University of South Carolina Admissions 2022: Requirements, Fee Details & FAQs ,Columbia,USA

One of the leading public research universities of Columbia, the University of South Carolina (UofSC), has been rightly placed in the top-tier universities for research and community engagement by the Carnegie Foundation. Its teaching staff and faculty members have won many accolades on several occasions for their academic proficiency and teaching qualities, such as the prestigious Munro Undergraduate Teaching Award. Students at the University of South Carolina bagged 10 Fulbright Scholarship Awards in the AY 2019-20. With a student-to-faculty ration of 17:1, students get the best academic and research experience at this public university.

Courses Offered

What all courses are available to international students?

Over 300 undergraduate programs and 250 graduate programs are taught at this university. Students can choose from over 83 areas of study when it comes to bachelor’s programs, while they can choose from more than 79 majors for master’s education.

Eligibility & Documents Required

What are the eligibility requirements?

International students applying as freshmen undergraduate must have graduated from high school or hold a degree equivalent to the high school diploma in the US. Other academic requirements include SAT or ACT as per course requirements. Applicants that do not belong from an English-speaking nation need to submit any one of these English proficiency test scores:

English Proficiency Test	Minimum Expected Score
TOEFL (Paper-Based)	550
TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based)	77
IELTS	6.5
PTE	53
SAT EBRW	560
ACT English	22

 

To apply for the master’s programs, students need to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college which should be equivalent to a US bachelor’s degree. Also, they must submit their GMAT and GRE test scores. The English language proficiency requirements for international applicants are stated below:

English Proficiency Test	Minimum Expected Score
TOEFL (Paper-Based)	570
TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based)	80
PTE Academic	53
IELTS	6.5

What all documents are needed for application?

International applicants need to submit a course-by-course evaluation with GPA from a NACES approved company. An admissions decision will not be made until the evaluation and all transcripts are on file. If the transcripts and documents are not in the English language, a student should submit certified translated copies along with the originals. Other documents required at the time of admission are (as per course requirements):

• Exam scores
• English proficiency scores
• Letters of Recommendation (LORs)
• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Application essay
• Research statement/proposal
• Resume/CV
• Portfolio or other supplementary documents
• Copy of passport and photographs
• Documents stating financial background

Application & Tuition Fees

Is there any application fees?

For undergraduate programs, the university charges a non-refundable application fee of YSD 100. Graduate applicants need to pay application fee as per the course chosen by them. Generally, most of the graduate programs have an application fee of USD 50, which is non-refundable.

What is the fee structure of courses offered by the university?

International students pay the same tuition as non-residents of South Carolina. Estimated college expenses at the University of South Carolina for the 2021-22 year are shown below:

 

 

Note: The tuition fee tends to change with every year, and some additional charges might also be included in it. Also, the tuition fee can vary from program to program. Therefore, it is recommended that the students visit the university website for exact details.

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Is there any scholarship or financial aid available for international students?

The University of South Carolina does not provide need-based scholarships to international students currently. Merit-based scholarships are given only to freshman applicants who secure admission in the Fall intake. Apart from the Provost Scholars Award that can be awarded along with other merit-based scholarships, students will receive only one scholarship from a list of scholarships for which they are eligible. Some of these scholarships are given below:

Scholarship Name	Eligibility	Benefits
Provost Scholars Award	National Merit Finalists who have listed the University of South Carolina as their first choice via the National Merit Corporation.   National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholars as per the names given by the National Hispanic Recognition Program.	Up to USD 6,000 + waiver in tuition fees every year
Alumni Scholars Award	International students with an average GPA of 4.67 and average SAT and ACT scores of 1567 and 35, respectively	Up to USD 8,000 + waiver in tuition fees every year
Academic Scholar Elite Award	International students with GPA scores of 4.57 and scores of 1549 and 35 in SAT and ACT, respectively, are awarded this scholarship	Up to USD 4,000 + waiver in tuition fees every year
Academic Scholar Excellence Award	An average GPA of 4.48 and scores of at least 1486 and 34 in SAT and ACT, respectively, are required to be eligible for this scholarship	Up to USD 2,000 + waiver in tuition fees every year.

 

Graduate students can fund their expenses via assistantships that may offer tuition supplements, a monthly salary, and resident tuition. However, these assistantships usually allow students to cover only a part of their total expenses. Also, once students commence their academic curriculum, they can contact their respective departments to get the details of fellowships, grants, and research funding. Apart from this, both undergraduate and graduate students can apply for departmental scholarships. Every school/college employs an independent application procedure to grant such scholarships.

Admission Process

When do the admissions start?

International freshman applicants should submit their applications at least nine months before the start of a session they wish to join. The deadlines for international freshman students are:

Intake	Application Deadline	Document Deadline
Spring	Early November	Early December
Fall	Early February	Mid-November for South Carolina Honors College

 

Each graduate program has separate deadlines, however, most of the programs follow these deadlines:

Intake	Application Deadline
Spring	Early November
Summer	Early April
Fall	Early April

What is the UG application process?

There are three ways you can apply for admission to the University of South Carolina:

• UofSC Application
• Coalition Application
• Common Application

You should choose the application that you are most comfortable submitting. There is no advantage in the admission process to using one application or the other. However, do remember that only one application will be considered so do not submit multiple applications through different portal as this may lead to rejection of your application altogether.

What is the PG application process?

International graduate applicants need to use the general graduate school application with a few exceptions.

Application Portal	Programs
General Graduate School Application	Most graduate programs
Darla Moore School of Business Application	All business graduate programs
Arnold School of Public Health Special Application	Major public health graduate programs
ApplyWeb Application	College of Engineering and Computing programs for Spring and Summer
Separate application portals	Professional degree programs such as: Doctor of Jurisprudence Doctor of Medicine Doctor of Pharmacy

When will I hear from the university after I submit my application?

Both UG and PG applicants can expect a response from the university within 60 days from the date on which they submitted their application.

Student Diversity & Preferred Profile

What are the chances to get into this university?

The chances of getting admission to the University of South Carolina depend on students’ academic grades and English proficiency scores.  The acceptance rate is 69%, which means out of 100, only 69 applications are selected every year. This also signifies that the university is quite selective in its approach while approving international applications. Around 50% of the international UG students who get admission to the university have a SAT score ranging from 1180 to 1370 and an ACT score in the range of 25 to 31.

Professional MBA Fall 2020 Class Profile
Average age	32
Average professional experience	9 years
Average GPA	3.2
Average GRE (combined)	307
Average GMAT	621

Source: University of South Carolina

 

PhD in Business Admitted Students Profile Fall 2017
Applicants for Fall 2017	101
Students entering Fall 2017	6
Average GMAT	670
Average GRE	Verbal: 156 Quant: 159
Undergraduate GPA	3.8
Graduate GPA	3.8
Average Age	31
Average work experience	47 months

Source: University of South Carolina

How many Indian/international students are studying at the university?

Over 100 countries are represented by the international student body at the University of South Carolina. About 15 percent of the graduate student population and nearly 30% of the doctoral candidates are international students. A majority of the international population hail from East Asia (55%), followed by South Asia (16%), North Africa/Middle East (13%), Europe (6%), Americas(6%), and the rest of world. Among them, the top five contributing countries include China, India, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Bangladesh.

 

 

Part Time Work While Studying

Can I work while studying here?

International students can work up to 20 hours every week during their academic year and up to 40 hours per week during holidays. Students with a J-1 Visa need to secure permission from the International Student Services (ISS) before they start working on-campus. Students must also have a valid Social Security Number (SSN) when taking up jobs. If they do not have a SSN, they will need to obtain an employee verification letter from their respective departments. Students are recommended to track their working hours. If they fail to comply with the working hour restriction, their J-1 or F-1 immigration status will be terminated immediately.

 

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate students can seek assistantship opportunities inside the campus by assisting staff, research fellows, teachers, and instructors. They will receive a stipend for this. They will need to connect with their respective departments to know more about these assistantships.

Campuses & Accommodation

How many colleges and campuses does the university have?

The University of South Carolina has eight campuses. The main campus is the USC Columbia campus that houses over 33,000 graduate and undergraduate students. Apart from this, Aiken, Upstate, and Beaufort are also among its noteworthy campuses. The remaining four campuses belong to the Palmetto College and are located in Sumter, Union, Salkehatchie, and Lancaster. The university has 16 schools and colleges.

College of Arts and Science	The Graduate School
Darla Moore School of Business	College of Nursing
College of Education	School of Music
College of Engineering and Computing	School of Medicine, Greenville
South Carolina Honors College	School of Medicine, Columbia
College of Social Work	School of Law
Arnold School of Public Health	College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management
College of Pharmacy	College of Informatics and Communications

Is on-campus housing available?

Freshmen students are mandated to live in university housing. However, graduate and transfer students may choose to live inside the campus or elsewhere. Students can opt to stay in one of the many residence halls available for student accommodation.

Accommodation Type	Residential Hall	Annual Rent (in USD)
Apartment Style Rooms	Rutledge, South Squad, Thornwell, Woodrow, 820 Henderson St., Bates West, Campus Village, DeSaussure, East Squad, Green Squad, Harper/Elliott, and Greene Crossing	7,390–1,1376
Affiliated Apartment Style Rooms	Park Place, Pinckney/Legare, 650 Lincoln, YOUnion	7,752–1,2210
Traditional rooms	South Tower, Bates House	5,940–7,390
Four-Person Suites	Capstone, Columbia Hall	6,868
Suit-style rooms	Patterson Hall, Preston Residential College, Campus Village, Honors Residence, Maxcy, Women’s Squad	6,868–9,410

Source: University of South Carolina

 

Living Expenses

The estimated food, books and supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses for international students living on-campus and off-campus are mentioned below:

Expense Type	On-Campus/Year (in USD)	Off-Campus/Year (in USD)
Books and supplies	1,250	1,250
Food	4,061	3,043
Transportation	3,335	3,335
Miscellaneous	2,118	2,118

Source: University of South Carolina

University Contact Information

Whom should I contact in case of any doubts?

In case of doubts, students can contact the university at:

Address: Columbia, SC 29208, United States

Telephone:+1-803-777-0169

E-mail: admissions-ugrad@sc.edu/gradapp@mailbox.sc.edu

Website: sc.edu/