Financial Aid at USC

Graduate and professional students at USC have a variety of financial aid and financing options available to them. In many cases, these options can cover your cost of attendance. We encourage you to visit financialaid.usc.edu for more information.

Note: Tuition, fees, and other information listed below are subject to change. Please schedule a call with your adviser for the most up-to-date information.

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Master’s Program Estimated Costs

Total tuition: 34 units at $2,354 per unit ($80,036)

Estimated tuition per semester: $18,832 (8 units) to $23,540 (10 units)
Tuition is subject to increase by 3-5% each academic year

Annual fees:

Books/supplies: $1,200
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan fee: $203
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan fee: $1,434

Per-semester fees

Topping Aid fee: $32
Programming fee: $80
Student health insurance* for spring 2025: $3,822 (covers January 13-August 14)
Student Health fee: $650 (required for all students during the fall and spring term)

*Student health insurance can be waived if you have outside coverage that meets USC’s requirements

Who Can Apply for Financial Aid?

To apply for federal financial aid, all applicants to USC’s graduate programs must:

Be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens
Have a valid Social Security number
Be registered with the Selective Service System (if applicable)
Not be in default on prior federal student loans
Be admitted to a degree-granting program of study or an eligible certificate program at USC
Be enrolled in the minimum number of units required for the MS in Applied Psychology (16)
Make satisfactory academic progress toward completion of their degree

What Types of Financial Aid Will I Be Eligible to Receive?

The USC Financial Aid Office will determine your financial need and post your Financial Aid Summary, which will consist mostly of federal loans.

Scholarships, fellowships and other sources of aid are awarded by academic departments or outside agencies. USC also participates in a variety of private loan programs for interested students who qualify.

Determine How Much to Borrow

Your eligibility for loans is based on your full cost of attendance. However, you should not borrow the full amount for which you are eligible if you are meeting some of your costs through income from work or other resources.

The use of federal aid is restricted to valid educational costs only, and you may be required to sign a statement verifying your use of loan funds.

Federal Loans

As you search for loans, always start with federal loans, as they will typically offer the best interest rates and repayment options. Please visit studentaid.gov for more information.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans

Borrow up to the maximum of $20,500 per academic year, regardless of financial need.
Standard repayment begins 6 months after graduation. The standard repayment term is 10 years.
Interest accrues from the date of disbursement.

Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans

Borrow up to your remaining cost of attendance minus the unsubsidized loan.
Credit-based. Bankruptcy, previous loan defaults, or other serious delinquencies can disqualify potential borrowers. However, you can apply with an endorser.

Tips for Borrowing Federal Loans

Here are some things to remember as you pursue federal loan options.

Borrow only what you need. You are not required to borrow the full amount for which you are eligible.
Investigate other sources of financial aid that do not need to be repaid.
To reduce your total debt, try to make some interest payments on any loans while you are still in school or during your grace period.
Tell the U.S. Department of Education or your lender/servicer if your name or address changes or if you withdraw from USC, graduate or drop to less than half-time status.

Private Loans

Private education loans vary by lender. You should compare loan terms and conditions and choose the one that best fits your situation.

You can compare private loans from multiple lenders using the ELM Select tool, which displays a neutral list (in random order) of private lenders that USC students have borrowed from within the past three years. USC does not prefer, recommend, promote, endorse or suggest any of these lenders.

USC External Fellowship, Grant and Scholarship Resources

Various USC associations, groups and offices provide funding to students through fellowship, grant and scholarship opportunities. Here’s a list of available funding providers, along with requirements, deadline and amount provided.

USC Scholarship System

Description: You can also find university wide and other outside scholarships through the USC Online Scholarship System.
Deadline: Varies
Amount: Varies

USC Awards and Fellowship Database

Description: You can find additional fellowships and awards through the USC Fellowship and Awards Database.
Deadline: Varies
Amount: Varies

USC Norman Topping Student Aid Fund

Description: This scholarship is for students with high financial need who demonstrate an extraordinary level of community awareness in their pursuit of higher education at USC.
Deadline: June
Amount: Varies

USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association Scholarship

Description: This scholarship is awarded to outstanding graduate students at USC. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic achievement, personal merit, demonstration of financial need and contributions made to Asian Pacific American communities.
Deadline: March
Amount: $1,000-$3,000 USC

Black Alumni Association Scholarship

Description: Awarded to USC students who exemplify a strong commitment to, sound identification with, and longstanding history of demonstrating a contribution to the African American community.
Deadline: March
Amount: $1,000

USC Latino Alumni Association Scholarship

Description: This scholarship is for students pursuing graduate degrees at USC who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the Latino/Hispanic community.
Deadline: March
Amount: $1,000-$5,000

Town and Gown of USC

Description: Both new and continuing students are eligible to apply for Town and Gown scholarships. Students are not eligible for this scholarship if they are taking fewer than six units in each of the fall and spring semesters. Funding is not awarded for summer sessions.
Deadline: December
Amount: $10,000

Managing Your Expenses

USC Tuition Payment Plan

The Tuition Payment Plan enables students to pay for fall or spring tuition fees, university housing, and other student expenses in five monthly installments. Please visit the Student Financial Services website at sfs.usc.edu for more information.

USC Tuition Prepayment Plan

This plan allows you to prepay up to five years of full-time tuition (two-year minimum) and mandatory fees at the current rates. Prepaid amounts are not subject to future tuition fee increases. Graduate student eligibility may be limited. For more information, please visit sfs.usc.edu.

How to Apply for Financial Aid

To apply, please submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit the USC Financial Aid Supplement via Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST). The Financial Aid Office will determine your financial need and post a Financial Aid Summary in FAST.

We encourage you to apply for financial aid once you have submitted your application for admission. The FAST application is available as soon as you have applied.

Maintaining Eligibility

To satisfy USC’s satisfactory academic progress requirements, students must:

Meet a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA)
Earn a minimum number of units for credit each semester (Pace of Progression)
Complete their degree objective(s) within a maximum number of semesters and a maximum number of attempted units (Maximum Time Frame Allowance)

More info can be found in the USC Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy brochure.

Financial Literacy

We encourage students to sign up for iGrad, a free online service for financial literacy. Use the site to search for scholarships and career information or to track your federal loans.

You can also use the site to complete the required loan counseling sessions. Visit the usc.igrad.com for more information.

Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding financial aid eligibility, please contact the USC Financial Aid Office:

Phone: (213) 740-4444, available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST
In-person: Visit the John Hubbard Hall (JHH) lobby between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PST
Email: ask.usc.edu