Enrollment/Registration
Course Registration Requirement
Students may attend a course only if they are officially registered in the course and appear on the instructor’s course roster.
It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw officially from a registered course and maintain an accurate student enrollment record.
Audited Courses
Students who wish to audit a course at USC must register for the course on Web Registration and select the Audit grade option. A course taken for Audit (V) will be assessed at the current tuition rate. A course taken for Audit (V) will not receive credit and will not appear on the USC transcript or grade report. A course taken for audit is not included in enrollment for purposes of receiving financial aid.
USC allows students to select the Audit grade option for any course up until the 20 percent mark of the session in which the course is offered. For the specific deadline to select the Audit grade option of a course, click the Calendar icon next to the course in the Courses Offered section on the Schedule of Classes.
Under no circumstances will the university allow a petition to request to change the registration status of a course from a letter grade or credit to Audit (V) or vice versa after the grade option deadline.
Cancellation of Enrollment
Students must use Web Registration to cancel or drop all enrolled classes. Contact the Registrar One Stop Center via ask.usc.edu and click “email us” to report any errors. All withdrawals must be requested, received and processed by the 20 percent mark of the course session. All Web Registration changes must be completed by 11:59 pm PST on their respective deadline. Students will receive a Web Registration confirmation email for all successful transactions. Students can consult the Registration Calendar for the deadline to drop/withdraw classes.
Students requesting a cancellation must contact Housing Services and submit a separate application.
Financial Aid recipients who intend to withdraw from all classes, should refer to the Withdrawal Implications for Recipients of Financial Aid in the USC Catalogue.
Enrollment Status
Enrollment status is assigned by the Registrar’s office based upon several criteria that include number of registered units, exceptional courses, graduate assistantships and the class level of the program that the student is pursuing, e.g., undergraduate, master’s or doctoral. “Exceptional courses” are those courses that have been determined to fulfill full-time enrollment status, regardless of the number of registered units. These courses include 594 Master’s Thesis, 794 Doctoral Dissertation, GRSC 800 Studies for the Qualifying Examination as well as other courses and programs as determined by the Registrar. Only students pursuing a degree or university certificate program will be assigned an enrollment status. Auditors and visitors (limited standing) will not have an enrollment status assigned to them, regardless of the number of units or types of courses for which they have registered. Units taken for audit do not apply to enrollment status. Undergraduate students are considered full-time when enrolled for 12 or more units and half-time when enrolled for 6 or more units.
Master’s students are considered full-time when enrolled for 8 or more units or registered in an exceptional course or enrolled in the minimum units required as a graduate assistant. Master’s students are considered half-time when enrolled for at least 4 units or enrolled in half the minimum units required as a graduate assistant.
Doctoral students are considered full-time when enrolled in 6 or more units or registered in an exceptional course and half-time when enrolled in 3 or more units. Verification of student enrollment status is provided by the Office of Academic Records and Registrar.
Limited Status Enrollment
Limited status enrollment allows persons who have not been admitted to the university to take a limited number of courses at USC. For more information, visit ask.usc.edu.
Eligibility for Limited Status Enrollment
Students who have not yet completed a bachelor’s degree are not eligible for limited status enrollment if they have been denied admission to USC or if they have been academically disqualified or suspended from any community college, college or university.
At the post-baccalaureate level, limited status enrollment is not available to students who have been denied admission to the department offering the course unless prior approval is granted by the department and appropriate dean.
International Students
Limited status enrollment does not fulfill requirements for issuing a student visa. International students (students studying or wishing to study in the United States on a non-immigrant visa) must have the approval of the Office of International Services (Royal Street Structure, Suite 101) and must demonstrate English language proficiency before registering for classes.
Restrictions on Limited Status Enrollment
A pre-baccalaureate limited status student may not register for more than 16 units; a post-baccalaureate limited status student may not register for more than 12 units.
Exceptions to this policy will be considered by the Office of Admission for USC employees and for post-baccalaureate students who submit a disclaimer of intent to pursue a USC degree.
Prior approval of the department offering the course is required for all limited status enrollment. If a limited status student is subsequently admitted to regular standing, no more than 16 undergraduate units or the first 12 graduate units taken through limited status enrollment can be applied toward a degree. Individual exceptions must be approved by the dean of the degree conferring units.
Pre-baccalaureate limited status students must settle their tuition and fees on the same day they register for classes or their enrollment will be cancelled by the Registrar One Stop Center. This policy does not apply to USC staff and faculty.
Limited Status Enrollment Eligibility for Non-immigrant Visa Holders
1. B-1 and B-2 status holders are not eligible for Limited Status enrollment at USC.
2. F-1 status applicants who are on another institution’s I-20 are eligible for Limited Status enrollment if they will concurrently enroll at the I-20 school and USC. A letter from the international office at the I-20 school verifying enrollment will be required when submitting your Limited Status application. F-1 status applicants who are currently not maintaining immigration status/or will not be enrolled at the I-20 school are not eligible for Limited Status enrollment at USC.
3. Individuals on other visa categories such as A, E, H, J, etc. and TN are eligible for Limited Status enrollment if maintaining status on that visa category. A copy of the passport and I-94 card will be required when submitting the Limited Status application.
Extra Units
A normal academic load is 16 units per semester for undergraduate students, 8 units (500-level) for graduate students. The university recommends that undergraduates register for no more than 18 units and graduates for no more than 16 units. Permission to enroll in more than 20 units requires written approval from the student’s home department.
Final Transcripts
Official transcripts with the degree awarded and the diploma date included will be available for order within eight weeks after the end of the term. Advance orders for final transcripts may be placed with the National Student Clearinghouse. For more information, refer to the Transcript Department website. Transcripts are not released to students with collection or loan activity restrictions.
Guaranteeing a Space in a Class
Registration in a class does not by itself guarantee a space in that class. An instructor may replace any student who without prior consent does not attend these class sessions:
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(a) the first two class sessions,
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(b) the first class session of the semester for once-a-week
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International Students
International students must check in online with the Office of International Services (OIS) upon arrival for Immigration Status Verification (ISV). Students must be registered full-time during the academic year to maintain legal immigration status. Full-time status is defined as enrollment in the following units per semester: 12 units for undergraduates, 8 units for master’s students and 6 units for doctoral students. Students must consult with an academic or departmental adviser before registering for classes. Please visit the OIS website at ois.usc.edu for more information about programs and services for international students.
Joint Educational Project (JEP)
Established in 1972, the USC Joint Educational Project (a.k.a “JEP”) is one of the oldest and largest service-learning programs in the United States. In collaboration with nearby schools, non-profit organizations, healthcare facilities and other community partners, JEP develops service-learning opportunities for USC students that address community-defined needs, complement course work, and encourage critical reflection on contemporary social issues. “JEP” following a section number indicates it is possible the professor will offer JEP as a course option. A current list of participating courses is available here.
Pass/No Pass Option
Students may enroll for courses with the Pass/No Pass grade option on Web Registration. USC allows students to decide the grade option for any course up until the 20 percent mark of the session in which the course is offered. For the specific deadline to change the grade option of a course, click the Calendar icon next to the course in the Courses Offered section on the Schedule of Classes.
As of fall 2015, students who register for a course on a Pass/No Pass basis may request to change the grade option to letter grade 45 percent into the session in which the course is offered. For the specific deadline to change the grade option of a course, click the Calendar icon next to the course in the Courses Offered section on the Schedule of Classes.
Certain undergraduate courses (e.g., courses offered by the WRIT department) must be taken for letter grade. Graduate students must receive departmental approval to enroll in a graduate course on a Pass/No Pass basis. Refer to the Pass/No Pass Graded Work section in the USC Catalogue for details on degree credit restrictions on courses taken on a pass/no pass basis. Students should consult an academic adviser before enrolling in any course on a Pass/No Pass basis.
Registration in Graduate-level Courses by Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students will not be allowed to enroll in a graduate course unless they receive prior approval to (1) reserve the course for a possible graduate degree or (2) count the course for undergraduate credit or (3) audit the course. Students must present official proof of such approval to the Registrar One Stop Center at the time of enrollment. See the USC Catalogue to find instructions on how to make the request.
Religious Holidays
Some registration-related deadlines may coincide with religious holidays. If observation of a religious holiday makes it difficult or impossible for you to meet a specific deadline, you will be given consideration for an extension if you contact the Registrar One Stop Center, before the holiday occurs.
Note: This does not apply to payment deadlines.
Right to Cancel or Change a Course
The university reserves the right to withdraw or change the hours of any course listed in the Schedule of Classes. Classes may be rescheduled or cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances or low enrollment.
Students enrolled in a cancelled class are responsible for withdrawing the course from their program via Web Registration or sending an email to the Registrar One Stop Center via ask.usc.edu.
STARS Report
The STudent Academic Record System report (STARS) provides a comprehensive evaluation of students’ academic progress toward degree completion of their specified program of study. This report contains all applicable USC course work and accepted transfer work and included requirements such as time limit, continuous enrollment and summative experience. STARS reports are made available as students approach graduation. Students may access their STARS reports at myUSC.