How to Apply

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Personal Information

• Enter your name as it appears on your government issued I.D. Indicate any alternate or previous names in the “other name” field (i.e. maiden name).
• Enter the email address USC Rossier should use to communicate with you throughout the application process.

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Academic History > Colleges Attended > Add a College > Upload a Transcript

Applicants must upload official transcripts from all colleges, universities, and other post-secondary institutions they have previously attended. Applications received without all required transcripts will be considered incomplete and ineligible for admission review.

Official transcripts and other academic records are issued directly by the registrar’s office of your previous school(s) and bear the official registrar’s stamp or signature. Unofficial transcripts, including print-outs from student portals, are not acceptable for admission review.

International students should refer to USC’s country specific requirements to determine which academic records they need to submit.

To Upload Your Transcript to The Application Portal

Login to your USC Application Portal and navigate to the Academic History section. Enter detailed information about your academic history from each institution you have attended.

Once you have saved this information, you will find an option to Upload a Transcript for each institution. You can upload only one PDF per institution. If the transcript consists of multiple pages, you must scan each page and merge them into a single PDF file. If you do not have access to a scanner, you can take clear photos of each page and combine them into one PDF.

There are various online services available to merge multiple files into a single PDF or convert photos into PDFs. Once you have uploaded your transcripts and completed all other sections of the application, you can proceed to submit your application.

Upon admission and submission of the statement of intent to enroll, you must submit degree-conferred transcripts from all attended institutions to the USC Office of Academic Records and Registrar.

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Supporting Information > Documents > CV/Resume

Your résumé should be detailed enough to help the admission committee understand the various experiences – extracurricular, leadership or volunteer – that have shaped your interest in the program. Outline your roles and responsibilities within each organization and highlight any special achievements or accomplishments. In the “Supporting Information” section of the application, select “Documents”. Select the “add document” button under “CV/Resume.”

Essay requirements vary by degree program. Please check the specific application instructions page for your program of interest for guidance.

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Program Materials > Recommendations > Add Recommendation

USC Rossier requires two letters of recommendation to complete the application. One recommendation should come from a current or former supervisor who can comment on the value you have added to your workplace. The second recommendation letter should come from a current or former professor who can attest to your ability to perform well in doctoral level courses.

To submit the names of your recommenders, go to the “Program Materials” section of the application and click on the tab “Recommendations.”

Using the ‘Add Recommendation’ button, enter the name and email address of each recommender you’ve asked to electronically submit a letter of recommendation. Each recommender will automatically receive an email that includes a password and directions for submitting the letter of recommendation. If the recommender does not receive the recommendation letter request, advise them to check their spam or junk mail folders.

Recommendation letters must be typed on official letterhead from the organization with a signature. If the recommender is not able to obtain company letterhead, this must be noted somewhere in the letter.

It is your responsibility to ensure all recommendation letters are submitted in the proper format prior to the appropriate deadline. Letters uploaded in the incorrect format without explanation are subject to further review.

Recommendations letters should be submitted by recommenders by the application deadline, but they are not required to be submitted at the time you submit your application.

Please note: Recommendation letters are program-specific and cannot be used to apply to additional programs. If you withdraw your application from a particular program, your letters of recommendation will be deleted along with the application.

USC Rossier welcomes international applicants. If your prior study was completed outside of the United States, you must have earned the equivalent of a United States bachelor’s degree to be eligible for admission. View the international application requirements based on your country of study.

International students whose native language is not English and who completed their undergraduate work outside of the United States are required to demonstrate proficiency in English as part of the application process. For more information on English proficiency requirements, English-language test waivers and other alternate accepted exams, please visit the USC Graduate Admission English-Language Proficiency page.

TOEFL or IELTS Test Scores

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Academic History > Standardized Tests > Add a Test Score

International students whose native language is not English and who completed their undergraduate work outside of the United States are required to submit an official TOEFL or IELTS score as part of their application. You must have taken one of these tests within the past two years.

In order to be considered for admission, you should receive a TOEFL score at or above 100 iBT with no less than a score of 20 on each band, or an IELTS score at or above 7 with no less than a score of 6 on each band.

You may upload your test score report in the “Academic History” section of the application to be used in application review. However, only scores received electronically from the testing service are considered official. Official test scores should be sent from the testing agency directly to USC.

TOEFL

To send official scores, use USC ETS code 4852. Please note that USC does not accept super-scoring for the TOEFL.

IELTS

Select “University of Southern California” at the time of registration. Alternatively, provide this information to your testing center after taking the test.

No department code is required to send TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Standarized Tests

For more information on English Proficiency requirements, English-language test waivers, and other alternate accepted exams, please visit the USC Graduate Admission page.