Financial Aid Guide 2024-2025 New Undergraduate Students
Annual Estimated Costs 2024-2025
Cost
USC Estimated Cost of Attendance
The USC estimated cost of attendance (COA) is used to determine your financial aid eligibility and is based on average costs for standard expenses—including tuition, fees, books, supplies, housing, food and other living expenses—for two semesters (nine months) of undergraduate study.
You can use the COA to assist in your financial planning, but keep in mind that your actual costs may differ. Estimated costs for students in some majors may be higher due to special laboratory or studio supply fees, or other additional costs incurred by all students in the program. Tuition is the same for in-state and out-of-state residents.
Things to Remember:
Direct Costs: Charges billed by and payable to the university, such as tuition, university housing and meal plans. These costs are fixed for the academic year. Please note, however, that the housing and dining prices included in the COA are the average costs of these services, and your actual costs will vary depending on your specific housing assignment and associated meal plan.
Indirect Costs: Charges payable to third parties, such as personal expenses and books and supplies. These amounts can vary based on the choices you make and give you more discretion in your spending.
Students have more living and dining options after their first year.
units for two semesters): $69,904
* Includes median amount for USC housing and the standard meal plan.
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Tuition
Fees: $1,743 Housing:* $12,271 Food/meal plan:* $7,660 New Student Fee: $450 Indirect Costs Books and supplies: $1,200 Personal and miscellaneous: $2,006 Transportation: $441 Total: $95,225
Direct Costs
(12-18
Managing the Family Contribution
The family contribution represents the estimated amount a family can expect to pay out of pocket for an academic year. It is determined by subtracting the financial aid total from the student’s cost of attendance.
Cost of Attendance Financial Aid Received Family Contribution
You can manage the contribution in several ways:
1. Determine how much you can pay out of savings. If you would like to pay all or part of the student account balance from your savings, you can pay the Cashier’s Office online, by phone, by mail or in person.
2. Consider the USC Payment Plan. The USC Payment Plan enables you to pay your balance in monthly installments over the course of the semester, through a program managed by USC Student Financial Services. For more information visit sfs.usc.edu
3. Review and consider long-term educational financing options. We recommend that families consider the Direct Parent PLUS Loan program before borrowing through a private student loan program. Direct Parent PLUS Loans are available regardless of income or financial need.
Estimate Your USC Billing Balance
The Planning Worksheet is an interactive tool available through your FAST portal at financialaid.usc.edu/fast. It will be available only after your tuition and fee bill has been posted.
• View a list of your current semester charges and the available resources.
• Choose which resources are the best fit.
• Try different payment options until you find the plan that works best for you.
The repayment terms of federal loan programs may be more favorable than those for private loan programs.
Federal student loans are required by law to provide a range of flexible repayment options, including but not limited to Income-Based Repayment and Income-Contingent Repayment plans, as well as loan forgiveness benefits, which other student loans are not required to provide. Federal Direct Loans are available to students regardless of income.
Calculating Your Bill
Our Planning Worksheet is an interactive tool designed to help you understand your current semester charges and estimate your university billing balance after financial aid has been applied. The worksheet also details the resources available to help you manage your expenses. After receiving your tuition and fee bill for fall 2024, visit the Planning Worksheet tab of your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) portal at financialaid.usc.edu
Re-applying for 2025-2026 Financial Aid
Continuing students must re-apply for financial aid each year. Application deadlines and instructions for 2025-2026 will be available at financialaid.usc.edu
It is your responsibility to review application instructions online and to apply on time. We must reevaluate your financial aid each year based on your current financial circumstances. We also adjust the estimated cost of attendance each year to reflect any changes made in university tuition and other charges or fees. Students who miss any deadline may be considered for reduced financial aid based on available university funding.
Please visit financialaid.usc.edu for more information.
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Next Steps for Undergraduate Students
The following chart details your next steps to receive the funds for these aid programs. For more information about any of these programs, please visit financialaid.usc.edu
Program Actions
Federal and State Grants, USC Scholarships or University Grants
Scholarships from Outside Agencies*
Federal Work-Study
Direct Subsidized and/or Unsubsidized Loans
No action necessary. The Financial Aid Office will process the awards internally and the funds will be credited automatically if you meet all disbursement requirements.
Contact the agency and have them forward all payments to:
USC Financial Aid Office
University of Southern California 700 Childs Way, JHH 325 Los Angeles, CA 90089-0914
Attn: Aid Coordination Unit
If you received any scholarships not listed in your financial aid package, please submit a copy of the notification letter from the agency, listing the name and the amount of the award. The letter may be sent to the address above or left in the dropbox outside JHH 325, or uploaded to your FAST portal.
If you choose to take advantage of your Federal Work-Study award, you must find a job. The USC Job Fair is usually held the week before the start of classes each semester. Visit the Career Center website (careers.usc.edu) for more information and on-campus job postings.
1. Complete the Direct Loan Request form online by logging in to your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) portal at financialaid.usc.edu/fast. You will find the form in the “Document Library” Once the Financial Aid Office processes your loan and notifies the Department of Education, we will email you confirmation.
2. Sign your Master Promissory Note (MPN) online at studentaid.gov. To log in, follow the instructions provided on the homepage.
3. First-time undergraduate borrowers are required to complete loan counseling through USC’s partner iGrad, a nonprofit site committed to student financial literacy: usc.igrad. com/lesson/entrance-counseling. To access the Entrance Counseling course, log in with your USC NetID.
1. Parents will need to request the Direct Parent PLUS Loan by visiting studentaid.gov and following the instructions provided. Once you have completed the process, the Department of Education will notify us electronically.
2. Parents will need to sign the Master Promissory Note (MPN) for their PLUS loan online at studentaid.gov after their loan has been approved.
If you did not yet apply for need-based aid:
1. Complete and submit the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov. Once the Financial Aid Office processes your PLUS loan and notifies the Department of Education, we will email you confirmation.
2. You must also submit a Financial Aid Supplement Form to the Financial Aid Office. Log in to your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) portal at financialaid.usc.edu/fast and click on the “Document Library” to access it.
*When coordinating scholarships, our office makes every effort to preserve any university need-based grant you may have been awarded. In most cases, scholarships will reduce the amounts of any work-study and federal loans. The total financial aid amount may also increase, allowing your Direct Loan to assist with the family contribution. In some cases, however, the amount of the university need-based grant will be reduced.
USC Financial Aid Office (213) 740-4444 financialaid.usc.edu/contactfao @USCFinancialAid USCFinancialAidTV
Direct Parent PLUS Loans
@USCfinaid