Financial Aid Summary (New Admits)

Your financial aid summary displays your eligibility for federal, state, and university aid. Most students receive a combination of grants, loans and Federal Work-Study.

Although USC has begun receiving FAFSA information from the Department of Education, a higher number of FAFSAs have been rejected compared to previous years, and there have been issues with data and calculations. The Department of Education has been tracking known issues, and in early April provided additional guidance to colleges and universities to resolve them. As recommended, however, the testing and reprocessing of applications will require additional time.

The federal aid process continues to evolve, and we must proceed with the most current information available to provide financial aid estimates to admitted students. Given these circumstances, we are offering the following guidance to help admitted undergraduate students navigate the decision-making process.

• We have started and will continue to release Estimated Financial Aid Summaries for newly admitted students who have submitted a CSS Profile and supporting documentation. Estimated Financial Aid Summaries for admitted transfer students who have completed the financial aid application process will be released starting in early June.
• The Estimated Financial Aid Summary provides students with an estimate of how much financial aid they may be eligible for, based on the information submitted on the CSS Profile and other financial documents, as we wait for specific allocations of your federal and/or state aid.
• Once we receive your completed FAFSA data, your overall amount of financial aid should not change the amount your family is expected to contribute, unless the FAFSA data is vastly different than what was previously reported on the CSS Profile and additional documents. Adjustments will be made to the sources of your financial aid to reflect the addition of any federal and state aid as applicable, once it is received.
• It is not too late for newly admitted students to start their financial aid applications. The CSS Profile and the FAFSA are both necessary for a final financial aid summary, but we can provide a financial aid estimate once the CSS Profile and financial documents are submitted.

After reviewing the Estimated Financial Aid Summary, those who wish to confirm their enrollment at USC may accept their offer of admission through the Admit Reply form and commitment deposit or deposit waiver in your applicant portal. Deposit waiver requests will be considered with full awareness of the challenges this financial aid cycle presents.

Please check this page regularly for updates as new information becomes available. Our goal is to help you make informed decisions regarding your college choice.

Updated: 04/05/2024

Your student’s estimated financial aid is based on information the Financial Aid Office has received to date and does not include FAFSA data. Preliminary estimates are based on the information provided on your CSS Profile and any other financial aid documents you may have submitted.

Eligibility is subject to change once your FAFSA data and supporting documents are received and reviewed. The addition of federal or state grants (such as the Pell Grant, Cal Grant, Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, etc.) will replace any university gift aid, dollar for dollar.

Estimated financial aid summaries for Early Admitted students were released in February and were based on the cost of attendance for the current 2023-2024 academic year.

Estimated financial aid summaries for Regular Decision Admitted Students will begin to be released by April 1st and will be based on the cost of attendance for the 2024-2025 academic year. At that time, Early Admitted students will receive revised estimated financial aid summaries with the updated cost of attendance for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The financial aid review process is considered complete once a FAFSA, CSS Profile and supporting documentation have been received and reviewed.  Once complete, students will receive an updated Financial Aid Summary replacing any previous revisions or estimates.

The following examples are for illustrative purposes only—the eligibility and award amounts are fictional. Your Financial Aid Summary will differ and will not include the “estimated” watermark once the review process is complete. 

The illustration below shows how a student’s estimated gift aid could be reconfigured once the financial aid review process is complete provided the FAFSA data and additional documentation received does not change the initial eligibility. For example, if the FAFSA application shows income, assets or family size that are different from what was reported on the CSS Profile and/or original documents submitted – you should expect the Financial Aid Summary will be adjusted accordingly.

The initial assessment shows the student being eligible to receive $35,000 of gift aid from all sources.  The finalized financial aid summary will detail how much gift aid comes from each source.

The illustration below is an estimated financial aid summary.

This is a sample for illustrative purposes only. Your financial aid package will differ.

If your family experiences any unforeseen changes to income or expenses, and you would like to request a re-evaluation of your financial aid, visit our Special Circumstances and Appeals page.

Your financial aid is calculated and disbursed according to federal and state regulations and university policy. All offers of USC financial aid are made according to the Principles and Standards of the College Cost Transparency Initiative.