USC Scholarships for Students

By: Amy Argueta ‘24 (Guest Blogger)

It’s no secret that college is expensive, especially USC. There are a million things that you have to budget from tuition to housing to food. Worrying about money can be daunting and it's hard to participate in the fun activities that USC has to offer such as studying abroad if you can’t afford it. Luckily, USC offers a number of scholarships that students can apply for and I compiled a list of a few of them with their requirements and where to find more information. These scholarships cover not just tuition, but a wide variety of costs from study abroad trips to unpaid internships so you can make the most out of USC without stressing over money.

USC Alumni Scholarships

• USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association Scholarship 

• USC Latino Alumni Association Scholarship 

• USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association Scholarship 

• USC Black Alumni Association Scholarship 

USC’s Alumni Association offers a number of scholarships for students from different demographics. Each of these associations funds multiple scholarships for which undergraduate and graduate students can apply to. Applicants must be full-time students with at least a 3.0 GPA. If awarded, students must also meet requirements such as volunteer service hours to the association to which you applied for the scholarship. 

Dornsife Scholarships 

• USC Dornsife Continuing Student Scholarship

  • This scholarship is available for continuing USC Dornsife undergraduate students. Through one application students are placed under consideration for a number of scholarships that range from $1000-$5000 in awards. To apply students must have at least a 3.0 GPA and have declared a Dornsife major. USC Dornsife also offers a number of other scholarships for continuing Dornsife undergraduates that each have their own separate application and requirements. 

• USC Dornsife Fisher Fellowship 

  • This scholarship is for first generation undergraduate students to participate more fully in extracurricular activities for their educational and professional enrichment. This scholarship awards students up to $10,000 for activities such as study abroad, research, and internship opportunities. Applicants must be first generation students who have declared a USC Dornsife major, have at least a 3.0 GPA, and financial need. If awarded, students are required to participate in projects that benefit other first generation and underrepresented students. 

Internship Funding

• USC First Generation Scholarship 

  • This scholarship is for first generation students who secured unpaid internships over the summer. The internship must be for at least 6 weeks and the award amount is $2000. 

• USC Dream Dollars Scholarship 

  • This scholarship is for undergraduate students who secured internships at non-profits or governmental organizations. The internship must be for at least 6 weeks and the award amount is $1,500.

Research Scholarships

• Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF)/ Summer Humanities Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SHURE)

  • This SURF scholarship is for Dornsife students who are working on a Dornsife faculty member’s research project in the natural or social sciences. If students are working with a faculty member in the humanities then they can apply to the SHURE scholarship. These scholarships can also be used to fund USC’s Problems Without Passports Program if you're interested in conducting research abroad. The scholarship awards funding of up to $3000 towards expenses related to their research project such as travel and research materials. To apply students must have at least a 3.0 GPA and have declared a major within USC Dornsife. 

• USC Provost’s Undegrad Research Fellowships 

  • This fellowship is for undergraduate students who are pursuing independent research projects. This fellowship awards $1000 during the fall and spring terms and $3000 during the summer term for research projects of at least 10 weeks for 10 hours per week. To apply students should have at least a 3.0 GPA, though at least a 3.5 GPA is preferred, should be enrolled in at least 12 units, and have completed at least 64 units before submitting an application. 

These are just some of the scholarships that USC has to offer and remember to check your specific school’s website for any scholarships that might be available. Also check out USC’s Scholarship Universe, a scholarship portal where you complete a personalized profile and are matched with USC specific and outside scholarships that you might be eligible for. Apply to these scholarships and go make the most out of your USC experience — and you can follow USC Student Life on TikTok and Instagram for more!

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