to USC’s graduate programs must: • Be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens; • Possess a valid Social Security number; • Not be in default on a federal student loan; • Be admitted to a degree-granting program of study or an eligible certificate program; • Be enrolled in a minimum of 4 units per semester in a master’s degree program or 3 units in a doctoral program, or be enrolled in a course considered full-time by the registrar (thesis/dissertation); and • Make satisfactory academic progress toward completion of their degree.

International Students Although international students are not eligible to receive federal financial aid, they may be awarded merit scholarships and/or departmental fellowships or assistantships. International students may also be able to borrow through a private financing program with a co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Please visit financialaid.usc.edu/international for more information.

What Types of Financial Aid Will I Be Eligible to Receive? The USC Financial Aid Office will determine your financial need and post your financial aid summary, which will consist mostly of federal loans. Scholarships, fellowships and other sources of aid are awarded primarily by individual academic departments. Check with your department for more information.

Loans As you search for loans, always start with federal loans, as they will typically offer the best interest rates and repayment options.

Determine How Much to Borrow Your eligibility for loans is based on your full cost of attendance. However, you should not borrow the full amount for which you are eligible if you are meeting some of your costs through income from work or other resources. The use of federal aid

is restricted to valid educational costs only, and you may be required to sign a statement verifying your use of loan funds.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans Unsubsidized loans are available to graduate and professional students regardless of financial need. Interest begins accruing from the date the loan is disbursed, but payments are not due while you are still enrolled in school. Master's degree and most doctoral students: Borrow up to $20,500 per academic year, up to a $100,000 lifetime maximum. Professional students (medical, dental, law, pharmacy and similar programs): Borrow up to $50,000 per academic year, up to a $200,000 lifetime maximum. All federal student borrowing (undergraduate plus graduate or professional) is capped at a combined $257,500 lifetime limit.

Please visit studentaid.gov or financialaid.usc.edu/ loans for more information about repayment options and other borrower benefits. Loan Advisory • Borrow only what you need. You are not required to borrow the full amount for which you are eligible. • Investigate other sources of financial aid that do not need to be repaid, such as scholarships and outside grants. • To reduce your total debt, try to make some interest payments on any loans while you are still in school or during your grace period. • Notify the U.S. Department of Education or your lender/ servicer if your name or address changes, or if you withdraw from USC, graduate or drop to less than half-time status. • Once a student has reached aggregate maximum limits for Federal Direct Loans, USC may refuse to originate federal loans or may reduce the student's eligibility for federal loans on a case-by-case basis.

Loan

Unsubsidized Loans

Interest Rate

Origination Fee

Loans disbursed before 6/30/2027.

Fee effective after 10/1/2020.

8.07%

1.057%

Other Sources of Funding Other sources of funding, including scholarships, assistantships and Federal Work-Study, can help cover your tuition or living expenses and do not have to be repaid once you graduate.

Grants

Work

Cal Grant Teaching Credential Program and Golden State Teacher Grant Program Graduate students who received a Cal Grant as an undergraduate may be eligible to receive an additional year of Cal Grant funding if they enroll in a teaching credential program (TCP). Visit the California Student Aid Commission website for more information: csac.ca.gov/ post/request-cal-grant-teaching-credential-programbenefits. The Golden State Teacher Grant Program awards up to $20,000 to students currently enrolled in a professional preparation program approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and working toward earning their preliminary teaching or pupil personnel services credential. Visit gstg. csac.ca.gov for more information.

Graduate and Teaching Assistantships Source: Academic departments

Scholarships and Fellowships Scholarships Source: USC academic units or outside agencies These monetary awards can be used to cover tuition and fees and/or basic living expenses (depending on the stipulations outlined by the granting agency). No repayment is necessary.

Students receive stipends, tuition remission, and health and dental insurance to work as teaching assistants or research assistants. No repayment is necessary. Check with your department for more information about available positions.

Federal Work-Study Source: Eligibility determined by Financial Aid Office Students are paid for hours worked, up to a predetermined limit. Students must apply for federal financial aid and meet deadline and eligibility requirements. Federal Work-Study is not available for students participating in online or distance-learning degree programs based off campus.

Other Student Employment Students may also work on campus in departments that offer non–work-study positions. However, some departments strongly recommend their students not work while they are in school. Check with your department for more information.

Private Employers

USC Scholarships are administered consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Recipients are chosen without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited characteristic.

Many companies offer tuition assistance to employees pursuing advanced degrees in their current fields. Check with your company’s human resources department for more information.

Fellowships Source: Academic departments or outside agencies

Family/Student Savings Source: Savings plans or bank accounts

Academic departments may offer additional funding in the form of stipends and/or tuition remission. No repayment is necessary. Students are encouraged to visit the Graduate School website at graduateschool.usc.edu or their academic department’s website for information about scholarships and fellowships.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law on July 4, 2025, introducing changes to certain federal student aid programs, including the Federal Direct Loan program. For more information, please visit financialaid.usc.edu/ obbba.

Private Financing Programs* Source: Various banks and lending institutions Private loans must be repaid with interest. Rates are variable and based on the borrower's and/or co-borrower’s credit scores. Terms may not be as favorable as those for federal loans. Students and families are encouraged to visit our Preferred Lender List for Graduate Students to compare lenders, including their interest rates and repayment terms, before borrowing private loans. Visit financialaid.usc.edu/loans for application instructions and a list of private financing lenders. *Loan Disclosure: Federal Direct Loans issued on or after July 1, 2026, offer access to the Repayment Assistance Program (RAP), a benefit not offered by most private lenders. Eligibility for these loans is determined by enrollment status rather than income or credit history.

Managing Your Expenses USC Tuition Payment Plan The Tuition Payment Plan enables students to pay for fall or spring tuition, fees, university housing and other student expenses in five monthly installments. Please visit the Student Financial Services website at sfs.usc.edu for more information. USC Tuition Prepayment Plan The plan allows you to prepay up to five years of full-time tuition (two-year minimum) and mandatory fees at the current rates. Prepaid amounts are not subject to future tuition and fee increases. Graduate student eligibility may be limited. For more information, please visit sfs.usc.edu/payment/ prepayment.

Applying for Financial Aid at USC Find Out How Much You Owe Before applying for financial aid, you should review your current student loan debt and determine what you are able and/or willing to borrow for graduate studies. For a complete record of all federal loans you have borrowed and amounts still owed, visit studentaid.gov. You will need the Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) you created when you submitted your FAFSA. If you wish to be considered for federal financial aid, USC requires the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and a Financial Aid Supplement. Students must meet all published deadlines and eligibility requirements to be considered for all forms of aid.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Complete the 2027-2028 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at studentaid.gov. • USC’s Federal School Code is 001328. • The FAFSA is available beginning October 1. Submit by May 4, 2027, for priority consideration.

Financial Aid Supplement To complete the Financial Aid Supplement online, log in to your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) portal at financialaid.usc.edu/fast. You will find the Financial Aid Supplement in the "Document Library." • Submit by May 4, 2027, for priority consideration.

Understanding Your Financial Aid Summary Your USC financial aid summary will be available online at you.usc.edu and will include any loans, scholarships, Federal Work-Study and/or specific departmental awards for which you are eligible. Take the time to review your summary and decide which types of aid best fit your educational goals and budget. • Note how much of your summary is made up of loans versus scholarships and other awards that do not have to be repaid after graduation. • Note if scholarships may be renewed for future years, and if there are any special requirements for the continuation of the award. • Follow any additional steps necessary to apply for and receive your loans. Please visit financialaid.usc.edu/ loans for more information.

Federal Loan Repayment Options Federal Direct Consolidation Loan Program After you complete your graduate studies, this program enables you to combine any or all of your eligible outstanding federal student loans into one new loan with one monthly payment. The new loan will have a fixed interest rate set at the weighted average of the interest rates of the underlying loans. It may have an extended repayment period of up to 30 years.

Teacher Loan Forgiveness Students who teach full-time after graduation in a qualified low-income elementary or secondary school for five years can have up to $5,000 of their outstanding federal student loans forgiven. (The money is paid to the loan servicer at the end of your teaching service.) Students who are considered highly qualified teachers of math, science or special education may have up to $17,500 of their outstanding federal student loans forgiven. Visit studentaid.gov for more information.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness This program forgives some federal student loan debt for borrowers employed at nonprofit organizations or federal, state or tribal governments, including the military, or who practice medicine in certain communities. Borrowers must make 120 on-time monthly payments on a Direct Unsubsidized or Direct Consolidation Loan while working full-time in a public service job. Payment amounts must be calculated under the Repayment Assistance Program. Payment amounts based on your income must be less than the standard repayment for you to benefit. Any remaining debt is cancelled after 10 years of eligible employment and qualifying loan payments. Please visit studentaid.gov to determine if you qualify for loan forgiveness or for more information.

Additional Information Deferring Graduate School Loans A deferment is the temporary postponement of payments on your student loan. Your servicer can advise you on your eligibility for a deferment, which may be granted:

Repayment Options

• While you are still enrolled in school at least half-time;

Students who borrow their first graduate student loans on or after July 1, 2026, will be required to repay their loans under the Tiered Standard Plan, which is based primarily on the total loan amount you owe, or the Repayment Assistance Program (RAP), which will calculate your monthly payments according to your income and number of dependents. Please visit the "Loan Repayment" section of studentaid.gov for more information.

• For the six-month grace period after you graduate or drop below half-time enrollment;

AmeriCorps/Teach for America This network of local, state and national service programs offers full-time employment with public agencies, community organizations and other groups. Jobs include tutoring and mentoring disadvantaged youth, managing after-school programs, restoring parks, building affordable housing and improving health services. For more information, visit americorps.gov. Both programs may allow you to postpone payments and subsidize accruing interest.

• During periods of economic hardship or unemployment; or • If you are actively serving in the military during times of war, national emergency or military operation. Note: Private loans are typically not eligible for deferments.

Financial Literacy We encourage students to sign up for iGrad, a free online service that can help improve your financial literacy. Use the site to search for scholarships and career information or to track your federal loans. You can also use the site to complete required loan counseling sessions. usc.igrad.com

Resources USC Financial Aid financialaid.usc.edu FAFSA Application FSA ID Federal Student Aid Direct Loan Information studentaid.gov Scholarships usc.scholarshipuniverse.com usc.igrad.com appily.com college-scholarships.com fastweb.com myredkite.com scholarships.com Public Service Loan Forgiveness studentaid.gov/pslf Income-Driven Repayment studentaid.gov/idr Financial Literacy and Money Management Tool usc.igrad.com

University of Southern California Financial Aid Office Los Angeles, CA 90089-0914 (213) 740-4444 financialaid.usc.edu

@USCFinancialAid

@USCFinancialAidTV

@uscfinaid

@uscfinancialaid

financialaid.usc.edu

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