Understanding USC Tuition Assistance and Eligibility
To support faculty and staff well-being, USC provides benefits-eligible employees with a broad range of benefits and perks to help protect their and their dependents’ health, wealth, and future. These benefits are available as part of your overall compensation and total rewards package. A college degree represents a significant investment, not just in your education but in your future. The reality is that a college education may be more affordable than you imagined, even if you choose to attend a private university.
Financial Aid at USC: An Overview
USC has one of the most high-achieving undergraduate populations in the United States. Our students are leaders and innovators, scholars and athletes, and artists and entrepreneurs, representing all 50 states and nearly 130 countries around the world. Our admission process is need-blind. You might be surprised to learn who qualifies for and receives financial aid. Among the entering first-year class, approximately 18 percent received a USC merit-based scholarship.
Determining Financial Need
Your financial need is the difference between how much it costs to attend college (the Cost of Attendance or COA), and how much you and your family can contribute towards your education (the Expected Family Contribution or EFC). Students must apply for financial aid every year. Meet all published deadlines and submit any additional requested information in a timely manner.
Key Fees and Charges
Understanding the various fees and charges associated with attending USC is crucial for financial planning. Here's a breakdown:
- Student Health Center Fee: Assessed for students enrolled in 6 or more units.
- Student Health Insurance Fee: Applies to students who have not obtained an insurance waiver.
- Norman H. Digital Course Material Fees: Provides all undergraduate students access to required textbooks and course materials.
- Deferment Service Charge: Thirty-day deferments are granted for up to $2,000 of the tuition balance.
- Late Fees: To avoid late fees, you must register and have your tuition, fees, housing, dining and all other charges paid or deferred by 5:00 PM PT on the settlement deadline. If you fail to register and settle your account, you will be assessed late fees each week in accordance with the schedule.
- Housing and Meal Plans: Housing and meal plan charges will appear on your student account. Housing rent charges for undergraduate buildings and all meal plans are billed once per semester. Rent for most graduate and family buildings is billed on a monthly basis. All utilities are included in rent charges. All housing assessments must be paid at the time of billing or they will be considered past due and may be subject to finance charges and/or late fees.
Third-Party Billing
Students with pre-authorization for third-party billings from entities recognized by the university will have their agency credits posted on their student accounts. They will be required to pay any amounts not covered by the agency. Approved agencies may include local, state and federal governments, private corporations, foreign governments and the United States Armed Services. Sponsored students must meet the terms and conditions agreed upon by the university and the agency.
Read also: Tuition at Loyola University Maryland
Tuition Refund Insurance
Elective insurance that provides full coverage for tuition and mandatory fees (excluding health insurance) is available for you if you suffer a serious illness or accident that makes it necessary for you to leave the university before the semester is completed. Students are enrolled automatically at the time they register for classes but may opt out until the end of the third week of the fall semester. Read more about Tuition Refund Insurance. This video will show you how to opt in to or out of Tuition Refund Insurance, which protects your investment in USC tuition and may be purchased for a small fee during fall, spring and summer terms. It provides a refund of tuition and fees to a student who must withdraw from all classes due to an illness or accidental injury. USC has contracted with A.W.G.
Understanding Form 1098-T
USC is required to provide students and the I.R.S. with form 1098-T each year. This form reports general information about enrollment status, qualified charges and financial aid posted to a student’s account during the calendar year just ended. In addition to the 1098-T, USC provides students with supplemental information that includes a breakdown of all financial activity by category. The 1098-T assists students and families in determining their eligibility for the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning tax credits.
Support for Veterans and Military Community
USC supports our veterans and military community financially - largely through our commitment to awarding an unlimited number of Yellow Ribbon scholarships with an unlimited amount of money each year to eligible students on the undergraduate level. Through Yellow Ribbon funding, undergraduate student veterans, who enter USC with remaining GI Bill® eligibility, can graduate debt-free. Please use the VA’s GI Bill® Comparison Tool to see how USC’s Yellow Ribbon commitment compares to other schools.
Navigating Veteran Benefits
Financial Aid can be difficult to navigate, which is why we want to answer your questions. For instructions on how to file to use your GI Bill® or other VA Educational Benefits through the VA and USC, please read through our How to File page. In addition, please watch the video at the bottom of the Using Your Veteran Benefits at USC page. Even if you are planning to use your VA Educational Benefits, please also apply for Financial Aid at USC by submitting your FAFSA and CSS Profile each year before March 2*. Only veterans entitled to the 100% Post 9/11 benefit rate (based on service requirements) or their designated transferees may receive this funding. The Post 9/11 GI Bill® will contribute to private institutions up to $28,937.09 during the 2024-2025 year. Students who wish to receive VA educational assistance, including BAH each term, must be enrolled and must complete the online Application for Semester Entitlement (ASE) form each semester after class registration.
Read also: Affording ECU
Read also: Withdrawals for College: A Guide
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