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 number in parentheses after the title of each course listed under Courses of Instruction.

Registration is not permitted after the third week of classes.

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

A “returned check charge” of $25 is assessed for a check returned by the bank for any reason. Under California Civil Code #1719, a returned check may create liability for treble (three times) the amount owed, but not less than $100.

Tuition and fees of all students, including those whose tuition has been deferred, becomes an obligation in accordance with the provisions of the Drop/Refund Policy as follows. This financial obligation is a contract between the student and the university. Tuition and fees are due, in full, prior to the beginning of classes. Failure to make payments of any indebtedness to the university when due including, but not limited to, tuition, deferred tuition, housing, student loans and lab fees, is considered sufficient cause, until the debt is settled with the university to

1. bar the student from classes or examinations;
2. withhold diploma, scholastic certificate or transcripts;
3. bar the student from university housing;
4. suspend all university services and privileges;
5. suspend the student;
6. assign the student’s account to a collection agency; and
7. report the delinquent account to a credit bureau. This policy will be equally enforced against debts discharged through bankruptcy.

The university reserves the right to assess interest, finance charges and/or late fees on any indebtedness.

Permission to cancel enrollment does not constitute, nor shall it be construed as, a waiver by the university of a student’s financial obligation. A student is 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. In the event of such revocation of registration, 100 percent of any tuition paid for that semester will be first applied to any outstanding debt. Any remaining credit will be refunded within six to eight weeks from the date of revocation.

For additional information please contact the Cashier’s Office, King Hall 200, (213) 740-7471.

Payment must be made for the full amount due directly to the University Cashier by cash, check, MasterCard/VISA/Discover/American Express card (or any combination thereof) before the beginning of each semester.

Students may be eligible for a short-term deferment. Students must apply in person to the Cashier’s Office. Proper identification is required for all credit. Short-term deferments are granted for up to $2,000. A non-refundable service charge of five percent of the deferred amount will be assessed. Students with past due accounts are not eligible for deferments.

Students who need deferments based on pending financial aid must contact the Financial Aid Office.

Recipients of financial aid will find most available aid (e.g. scholarships, grants, loan funds, graduate assistantship tuition awards) applied to their university account as direct credits against their total charges. Financial aid is distributed in installments, one at the start of each semester. Federal Pell Grant, Perkins Loan, Stafford Loan and SEOG funds are applied to student accounts no earlier than 10 days before the start of the semester. Students must apply separately for each loan program before loan funds will be applied to their accounts. All first-time Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan borrowers at USC must attend an entrance loan counseling session prior to receipt of their loan funds.

Federal Work-Study awards are not reflected as credits on the university account. Federal Work-Study awards are earned through employment, either on-campus or off-campus. The student is paid by check bi-weekly for hours worked and may earn up to the amount specified in the Statement of Financial Aid Eligibility.

All, or any part of, charges on a Registration Confirmation may be paid by MasterCard, VISA, Discover or American Express Card. Present the card in Room 204 in King Hall. (Health Sciences Campus students may settle their Registration Confirmations with the HSC cashier, Seaver Building, first floor.) Students may pay by telephone (MasterCard, VISA or American Express) by calling TIPS (Touch-tone Inquiry and Payment System) at (213) 740-7471 or outside the Southern California area 1-800-225-1222.

Statements on all active student accounts are mailed to the student monthly, to the local address August through April and the permanent address May through July. The student may have the bill sent elsewhere by providing the Cashier’s Office with a billing address.

In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, university representatives will not disclose any specific information about a student’s account with any third party (including family members) without the student’s written permission. Permission forms may be obtained at the Cashier’s Office.

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.

Tuition is refundable entirely at the option 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 a 14-15 week semester (session) are made at 100 percent through the end of the third week of classes.

If you are enrolled in any session lasting less than 12 weeks, a different refund schedule applies. See the academic department for specific information.

Students who are recipients of Title IV federal financial aid funds (federal Pell Grant, SEOG, Stafford Loan, PLUS Loan, Perkins Loan) and who withdraw from all classes after the third week of the semester, may have their financial aid reduced even though their tuition charges are not refunded. Refer to Federal Refund Policies for more information.

The university does not issue cash refunds any time after week three of the semester.

Elective insurance is available which provides full coverage for tuition and fees for students who suffer serious illnesses or accidents which make it necessary for them to leave the university before the semester is completed. The Tuition Refund Plan is offered through a private insurance carrier, Dewars, Inc. Further information and applications are available from the Cashier’s Office and Registration and Records.

All students who received Federal Stafford Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, University Direct Student Loans, USC Subsidized Loans, USC Unsubsidized Loans or Health Professions Student Loans must attend an exit loan counseling interview when they cease to be enrolled at least half-time. Contact Student Financial Services at (213) 740-4077 to schedule an appointment. Diplomas and transcripts will not be released if the student fails to complete this step.

Tuition assistance is a benefit for all eligible faculty and staff working 50% time or more. The benefit covers employees, their spouses and children while they are in attendance at USC. Specifically excluded are all part-time employees working less than 50%, fellows, teaching assistants, research assistants, lab assistants, temporary employees or student workers. The employee must be employed before the first day of the start of the semester. For additional eligibility information and an application, contact the Benefits Office on the University Park Campus or Personnel Services on the Health Sciences Campus.

The Tuition Assistance Benefit is a type of financial aid and will be coordinated and posted to the student’s account using similar rules and the same methodology as any other type of financial aid.

Only those USC classes for which a student may register and receive a registration confirmation are eligible for Tuition Assistance Benefits. Special education programs, seminars and other classes not listed in the USC Catalogue are not eligible for tuition remission. The student is expected to pay for all course work taken that is not covered by tuition assistance benefits before the published payment deadline.

Employees who discontinue employment during the semester, or who are on an unpaid leave of absence of more than 30 days, are ineligible for Tuition Assistance Benefits and will have their benefit prorated. Employees who terminate prior to the end of any given semester should be advised that they will become financially responsible for that portion of the Tuition Assistance Benefit received, by them or by their dependents, which covers the period of that semester for which they are no longer an employee of the university. They should anticipate receiving a bill for that amount shortly after terminating employment.

The maximum number of units covered by Tuition Assistance Benefits which may be taken by each dependent is 144 undergraduate or 72 graduate units, including units associated with classes from which the student has withdrawn or received an incomplete. Once that maximum is reached, the student is financially responsible for tuition associated with those units in excess of the maximum. Employees are responsible for monitoring the status of their Tuition Assistance Benefit usage.

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 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.

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 years. For further information, contact Student Financial Services, (213) 740-4077.

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 10-month period, beginning August 1, and may be made by check, electronic transfer or credit card. There is a small application fee each year. The student must be in good financial standing at the university. For further information, contact Student Financial Services, (213) 740-4077.

USC participates in a number of long-term borrowing programs that are available to all families regardless of eligibility for scholarships or financial aid. These programs can relieve students’ and families’ cash-flow restrictions and enable them to make their expected contributions to the cost of college education. Information about loan programs is available at the USC Office of Financial Aid.

Fall coverage for August 27, 2001 through January 6, 2002 ........$200.00

Spring/summer coverage for January 7, 2002 through August 26, 2002...............................................................................................$200.00

The university requires that all students have supplemental health insurance. This will help to cover the cost of health care that cannot be obtained at the health center, especially in emergency situations where hospitalization may be required. All students carrying 6 units or more are automatically enrolled in the USC student health insurance plan. All international and Health Sciences Campus students are required to have health insurance even if they carry less than 6 units and are automatically enrolled. The health insurance plan works in conjunction with the university’s Student Health Centers. For this reason, all students enrolled in the insurance plan are required to pay the student health fee.

Enrollment will only be waived if documented proof of adequate health coverage from another plan is presented to the Student Services Office at the Student Health Center on either the Health Sciences or the University Park Campus and it meets the following criteria.

Criteria: