Continuing Students
Summer Financial Aid
A limited amount of financial aid is available for the summer session. To qualify, you must meet all general financial aid eligibility requirements, as well as the conditions described on this page. Some academic departments also offer financial assistance for summer enrollment. Contact your department directly for more information.
Applying for Summer Financial Aid
To qualify, you must:
Meet all general financial aid eligibility requirements.
Be enrolled in classes at least half-time to receive most loans and/or grants. (Federal Work-Study, however, does not require enrollment in classes.)
Adhere to the following deadlines:
Apply at least four (4) weeks before the start of your earliest summer class.
Allow up to three (3) weeks to process a .
To apply for summer Work-Study, you must submit the Summer Work-Study Application by March 31.
Early application allows us to determine your eligibility for loans before the end of the summer session Drop/Add period.
Summer Loans
The following loan programs may be available to eligible students who enroll for the USC summer session at least half-time (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 units enrolled) and follow the application instructions below.
Document submission instructions can be found here. Your summer loan application will be reflected online in the "Document Status" section of your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) page.
If your loan is based on your plans to enroll in two (2) summer sessions:
Please be aware that your loan could be canceled if you do not complete both sessions and your total enrollment drops to less than half-time for the entire summer.
Federal Direct Subsidized and/or Unsubsidized Loans
- Submit a completed online to the Financial Aid Office.
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
- Submit a completed online to the Financial Aid Office.
- Visit studentaid.gov to submit a Grad PLUS Loan Request.
Private Loans
Available to all students.
Submit a complete online to the Financial Aid Office.
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 and the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS 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.
Visit Private Financing for more information.
Summer Federal Work-Study
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 2022 semester;
Meet all general eligibility requirements for financial aid, including Satisfactory Academic Progress;
Demonstrate financial need for both the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years;
Are on-time applicants for 2022-2023 financial aid; and
Submit a Summer Federal Work-Study Application by March 31. You will be required to log in with your USC NetID.
Private Loans
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.
Receiving Your Funds
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 earliest summer class. Loans will be disbursed after you start classes.
Potential Delay of Disbursements Due to Monitoring of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Financial aid may not be disbursed to a student's account until SAP has been evaluated. The Financial Aid Office cannot complete the SAP evaluation until prior semester grades have been officially posted by the Office of Academic Records and Registrar. Therefore, an otherwise eligible student may experience a delayed financial aid disbursement if grades are not made official before the beginning of the subsequent semester. 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 you have applied for financial aid and need to defer your billing balance until financial aid funds become available, please contact the Financial Aid Office. Please visit the Student Financial Services website for information about settlement of your student account.
