University of Southern California
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University of Southern California: Rankings, Popular Courses, Fees

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#111 in World

#28 in USA

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Dark Clock Icon Last updated on 18 Jun '26

University of Southern California
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Indian students aiming to get into the University of Southern California must have a good academic record. Reason being, the university is very selective at the time of admissions. For Fall 2026, the University of Southern California acceptance rate is 11.67%. The competitiveness can be expected from these numbers. The total no. of applicants for Fall 2026 is 79,290 and the no. of admitted students is 9,251. 

  • The Common App for USC will open from Aug 1, 2026. USC application deadline for UG courses is Nov 1, 2026. 

What makes USC a good option for Indian students?

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Year of establishment
1880
Also known as
USC
University website
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Student website
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Total foreign students
12265
Campus size
229 acres
No. of campus
2
Scholarships available
1
Endowment value
USD 5 billion
Scholarships granted
14211
Scholarship amount granted
USD 619 million
Application fees
USD 85
English proficiency test
Required
Accepted exams
SAT/ACT accepted
Optional
Total faculty
4544
Faculty/Student ratio
9
Male/Female ratio
1.04
UG/PG course ratio
3.11
Total criminal offences
498
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Commonly asked questions
On Highlights
Q:   Is USC hard to get into?
A: 

USC is one of the world’s leading private research universities and its acceptance rate is proof of the same. When it comes to admission, then University of Southern California is very selective. The University of Southern California acceptance rate reported for is just 11.2%. There were a total of 83,488 freshman applicants at USC, out of which admitted students were 9,345. The average unweighted GPA for entering freshman class reported is 3.68-3.95. Since USC is highly selective when it comes to admissions, students must have good scores. 

Q:   Why is the acceptance rate of USC so low?
A: 

University of Southern California ranking in National Universities category ranking 2026 edition is 28. It is a leading private research university and is among the top higher education institutions in California. USC acceptance rate is low. For 2025, acceptance rate of this university is 11.2%. An overview of acceptance rate and number of applications is given below:

Year

No. of Applications

Students Admitted

Admit Rate

2024

82,027

8,050

9.8%

2023

80,790

8,032

9.9%

2022

69,062

8,168

12%

2021

71,031

8,884

12.5%

2020

59,712

9,618

16.1%

Q:   Is the University of Southern California an R1 University?
A: 

Yes USC is distinguished R1 University that provides  wide range of academic degrees. The university is classified among R1 – Doctoral Universities with a very high research activity. It has more than $1 billion annual research expenditures, with the largest programme in Engineering, Science, and Health of all private research universities.   

Q:   How many Indian students are at USC?
A: 

The total no. of students at USC is 46,000+. For Fall 2025, the total no. of international students enrolled is 11,959. Out of this, the total no. of Indian students enrolled is 2,136. Indian is placed at #2 position from where the students at USC hail from. 

CountriesNo. of Students
China5,760
Taiwan548
South Korea542
Canada427
Hong Kong157

University of Southern California Ranking 2026

How to get admission to USC from India in 2026?

  • Application fees :USD 85 - 155
  • Type of deadline :Depends on course
Document IconDocuments
Type of documentsApplicable for
SOPNeeded for few courses
LORNeeded for few courses
EssaysNeeded for few courses
CVNeeded for few courses
Additional documentsRequired
USC Marshal Business School’s MBA Essay Prompts 2024-25
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University of Southern California
Are there any scholarships at USC for Indian students?

University of Southern California Popular Courses

MS
MBA/PGDM
B.A.
PG Certificate
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₹6.99 CrGet Fee Details

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₹43.93 LGet Fee Details

₹41.75 LGet Fee Details

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University of Southern California Job Outcomes













University of Southern California
Student profile

Quick university statsInsights on student demographics, enrolment, and academic success
UG Race

Others

51%

Asian

24%

Hispanic

17%

Black

6%

UG Student residence

In state

41%

Out of state

40%

Foreign

18%

UG Age distribution

24 and under

97%

25 and over

2%

UG Applicant Icon

UG Number of Applicant

69062
grad RateIcon

Overall Graduation Rate

97
UG Enroll Icon

UG Enrollment

20699
PG Enroll Icon

PG Enrollment

28246

University of Southern California
Studying in USA

Key Facts About USA

Insights on education, demographics & weather.
Education in USA
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963+
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3.38L
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20 hours per week
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12 months
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Washington D.C.
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347.28M (2025)
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2%
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English
Weather
July
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Popular LocationsMinMax
Boston1928
New York2129
Chicago00
Los Angeles1829
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University of Southern California FAQs

Q:   Do you need work experience to get into MBA at University of Southern California?
A: 

Yes, most of the USC MBA admitted students have the work experience. The university recommends that applicants have a minimum of 2 years of work experience. To prove this, generally, the university requires students to submit a resume of one page. According to the Class profile of Fall 2024 for this course, the average years of work experience was 5.5 and the average age was 29 of the admitted students.

Q:   What to do after submitting USC application?
A: 

After submitting USC University application for UG course, students must complete following admission steps-

  • Commit to enroll at USC
  • Then complete financial aid application
  • Next, apply for housing and activate USC NetID
  • Complete health requirements, and at the last, review international student requirements
Q:   What type of student goes to USC?
A: 

In the case of UG admission, USC conducts a holistic review of the application to consider the academic and personal achievements. The things that are taken into consideration are:

  • The performance in the school
  • Writing skills
  • Test scores (if submitted)
  • Personal qualities

Most USC UG admitted students showcase superior academic performance and the potential to do more. These admitted students are ranked in the Top 10% of their graduating class, and their median standardized test score (if submitted) is in the Top 5% of all test-takers.

Q:   How do I get into the MS in Engineering Management course at University of Southern California?
A: 

To get into the USC MS in Engineering Management course, the applicants are required to have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Engineering-related disciplines. GRE score is not required for 2025 applicants. The application materials that are required are:

  • Academic transcripts
  • CV
  • Personal statement
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation highly recommended
Q:   What is the English language proficiency test accepted at University of Southern California?
A: 

All international applicants at the University of Southern California have to submit English language proficiency scores. The scores accepted are IELTS / TOEFL / PTE for admission to UG courses. The most competitive applicants at USC have English language proficiency scores that are higher than the specified minimums. For example, the average TOEFL score is above 111, with a score of 25 in each section. The minimum scores required for admission to UG courses are:

Tests

Minimum Score

TOEFL

100 and no less than score of 20 in each section

IELTS

7

PTE

68

Q:   What is the Graduate course of Music at USC?
A: 

The Master of Music Scoring course of the University of Southern California is a 9-month course designed for composers who want to work in the music industry. No auditions are required for admission to USC Master of Music course. Students must have an UG degree for admission to this course. An application fee for USD 105 has to be paid too along with the academic transcripts, resume, LOR, etc. 

Q:   Why does the University of Southern California admit so many Indian students?
A: 

USC has seen a substantial growth in enrollment from Indian students in the areas Regulatory Science and Pharmacy, Law, Arts and Gaming. USC has close to 2,700 Indian students up to 35% compared to the Pre-Covid 19 pandemic levels, with a majority of them concentrated in Engineering disciplines. USC’s President Folt has said a fourth of the university’s students are international, and 25% is made up of Indian students. Majority of students enroll in Engineering disciplines, but now they are going to study Health Sciences, Business programs, etc.

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University of Southern California

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University of Southern California
Location

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University CityLos Angeles, California, USA
Size of cityLarge
Population of City39,99,759

University of Southern California
Campuses

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Address

University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA

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University of Southern California
Contact Information

Address

Los Angeles, CA, United States, 90089

Los Angeles ( California)

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