For purposes of admission an international student is defined as a student who is studying or wishes to study in the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa. This definition does not include permanent residents or refugees. Special admission procedures are required of international students. Permanent residents or refugees should follow the admission procedures for domestic students.
The Office of International Admissions cannot process an application until all of the steps listed below have been completed by the applicant.
Applicants should submit the following: (1) application for admission, together with all required supporting documents and a fee of $50 made payable to the University of Southern California by check or bank draft in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank; (2) test results of any standardized examinations taken for entrance to American universities, such as SAT or ACT and the TOEFL, must be sent to USC from the Educational Testing Service or the American College Testing Program. Most graduate departments require applicants to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) prior to admission; (3) official copies of academic records with certified English translations. Academic records include: yearly secondary school records for undergraduate applicants, year-by-year records from each college or university attended indicating number of lecture and laboratory hours a week devoted to each course and grades received, and official documents indicating the award of degrees with the title and date conferred. All documents submitted become the property of the University of Southern California; (4) documented evidence of financial support; (5) graduate applicants must submit, to the appropriate departments, three letters of recommendation from former professors.
Students should send completed applications with the required documents and fee to the Office of International Admissions. Applicants are admitted on a rolling basis (as applications are received) with priority given to those who apply early. Because of exceptional interest, some departments have earlier deadlines.
Correspondence with department chairpersons or individual faculty members does not constitute admission. Only an admission letter from the Office of International Admissions grants official admission.
The Office of International Admissions will provide the I-20 or IAP-66 eligibility certification, whichever is appropriate, for the student to enter the United States. Any student entering the United States by means of these documents issued by USC must register for the semester to which admitted to USC. Failure to register disqualifies the student from reapplying for one year from that semester to which admitted. Reacceptance is not guaranteed.
International students on student visas must be registered as full-time students as arranged by the Office for International Students and Scholars and the departmental advisor. Such students are not eligible to be considered students without formal registration and are in violation of immigration laws when not properly registered. Any international student having questions about registration requirements should consult the Office for International Students and Scholars, Student Union Building, Room 300.
Admission Credit Evaluations for international students are completed by the Office of International Admissions or the Office of Academic Records and Registrar. All official transcripts of previous work completed overseas as well as all requests for original and supplementary credit evaluations of overseas work should be directed to the Office of International Admissions. Requests for credit evaluations of course work completed at U.S. colleges or universities should be directed to the Office of Academic Records and Registrar.
Academic success at USC is strongly dependent upon ability to communicate in English. Listening, speaking, reading and writing proficiency must be well developed in order to assimilate large amounts of difficult material under limited time conditions with full comprehension. Such proficiency is much greater than that required for ordinary everyday living. Therefore, every effort should be made to acquire English proficiency prior to entering the university.
Admitted international students whose first language is not English are required to take the International Student English Examination (ISE), administered by the USC Testing Bureau at the beginning of the first term of study. The exception is students who score 600 or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The results on the examination determine whether or not students must take special courses in English. Undergraduate students whose English is limited may be required to enroll part-time or full-time in English in the American Language Institute (ALI). Graduate students may be required to register for up to four units of ALI courses in their first semester.
Although TOEFL may be taken by students who wish to demonstrate their fluency in English, the university's evaluation of English skills is based only on the International Student English Examination.
International students who hold a bachelor's degree from a university located in the United States or in another country in which English is the language of instruction may be exempt from taking the ISE.
International students applying for a USC teaching assistantship must demonstrate adequate English oral communication skills before assuming classroom or laboratory duties. To do this, International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) are required to take the ISE unless they earned their bachelor's degree in the U.S. or have submitted a score or higher on the Test of Spoken English. Also, ITAs with TOEFL scores of 600 or more may demonstrate English compe-tence through an interview with USC's American Language Institute instead of taking the ISE.
The scores obtained in the ISE or the ALI interview will determine whether or not the ITA is approved for classroom duties. ITAs with mid-range scores are required to enroll in a designated ALI course in conjunction with their assignment of classroom duties.
Any student not demonstrating adequate English proficiency will be required to enroll in the American Language Institute at USC. The extent to which a student may be permitted to enroll in academic courses will depend upon the level of proficiency determined by the International Student English Examination.
The minimum period of enrollment in the American Language Institute is one semester. When making financial plans, entering students should be aware that American Language Institute course requirements may add as much as one calendar year and up to 20 units to their degree program. Most students do not need the maximum number of courses.
Any undergraduate international student must complete ALI requirements within the first four semesters of course work attempted at USC, including summer sessions, to remain academically eligible to pursue a degree program at USC. (Students starting at the 090 level may be permitted five semesters.)
Any graduate international student must complete ALI requirements within the first two semesters of course work attempted at USC, including summer sessions, to remain academically eligible to pursue a degree program at USC. (Students starting at the 210 level may be permitted three semesters.)
The American Language Institute also offers full-time study in English for students not admitted to the university. These students are not allowed to take other university classes. Applicants interested in studying English only may apply by writing the American Language Institute.
Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995