Types of Aid - Financial Aid (2024)

Undergraduate financial aid can come from a variety of federal, state, university, and private sources and may include gift aid or student employment—funds that do not have to be repaid—or student or parent loans, funds that can be borrowed to cover educational expenses and need to be repaid after graduation.

Need-based financial aid can help cover the difference between the school’s cost of attendance and what students and families can afford to pay out of pocket. The amount that a student is eligible to receive is based on detailed financial information provided by students and families in federal, state or agency applications.

Non–need-based aid, on the other hand, is based solely on the school’s cost of attendance—estimated expenses for one year of study. It’s often awarded according to academic or athletic ability, community service, or leadership.

Sources: Federal and state governments, the university, the academic department or professional school, community and civic groups, and private industry.

University Grant

Awarded by USC, these funds can be used for tuition, fees, books, housing, meals, or other educational expenses. The addition of federal or state grants (e.g., Pell Grant, Cal Grant, Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant) will replace the University Grant, dollar for dollar.

*Limited funding may be available to students enrolled less than full-time, provided they meet the eligibility requirements and demonstrate financial need.

Federal Pell Grant

Provided by the federal government, these funds may be used for tuition, fees, books, housing, food or other educational expenses. The addition of the Pell Grant will replace the University Grant, dollar for dollar.

*Amounts are prorated for three-quarter, half-time or less than half-time enrollment.

Cal Grants: California residents only

Funded by the state of California, these grants can help cover tuition and mandatory fees, as well as living expenses, for California residents. The addition of the Cal Grant will replace the University Grant, dollar for dollar. Students attending USC from out of state are ineligible for Cal Grants.

CAL GRANT A
For payment of tuition and mandatory fees only.

CAL GRANT B
Provides a first-year stipend for living expenses only (including supplies and books). In subsequent years, the grant also helps pay for tuition and fees.

*Recipients are selected based on a composite score that takes into consideration their family’s income, parents’ educational level, GPA, and other circ*mstances such as single-parent households.

Grant amounts vary each year, depending on financial need and whether your student has other awards to cover your tuition and fees. Students may lose eligibility for a Cal Grant if family income or assets increase in future years.

**Cal Grants are pro-rated for half-time and three-quarter-time enrollment.

California Dream Act Cal Grant: AB540-eligible students

Funded by the state of California and administered by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), the California Dream Act program gives AB540-eligible students the opportunity to apply for Cal Grant A and Cal Grant B. The addition of the Cal Grant will replace the University Grant, dollar for dollar. 

*Undergraduates who are awarded a California Dream Grant and meet all other eligibility requirements are considered for limited university funding.

USC administers more than a dozen prestigious scholarship programs, ranging in value from a few thousand dollars up to full tuition. They are awarded based on academic excellence, leadership, service, and talent. Visit the Admission website for more information.

Scholarships do not increase the total amount of your need-based financial aid. Instead, they change the composition of your financial aid eligibility. In most cases, we allow outside scholarships to replace the amounts of student loans or Federal Work-Study in your financial aid package. We make every attempt to preserve any university need-based grant you may have been awarded. Each situation must be reviewed in light of the availability of funds, state and federal regulations, and the university’s financial aid policies.

Departmental Awards

Many academic departments offer merit-based scholarships. Visit their websites for specific information about eligibility requirements and the application process.

Leventhal School of Accounting
Architecture
Marshall School of Business
Cinematic Arts
Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry
Dramatic Arts
Rossier School of Education
Viterbi School of Engineering
Viterbi School of Engineering: Scholarship Board
Viterbi School of Engineering: Women in Engineering
Roski School of Art and Design
Davis School of Gerontology
Gould School of Law
Keck School of Medicine
Thornton School of Music
Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Sol Price School of Public Policy

Stipends

Some recipients of departmental scholarships may receive stipends paid directly to them according to USC’s monthly payment schedule.

The University of Southern California offers scholarships in 21 sports. For more information about USC’s athletics programs, please visit the USC Trojans website.

Athletic scholarships can be awarded as a fixed-dollar amount or as a percentage of the Cost of Attendance. The full Cost of Attendance is calculated annually based on the following amounts determined by the Financial Aid Office:

• Tuition
• Mandatory Fees
• Required Textbooks
• Housing and Food/Meals
• Transportation
• Miscellaneous Expenses

*Equivalencies are based on full-time enrollment.

**Stipend amounts for housing and dining/meals, transportation and miscellaneous expenses depend on the scholarship equivalency.

Textbooks
Students on athletic scholarships receive all the required and recommended textbooks for their enrolled classes. The actual value of books received by students depends on their course schedules.

Summer Enrollment & Costs
For information about the awarding of summer athletic scholarships, please contact Student-Athlete Academic Services.

Scholarship Duration
The duration of athletic scholarships is determined by USC and specified in the athletics financial aid agreement. Athletic scholarships can range from one to five years.

Scholarship Appeal Process
Students are notified of their renewal status by July 1. If a scholarship is renewed at a lower amount or is not renewed, students may appeal the decision with the Financial Aid Office. This PDF details the appeal process.

Offered by the Department of Education, Federal Work-Study provides part-time jobs for students with exceptional financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay their education expenses. The program encourages community-service work and work related to a student’s course of study. Most of these jobs are on campus, but some opportunities are also available with local nonprofit agencies.

Eligibility

Please note that students will not be able to use their work-study awards to pay their university bill. The bill is due before the semester begins, but work-study funds need to be earned over the course of the semester.

Loans are sums of money borrowed from federal or private agencies to help finance the expected family contribution. Loans must be repaid once the student graduates or otherwise drops below half-time enrollment.

For more information, please visit the Loans section of our website.