How to Apply to Life Sciences and Pre-Health Study at the University of Southern California: Biological Sciences, Human Biology and Neuroscience in Dornsife, Apply With a First-Choice Major by 1 November for Merit Scholarships, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The University of Southern California (USC) is in Los Angeles. Its life-science undergraduate programs are mainly in the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences: Biological Sciences (BA and BS), Human Biology (BA and BS), Neuroscience, Biochemistry and others. USC’s undergraduate nursing, if any, and programs in the Keck School were not covered here: the Keck School website’s home page returned 403, and we made no further requests, so that part of USC’s information is missing; please check USC directly. Below, using USC’s website, are the key points for fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. USC’s degree catalogue (catalogue.usc.edu) is hosted by a third party and was not accessed, so degree requirements here come only from Dornsife’s published four-year course plans.

1. Relevant undergraduate majors

• Biological Sciences (BA and BS): Dornsife says the Biological Sciences major is interdepartmental and spans four new life-sciences departments: Human and Evolutionary Biology, Marine and Environmental Biology, Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, and Neurobiology (formerly sections within Biological Sciences). There are four areas of emphasis: Biotechnology (jointly with Chemistry), Ecology, Evolution and Environment, Marine Biology, and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology.
• Human Biology (BA and BS): offered through Human and Evolutionary Biology. Graduates are expected to understand and interpret the human organism, and courses examine humans through anatomy, physiology, metabolism, neurobiology, genetics and behavior; the section lists study-abroad and high-level research opportunities and offers minors.
• Neuroscience: Dornsife says Human and Evolutionary Biology and Neurobiology each offer their own undergraduate majors, in human biology and neuroscience; the undergraduate Neuroscience program says its majors cover molecular, cellular, systems, behavioral, cognitive and computational neuroscience, preparing students for entry-level employment or graduate study in neuroscience or health-related professions. The course plans list Neuroscience BA and BS and Computational Neuroscience BS.
• Other related majors: the Dornsife list also includes Biochemistry, Biophysics, Quantitative Biology, Environmental Science and Health, and Health and Human Sciences (course plans exist for Biochemistry BS and Environmental Science and Health BA/BS). The Biological Sciences page also lists a BS in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and a BS in Human Development and Aging as related programs administered by other USC units. Biomedical engineering is in the engineering school and is only mentioned here.
• Minors and progressive degrees: Biology and Business, Marine Biology, Natural Science, and minors in Human and Evolutionary Biology; eligible undergraduates may follow approved progressive master’s pathways in the biological sciences.
• Undergraduate nursing is not listed on the pages we read. Whether any of these majors is designated STEM, or whether a BS/MD program exists, is not stated on the pages we read.

2. How admission works: apply with a first-choice major

• USC says it expects to admit Early Decision applicants to their first-choice major, and transfer applicants must name a first-choice major and may also list a second-choice major or Undecided/Exploratory. Its “What we look for” page says it pays careful attention to preparation for the intended major. Dornsife says its majors can be applied to through the Common App.
• Conditions to enter a major: the Dornsife pages we read state no GPA threshold, required course grade or cap for moving into Biological Sciences, Neuroscience or similar majors; not stated (the catalogue was not accessed). Contact Dornsife advising. First-year Dornsife students are advised by First-Year Advisors; transfer and continuing students by cluster-based case teams (a model introduced in spring 2026), and each student must meet an advisor at least once a semester.
• Degree types: Biological Sciences has both BA and BS options; the course plans show more upper-division Biological Sciences elective slots in the BS than in the BA (section 3). Other differences between the BA and BS are not stated on the pages we read.

3. Degree requirements (per Dornsife’s four-year course plans)

• Common elements (both BA and BS plans): Foreign Language I–III, General Education (GE) courses, WRIT 150, a GESM seminar, WRIT 340; Biology core BISC 120L or 121L, BISC 220L or 221L, BISC 320L (fall only), BISC 330L and BISC 325 (fall only); Chemistry CHEM 105aL/bL or 115aL/bL plus organic chemistry CHEM 322aL/bL; Physics PHYS 135aL/bL or 151L/152L; MATH 125; statistics (MATH 208x, QBIO 305 or QBIO 310); one unit of BISC 193 (fall only) or BISC 194/199 (spring only); 128 units in total. The plans say they are based on the 2026-2027 USC Catalogue and may vary with transfer credit, Dornsife units and pre-professional goals.
• BA versus BS (as shown in the plans): the BA plan has 2 upper-division Biological Sciences elective slots; the BS plan has 5, two of them marked “w/Lab” and one of which can be BISC 490 (directed research). The BA plan has more free electives. Exact requirements are in the catalogue, which we did not access.
• Neuroscience BS: the plan includes PSYC 100L, BISC 220L or 221L, BISC 421, BISC 407/408 (spring only), BISC/NEUR 199, one statistics course (BUAD 310, ECON 317, HP 340L, PSYC 274L, QBIO 305/310 or MATH 208x/307/407), upper-division NEUR courses (one with a lab), and the same chemistry and physics; 128 units.
• Freshman Science Honors Program (FSHP): exceptionally well-qualified freshmen take enriched BISC 121Lg and CHEM 115aLg in the first semester, with smaller classes, special lectures and field trips; some students are invited before accepting admission and others apply at orientation.
• Biological Sciences honors: for students already pursuing the BA or BS; it requires a 3.5 science and math GPA, two semesters of BISC 493x, one of BISC 494x and BISC 490x directed research (4 units), with an honors notation on the transcript.
• Research: BISC 290 and 490 allow faculty-supervised research for credit; each of the four Biological Sciences departments has undergraduate research information, and USC and Dornsife list further funded programs.

4. The pre-med path

• The USC pages we read give no description of pre-health advising, recommended courses, committee letters or medical-school acceptance statistics; not stated. Check USC’s pre-health advising page. The course plans only say plans may vary with “pre-professional goals” and urge students to confirm with their academic advisor.
• The Biological Sciences honors page lists an annual award for the outstanding graduating senior pursuing a health-sciences career; this is an award, not a pre-med requirement.
• Limits on international students applying to U.S. medical schools, separate pre-health advice for international students, and any combined BS/MD program are not stated on the pages we read.

5. High-school preparation

• Admission says students are expected to have a grade of C or better in at least three years of high-school mathematics, including Advanced Algebra (Algebra II). Outside mathematics no curriculum is prescribed, though admitted students typically take the most rigorous program available in English, science, social studies, foreign language and the arts, and careful attention is paid to preparation for the intended major.
• Specific high-school science courses for biology majors, and math or chemistry placement exams, are not stated on the pages we read.
• AP / IB / A-Level credit: not stated on the pages we read; check the USC Registrar. For admission, USC says it typically expects the full IB Diploma with scores of 5–7 on HL and SL exams and predicted grades; for A-Levels, predicted grades of at least a B in at least three exams, with no subject requirements.
• First- and second-year sequences are in section 3; BISC 320L and 325 run in the fall only, BISC 193 in the fall and BISC 194/199 in the spring.

6. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Early Decision (binding): due 1 November; applicants are notified of admission or an option to defer to Regular Decision by mid-December; ED applicants are considered for USC merit scholarships. Early Action (non-binding, non-restrictive): due 1 November, notification in late January, also considered for merit scholarships. Regular Decision (most majors): due 10 January, decisions by 1 April. Performing-arts majors have a separate 1 December deadline that does not apply to the majors in this guide. The pages print no year, so confirm they are for fall 2027.
• Merit scholarship deadline: USC says to be considered for merit scholarships you should apply by 1 November (1 December for dance, dramatic arts and music), so the 10 January Regular Decision deadline for most majors is not within the scholarship deadline.
• Materials: the Common Application; the application fee (the amount is not stated on the pages we read, but a fee waiver can be requested through the Common App); official transcripts; one letter from your counselor or a teacher; a portfolio, résumé or writing samples only for majors that require them; fall grades through the Mid-Year Report. USC does not conduct admission interviews and does not track demonstrated interest.
• Testing: testing stays optional for 2027-28 entry. If submitted, official scores must come from the testing agency (self-reporting is not accepted); the highest section scores across sittings are recorded; not submitting does not put you at a disadvantage, and home-schooled applicants are also test-optional though externally graded work is helpful.
• Aid application: FAFSA and CSS Profile; deadlines are 1 November 2026 (ED), 15 November 2026 (EA) and 3 February 2027 (RD); California residents’ Cal Grant deadline is 2 March 2027.

7. U.S. applicants

• In-state versus out-of-state tuition: USC says tuition is the same for in-state and out-of-state residents.
• Costs (2026-27 estimate): on campus, tuition $75,384, fees $1,952, housing $13,510, food $8,442, books $670, transportation $1,188 and personal expenses $2,016, for a total of $103,162, plus a $450 new-student fee in the first semester; off campus totals $102,792 and living with parents or relatives $94,630. In the 2025-26 notes USC adds that budgets for some majors may be higher because of special laboratory or studio fees; specific fees for biology or health majors are not stated.
• Admission and aid: USC is need-blind for domestic applicants, and nearly two-thirds of undergraduates receive some financial aid. Merit scholarships range from a few thousand dollars up to full tuition; last year over 1,000 admitted students received $10,000 or more a year, and National Merit Finalists who list USC first receive a $20,000-a-year scholarship. About 10% of the 2026 entering first-year class received a merit scholarship.

8. International applicants

• Who counts as international: anyone who will enter or has entered the United States on a visa, including non-immigrant statuses such as E2, H2 or L2; DACA and undocumented students are not international students. International applicants follow the same steps as other first-year or transfer applicants.
• Academic documents: official records from every school must be sent directly from the schools or testing agencies, with a certified English translation if not in English, plus external exam results or predictions (GCSE/IGCSE, predicted IB or A-Levels, Indian board exams, ATAR and so on). Secondary records should cover the equivalent of U.S. grades 9 to 12, and you should hold or be on track to hold the equivalent of a U.S. high-school diploma before enrolling. USC does not contract with or use educational agents.
• English: all international applicants whose native language is not English must submit a USC-approved English exam, and USC grants no waivers or exceptions. Recommended minimums: TOEFL taken before 21 January 2026, 100 with at least 20 in each section; TOEFL taken on or after 21 January 2026, 5 with at least 4 in each section; IELTS 7; Cambridge C1 Advanced 185 (169 on each skill); SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 650; ACT English 27. USC says the average TOEFL iBT for admitted students is above 111 with 25 or higher in each section, and applicants below the minimums are admissible at reduced rates. If you cannot sit for these, the Duolingo English Test minimum is 130, and students admitted on Duolingo alone must take the USC American Language Institute’s International Student Exam on arrival. USC does not accept TOEFL ITP Plus for China. Duolingo, InitialView and Vericant interviews are optional, non-evaluative supplements. Official scores are due within two weeks of the application deadline.
• Testing: international applicants need not submit the SAT or ACT; those wishing to use SAT EBRW or ACT English as proof of English must submit it with the application.
• Proof of funds: international applicants must document the ability and intent to pay the full cost of attendance for at least the first academic year, verified by a bank and dated within the past year (the page also says documents must be dated August 2026 or later), uploaded within two weeks of the application deadline. Tax returns, employment or salary statements, pending or provisional loans and property valuations are not typically accepted; the acceptable documents listed include organizational sponsors (government, corporation and so on) and approved education loans (in-principle loans are not accepted).
• Aid and scholarships: USC does not offer need-based financial aid to international applicants. International applicants who apply by the deadline are eligible for merit scholarships with no minimum requirement, but no scholarship covers the full cost, so they cannot be used to prove ability to pay.
• Limits on international students in nursing or clinical placements are not stated on the pages we read.

9. Applicants from China

• What USC says about the Chinese curriculum: on its academic-expectations page, the China entry says successful students in the Chinese National Curriculum achieve high marks, primarily 90+ out of 100 and 135+ out of 150, and that students in an international curriculum should refer to the IB or A-Level expectations. The page does not use the word Gaokao; how the Gaokao is used is not stated, so contact the admission office.
• Transcripts and translation: USC gives no China-specific rule. The general rule for all international applicants on its academic-expectations page is that transcripts and secondary-school records are submitted by the school through the Common App, in the original language with a certified English translation if not in English.
• English and testing: English scores are required with no waiver (see section 8); USC does not accept TOEFL ITP Plus for China; SAT/ACT is optional.
• Credential evaluation services and school-leaving exam records are not addressed separately on the pages we read.

10. Transfer

• Deadlines: 15 February 2027 for all majors except certain performing-arts programs (1 December 2026); notification: an admission decision or a request for spring grades by the end of May, with decisions after spring grades by mid-July; the need-based aid priority date is 2 March 2027. Extensions are considered case by case.
• Expectations: successful transfer applicants present at least one year of rigorous, full-time coursework by the end of spring with strong grades, typically 14–16 units a term; a C or better in Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II in high school (or Intermediate Algebra in college); the equivalent of USC’s Writing 130 for California community college students; satisfactory progress toward General Education; and any lower-division courses required or recommended by the intended major, which USC says is especially important for science, engineering, architecture and business applicants (the “Additional Coursework by Major” page was not read, so specific biology or neuroscience courses are not stated here).
• Credit: USC accepts sophomore and junior transfers and sets no minimum number of units, but applicants with fewer than 30 transferable semester units by the end of spring are judged largely on their high-school record and test scores if submitted. Official transcripts from all colleges attended are required, and omissions can be treated as an academic-integrity violation. Up to 24 semester units may be taken Pass/No Pass; remedial courses do not transfer. How specific courses transfer is not stated on the pages we read.
• Materials: Common App, official high-school and all college transcripts, recommendation letters only if the major requests them; non-native English speakers who are international must submit an English test (TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge, PTE Academic or qualifying SAT/ACT) earned within two years of applying. Testing is optional for 2027-28.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• ED or EA by 1 November (also the merit scholarship deadline for most majors), RD by 10 January; testing optional; one counselor or teacher letter
• FAFSA and CSS Profile; tuition is the same in-state and out-of-state

International applicants (including China):

• English test required with no waiver: new-scale TOEFL minimum 5 (4 in each section), IELTS 7, Duolingo 130 (plus an arrival exam); TOEFL ITP Plus is not accepted for China
• Upload funds proof within two weeks of the deadline; no need-based aid; confirm with admissions how the Gaokao is used

Transfer students:

• 15 February 2027 deadline; at least one year of full-time coursework; check lower-division courses required for science majors

Sources: University of Southern California, First-year students; International students; Academic expectations for international students; What we look for; Test-optional FAQ; Transfer students; Scholarships; Cost of attendance; Dornsife majors and minors; Biological Sciences programs of study; Four new life sciences departments; Human and Evolutionary Biology undergraduate programs; Undergraduate Neuroscience program; Biological Sciences honors; Biological Sciences undergraduate research; Dornsife academic advising; Advising FAQs; Sample four-year course plans; Biological Sciences BS course plan; Biological Sciences BA course plan; Neuroscience BS course plan. Most application pages print no year, so confirm dates are for fall 2027 entry; costs are 2026-27. Check USC’s website for the latest.