Application Checklist The Common Application
Personal essay
Application Deadlines admission.usc.edu/deadlines
NOVEMBER 1, 2025 • First-Year Early Action (EA) deadline. • First-Year Early Decision (ED) deadline (Marshall School of Business programs). • USC Merit Scholarship deadline.
Academic interest short answer
EA: Non-binding. Not available for certain majors (see below). Admission decisions or deferrals to Regular Decision released in January 2026.
Activities list
ED: Binding and restrictive. Designed for students committed to enrolling at USC. ED admission decisions released in December 2025. Not available for the World Bachelor in Business (WBB) major.
Quick takes Secondary school report
Letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor Additional materials if required by major Official high school/secondary school transcripts SAT or ACT scores (optional) Mid-Year Report/fall grades Find more details on our website at admission.usc.edu or apply at admission.usc.edu/commonapp.
The University of Southern California admits students of any race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical disability or mental disability and does not discriminate on any such basis. The University’s full non-discrimination policy can be found online at eeotix.usc.edu.
IGHT ON!
2026 First-Year Application Overview
DECEMBER 1, 2025 • Regular Decision for majors requiring a portfolio or audition, and the World Bachelor in Business. • USC Merit Scholarship deadline for these programs. JANUARY 10, 2026 • Regular Decision for all other majors. Admission decisions sent by April 1, 2026.
Merit Scholarships USC offers merit scholarships to top candidates. Apply by the appropriate deadline listed above. admission.usc.edu/scholarships
USC Scholarships are administered consistent with the University’s Notice of NonDiscrimination. Recipients are chosen without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited characteristic. Financial Aid Deadlines * Early Decision: November 1, 2025 | Early Action: December 12, 2025 Regular Decision: February 4, 2026 Cal Grant: March 2, 2026 (California residents only) USC requires both the FAFSA and the CSS Profile. financialaid.usc.edu
* Dates accurate as of July 2025.