USC Viterbi engineering graduate admission for international students runs on two tracks. Master’s applicants can start in fall or spring, do not need the GRE for 2027, and should apply by 15 December 2026 if they want to be considered for a Viterbi merit scholarship (the general fall 2027 deadline is 15 January 2027). PhD applicants start in fall only and must apply by 15 December 2026. The application fee is $120, and it covers up to two Viterbi programmes.
USC Viterbi School of Engineering is No. 21 in the U.S. News 2026 Best Engineering Schools list. It has eight departments in Los Angeles and admits master’s students in both fall and spring. PhD students are funded through fellowships or assistantships, and USC’s minimum PhD stipend is $41,200 a year. Below I go through requirements, English rules, deadlines, costs and the mistakes I see African applicants make most often.
USC Viterbi at a glance
- Rank: No. 21 (not tied), U.S. News 2026 Best Graduate Schools, Best Engineering Schools, released 7 April 2026.
- Intakes: MS in fall and spring; PhD in fall only.
- Application fee: $120, which covers applications to two Viterbi programmes.
- GRE: not required for 2027 master’s applications; required for PhD applicants only in Astronautical Engineering and Industrial and Systems Engineering.
- English tests accepted: TOEFL iBT, IELTS, PTE and Cambridge C1 Advanced. The Viterbi pages do not list Duolingo.
- MS tuition 2026-27: $2,742 per unit, about $74,034 for a 27-unit MS.
- PhD funding: fellowship, assistantship or both; USC’s minimum PhD stipend is $41,200.
USC Viterbi engineering ranking
Viterbi sits at No. 21 on its own in the U.S. News 2026 Best Engineering Schools list, just ahead of the three-way tie at No. 22 between Duke, Harvard and the University of Washington. The rank describes the whole school. For a master’s applicant, the more useful questions are how big your programme is, which companies recruit from it, and whether your course mix fits the jobs you want. For a PhD applicant, the faculty member you work with matters more than any school rank.
USC Viterbi departments and graduate programmes
Viterbi has eight academic departments, each offering MS and PhD study, plus many specialised MS programmes such as engineering management and data science. Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering also sit within the new USC Stevens School of Advanced Computing and Artificial Intelligence.
| Department | Typical graduate options |
|---|---|
| Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering | MS in aerospace or mechanical engineering, PhD |
| Astronautical Engineering | MS, PhD (GRE required for PhD) |
| Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering | MS, PhD |
| Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science | MS in chemical engineering or materials science, PhD |
| Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering | MS, PhD |
| Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science | MS in computer science (several tracks), PhD |
| Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering | MS in electrical or computer engineering, PhD |
| Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering | MS, PhD (GRE required for PhD) |
Many MS programmes are also offered online through DEN@Viterbi. An online degree does not lead to an F-1 visa, so if you want to study in Los Angeles, pick the on-campus version.
USC Viterbi graduate admission requirements
USC has no minimum GPA and does not use a formula. For PhD study, Viterbi expects a four-year bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in engineering, mathematics or a hard science, with evidence of research ability.
| Document | What Viterbi asks for |
|---|---|
| Transcripts | Upload official transcripts from every university you attended (PDF), plus a separate grading scale if there is one; no hard copies until admitted |
| Translations | Original plus a full, word-for-word English translation for records not in English |
| GPA | Report it on your university’s own scale; do not convert to 4.0 |
| Statement of purpose | Submitted in the online application |
| Resume or CV | Required |
| Recommendations | Three for PhD, from faculty who know your research |
| English test | Required unless you qualify for an exemption (below) |
| GRE | Only for PhD in ASTE and ISE (ETS code 4852) |
Viterbi does not ask for a WES or other credential evaluation at the application stage. USC keeps a country requirements page that lists the documents expected from each country, so check the entry for your country before you upload. Unofficial printouts from a student portal are not accepted for PhD applications.
English requirements and waivers
USC sets no university-wide minimum for graduate admission, and Viterbi says every complete application gets a full review whatever the score. The numbers below are the scores that exempt you from USC’s International Student English (ISE) exam after you arrive. Score lower and you may have to sit that exam and take English classes alongside your degree.
| Test | Master’s | PhD |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT (taken on or after 21 Jan 2026) | 4.5, with 4 in each section | 5, with 4 in each section |
| TOEFL iBT (taken before 21 Jan 2026) | 90, with 20 in each section | 100, with 20 in each section |
| IELTS Academic | 6.5, with 6 in each band | 7, with 6 in each band |
| PTE Academic | 61, with 53 in each band | 68, with 53 in each band |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced | 176, with 169 in each skill | 185, with 169 in each skill |
Scores must be within two years and sent electronically by the testing agency, and USC does not superscore. You are exempt if your bachelor’s degree is from a country where English is the only official language and the language of instruction. Countries with more than one official language, such as Kenya (English and Swahili) or Cameroon (English and French), may not meet that wording, so check before you skip the test. USC denies exemption requests sent by applicants themselves, and it does not waive the test for time spent working in English.
USC Viterbi application deadlines 2026-27
| Application | Deadline (11:59 p.m. Pacific time) |
|---|---|
| PhD, fall 2027 (all departments) | 15 December 2026 |
| MS, fall 2027, scholarship consideration | 15 December 2026 |
| MS, fall 2027, general | 15 January 2027 |
| MS, spring 2028 | 15 October 2027 |
| Financial documents after admission, fall | 15 April 2027 |
The spring 2027 MS round closed on 15 October 2026, so the spring date above is for spring 2028 (based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens). The Viterbi FAQ also mentions 15 September for spring in one place, so if you are aiming for spring, apply by the earlier date. You must submit the PhD application by the deadline even if your letters or test scores have not arrived.
Apply by 15 December
Only on-campus MS applicants who apply by 15 December 2026 are considered for Viterbi merit scholarships for fall 2027. Applying in January still gets you a decision, but no scholarship review.
Funding for USC Viterbi PhD and MS students
Viterbi PhD students are supported by a fellowship, a research or teaching assistantship, or both. Fellowships typically pay tuition for up to 12 units, student health and dental insurance, and a stipend paid monthly over 12 months. Assistantships pay a monthly stipend plus tuition, health insurance and fee support. USC’s Graduate School set a minimum total stipend of $41,200 from the 2025-26 year and requires schools to keep PhD students at or above it for the length of their offer letter. Viterbi’s own funding page does not give a dollar figure, so read your offer letter closely.
Named fellowships
- Andrew and Erna Viterbi Graduate Student Fellowship (Viterbi Dean’s Doctoral Fellows): a stipend in years one and two, then a top-up in years three and four while you hold an assistantship.
- USC-CVX UPP PhD Fellowship in Energy Resources: two years of support for energy research, by department nomination.
- Viterbi/Graduate School fellowships: awarded to admitted PhD students.
You do not apply separately. You are considered if your complete application and documents are in by 15 December. The funding page sets no separate nationality rule, and international fellows complete immigration status and tax paperwork after they accept.
Master’s funding reality
Viterbi reserves research and teaching assistantships for PhD students. Master’s students can get merit scholarships, but only on-campus applicants who meet the deadline are considered, and Viterbi does not publish typical amounts. Fall recipients hear by 1 May. Plan to pay for the whole MS yourself and treat any scholarship as a discount. Admitted MS students also pay a non-refundable $1,000 deposit, which goes toward tuition.
USC Viterbi tuition and cost of attendance 2026-27
| Item (27-unit MS, four semesters) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition per unit, 2026-27 | $2,742 |
| Tuition, 27 units | $74,034 |
| Mandatory fees (health centre, transport and others) | about $3,743 |
| Tuition and fees | $77,777 |
| Housing estimate | $1,300 a month ($15,600 a year) |
| Programme total on Viterbi’s sheet (tuition, fees, housing) | $108,977 |
| Health insurance (2025-26 rates) | $1,224 fall, $2,298 spring and summer |
Some MS programmes need more than 27 units, and prerequisite courses add more. Food, books and flights are not in the sheet’s total. For the I-20, the financial documents you submit after admission must cover the programme’s published amount, plus $13,403 for a spouse and $6,701 for each child.
STEM OPT after a USC engineering degree
Engineering and computer science degrees fall under fields on the US Department of Homeland Security’s STEM Designated Degree Program List. F-1 graduates can normally add the 24-month STEM extension to the first 12 months of OPT, giving up to three years of work in the US. The CIP code on your I-20 and an employer enrolled in E-Verify decide the final answer, so confirm with USC’s Office of International Services.
How to contact potential PhD advisers at USC
Viterbi has a faculty and research topic search on its admission site. Use it to find three or four faculty whose recent papers you understand, then write to the one or two who fit you best. Ask a concrete question and attach a one-page CV.
For illustration, an opening could read: “Dear Professor Okafor, I am applying to the USC Civil and Environmental Engineering PhD for fall 2027. My final-year project measured flood levels on three roads in Port Harcourt using low-cost sensors, and your group’s work on urban flood forecasting is the direction I want to take it. Will you be taking new students next year?” The name and project are invented.
Writing the statement of purpose for USC Viterbi
For an MS, the reader wants to know three things: what you already know how to do, which Viterbi courses or labs you will use, and what job you are aiming at. Name the programme and two or three courses by title. If you have work experience, give one specific problem you solved and the numbers behind it. For a PhD, write a short research plan: the question you have worked on, what you did, what you could not solve, and which Viterbi faculty work on the next step. Ask referees who taught or supervised you; our recommendation letter guide shows what a strong academic letter contains.
Common mistakes international applicants make
- Converting the CGPA: USC tells you to report GPA on your university’s own scale. A Nigerian 4.2/5.0 stays 4.2/5.0, with the grading scale uploaded.
- Uploading a portal printout: upload the official transcript scan, with all pages for one university in a single PDF.
- Assuming an English waiver: the waiver depends on English being the only official language of your degree’s country.
- Applying in January and expecting a scholarship: the scholarship round closes on 15 December.
- Three-year degrees at PhD level: Viterbi’s PhD page asks for a four-year bachelor’s or equivalent. If yours is three years, say so and explain any master’s you hold.
- Paying for a third programme without a code: the $120 covers two programmes; a third without a waiver code is charged again.
Costs the offer does not cover
- The $120 application fee and test fees.
- The $1,000 MS enrolment deposit (credited to tuition).
- Visa, SEVIS fee and flights to Los Angeles.
- Food, books and a laptop, which the Viterbi cost sheet leaves out.
- Lab and course fees, which Viterbi fellowships do not pay.
Who should apply to USC Viterbi
USC suits a self-funded master’s student who wants a large menu of courses, a spring intake option and a Los Angeles job market, and it suits PhD applicants with research experience in a group that is hiring. I would think twice if you need full funding for a master’s, since assistantships go to PhD students, or if your degree is three years and you have no master’s, since the PhD asks for four-year preparation.
How USC Viterbi compares with peer engineering schools
| School | U.S. News 2026 engineering rank | Location | Our guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| USC Viterbi | No. 21 | Los Angeles, California | This page |
| UCLA Samueli School of Engineering | No. 14 (tied) | Los Angeles, California | UCLA guide |
| Columbia Engineering | No. 18 (tied) | New York, New York | Columbia guide |
| Duke Pratt School of Engineering | No. 22 (tied) | Durham, North Carolina | Duke guide |
| UW College of Engineering | No. 22 (tied) | Seattle, Washington | UW guide |
For undergraduate entry, see our USC admission guide for international students.
FAQs about USC Viterbi graduate admission
Does USC Viterbi require the GRE for MS?
No. The GRE is not required for 2027 master’s applications. For PhD study it is required only in Astronautical Engineering and Industrial and Systems Engineering.
What is the USC Viterbi deadline for fall 2027?
15 December 2026 for PhD and for MS scholarship consideration. The general MS deadline is 15 January 2027.
What TOEFL score does USC Viterbi need?
There is no university minimum. To skip the English exam on arrival, master’s students need 90 on the old TOEFL scale or 4.5 on the new one, and PhD students 100 or 5, with the section minimums.
How much is a USC Viterbi MS for international students?
Tuition is $2,742 per unit in 2026-27, so a 27-unit MS costs $74,034 in tuition and $77,777 with mandatory fees. Viterbi’s sheet puts tuition, fees and housing at $108,977 for the programme.
Sources and updates
I checked this guide on 29 October 2026 against USC’s own pages: the Viterbi PhD how-to-apply page (deadline, fee, GRE, documents), the Viterbi master’s deadlines page and admission FAQ (MS deadlines, GRE, GPA, scholarships, deposit, financial documents), the USC Graduate Admission English proficiency page, the Viterbi master’s tuition page and 2026-27 cost sheet for 27-unit MS programmes, the Viterbi doctoral funding page, the USC Graduate School minimum stipend memo, and the Viterbi departments list. The rank comes from VnExpress International’s report of the U.S. News 2026 Best Engineering Schools list (April 2026). USC does not publish Viterbi acceptance rates. I will update this page when Viterbi posts 2027-28 tuition.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
