All Your Transfer Application Deadline Questions Answered – Fall 2024
The transfer application deadline is around the corner. Have questions? We have answers! Check out the list of questions you might have about submitting your USC transfer application for Fall 2024.
Q: I submitted my application on February 15 before midnight, but my confirmation email says I submitted on February 16. What’s going on?
A: The Common App timestamp is on Eastern Standard Time (EST), so depending on where you live, it may look like your application was submitted in the early morning hours on February 16. That’s okay! We still consider those applications to be on time.
Q: When are my transcripts due?
A: Ideally by February 15, but as long as you have at least requested to have your transcripts sent by February 15, we should receive them in plenty of time.
Q: My transcripts won’t arrive until after the deadline. Is that okay?
A: If your Common Application and any required department supplements (e.g., SlideRoom) are submitted by February 15, your application will be considered on time. If transcripts trickle in after the deadline that is okay, but be sure those are sent over as soon as possible!
Q: My transcripts were sent, but they haven’t shown up on my portal checklist. What do I do?
A: If you have only recently requested your transcripts to be sent to USC, be sure to allow at least three business weeks for processing. If after a couple weeks the USC Applicant Portal still indicates that any of your transcripts are not yet received, please verify that your name on the document exactly matches your name as it appears on your Common Application.
Q: How do I request official transcripts?
A: To be considered official, transcripts must be sent to USC directly from your schools. The specific process of requesting to have an official transcript sent will vary depending on your high school and college’s procedures, but your best bet is to start with your school’s Registrar Office.
We prefer electronic transcripts, but mailed printed copies are also accepted. If your school requires an email address to send the transcript, please provide them with the uetrans@usc.edu email address. This address should only be used by school administrators to send an official transcript to USC. Transcripts emailed by students to the above address will not be considered official.
Q: I go to a quarter-system school. Do I need to send my winter grades?
A: Yes. We know your winter grades will not be ready by the time you submit your application. In the meantime, you should request to have your school send us an official transcript that includes your fall grades. When your winter grades are finalized, you can upload an unofficial winter transcript via the USC Applicant Portal. Be sure to also include a list of spring courses in progress!
Q: What is the required “Other” document I need to upload under Program Materials in the Common App? I thought USC only wanted official transcripts.
A: Official transcripts are still required and should be sent using the preferred platform for your school. The “Other” document is for applicants to report a list of their courses currently in progress. We are asking for this “Other” document since many schools do not include courses in progress on their official transcripts. To fulfill this requirement, upload a copy of your spring schedule or a word document listing your spring term courses. Please be sure the document includes the school, term, course number, and course name as well as the number of units. For students attending a quarter-system school, you should also include courses you intend to take in the spring quarter.
If you do not have any courses to report, please upload a document stating, “No courses in progress or planned.”
Q: I did not graduate from high school. Do I still need to submit a high school transcript?
A: Yes. Even if you left high school early, we still need a high school transcript with grades for the courses you did complete. We will also require a copy of your GED (or similar leaving certificate) with a statement of explanation. Please note that we do not prefer candidates who leave high school merely with the intention of starting college earlier.
Q: What is the applicant portal and how do I access it?
A: A couple of days after submitting your Common Application, you will receive an email with instructions to access your portal, so make sure to check your inbox! The subject of the email is “USC Admission Has Received Your Application – Set up your applicant portal today!” Your portal is where you can check the status of your application, including information about any missing items. You are welcome to check the status of your submitted application by logging in to the USC Applicant Portal. The portal is updated as we process materials and will display the most up-to-date status of your application. Letters of recommendation will not appear on your portal checklist.
Q: Should I send a letter of recommendation?
A: Letters are not required for the majority of transfer applicants. A small handful of departments will require a letter of recommendation in the transfer process, but for the most part, we do not need them.
Q: Do I have to submit my SAT/ACT scores if I have fewer than 30 units?
A: Though they are not required, transfer applicants for the 2023-2024 academic year who have completed fewer than 30 semester (or 45 quarter) units of coursework through the end of the spring term may also choose to submit SAT or ACT scores. SAT or ACT scores are not considered for students applying with more than 30 transferrable semester units.
Q: I am an international* applicant, what are the extra materials I need to submit?
A: We require a signed financial statement and proof of sufficient funds as part of your application. This can be uploaded after you submit your application via the applicant portal. Additionally, if English is not your native language, we require English language proficiency test scores, even if you are currently studying at an English-speaking school—more information on these requirements can be found on our website.
* Undocumented or DACA students in the U.S. are NOT required to submit the additional materials listed above.
Q: I am an international applicant. Is it okay if my financial statement is submitted after the application deadline?
A: Yes! In order to submit your financial statement, you need access to your portal which won’t become available until after your application is processed into our system. It is totally fine to submit your financial statement after the deadline, but don’t wait too long to do it as it is a required piece of the application for international students.
Q: I am an international applicant and have taken an English class at my current school, can I waive the English proficiency requirement?
A: No. Coursework or time spent at an English-speaking university (including AP or IB classes/exam scores taken in high school) will not waive the English proficiency test score requirement. If you are an international applicant and your native language is not English, we require a test score to demonstrate English proficiency. A list of acceptable exams and expected scores can be found on our website under English Proficiency Criteria.
Q: When will I get a decision?
A: All transfer applicants will hear one of two things from us by May 31:
An admission decision
OR
A request for final spring grades and/or more information
Students who received a spring grade request and/or request for more information may not receive a final admission decision until mid-July. We will do our best to release decisions as final spring grades are submitted, but this is not always possible.
Q: I received an email about signing an Affirmation, how do I do this?
A: You will need to login to your USC Applicant Portal and navigate to the Application Affirmation section. This is an electronic signature acknowledging that everything in your application is truthful, correct and yours. This is required for all USC applicants. You can preview the affirmations here.
Q: Paying the USC application fee is a financial hardship for me and my family. Can I have the Common Application fee waived?
A: If paying the application fee would cause you a financial hardship, utilize the Common Application feewaiver option. You will find this option in the My Application section of the Common Application. School-specific fee waiver options can be found in the Program Materials section of the Common Application.
Q: Should I submit my financial aid application before I get an admission decision?
A: Yes! If you apply by February 15, you will be automatically considered for the Transfer Merit Scholarship, but need-based aid has a separate process. You should submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile by March 4, 2024 in order to have your need-based aid summary soon after you receive an admission decision. USC is need-blind, meaning we do not consider financial need when making admission decisions.
Q: Are there merit scholarships available for transfer applicants?
A: Yes. All transfer students who submit the Common App by February 15 will be considered for the quarter-tuition Transfer Merit Scholarship. Additional scholarships may be available but will require a separate application. Visit our website for more information on scholarships you may be eligible for.
Q: How do I log in to my Financial Aid portal?
A: Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) is a website where students can access their Financial Aid Summary and determine the current status of their application for need-based aid. You will have access to your FAST portal a couple days after we receive your application. Please log in through the USC Applicant Portal.
Q: I just submitted all my USC application materials. Now what do I do?
A: Nice job! Take a look at the steps below as a final check to your USC application.
Set up your USC Applicant Portal
A day or two after you apply, you’ll get an email confirming that you submitted your application. The subject line will read “USC Admission Has Received Your Application – Set Up Your Applicant Portal Today!” Once you open this email, it will have the PIN you’ll need to set up your USC portal. From there you can check on the status of your materials and, eventually, see your admission decision.
Be patient as we process your materials
If you’ve submitted your Common Application by the deadline, your application is considered on time – even if materials like transcripts, recommendation letters, or test scores arrive a little later. We receive thousands of documents that we need to process which includes transcripts, letters of recommendations, and test scores. It takes us about two to three weeks to process documents during our busy season, so please give us some time. There may be additional delays if documents lack proper identifying information. For example, if the name on your transcripts does not exactly match the name on your application.
A green check mark will only appear on your USC Applicant Portal next to items we have processed which means that we may have already received those materials, but they just have not been added to our system yet. *
*Please note that the USC Applicant Portal checklist will not list letters of recommendation or SlideRoom as items.
Sign the Applicant Affirmation and Notice of Potential Audit
Your application will not be complete until you electronically sign the Application Affirmation form, which can be accessed through your USC Applicant Portal. The notification that the form is ready to be signed will come a couple of days after you submit your application.
Finally, don’t fret about the timestamp on your Common Application
If your Common Application is submitted by 11:59pm in your time zone on the deadline, your application will be considered on time. The Common App timestamp is on East Coast time, so depending on where you live, it may look like your application submitted after the deadline.
Bonus step, breathe
Take a deep breath, relax and congratulate yourself on a job well done! You did all that you could, submitted all the required materials and now all you have to do is wait. Give yourself a pat on the back and enjoy some time to yourself!
Q: I have more questions. Who can I talk to?
A: If you have any questions, or wish to email the Office of Admission, we invite you to askUSC. Applicants can also call the Admission Contact Center at (213) 740-1111.
Follow USC Admission on social media (@USCAdmission on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube) We will post application tips and reminders, as well as answer any final questions you may have.
Good Luck and Fight On!