Overseas Programs

Study abroad programs may affect your eligibility for certain types of financial aid.

Financial Aid for Department Sponsored Programs

Some departments have partnered with the Financial Aid Office to make automatic adjustments to the cost of attendance and financial aid packages for students accepted into their sponsored overseas programs. The Financial Aid Office currently makes automatic adjustments for the following programs:

Marshall Undergraduate Outgoing Exchange Programs

To ensure that you receive the aid for which you are eligible:

Pay attention to financial aid application deadlines: Apply for financial aid as usual by submitting all your required documents by the posted deadlines. Please refer to the undergraduate or graduate student requirements listed in the applying section of our website.

Inform the Financial Aid Office of any changes to your enrollment plans: Both undergraduate and graduate students should submit a new Financial Aid Supplement any time their enrollment plans for the study abroad semester differ from their current USC enrollment. For example, a graduate student enrolled full-time at USC, but enrolling in fewer than 8 units while studying abroad, will need to submit a Financial Aid Supplement so that we can adjust the cost of attendance.

  • Most graduate-level travel is tied to specific courses with overseas travel requirements.  

    The Student Travel Abroad website aggregates programs available to graduate students, including courses with overseas costs that may be eligible for federal aid.

    If you are participating in a program that is not listed on the above department web pages, or in a specific degree-applicable course that requires a period of oversea travel, the Financial Aid Office may approve an appeal to increase your Estimated Cost of Attendance to cover costs associated with your trip.

    To appeal, please request a memo from your academic advisor or program instructor detailing the estimated costs and upload it to your FAST page as a budget appeal (Appeal Concerning Increase in Estimated Cost of Attendance). The Financial Aid Office will evaluate the program to determine if it is eligible for financial aid.

Programs Ineligible for Federal Aid

The university also offers overseas programs that do not offer course credit or satisfy course or degree requirements, usually during non-enrollment periods or breaks. We may be able to increase your Cost of Attendance to include costs incurred by such programs, but the increase can be funded with private loans only.

Programs Sponsored by Other Universities

Students who wish to establish a Consortium Agreement between USC and an overseas institution may do so. However, please be aware that only very limited types of financial aid are permitted under a Consortium Agreement and detailed conditions must be met. Interested students should review the Consortium Agreement Guide.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and Overseas Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Office is required by federal regulations to evaluate your satisfactory academic progress (SAP) before your aid for your next semester can be disbursed.

As overseas transcripts can be delayed, the Financial Aid Office may ensure timely disbursement of your next semester’s aid (after your overseas program) by performing an initial SAP evaluation based on the worst-case scenario of your failing all your overseas courses. For most undergraduates, this usually results in a temporary financial aid probationary period during which you will retain aid eligibility. Once your official overseas transcript is transmitted to the USC Office of Degree Progress, we can re-evaluate your SAP eligibility and lift the probationary status as applicable.

To prevent any delay in the submission of your transcript, please make sure you have paid any outstanding charges (room and board, etc.) you may owe the overseas institution.

When Can Students Expect to Receive Their Overseas Financial Aid?

The Financial Aid Office is required by federal regulations to evaluate your satisfactory academic progress (SAP) before your aid for your next semester can be disbursed.

As overseas transcripts can be delayed, the Financial Aid Office may ensure timely disbursement of your next semester’s aid (after your overseas program) by performing an initial SAP evaluation based on the worst-case scenario of your failing all your overseas courses.  Once your official overseas transcript is transmitted to the USC Office of Degree Progress, we can re-evaluate your SAP eligibility and lift the probationary status as applicable.

To prevent any delay in the submission of your transcript, please make sure you have paid any outstanding charges you may owe the overseas institution.