Summer Financial Aid

If you plan to enroll in the summer session, limited funding may be available through the Financial Aid Office and some academic departments. Contact your department directly for more information about any financing they may offer.

  • To qualify, you must:

    • Meet all general financial aid eligibility requirements.
    • Be enrolled in classes at least half-time to receive most funds. (Note that summer work-study does not require enrollment in summer classes.)
    • Meet the following deadlines:
      • Apply at least four (4) weeks before the start of your first summer class.
      • Submit your Summer Aid Request form through your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) portal, starting in mid-March, 2026.  
      •   Submit the Summer Work-Study application by March 31, 2026. You will be required to log in with your USC NetID. The Summer Work-Study application will be available in early March. 

    We encourage you to apply for aid as soon as possible so that we can determine your eligibility for loans before the end of the Add/Drop period. 

  • Federal and private loans may be available to eligible students who enroll for the USC summer session at least half-time, which is defined as 4 units for master’s degree candidates, 3 units for doctoral candidates, or enrollment in a course considered full-time by the registrar (regardless of the actual number of units).

    Applicants should follow the instructions below. Documents can be submitted online, and your loan application will be reflected in the “Document Library” of your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) portal.

    If your loan is based on plans to enroll in two (2) summer sessions:

    Please be aware that your loan could be cancelled if you do not complete both sessions and your total enrollment drops to less than half-time for the entire summer.

    Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans

    Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loans*

    Private Loans

    • Available to all students.
    • Submit your Summer Aid Request form through your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) portal, starting in early March, 2026. 
    • Contact your lender directly to apply for the loan.

    Loan Advisory: Prior to applying for private loans, students should exhaust all Federal Title IV assistance available, including the Federal Direct Loan. The repayment terms of federal loan programs may be more favorable than those for private loans. 

    Private student loans may not be included in Federal Direct Consolidation Loans, are not eligible for Federal Income-Based Repayment Plans and are not eligible for Federal Economic Hardship Deferments. 

     

    *Due to recent changes in policy resulting from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Graduate and Professional Student PLUS Loans will no longer be available to new borrowers starting July 1, 2026. Current borrowers may have remaining semesters of eligibility. Please refer to our OBBBA page for more details. 

  • Continuing students can earn up to $3,500 through summer Federal Work-Study. You are not required to be enrolled in summer classes to qualify. Funds are awarded to students with the greatest financial need who:

    • Intend to enroll at least half-time at USC for the fall 2026 semester. 
    • Meet all general eligibility requirements for financial aid, including maintaining satisfactory academic progress. 
    • Demonstrate financial need for both the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 academic years. 
    • Are on-time applicants for 2025-2026 financial aid. 
    • Submit the Summer Work-Study application by March 31, 2026. You will be required to log in with your USC NetID. The Summer Work-Study application will be available in early March. 

    Potential Effect on Your Future Financial Aid Eligibility

    The federal government requires that summer Federal Work-Study earnings — minus any employment-related expenses — be considered when determining your financial aid eligibility for the following academic year. As a result, your eligibility for other financial aid programs may be reduced. 

  • Be sure to follow all instructions provided on your financial aid summary.

    Summer financial aid will be posted to your student account no sooner than a week before your first summer class. Loans will be disbursed after you start classes.

    Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Requirement:

    Financial aid may not be disbursed to a student’s account until the Office of Academic Records and Registrar has officially posted the prior semester’s grades and the Financial Aid Office has evaluated your academic progress. If grades are not made official before the beginning of the subsequent semester, the disbursement of financial aid funds may be delayed for otherwise eligible students. No exceptions can be made to this process.

    IMPORTANT: Tuition and fees for summer classes are assessed at the time of registration and due when billed, regardless of class start date(s). To avoid late fees, you may be required to pay any outstanding balance on your student account before your financial aid funds can be posted. If your pending financial aid is not available or is not disbursed until after the fee settlement deadline for the term, you may incur late settlement fees and/or finance charges on your billing account. However, once your account has been paid in full, you may request that the Financial Aid Office reverse any late fees or charges. Please visit the Student Financial Services website for information about settling your student account.