How to Apply to Mathematics at the University of Southern California: Dornsife College Mathematics Department, BA and BS Degrees in Mathematics and in Applied and Computational Mathematics, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The undergraduate mathematics programs at the University of Southern California (USC) are offered by the Department of Mathematics in the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. This guide draws on the Office of Admission and the department’s website, with sections for US domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Computer science is not covered here.

One limit first: the department links the BA and BS requirements to the university catalogue (catalogue.usc.edu), a third-party hosted catalogue that this guide did not visit. The unit counts, required courses and major GPA rules for the math degrees were therefore not read; check the department website and the university catalogue.

1. Degrees and tracks

The department’s undergraduate page lists these programs (names only, without descriptions):

• Mathematics BS, Mathematics BA and a Mathematics minor
• Applied and Computational Mathematics BS and BA
• Economics / Mathematics BS (an economics crossover, which this guide does not expand on)
• Minors: Statistics, Mathematical Finance and Mathematical Data Analytics
• Progressive Degree Program (PDP): only the name is listed; the conditions were not read

At the undergraduate level the pages read list only a Statistics minor; the Statistics M.S. is a graduate program and is not covered. The advising page groups students in the mathematics and applied and computational mathematics majors as MATH/AMCM.

2. How admission to the major works

• Choosing a major when applying: Admission says transfer applicants must name a first-choice major and may also be considered for an optional second choice or Undecided/Exploratory status. On the first-year page, Early Decision applicants are expected to be admitted to their first-choice major, and the “what we look for” page says careful attention is paid to preparation for the intended major.
• Whether the Dornsife College or mathematics has its own cutoff: the pages read do not state a separate admission standard for mathematics or Dornsife, or whether places in the math major are limited. Ask the Office of Admission or the department.
• Declaring or moving in after entry: the department says every declared math major and minor is assigned an academic advisor, who helps students who want to declare a math major or minor and those who want to change to a different degree within mathematics. Dornsife freshmen are advised by First-Year Advisors; non-Dornsife freshmen who want to switch into or add a Dornsife major can email fya@dornsife.usc.edu. A grade threshold for declaring math is not stated in the pages read.

3. Prerequisites and placement

• High school math: Admission says students are expected to have earned a C or better in at least three years of high school mathematics, including Advanced Algebra (Algebra II); outside mathematics no specific curriculum is prescribed, though admitted students typically take the most rigorous program available to them. Any extra high school course recommendations from the math department are not stated in the pages read.
• Math Placement Exam: the department says the USC Math Placement Exam covers only precalculus topics, in three assessments: College Algebra (30 questions, 120 minutes), Exponential/Logarithmic Functions (10 questions, 60 minutes) and Trigonometry (10 questions, 60 minutes). To place into Math 125 (Calculus 1), a student needs more than 20 on Algebra, more than 6 on Exponential/Logarithms and more than 6 on Trigonometry; students scoring 0 to 10 on Algebra are encouraged to enroll in Math 040.
• AP: the department says AP Calculus AB (or the AB subscore of BC) with 4 or 5 may substitute for Math 125, opening Math 126, 208, 307 and other courses with that prerequisite. Calculus BC with a 4 may substitute for Math 125 and a 5 for Math 126, opening Math 226, 225, 290 and others. AP Precalculus 4 or 5 may substitute for Math 108. Scores of 0 to 3 should take the placement exam; students who took an AP class but not the exam are treated as not passing and take the placement exam. The page also says Transfer Credit Services awards 4 units of elective credit for AP scores of 4 or 5 but does not update prerequisites automatically, so a form is needed for a prerequisite waiver.
• IB: USC does not consider SL courses for credit or placement. For HL (Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretation), scores of 5 to 7 may substitute for Math 125; scores of 0 to 4 take the placement exam.
• A-level: a B or better may substitute for Math 125, and below a B takes the placement exam (the page applies the same to Singapore H2 exams).
• Honors: an honors math sequence or honors program entry route is not described in the pages read.

4. Rounds, materials and testing

• Rounds: Early Decision (binding) and Early Action (non-binding, non-restrictive) both close 1 November; Regular Decision for most majors closes 10 January. ED applicants hear by mid-December or are deferred to Regular Decision, EA applicants in late January, and Regular Decision applicants by 1 April. ED and EA applicants are considered for USC Merit Scholarships. Most dates on the admission pages show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry.
• Materials: the Common Application; official transcripts of all high school and college work; one letter of recommendation from a school counselor or a teacher at your school (a math teacher is not specified, and some programs require more); fall grades through the Mid-Year Report; and the application affirmations. Any extra materials for mathematics are not stated in the pages read. Admission mentions the Common App essay and USC short answers as part of the application.
• Testing: the international page says USC continues its test-optional policy and first-year applicants for 2027-28 need not send SAT or ACT scores; if sent, they are considered with other academic information. Self-reported scores are not accepted; official scores come from the testing agencies (SAT code 4852, ACT code 0470).
• Interviews and interest: Admission holds no admission interviews and does not track demonstrated interest.
• Application fee: the pages read say only that a fee waiver can be requested through the Profile section of the Common App if the fee is a financial burden; no amount is given, so see the website.
• Math competitions: the admission pages read do not say how competitions are viewed.
• Review: Admission describes a holistic review of academic performance and program rigor within the context of your school, essays, any submitted test scores, and school and community involvement and leadership. For fall 2026 USC received 79,331 first-year applications, admitted 10,006 (12.6%) and enrolled 3,766 (university-wide figures, not mathematics).

5. US domestic applicants

• Cost: USC’s 2026-2027 estimate for a full-time undergraduate (12 to 18 units per semester), two semesters: tuition $75,384, fees $1,952, on-campus housing about $13,510 and food about $8,442, books and supplies $670, transportation $1,188, personal and miscellaneous $2,016, for an on-campus total of $103,162; add a $450 new student fee for the first semester. The page lists a single tuition figure and does not separate in-state from out-of-state.
• Aid: Admission says USC is need-blind for domestic students; nearly two-thirds of undergraduates receive some form of financial aid; and incoming first-year students from US families with annual income of $80,000 or less with typical assets can attend tuition free. Need-based aid requires the FAFSA and CSS Profile by: Early Decision 1 November 2026, Early Action 15 November 2026, Regular Decision 3 February 2027; California residents apply for Cal Grants by 2 March 2027. Details for undocumented and DACA students are on the website.
• Scholarships: USC Merit Scholarships range from a few thousand dollars to full tuition and are based on academic excellence, leadership, service and talent; no separate need-based application is required to be considered. Last year over 1,000 admitted students earned $10,000 a year or more, and National Merit Finalists who list USC as first choice receive $20,000 a year. Mathematics-specific undergraduate scholarships are not described in the pages read; the department’s research page mentions a Dennis Estes Award that supported one student’s research, without eligibility details.
• Home-state preference: not stated in the pages read.

6. International applicants

• Who counts: USC defines an international student as someone who will enter or has entered the US on a visa; students with DACA or undocumented status are not international students. International applicants follow the same steps as other first-year or transfer applicants.
• Records: official records from every secondary school, pre-university program and college, sent directly by the schools or testing agencies, in the original language with a certified English translation if not in English; plus external examination results or predictions (such as GCSE/IGCSE, predicted IB or A-levels, Indian board exams or the Australian ATAR). Secondary records should cover the equivalent of US grades 9 to 12. USC does not use educational agents in recruitment.
• English: required of all international applicants whose native language is not English; the page says no waivers or exceptions are granted. Approved exams and recommended minimums: TOEFL iBT (including Special Home Edition) 100 with at least 20 in each section for exams taken before 21 January 2026, and 5 with at least 4 in each section for exams taken on or after that date; IELTS (or IELTS Indicator) 7; Cambridge C1 Advanced 185 overall with at least 169 on each skill; PTE 68; SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 650; ACT English 27. Applicants who cannot sit one of these may take the Duolingo English Test with a minimum of 130, and those admitted on Duolingo alone must take the International Student Exam at the USC American Language Institute on arrival. The page says the average TOEFL iBT score of admitted students is above 111 with at least 25 in each section, and that applicants with lower scores are admissible at reduced rates. TOEFL ITP Plus is not accepted for China. Scores are due within two weeks of the round’s deadline.
• Funds and aid: USC offers no need-based aid to international applicants. Applicants must submit a Financial Statement of Personal or Family Support showing the ability and intent to pay the full cost of attendance for at least the first year, bank-verified and dated August 2026 or later. Accepted: bank statement, bank letter, organizational sponsor, approved education loans and investment portfolio; typically not accepted: tax documents, mortgages, salary statements, pending loans, property valuations, life insurance and retirement accounts. Upload within two weeks of the deadline.
• Scholarships: international applicants who apply by the deadline are eligible for Merit Scholarships with no minimum requirement; no merit scholarship covers the full cost of attendance, and the page says they cannot be relied on to show ability to pay.

7. Applicants from China

• The Gaokao: the admission pages read do not say how Gaokao scores are used or whether Chinese applicants must submit them. Ask the Office of Admission.
• Transcripts and expectations: the academic expectations page says successful students in the Chinese national curriculum achieve high marks, primarily 90+ out of 100 and 135+ out of 150; students in an international curriculum should see the IB or A-level expectations. For IB, USC typically expects the full Diploma Programme with scores of 5 to 7 on all HL and SL exams; for the British curriculum, I/GCSE results plus predicted results for all A-level subjects, with competitive applicants predicted at least B in three A-levels and no subject requirements. How the Huikao (academic proficiency) record is used is not stated.
• English and documents: see the international section; TOEFL ITP Plus is not accepted for China. Transcripts must be submitted by the school through the Common App, with a certified English translation if not in English.
• Context: China appears among the most represented areas outside the US in the fall 2026 first-year profile.

8. Undergraduate research and support

• The department encourages motivated math majors to seek research, says some faculty offer semester-long projects (some may ask you to take a particular math class first), and points to NSF-supported REU summer programs elsewhere. It lists a USC Math Directed Reading Program.
• Career or graduate-outcome figures: not printed in the pages read; see the department website.

9. Transfer students

• Expectations: Admission says successful transfer applicants show at least one year of rigorous full-time coursework by the end of spring with strong grades, typically 14 to 16 units per term; the minimum math requirement is a C or better in Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II in high school or Intermediate Algebra in college, and “many majors require additional math.” The calculus and linear algebra sequence expected for the math major is not stated in the pages read, and the Dornsife College’s additional transfer requirements are listed by name only, so ask Admission and the department.
• Profile: fall 2026 had 11,508 transfer applications, 3,004 admits (26.1%) and 1,543 enrolled; the average college GPA of admitted transfer students ranged from 3.70 to 3.97 (university-wide).
• Materials: the Common App, final high school transcripts, and official transcripts from every college attended; letters of recommendation are not required unless the intended major requests them. International transfer applicants also need TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge, PTE or a qualifying SAT or ACT score taken within two years of applying.
• Deadlines: 15 February 2027 for most majors (earlier for some performing arts programs); a decision or request for spring grades by the end of May; the financial aid priority date is 2 March 2027.
• Credit transfer: only Transfer Credit Services awards USC units, and the math department works with it using the same standards. Transfer students must complete at least 64 units at USC, including all upper-division units in the major; standardized exam credit is capped at 32 units, of which college courses taken in high school may be at most 16; Intermediate Algebra does not transfer. A prerequisite approved by Transfer Credit Services can be sent to mathinfo@usc.edu for a prerequisite waiver.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Submit the Common App by 1 November (ED/EA) or 10 January (Regular), naming a math-related first-choice major; arrange one recommendation letter and send test scores if you choose to
• If you want need-based aid, submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile by the dates above

International applicants (including China):

• Send English scores (IELTS 7, TOEFL 100 or 5 on the new scale, PTE 68 and others) within two weeks of the deadline; upload the bank-verified financial statement
• Have schools send transcripts with certified English translations; ask Admission how Gaokao results are used

Before and after entry:

• Use AP, IB HL or A-level scores to place into calculus, or sit the Math Placement Exam; contact the department’s advisors to declare the major

Transfer students:

• At least a year of full-time coursework; apply by 15 February 2027; confirm the math prerequisites with the department

Sources: University of Southern California, First-year applicants; International students; Transfer students; What we look for; Academic expectations for international students; Cost and financial aid; Scholarships; Mathematics: undergraduate studies; Mathematics: undergraduate advising; Mathematics: placement and registration FAQs; Mathematics: undergraduate research. Most application dates on the admission pages show no year (the financial aid and transfer dates show 2026 and 2027, and the international page names the 2027-28 academic year for first-year applicants); see USC’s website for the latest and check that they apply to fall 2027 entry. The major requirement lists sit in the university catalogue, which this guide did not read.