How Much Will It Cost to Study Abroad?
Don’t let cost stand in the way of studying abroad! Most forms of financial aid travel with you and total program costs are often comparable or less expensive than a semester in L.A.
We are here to help explain the costs associated with study abroad and how financial aid and scholarships work. Scroll down to check out our section on Financial Aid, and you can also visit our Study Abroad Scholarships page.
Tuition
There are two different tuition structures:
USC Home School Tuition
Regular USC tuition, currently $34,952 per semester (2024-25), applies to:
- USC Madrid Center
- USC Paris Center
- Chinese University of Hong Kong Exchange
- Sciences Po Exchange
- Trinity College Dublin Exchange
Program Provider Tuition + Administrative Fee
For all other programs, USC charges the host institution’s tuition and adds an administrative fee of $3,000. Tuition at most of our partner institutions is less than USC home school tuition.
A sampling of tuition costs for comparison:
Living and Travel Expenses
Room and board costs are usually established by the program provider. Living expenses vary greatly by location and are influenced by a student’s spending habits. Estimated living costs for each program can be found on the program’s page on this website.
Financial Aid & Study Abroad
USC’s strong commitment to the study abroad experience is reflected in its policy of allowing all financial aid (grants and loans) to be applied to the cost of semester or year-long overseas programs for up to two semesters abroad.
The Office of Overseas Studies estimates costs for personal and travel expenses (e.g., airfare, passport fees, visa fees, personal expenses, additional travel, etc.) based on information from the program provider and other sources. After a student has been accepted to a particular study abroad program, the USC Financial Aid office will adjust the student’s financial aid package on the basis of the cost sheet for that program. Each semester all financial aid recipients who are accepted to a study abroad program are invited to a Financial Aid Meeting, where they get more information on how study abroad may affect their financial aid.
For students who receive financial aid, the estimated family & student contribution (EFC) remains the same as it would be on campus, regardless of whether the cost of the overseas program is less or more than the cost of a semester or year on campus.