International Student Admission Requirements
International Students who have completed ANY undergraduate coursework in a country other than the US
- Check Your Country Requirements and Submit Official Transcripts
- Applicants must check their country requirements on the Office of Graduate Admissions website and send the required documents
- English Language Proficiency Exam (TOEFL or IELTS) is required
International Students who have completed ALL undergraduate coursework in the US
- Submit Official Transcripts
- Applicants must submit official transcripts from every post-secondary school you have attended, regardless of transfers or whether a degree was earned.
- English Language Proficiency Exam (TOEFL or IELTS) is waived
English Language Proficiency Exams - TOEFL/IELTS
- Students whose native language is not English or students who have completed undergraduate coursework in a country other than the United States are required to submit scores for an English Language Proficiency Exam (TOEFL, including the iBT Special Home Edition, or IELTS, including the IELTS Indicator). Only applications with test scores will be reviewed.
- Deadline: Scores must be submitted no later than March 1.
- USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work requires the following minimum scores:
- TOEFL: Total score of 100, with no less than 20 in each category.
- We accept the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition, which can be taken from the comfort and safety of your home.
- IELTS: Total score of 7 with no less than 6.5 points on each band score.
- We accept the IELTS Indicator, which can be taken from the comfort and safety of your home.
- TOEFL: Total score of 100, with no less than 20 in each category.
- Submission: Scores must be submitted electronically directly from the testing service. USC's institution code is 4852.
- Score Expiration: TOEFL/IELTS tests must be taken within the last 2 years.
- Waiver: International students who have completed ALL undergraduate coursework in the United States, are not required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.
Evidence of Financial Support
- All documents must be sent through the special contact form for the Office of Graduate Admissions.You do not need to mail any documents directly to the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. For more information, refer to the USC Office of Graduate Admissions website: Financial Support for instructions.
All international students are required to take the International Student English (ISE) exam in person after they are admitted.
- There are no waivers for this exam.
- Exam results will determine program length and additional required English courses, which will increase the total cost of the program.
- Students are encouraged to continue to develop their English language and comprehension skills as it is essential for the field placement experience.
Check your specific Country Requirements on the Office of Graduate Admissions website:
- Please note that all translations must be issued by the institution of study or by a professional translation service in order to be considered official. Additionally, USC does not accept credential evaluation reports in lieu of official academic records issued by your institution of study.