International Applicants

In addition to the general admission requirements for the PhD in Social Work program, international students must satisfy additional application requirements. For more information and important guidance on completing your application, please refer to the USC Graduate Admissions website.

International Transcripts

If you completed your previous studies outside the United States, please review our country-specific requirements to determine what is required for you to submit.

Applicants must submit official academic transcripts in their original language, accompanied by an official word-for-word English translation. Please note that all translations must be issued by the institution of study or by a professional translation service to be considered official. USC does not accept credential evaluation reports in lieu of official academic records issued by your institution of study.

English-Language Proficiency Requirements

International applicants who have not completed an undergraduate degree in the United States are required to demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting official scores from a USC-approved English language proficiency exam.

The minimum English language proficiency scores required for admission to the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, as well as instructions for submitting your official test scores, can be found on the USC Graduate Admission English Proficiency webpage.

English-proficiency scores must be dated within 2 years (24 months) of the date you submit your graduate application. USC must receive scores electronically from the testing service for them to be considered official. Photocopies or paper copies of scores are not acceptable.

All admitted PhD applicants are required to complete USC's International Student English (ISE) examination to assess English language proficiency. Applicants who do not achieve the required level of proficiency will be required to enroll in English language courses concurrently with their PhD coursework. Students are responsible for the tuition and fees associated with any required English language courses.

International students who are admitted to the PhD in Social Work program should review the USC Graduate Admissions webpage for important information about the required post-admission steps.