2023-2024 Graduate and Professional Students
Applying for Financial Aid
Investing in your graduate education 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 the entire cost of attendance, allowing you to focus fully on your studies. Our Investing in Graduate Education brochure will introduce you to these programs, their eligibility
requirements and how to apply for them. To view or download the brochure, please visit the Graduates & Professionals section of our website at financialaid.usc.edu/grad. We also encourage you to visit financialaid.usc.edu for more information.
How to Apply Apply as soon as possible to ensure timely notification of your financial aid and to be considered for all possible funding. Step 1: FAFSA due by May 5, 2023 Complete the 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at studentaid.gov. • Report your 2021 student income. For the most efficient processing, use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool within the FAFSA. • USC’s Federal School Code is 001328. • Apply as soon as possible beginning October 1, 2022. Step 2: Financial Aid Supplement due by May 5, 2023 To complete the Financial Aid Supplement online, log in to your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) page at financialaid.usc.edu/fast and follow the instructions provided. You will find the form in the Document Library. • This form requires you to enter the range of academic units for which you will enroll each semester. If you are unsure how many units you will take, please contact your academic department for help prior to submitting this form. The enrollment units you select on this form MUST match your actual enrolled units in order for your financial aid to be properly disbursed. • Submit this form by May 5, 2023, or as soon as possible thereafter.
Step 3: Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans Most graduate and professional students borrow a Direct Unsubsidized Loan to cover a portion of their cost of attendance. To complete the Direct Loan Request Form online, log in to your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) page at financialaid.usc.edu/fast and follow the instructions provided. You will find the form in the Document Library. • Visit financialaid.usc.edu/loans or studentaid.gov for instructions on receiving your loan funds or for more information about the loan program, including interest rates and loan fees. Step 4: Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans Many graduate and professional students borrow a Direct Graduate PLUS Loan to cover a portion of their remaining cost of attendance. To apply for a Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, visit studentaid.gov, log in with your FSA ID, then click on “Apply for a Grad PLUS Loan” under the Apply for Aid tab. Once you have completed the process, the Department of Education will notify us electronically. For detailed information about credit requirements, please visit studentaid.gov/ understand-aid/types/loans. In the section about Direct PLUS Loans, click on “adverse credit history” to read about credit conditions that will affect your loan request. • Visit financialaid.usc.edu/loans or studentaid.gov for instructions on receiving your loan funds or more information about the loan program, including interest rates and loan fees. Step 5: Federal Work-Study* To be considered for Federal Work-Study, students must: • Submit the FAFSA and Financial Aid Supplement by May 5, 2023; • Indicate on their FAFSA that they wish to be considered for Federal Work-Study; • Enroll in 8 or more units per semester; and • Meet a financial need requirement. * Federal Work-Study is not available for students participating in online degree programs.
Distance Learning Distance learning and online students should disregard the May 5, 2023, deadline and apply for aid at least eight weeks before the start of their program, or sooner if possible.
Other Information Requested Respond to any requests for additional information or documents within 10 days. For the fastest processing, submit documents online. Visit financialaid.usc.edu/contactfao for more information.
Varying Cost Costs The following are the 2022-2023 estimated costs for two semesters of enrollment in a full-time (8-14 units per semester)* master’s degree program for a student living in either university housing or non-university housing but not with parents or relatives (other than a spouse).
Tuition* Mandatory fees Housing Dining Books and supplies
$ 42,740 $ 2,715 $ 12,600 $ 6,930 $ 900
Personal and miscellaneous
$ 2,422
Transportation
$ 2,628
Total estimated costs $ 70,935
Estimated costs for students in some programs may be higher or lower because of longer or shorter enrollment periods, special laboratory or studio fees, or other additional costs incurred by all students in the program. Some professional schools have different full-time tuition rates and flat-rate unit rules. Please check your department’s website for more detailed information regarding tuition costs applicable to your individual program. To view cost of attendance rates for doctoral students or master’s degree students enrolling with less than full-time status, visit the Graduates & Professionals section of our website at financialaid.usc.edu.
(Add $55 New Student Fee for your first semester.) *The estimated full-time tuition amount is calculated based on 10 units of study per semester.
Federal student loans are required by law to provide a range of flexible repayment options, including but not limited to Income-Based Repayment and Income-Contingent Repayment plans, as well as loan forgiveness benefits, which other student loans are not required to provide. Direct Loans are available to students regardless of income.
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