Outgoing Students | USC Marshall

Outgoing Students | USC Marshall
Outgoing Exchange Program
Current Students
International Programs
International Exchange Program
Outgoing Students
Spring 2027 applications NOW Open
due NOON April 24, 2026
Spring 2027 Information Session/FAQ Session
Recording Link
Spring 2026 Information Session I
Recording Link
Spring 2026 Information Session II
Recording Link
Student Reviews can be found here:
Student Reviews
Fall 2025 Information Session (Recording
HERE
A semester exchange program for Marshall, Leventhal, CSBA, and Business of Innovation (IYA-Marshall) majors to complete business electives abroad
Marshall Students Studying Abroad
Imagine studying about the rapidly growing Chinese market in Hong Kong, or about fashion marketing in Milan, Italy. The Marshall School of Business Undergraduate International Exchange Program (IEP) allows students to realize this vision. These are the only study abroad programs in which business students can receive full-business credit for their coursework.
As an exchange student, you have the opportunity to study at one of 36 of the world’s top business programs in some of the most dynamic cities on the planet. Whether Seoul or Singapore, Melbourne or Budapest, Paris or Manchester, the IEP program is an unparalleled academic experience and personal growth opportunity.
Unlike conventional study abroad programs, students in the exchange programs become fully-integrated into the culture and lifestyle of the host institution, taking classes with local students, eating at local restaurants, and conversing with local people. In addition to providing students with new perspectives and views on business trends and theories, this also allows business students to be able to have a study-abroad experience without interrupting their studies or delaying their graduation.
What are the Requirements?
The program is open to Marshall, Leventhal, CSBA (Viterbi-Marshall Joint Program), and Business of Innovation (IYA-Marshall joint program) majors only. Marshall and Leventhal minors and IRGB majors are not eligible to apply. All applicants must have the following:
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
You must have completed the following courses prior to
departure
ECON 351 Microeconomics for Business
BUAD- 280 and 281 or 305 (410 for CSBA) Accounting
BUAD-304 Leading Organizations
BUAD-306/308 Business Finance
BUAD-307 Marketing Fundamentals
BUAD-310/312 Applied Business Statistics
ECON 352 is HIGHLY recommended. Students at our partner schools have a very strong ECON background, and classes expect more than a passing knowledge of ECON. The classes are not required but encouraged in order to ensure USC Marshall students a better chance of success in the classes.
There is
no foreign language proficiency requirement
to participate in the International Exchange Program. All of our partner programs offer courses in English.
Please note:
Meeting the basic requirements does not guarantee that you will be admitted to the program as space is limited, and the program is competitive. However, in the past few years over 95% of persons applying to IEP who met these requirements have been admitted to the program.
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Partner Schools
Partner Schools
The program is literally an exchange, therefore openings to all sites are contingent upon the partner school sending students to USC. Some sites may not be available during certain semesters.
Australia
Melbourne
University of Melbourne
Sydney
University of Sydney
Austria
Vienna
Vienna University of Economics and Business
Belgium
Brussels
ICHEC
(Spring Only)
China
Beijing
Peking University
Shanghai
Fudan University
Denmark
Copenhagen
Copenhagen Business School
England
Manchester
University of Manchester, Manchester Business School
Finland
Helsinki
Aalto University School of Economics
France
Paris
HEC School of Management
ESCP
Germany
Vallendar
WHU, Otto Beisheim School of Management
Hong Kong
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
University of Hong Kong
Hungary
Budapest
Corvinus University of Budapest
Israel
Herzliya
Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya
(Spring Only)
Italy
Milan
Universitá Commerciale Luigi Bocconi
Netherlands
Rotterdam
Rotterdam School of Management
(Spring Only)
Portugal
Lisbon
Universidade Nova de Lisboa
(Spring Only)
Singapore
National University of Singapore
Singapore Management University
South Korea
Seoul
Korea University Business School
Seoul National University Business School
Spain
Barcelona:
ESADE Business School
Madrid
Universadad de Carlos III
IE Business School
Pamplona
University of Navarra
Switzerland
St. Gallen
University of St. Gallen
Taiwan
Taipei
National Taiwan University
Thailand
Bangkok
Thammasat University
Chulalongkorn University
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Student Reviews and Experiences
Student Feedback Forms
(Reviews organized by University)
Student Blogs
(Blogs organized by location)
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What courses do I take abroad?
The Marshall International Exchange Program is the ONLY semester abroad program which allows student participants to complete business coursework while abroad which can be applied towards their business major requirements.
Once you have been accepted to the International Exchange Program (IEP), you will select your classes from a wide array of business elective courses offered by your host program. We encourage students to take advantage of the strengths of their host institution and enroll in courses that are both interesting as well as unique.
Depending on whether you are pursuing the General Business Administration (BUAD) degree, or one of the Business Emphases (Business Communication, Business Analytics, Finance, Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, or Leadership and Innovation), the courses and number of credits you are able to bring back from abroad towards your business degree will differ.  The Real Estate Finance and the Risk Management emphases currently cannot be taken abroad.  Students wishing to apply any credits towards a minor or 2nd major must contact that department to see if they can be applied towards those requirements.
All students must take a minimum of 12 USC credits while abroad.
Students Pursuing a Business (BUAD) Degree
Students pursuing the Business Administration (BUAD) degree are able to complete 12 units of upper division business elective coursework, and 3-4 general elective units at your host school (students wishing to apply any credits towards a minor or 2nd major must contact that department to see if they can be applied towards those requirements). Depending on the program, you will need to successfully complete between 4 – 8 business courses. With the exception of a few locations, the maximum number of credits you can obtain abroad is 15 USC credits. The
Grade and Unit Conversion Chart
lists the location maximums.
Students are STRONGLY encouraged to:
Speak with their advisor on the feasibility of studying abroad, as well as helping put a study plan together which includes the semester abroad to ensure they can  graduate in a timely fashion.
Visit the school pages above
Review the course catalogs of our partners to ensure that they offer courses which interest the student
Download this list of courses from the previous year (
Spring 2026
and
Fall 2025
Please note:
these lists are NOT exhaustive and so if a course does not appear on the spreadsheet this does NOT mean the course is not acceptable or not offered, only that it has not been offered the previous semester.
You CAN take business electives and non-business electives for credit:
Students are able to satisfy the 12-unit upper division business
electives
requirement through IEP.
Students are also able to enroll in a limited number of
non-business courses
, including language, history, international relations, etc. at a number of our partner institutions.
You CANNOT take core business classes, GE, writing, and diversity classes for credit:
Students
CANNOT
satisfy business CORE classes while abroad (BUAD 304, 306, 307, etc.) nor are they able to satisfy foundational courses (ECON 351, 352, MATH 118, etc), nor General Education, Writing or Diversity classes.
Once students have been admitted to the program and assigned a location, we will work with students on the course selection process, including reviewing and approving all courses, as well as ensuring that students complete sufficient courses and units abroad.
Students Pursuing one of the Emphasis Degree Programs
Students pursuing one of the emphasis programs in Business Communication, Business Analytics, Finance, Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, or Leadership and Innovation are able to apply up to 6 USC credits of coursework towards their emphasis. The courses must be approved by the emphasis program (ie, any Finance classes must be approved by the Finance department) in order to be applied towards the emphasis requirements. The remaining credits (students must take a minimum of 12 USC credits while abroad) may be additional business courses or any other courses offered by our partner.  Coursework toward the  Real Estate Finance emphasis or Risk Management emphasis currently cannot be taken abroad.
Students are STRONGLY encouraged to:
Speak with their advisor on the feasibility of studying abroad, as well as helping put a study plan together which includes the semester abroad to ensure they can  graduate in a timely fashion.
Visit the school pages above
Review the course catalogs of our partners to ensure that they offer courses which interest the student
Download this list of courses from the previous year (
Spring 2026
and
Fall 2025
) to see examples of the types of courses offered at each location, including approved emphasis coursework.
Review the emphasis chart (be aware the chart only lists programs which offer coursework in a specific emphases, and does NOT guarantee that student will be able to enroll in specific courses while abroad)
here
Please note:
these lists are NOT exhaustive and so if a course does not appear on the spreadsheet this does NOT mean the course is not acceptable or not offered, only that it has not been offered the previous semester.
You CAN take business emphasis courses, business courses and non-business electives for credit:
Students are able to satisfy up to 6 credits of coursework towards their specific emphasis (courses must be approved).
Students may enroll in additional business courses while abroad to help diversify their business education.
Students are also able to enroll in a limited number of
non-business courses
, including language, history, international relations, etc. at a number of our partner institutions (students wishing to apply any credits towards a minor or 2nd major must contact that department to see if they can be applied towards those requirements).
You CANNOT take core business classes, GE, writing, and diversity classes for credit:
Students
CANNOT
satisfy business CORE classes while abroad (BUAD 304, 306, 307, etc.) nor are they able to satisfy foundational courses (ECON 351, 352, MATH 118, etc), nor General Education, Writing or Diversity classes.
Students Pursuing Accounting-Finance or Accounting Degree
Students pursuing a degree in Accounting or the Accounting-Finance degree maybe able apply credits of coursework towards the Accounting or Accounting-Finance degrees. Students are NOT able to satisfy specific degree requirements (such as ACCT 370 or FBE 421) but may be able to meet accounting or finance elective credit as some of the exchange locations.  The courses must be approved by the Accounting program  in order to be applied towards either degree. The remaining credits (students must take a minimum of 12 USC credits while abroad) may be additional business courses or any other courses offered by our partner.
Students are STRONGLY encouraged to:
Speak with their Accounting advisor on the feasibility of studying abroad, as well as helping put a study plan together which includes the semester abroad to ensure they can  graduate in a timely fashion.
Visit the school pages above
Review the course catalogs of our partners to ensure that they offer courses which interest the student
Download this list of courses from the previous year (
Spring 2026
and
Fall 2025
) to see examples of the types of courses offered at each location, including approved finance coursework as well as the currently approved Accounting coursework abroad (
Approved Accounting Electives
).
Please note:
these lists are NOT exhaustive and so if a course does not appear on the spreadsheet this does NOT mean the course is not acceptable or not offered, only that it has not been offered the previous semester.
You CAN take business emphasis courses, business courses and non-business electives for credit:
Students are able to satisfy up to 4 credits of coursework towards the Accounting or Accounting-Finance degrees (courses must be approved).
Students may enroll in additional business courses while abroad to help diversify their business education.
Students are also able to enroll in a limited number of
non-business courses
, including language, history, international relations, etc. at a number of our partner institutions (students wishing to apply any credits towards a minor or 2nd major must contact that department to see if they can be applied towards those requirements).
You CANNOT take core business classes, GE, writing, and diversity classes for credit:
Students
CANNOT
satisfy business CORE classes while abroad (BUAD 304, 306, 307, etc.) nor are they able to satisfy foundational courses (ECON 351, 352, MATH 118, etc), nor General Education, Writing or Diversity classes.
Once students have been admitted to the program and assigned a location, we will work with students on the course selection process, including reviewing and approving all courses, as well as ensuring that students complete sufficient courses and units abroad.
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Past Approved Courses for each Location
You will be assigned a letter grade for your coursework abroad by the host (foreign) institution. However, the marks will appear as credit/no credit on your USC transcript. The minimum grade for credit is the host equivalent to a USC “C-.” See
Grade and Unit Conversion Chart
Spring 2026 Approved Courses
(Reference Only)
Fall 2025 Approved Courses
(Reference Only)
Approved Accounting Electives
(Reference Only- semester unspecified)
Emphasis School Chart
(listing schools that offer more than 3 courses in any emphasis)
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Program Dates
Program dates vary depending on the host institution:
IEP Program Estimated Dates Fall 2026
IEP Program Estimated Dates Spring 2027
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How much does it cost?
You will pay the standard USC full-time student tuition flat-rate (you will NOT pay tuition at the partner institution).
Financial aid packages (scholarships, grants, etc) still apply
. You can read about Study Abroad and USC Financial Aid at this link:
USC Abroad Financial Aid
USC offers a number of scholarships which may assist with your expenses as part of your studies at USC as well as abroad. You can look through the scholarships at the
USC Scholarship Universe page
. We have also listed some study abroad specific scholarships and databases below.
In addition to the USC flat-rate for tuition, you are responsible for all expenses including, but not limited to:
room and board
books and supplies
meals
airfare
health insurance*
application fees
passport and visa fees
other personal and travel expenses
*You will be automatically enrolled in the
USC Overseas Health Insurance
plan for the semester in which you travel abroad. Students may also be required to purchase the host program health insurance plans, in addition to the
USC Overseas Health Insurance
plan. Neither requirement can be waived.
Estimated costs for each program can be found here:
IEP Program Estimated Costs 2026-2027
. Please remember these costs are estimated, and tend to be at the higher-end of the range provided by students. For example, 1 student may report paying $500 a month for rent, and another $1200. We then budget at $1000, even though cheaper alternatives do exist.
Study Abroad Scholarships
USC Study Abroad Grants
The Study Abroad Grant is open to USC undergraduate students who are participating in study abroad programs offered at USC. The purpose of the grant is to ensure all students have the opportunity to access these programs. In particular, the grant is intended to assist students with additional expenses associated with overseas studies (e.g., vaccinations, plane tickets, passport fees). Students must have completed the financial aid application process and must be admitted to a USC study abroad program for a full semester or year. Recipients may request to receive funding earlier than the university’s normal disbursement schedule to cover upfront costs.
Gold Family Scholarships
Believing that overseas experiences have tremendous impact on personal and intellectual growth, Stan and Ilene Gold established this scholarship for outstanding Trustee scholars seeking to study abroad. Applicants must write an essay describing their chosen study abroad program and how it will benefit their studies at USC (search via USC Scholarship Universe).
NSEP David L. Boren Undergraduate Scholarships
The National Security Education Program (NSEP) David L. Boren Scholarships offer a unique opportunity for U.S. undergraduates to study abroad. NSEP awards scholarships to American students for study of world regions critical to U.S. interests (including Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin American & the Caribbean, and the Middle East). The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded. Interested students should contact USC's
Office of Academic and International Fellowships
Gilman Scholarships
You must be receiving Pell grants to be eligible to apply for a Gilman scholarship. Preference goes to applicants with high financial need, and those applying to study in countries outside Western Europe and Australia. Awards can be as high as $5,000. During the academic year, approximately 25 recipients will be eligible to receive a $3,000 Critical Need Language Supplement for a total possible award of up to $8,000. Critical Need Languages include: Arabic (all dialects), Chinese (all dialects), Korean, and Russian.
Gilman-McCain Scholarship
The U.S. Department of State’s Gilman-McCain Scholarship provides awards of $5,000 for child dependents of active duty service members to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs.  Developed under the framework of the State Department’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, the John McCain International Scholarship for the Children of Military Families (Gilman-McCain Scholarship) is open to eligible students enrolled at accredited U.S. colleges and universities who receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid.
beGirl.world
Awards (2) $2000 scholarships to black-women identified college students who have been accepted to a study abroad program. Visit their website for more information.
BUTEX
: British Universities Transatlantic Exchange Association
BUTEX awards £500 scholarships to students spending a semester or year in the UK. Recipients are selected based on their poster or essay submission.
DiversityAbroad.com
Funding and other information for underrepresented and minority students
French Government Scholarships
Grants supporting undergraduate and graduate study in France.
Freeman – ASIA
Freeman-ASIA accepts applications from U.S. citizens or permanent residents studying at the undergraduate level at a two-year or four-year college or university who demonstrate financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. Check out our
Freeman Asia guide from Rebecca Lang, 2019 award recipient.
Foundation For Global Scholars
FGS empowers globally minded students to gain international understanding and perspective, without regard to financial ability, and to return the investment by making an impact on their local/wider communities.
The Fund for Education Abroad
The Fund for Education abroad prides itself on providing accessible scholarships to students who are traditionally underrepresented. Students of color, first-generation, community college students, and more will be given preference in the application process. FEA also partners with many study abroad organizations, such as CAPA, AIFS, and SIT through their Access Partner Program, to reach students studying abroad through a myriad of organizations.
The Fund for Education Abroad Cyril Taylor Foundation Award
The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) received a gift of $50,000 from The Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation (CTCF) to fund scholarships for American students to study in the United Kingdom. Named the Cyril Taylor Memorial Scholarship and available for programs in the summer of 2020, the 2020 fall semester and the 2020-2021 academic year, the gift will fund multiple scholarships for 2020-2021 and be administered by FEA.
Go Overseas Scholarship
The Go Overseas scholarships are available to students currently enrolled in, or in the process of applying to, study abroad programs. More info can be found on the
Go Overseas Scholarships website
Hostelling International USA Travel Grants
Hostelling International USA (HI-USA) presents an annual Travel Grant in the amount of $1,000 in the greater Los Angeles area to an individual who is just beginning his or her travel experiences in life.
IIE Scholarship Database
Comprehensive study abroad scholarship database.
IEFA.org
Comprehensive college scholarship search and grant listings
Phi Kappa Phi: Study Abroad Grant Competition
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa is pleased to sponsor this Study Abroad Grant competition. The society's Board of Directors encourages qualified undergraduates in all areas of study to apply. Each year, Phi Kappa Phi awards 50 Study Abroad grants of $1,000 each.
Rainbow Scholarship
This scholarship will be awarded to a deserving LGBTQI student who aims to participate in a high-quality, rigorous education abroad program.
StudyAbroad.com
Online database of scholarship opportunities.
Study in Holland
Information on scholarships and grants for study in the Netherlands.
Tripping.com Study Abroad Scholarship
Travel company that has an essay contest; winners awarded with travel scholarships.
Golden Key Scholarships
The Golden Key Scholarship is an education-based scholarship awarded to qualified individuals with outstanding academic, leadership, and service achievements. Each year, the Golden Key International Honor Society offers $1,000,000 of scholarship awards to both undergraduate and graduate students. The objective of this scholarship is to give students the opportunity to develop their professional skills in an international environment.
American Association of University Women Fellowships & Grants
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has a long history of empowering women, not only in the United States, but all over the globe. AAUW is one of the biggest funding sources for graduate women all over the the world, providing more than three million dollars in funding to outstanding women through more than 200 fellowship and grants annually.
Corinne Jeannine Schillings Scholarships
The Corinne Jeannine Schillings Foundation provides both Silver and Gold Scholarships to girl scouts who have a desire to study abroad when they reach university. This “Travel Study” scholarship award is open to girl scouts pursuing any undergraduate area of study, major, or minor courses.
Tortuga Backpacks Study Abroad Scholarship
Tortuga Backpacks provides study abroad funding to students with a desire to take amazing extracurricular trips while studying abroad. This scholarship is awarded biannually to qualified American undergraduate students, as well as students who have a U.S. visa, who are interested in exploring more of the world during their international program.
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Scholarship
To commemorate the centennial anniversary of Coca-Cola, the company established the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, to carry out their mission to provide students with the opportunity to make a difference in the world and experience lifelong enrichment because of their international experiences. Administered by Phi Theta Kappa, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Scholarship is an achievement-based award available to graduating high school seniors in the United States with excellent academic performance and outstanding leadership who have had a significant impact on their local community.
Generation Google Scholarship
While continuing to break down barriers by inspiring and helping students to become the future of the technology industry, Google established the Generation Google scholarship in order to fund study abroad for American and Canadian students who aspire to become
the
best computer scientists of their generation. This award is open to all current high school seniors and university students from Canada and the U.S.
Australia Awards Scholarships
Administered by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australia Awards Scholarship is a long-term development award that provides students from developing countries with the opportunity to undertake full-time study in any participating Australian institution at the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate level.
The NextGen Scholarship
The NextGen Scholarship was created to help international or American students, whether high school seniors or those pursuing undergraduate degrees, complete higher education degree programs in the United States. Every year, one scholar is awarded based on merit and financial need.
Korean Government Scholarship
In order to increase ties and relationships throughout the world, the National Institute for International Education of South Korea offers foreign university students from countries with bilateral cultural agreements with South Korea the opportunity to study abroad in Korea. The Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) aims to support future global leaders by promoting real international education.
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Scholarship
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers a wide range of scholarships for Canadian or American students who want to pursue study or research in Germany. Scholarships are competitive and range from support for short term programs to monthly financial support for the duration of a German degree program.
Spanish Studies Abroad Scholarships
Spanish Studies Abroad provides
Spanish language focused study abroad programs
in multiple Spanish-speaking countries around the world. Their scholarship programs provide financial aid opportunities for undergraduates interested in pursuing international programs in Spain, Argentina, and Cuba. The Spanish Studies Abroad scholarship program offers two types of awards: merit-based and diversity.
Holland Scholarship
Study in Holland promotes international education programs to Dutch students while providing resources and guidance for incoming international students. The Holland Scholarship is provided by Study in Holland and financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science as well as multiple research universities based in the Netherlands. The Holland Scholarship offers funding for non-European Economic Area (EEA) students that wish to study in Holland. Applicants should be in their first year of undergraduate or graduate studies.
Boren Scholarships and Fellowships
The annual scholarships of the National Security Education Program provides fundings to undergraduate students from the U.S. to study less popularly studied, minority world languages. Promoting linguistic and cultural immersion, this award program aims to support students focusing on language studies that are critical to U.S. national security. Boren Scholars can choose to study abroad in their country of choice, excluding nations within Western Europe as well as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In exchange for funding, scholars must commit to working in the federal government for at least a year after graduation.
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Selection Process
In this section, we hope to shed some light on the selection process:
Students submit an
application
the semester prior to the one they wish to go abroad for Fall (a year prior for Spring). The application consists of biographical information, 3 essays, a letter of recommendation, and the student’s resume. As part of the application, each applicant is asked to rank all of the partner locations in order of preference or interest. Each applicant will also undergo a mandatory interview.
The application is
reviewed
by 4 committee members, each of whom provides a numerical score (0-4). Those four scores, combined with the score from the mandatory interview (0-4), and the student’s overall GPA (0-4), are added together, forming the basis for the ranking of the applicants (as you can see GPA is only 1/6th of the total score). The student with the highest overall score is ranked first, and so on. This ranking determines who will be admitted to the program and where they will go. Based on where students are ranked by their application score(s), locations are awarded based on the applicant’s ranking of the exchange locations. For example, the applicant with the highest score will be awarded their first ranked location. The applicant with the second-highest score will be awarded their top-ranked location, if available. If it is not available, then the second ranked location is offered, and so on until all of the locations are filled.
Students not selected will be placed on a
waiting list
, as will all students NOT receiving their first choice. If space does appear in a location, students will be moved “up” the waiting-list based on their overall ranking, as well as where that location appears on their list. In other words, students who have been placed in their 2nd ranked location would NOT be moved to a lower-ranked location.
Students do NOT have to accept any offers extended to them, no matter if it is their first, or last ranked program. Rejecting an offer before the stated acceptance deadline carries with it no penalty, and the student is invited to reapply in the future without any ill-will.
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When Do I Apply?
You should apply to go abroad at the very beginning of the semester BEFORE you wish to study abroad if studying abroad in Fall (those wishing to go abroad in Fall will apply in early Spring). Those wishing to go abroad in Spring will apply in April the year before going abroad.
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How Do I Apply?
1. Submit the online application:
The application process is quite simple, and requires basic biographical information. Be aware you are not applying to a specific “location” or school, you are applying to the International Exchange Program, and based on your ranking of all 36 locations and your application and interview performance, will be allocated to one of those locations (see selection process below.)
2. Upload the required documents:
The application process also requires three short essays,  a letter of recommendation, and your resume. The essays are vital to the application, so be sure to take the time to think about the questions you are answering.
3. Complete an interview by the stated deadline:
You will be notified of the interview instructions after the application deadline.
You will be notified of your acceptance to the program approximately 2-3 weeks after the application due date.
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Spring 2027 Application and Instructions
Application Deadline - Spring 2027 - April 24 (NOON), 2026
The application is completely online, including the submission of transcripts, resume, interview, etc. To complete the application, you will need to upload the following documents (meaning you will need electronic/digital copies before you start the application):
Electronic copy/scan of your passport
(Just the picture page- NOT the entire passport. If you do not have a passport, you should apply for one ASAP- that means TODAY as you will need to start the visa application soon after learning of your admission.)
Electronic Copy of your transcript
which you can order online here
Transcripts
. You should have the transcript e-mailed to your USC e-mail address so that you have a copy to upload. DO NOT send it to the IEP office.
Electronic copy of your Resume-
We only require a resume- no cover letter is required.
Letter of Recommendation
(which MUST be on company/school letterhead/stationary), and can be scanned and uploaded by the applicant  to the application website OR e-mailed directly to the International Programs Office. You do NOT need to submit a recommendation from an academic source (you can have an employer/supervisor submit the letter), but it cannot be a family member, and should be someone whom you have been affiliated with (work, school, volunteer) within the past 2-years and who can speak about your abilities and character.
If your recommender cannot or does not wish to provide you with a copy of the letter, they may e-mail the letter to
uginternational@marshall.usc.edu
. Uploading them as part of your application is the preferred manner. Only 1 letter is required and will be accepted. Letters can be addressed to IEP Selection Committee. Letters are due no later than 5:00 pm April 28, 2026
Essays
As part of the application you need to complete 3 (or 4) essays.  Each essay should be about 1 page in length, no more than 500 words. You will want to write them ahead of time and cut-and-paste them into the application. Spacing and font size are irrelevant.
Please note
: You may use AI to research your essays, but any essays found to have been written by AI will result in penalties for the applicant.
The prompts are:
Essay 1:
Describe why you chose your top ranked host school(s) focusing on your academic, professional, and personal goals. You should be as detailed as possible. Examples for choosing your top ranked school(s) could be (but not limited to): school culture, coursework abroad, teaching styles, extracurricular opportunities, foreign language courses, networking/career opportunities, etc
Essay 2:
How have you prepared for your program abroad? What makes you an ideal candidate for the program(s) you selected?
Essay 3:
When studying in another country, you can expect to face some frustration, ambiguity and even inconvenience with unfamiliar situations and a new cultural environment. Please describe a recent situation where you were frustrated and faced a result that was different from your expectations. How did you resolve or move towards a productive result for all involved? What strategies might you use to handle challenges and/or problem- solve while studying abroad?
Essay 4 (only for those ranking a school in Spain, Italy or France amongst your top 3 locations):
Please provide any and all demonstrated interest in your host country (Spain, Italy or France) since arriving at USC/entering college.
For example,
hat courses have you taken at USC related to your host country?  What papers or assignments have you done in your USC courses that focused on your host country? Have you studied the host country’s language at USC? You have an interest in fashion of Italy or Paris, tell us what you have done to further that interest?
Interview
You will need to also complete a mandatory interview.  You will be e-mailed instructions on completing an online interview on April 24 and they will need to be completed by 9 am April 28.
Please note: There will be a
MANDATORY
Orientation for all applicants held on May 1st 4-6 pm (Pacific time) in Hoffman Hall Edison Auditorium (basement of HOH). Please be sure to make the proper arrangements to attend (in person).
Click Here to access the Terra Dotta site/application
If you have any questions not answered in the information above, please contact the Undergraduate International Exchange Program via email at
uginternational@marshall.usc.edu
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