Preparations for Fall: Welcome to USC!

The Department of Psychology would like to welcome our admitted PhD students to USC! This website is to provide psychology PhD students onboarding information. Note: This page is not an admission letter. Admission is only provided by an official letter via the Graduation Admission Office portal.

This information is typically provided in early April, but we have been receiving these questions early and hope this can help. With that, certain offices may not have open enrollment yet for newly incoming students for Fall (e.g. health) and expect most offices will be ready in early April. Please reach out to us if you have any questions.

Jefferson Entrance

Steps After Certifying

Additional Steps for International Students

Housing

usc

Choosing Academic Year Funding Support

Deadline: May 1st

Registration and Onboarding

Deadline May 1st

Health Insurance

Fees and Deadlines List – USC Student Health

USC ID Card and Parking Permit

Orientation

Student Communication and Records

Additional Student Funding Resources

  • Most students do not end up applying for extra financial aid or loans, but if you choose to receive additional financial aid (e.g. loans), keep in mind that your fellowship or graduate assistantship award package will reduce your overall financial aid offering in reference to loan amounts. If you have interest in additional financial aid via USC, contact a financial aid counselor at phone: 213-740-4444 or visit their website for details here:  https://financialaid.usc.edu/graduates/graduate-professionals.html

FAQs

  • The commitment deadline is on April 15th.  To accept your offer, you must complete the Statement of Intent: Graduate Studies form which you can access via: you.usc.edu as well as respond to the link from your Multi Year Funding Package that was emailed to you.

  • Once you have completed your Statement of Intent and the recorded your decision from the Multi-Year Funding Package, please review and follow the next steps found here.

  • Incoming students will be able to register for fall coursework after orientation in August.  During orientation, your department staff advisor will go over registration requirements, departmental policy, and provide necessary department clearance(s) for your course registration.

  • Please continue to check your USC email address regularly for more updates from the Viterbi Admission & Student Engagement (VASE) office.  We also recommend that stay in communication with your faculty advisor and department staff advisor.

  • For degrees from domestic institutions

    Students must submit official transcripts to the Registrar’s office. There are 2 options for submission.

    • Mail a paper copy of the official transcript to the following address:

    USC Degree Verification
    C/O The Degree Progress Department
    University of Southern California
    University Park Campus
    700 Childs Way, John Hubbard Hall 106
    Los Angeles, CA 90089-0912

    • Electronic transcripts sent through email attachments from issuing institutions may be received by USC if sent to etrans@usc.edu.

    See the website for more instructions

    For degrees from international institutions

    Students will need to obtain a “Certification of Studies for USC” from the International Education Research Foundation (IERF).* This service is not offered on campus. You will need to send IERF your original documents for inspection, but in most (though not all) cases, your prior institution will  not need to send IERF independent verification. When your verification is complete, IERF will mail your documents back to you.

    See the website for more instructions

    Deadline for all degree verifications is by the end of your first semester.