Fall 2025, another talented applicant pool.
Once again, we were blown away by the sheer talent, passion, and success of our Fall 2025 applicant pool. The USC Viterbi School of Engineering attracts outstanding students from across the world, and we are truly honored by your interest in joining our program. It was another year of fierce competition. While we wish we could admit every single qualified applicant, the reality is that our spaces are limited and we greatly appreciated the time, effort and heart each of you put into your application.
Receiving Bad News From USC
First, be sure you read through the entire “Frequently Asked Questions” document you were supplied with in your admission decision. It details a bit more context and next steps you can take to move forward. I am confident you have been admitted to a great number of universities and you will likely do great no matter where you attend. Carefully evaluate all your admission offers to determine which university is the best fit for you. Be sure to follow each college’s unique process to confirm your attendance and secure your spot for the fall semester.
Additionally, you are always welcome to appeal our admission decision as the instructions lay out in the FAQ. However, please follow the instructions explicitly laid out in the FAQ otherwise the university may not be able to consider your appeal. Be sure to note the timeline for the appeal review process as appeal decisions at USC often come later than the national decision deadline (May 1). It’s wise to formally commit to another university where you’ve been accepted by that deadline. You can always change your plans if your appeal is successful at USC.
Finally, if you believe USC is the right place for you, we are happy to help you set up a plan to apply as a transfer applicant for a future term. Transferring into USC is always available. In fact, our admission rate for transfer students has traditionally been around 20%.
Transferring is not as complicated as you may think!
Visit the Viterbi Transfer Admission page to become familiarized with the process and get that much closer to becoming a student at USC. You can enroll at a community college, take the appropriate courses, and apply for Fall 2026. One year is all it traditionally takes.
Here is a glimpse of what is required to transfer to Engineering or Computer Science at USC:
- Enroll in Calculus, Lab Based Sciences (or programming for CS Majors), The USC Writing requirement equivalent, and a few GE equivalents.
- Check out our Transfer Planning Guides and/or Articulation Histories with other colleges around the country and determine where you will attend for the fall semester.
- Perform strongly (A’s and B’s) in all of your classes.
- Apply as a transfer student for Fall 2026 by February 15th, 2026.
If this route is something that you are interested in, please make sure you review the Viterbi Admission Transfer page for help with creating a strong course plan. Additionally you can complete the form in your admission decision portal to sign up for additional transfer counseling in the coming months.
