It's Not Too Late to Apply: A Quick Guide to Starting (and Finishing) Your USC App and Why We Think USC Would Be Great for You
Seniors, you haven’t applied to USC yet? Now is the time!
The final deadline to apply as a first-year student is January 10th. Maybe you’ve been procrastinating. Who hasn’t been there? Maybe you’ve just been super busy. We get it! Or maybe you just haven’t been certain about whether you want to apply to USC. Totally fair! For those of you who haven’t started your application yet, we have a short guide to get it over the finish line and a few reasons why you should apply!
Step 1: Complete Your Common App
USC is on the Common App, so it shares the same basic application as over 1,000 schools. If you’re applying elsewhere, chances are good that you’ve already completed Step 1, which is to finish your Common App. Don’t forget to submit your Courses and Grades!
Step 2: Add USC to Your List of Colleges and tell us what you are interested in studying.
Add University of Southern California under “My Colleges” to find the USC Supplement. Then, add that you are applying for Fall 2026 under the Regular Decision plan and tell us your academic interest (major). You should also tell us if you plan to submit test scores (SAT/ACT) for consideration.
Step 3: Complete the USC Questions
Tell us about your interest in USC and the major you want to study. And answer the Quick Takes – quick questions that help us learn more about you and your personality. We promise they are meant to be fun!
Step 4: Submit Recommendation and Transcript
You need just one letter of recommendation for USC. And also ask your school to send in the Secondary School Report with your transcript.
Step 5: Review and Submit Your Application
Don’t forget to ask for a Common Application Fee Waiver if you need one.
And, just like that, you are done! For more details, and additional information needed if you are an international student, please visit our admission website which has all of the words!
We’ve talked all about how to apply to USC; now here is why we think USC is a great place for so many students. We are a large, private research university located in the heart of Los Angeles. Our students have the opportunity to pursue over 150 majors across nearly 20 academic schools. We encourage students to look at relationships across disciplines, with them often adding a second major or one of our over 250 minors. We are a residential campus even if we’re in the middle of a major city (you can see downtown from here!) and have nearly 1,000 student organizations to get involved in. With Division 1 athletics and lots of national championships, it’s always exciting to cheer on your fellow Trojans. And, our alumni network, called the Trojan Family, is one of the strongest in the country. So, see, there are lots of reasons why you might enjoy calling USC your next home. We hope you apply!
Written by: Lisa Rhone, Assistant Dean and Anne Aubert-Santelli, Associate Director –
USC Office of Admission