Welcome to the USC Dornsife Scholars Program

For many years, the University of Southern California has provided special recognition to undergraduates who demonstrate outstanding achievement in important dimensions of undergraduate education. Discovery Scholars are students who excel in the classroom while demonstrating the ability to create exceptional new scholarship or artistic works. The Global Scholars program recognizes undergraduates who have excelled in their studies both at home and abroad. Renaissance Scholars are students whose broad and diverse interests help them excel academically.

To these honors was added a program offering university-wide recognition to outstanding graduating seniors—available only to students whose major course of study is in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Dornsife Scholars are students whose academic achievements underscore the relationship between excellence in the core disciplines of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and the aspiration to have a positive impact on the world. (Eligibility Requirements are listed below.)

Dana and David Dornsife

Dana and David Dornsife are internationally renowned philanthropists with the highest regard for education.

Dornsife Scholars will be expected to demonstrate a comparable commitment to educational excellence and the advances that allow for improving the lives of people and addressing pressing global challenges.

Dana and David Dornsife are standing and smiling in the arched foyer of the Bovard Administrative Building.

Meet our Recent Dornsife Scholar Award Recipients!

Award Eligibility Requirements

The Dornsife Scholar prize is awarded to USC Dornsife students to be used for graduate or professional school studies. The USC Dornsife Scholars program combines the talents sought in the USC Discovery and Global Scholars programs with an added emphasis on positive human impact. Dornsife Scholars will be named in the spring semester of their senior year.

Requirements for consideration by the USC Dornsife Scholars Selection Committee are:

  • Applicant must be a graduating senior with a major in Dornsife.
  • Graduating seniors for the 2025 Award are those graduating Fall 2024, Spring 2025, or Summer 2025.
  • Progressive Degree students may apply if their undergraduate degree has not yet been conferred.
  • An overall GPA of 3.5, and a demonstration that the applicant has taken challenging courses in USC Dornsife upper-division major coursework.
  • Must meet all of the university’s requirements for an undergraduate degree(s).
  • Participation in independent research involving close collaboration with a USC Dornsife faculty member in a laboratory or field project, or engagement in archival or library research.
  • Academic study abroad or participation in short-term international internship, or program such as Problems Without Passports or other international faculty-led program–while studying at USC.
  • See also Award Disbursement Policy

 

Application

THE 2025 APPLICATION  WILL OPEN MID-FEBRUARY 2025 (date TBD), and is scheduled to close early to mid-MARCH 2025 (date TBD), 5:00PM (Pacific Time). 

Only complete applications will be reviewed:   All documents must be submitted for an application to be considered complete.  This includes the Letter of Recommendation.

MUST INCLUDE:

  • Application Form (link below)
  • Academic Transcript (STARS Report with Completed Course Summary)
  • Sample of your Scholarly Work
  • Personal Essay
  • Resumé/CV
  • Letter of recommendation from a USC Dornsife faculty member who is familiar with this scholarly work.  The request for a Letter of Recommendation will be sent to your Recommender after  you submit your application with their contact information.  Submitting your application as soon as possible will allow your Recommender time to submit the letter before the deadline or the application limit is reached.

You will be notified of the status of your application.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Dornsife Scholar Program Coordinator @ studentrecognition@dornsife.usc.edu. Include “Dornsife Scholar Award” in the Subject Line.

You will be notified by email  if you are selected as an award recipient.  If you are selected, please be sure to refer to Instructions for Award Recipients  and  Award Disbursement Policy.

Award Disbursement Policy

  • Award funds disbursement can be requested only after an Award recipient’s undergraduate degree has been conferred.
  • To request disbursement of the award, you must show evidence of enrollment in a graduate program within 5 years of the completion of your undergraduate degree(s). No exceptions will be given.
  • Awards will be disbursed only to support current enrollment in a graduate degree program.
  • Award requests for retroactive award disbursement toward a completed graduate degree will be denied.
  • Award requests for pre-graduate school preparatory courses or exam fees will be denied.
  • Funds will be paid directly to the student’s graduate school institution to be applied to their student account.
  • For those attending a USC graduate program, funds will be credited to the award recipient’s USC student account.
  • Due to standard processing time, and any unforeseen delays, we cannot guarantee that payment will be received before tuition and fees are due or the start of classes.

See also Instructions for Award Recipients.

For further information or to request disbursement, contact the Dornsife Scholar Program Coordinator @ studentrecognition@dornsife.usc.edu. Please include “Dornsife Scholar Award” in the subject line.

Instructions for Award Recipients

If you have been notified that you are an award recipient, please refer to these instructions for claiming your award.