University of South Carolina [USC]: Courses, Admissions 2023, Tuition Fee, Scholarships, Placements & Alumni

Q: What GPA is needed for admission to University of South Carolina?

The minimum GPA required to get admission to USC is 4.1out of 5.0 (83-86%). This demonstrates the standard of education of the university.

Q: Is University of South Carolinaa good university?

Yes.University of South Carolina is one of the best research institutes in the world with R1 university status by The Carnegie Foundation for very high research activity. The university has been ranked among the top 750 universities in the world according to various esteemed agencies like QS, THE, U.S. News and World Report among others.

Q: How difficult is it to get into University of South Carolina?

University of South Carolinaexhibits a moderately selective admission policy with an acceptance rate of 62%. Applicants must satisfy all the admission requirements of the university to secure admission to the university.

Veda Burman

Important Updates for University of South Carolina} }

18 June 2026: QS World University Rankings 2027 has been released on 18 June 2026. University of South Carolina is ranked #711-720 among 1,500+ universities. Check out QS World University Rankings 2027 trend analysis

University of South Carolina is a public research university, established in 1801. It is one of the best research universities in the world with ‘R1 university’ status by The Carnegie Foundation for very high research activity. The university operates across 8 campuses in 20 locations, serving 52,000 students from more than 100 countries. International students can choose from over 300 programs at University of South Carolina across various academic levels.

Prospective students need a minimum GPA of 4.1 out of 5.0 scale (83-86%) for admission to University of South Carolina. Students applying to the graduate programs at the university might require a GRE score of 294 or an equivalent GMAT score. International students can estimate to spend between 25,000 to 36,000 USD (20.48 to 29.50 lakhs INR) as tuition fees in University of South Carolina at various academic levels. The university exhibits a high return on investment with graduates reportedly earning an average annual salary of 67,000 USD (54.93 lakhs INR).
Explore: University of South Carolina Student Profiles

University of South Carolina Facts

Table of Contents

USC Rankings
USC Programs
USC Campus
USC Accommodation
USC Application Process
5.1 Graduate Admissions
5.2 Undergraduate Admissions
USC Attendance Cost
6.1 Cost of Living in USA
USC Scholarship
USC Placement
USC Alumni
FAQs

University of South Carolina Rankings

Some of the rankings of University of South Carolina by popular agencies are tabulated below:

Ranking Type	2023 Rank	2022 Rank	2021 Rank	2020 Rank
QS World University Rankings	#701-750	#601-650	#571-580	#561-570
Times Higher Education World University Rankings	#501-600	#401-500	#401-500	#401-500
US News and World Report Global Rankings	#346	#330	#325	#305
ARWU Rankings	-	#401-500	#301-400	#301-400
CWUR	#337	#327	#327	#332

A comparison of some of the University of South Carolina QS Ranking by Subject with a few other top universities in the world is provided in the table below:

Subject	University of South Carolina	Clemson University	Duke University
Computer Science and Information Systems	#501-550	#651-680	#85
Engineering and Technology	#451-500	#451-500	#=133
Mathematics	#451-500	#401-450	#=57
Business and Management Studies	#151-200	#501-550	#52

Check out the detailed comparison between University of South Carolina vs Clemson University

University of South Carolina Programs

University of South Carolina offers 300+ academic programs for all students. Programs at University of South Carolina range from undergraduate up to doctoral level. The university allows students to customize their education through specializations, certificates, accelerated and dual degree programs. The university offers 87 bachelor’s, 85 master’s, 66 doctoral programs along with various certificate, diploma, continuing education and professional programs.

University of South Carolina Campus

University of South Carolina is operated in a system model comprising eight universities with several sub-campuses in different locations with the main campus in Columbia. University of South Carolina Aiken is located on a 453-acre campus at 471 University Parkway, Aiken, South Carolina. University of South Carolina Beaufort has two campuses at the waterfront in Beaufort and Hilton Head Island’s gateway. Others are located in Lancaster, Sumter, Union, etc.

University of South Carolina Campus Facilities

The available facilities on campus includes on-site fitness center, multiple lounge and meeting areas, restaurants, laundry rooms, keycard access, communal kitchens, dining facilities, computer laboratories, resort-style pool with grilling stations and more.

The 8 universities are categorized into 3 categories, namely, Research institution (for research programs), Comprehensive institution (on-campus learning), and Palmetto College Campus (associate and online programs).
Facilities on USC campuses include laboratories, libraries, lecture theatres, sports facilities, halls of residence, event centers, research institutes, hands-on learning workshops, etc.
The university has over 500 student clubs and organizations for students to gain fun experience.

Explore University of South Carolina campus, here:

University of South Carolina Accommodations

University of South Carolina offers both on-campus and off-campus accommodation. All freshmen are required to live on campus. Students can live in the 25 halls of residence. The halls are diverse with some specially designed to meet the needs of a particular group of students.

On Campus Accommodation

During the housing application, students are required to pay a non-refundable application fee of 50 USD and an advanced room payment of 100 USD. Room rent in halls of residence range from 5,800 to 12,210 USD (4.75 to 10.01 lakhs INR) per year. Utility bills, cable and Wi-Fi charges, and content insurance are inclusive.

Off Campus Accommodation

Off-campus accommodations are available close to the campuses. Eligible students (graduate and transfer students) are advised to make use of the university’s “Off-campus Living and Neighborhood Relations” service to find suitable and comfortable accommodation.

University of South Carolina Application Process

University of South Carolina welcomes students from all over the world. Students applying to the undergraduate programs are allowed to apply before completion of their high school with submission of official copies of final transcripts. Here are the details of admission to the undergraduate and graduate programs at University of South Carolina.

University of South Carolina Graduate Admissions

Application Portal	General Graduate School Application
Application Fee	50 USD (4,100 INR)
Academic Requirement	Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university (or international equivalent) \| Official Transcripts
English Proficiency Requirements	TOEFL iBT: 80 \| IELTS overall: 6.5
Standardized Test Score	GRE score: 294 with 154 in verbal and 4.0 in writing \| GMAT score: 650+
LOR	Multiple Letters of Recommendation (Course-specific)

Note: Few postgraduate programs have different application gateway from the general graduate application portal.

University of South Carolina Undergraduate Admissions

Application Portal	University of South Carolina Online Application \| Coalition Application \| Common Application
Application Fee	100 USD (8,200 INR)
Academic Requirement	Official or attested copy of all final transcripts from high school or equivalent
GPA	4.1 out of 5.0 scale (83-86%)
English Proficiency Requirements	TOEFL iBT: 77 \| IELTS: 6.5 \| PTE: 53
Additional Requirements	Credentials evaluated from a NACES approved company

University of South Carolina Tuition Fees

The details of the undergraduate and graduate tuition and fees of University of South Carolina students are provided in the following table:

Expense Type	Annual Cost (USD)	Equivalent Cost for Indians (INR)
Undergraduate Tuition	33,528	27.48 lakhs
Undergraduate Fees	2,454	2.01 lakhs
Graduate Tuition	22,320	18.30 lakhs
Graduate Fees	2,608	2.13 lakhs

Cost of Living in USA

The cost of living for University of South Carolina students are provided in the following table:

Elements	Annual Cost (USD)	Equivalent Cost for Indians (INR)
Books and Supplies	1,312	1.07 lakhs
Room	UG: 8,282	6.79 lakhs
Room	PG: 8,984	7.36 lakhs
Board	UG: 3,846	3.15 lakhs
Board	PG: 3,478	2.85 lakhs
Personal Expenses	3,638	2.98 lakhs
Transportation	2,156	1.76 lakhs
Health Insurance	2,984	2.44 lakhs

Check out the comparison between the cost of living in USA vs India:

University of South Carolina Scholarships

USC offers many general and departmental scholarships, non-institutional to its residents and non-resident students. Scholarships awarded by the University of South Carolina are merit-based and each student is only eligible for one scholarship except for Provost Scholars Award which can be added to other scholarships.

Stamps Scholarship for 20 undergraduate students with excellent academic records from high school with annual worth up to 20,750 USD + tuition reduction + 10,000 USD enrichment fund. The scholarship is renewable up to four years with a full four-year value being up to 176,000 USD.
McNair Scholarship for five excellent academic record undergraduates with a yearly value of 22,000 USD including tuition reduction and 12,000 USD enrichment fund. The scholarship lasts for a duration of four years and renewal is based on the satisfaction of some basic criteria. Total full four-year worth is 183,000 USD.
Horseshoe Scholarship for 20 international undergraduate students with exceptional academic records. The scholarship is worth 11,000 USD annually with tuition fee reduction. It lasts for four years with its' four-years value over 127,000 USD.
The Alumni Scholars Award also awards undergraduate students with outstanding achievements in Academics, Service, Talent, and Leadership. This award is based on the students SAT score and GPA.
In addition to the above-listed scholarships, there are other departmental scholarships and non-institutional scholarships available to students of the school. Students can also apply for other scholarships to study in USA.
Giva's Corporate Student Scholarship and Worldwide Community Ambassador Award for international undergraduate and postgraduate students committed to community development and social responsibility.

University of South Carolina Placements

The career center of the university helps students in writing a resume, preparation for interviews, searching for jobs, etc. They host annual events and job fairs where employers meet with aspirants. Students are offered part-time, full-time job opportunities in USA and internships. The handshake software is used by the students to join the events and find more details, jobs, internships.

Students and alumni are hired by employers on-campus and schedule interview dates to interview them in the Career center interview rooms. On average, University of South Carolina graduates earn an annual salary of 67,000 USD (54.93 lakhs INR). The average salary of University of South Carolina graduates according to their respective professions are as follows:

Profession	Average Annual Salary (USD)	Equivalent Salary for Indians (INR)
Mechanical Engineer	66,900	54.84 lakhs
Project Manager	74,500	61.07 lakhs
Software Engineer	70,600	57.88 lakhs
Financial Analyst	60,600	49.68 lakhs
Data Analyst	66,100	54.19 lakhs
Software Developer	71,500	58.61 lakhs

University of South Carolina Alumni

University of South Carolina has 310,000 living alumni around the globe. Currently, over 20,000 members are associated with University of South Carolina and 45+ active local clubs. The benefits of being an alumnus of the university are as follows:

Professional Network
Career Support
Free access to events

University of South Carolina Notable Alumni

Alumni	Achievements
Ainsley Earhardt	American television host
Lindsey Graham	United States Senator
Leeza Gibbons	American host, presenter and TV producer
Darius Rucker American singer	American singer
Ryan Succop	American football placekicker

University of South Carolina is a center for global research across numerous subject areas. University of South Carolina is one of few public universities recognized as a R1 university for very high research activity, by The Carnegie Foundation and Elective Community Engagement Classification. The university offers 60 nationally ranked academic programs including #1 International Business program for 23 years by U.S. News and World Report. With the strong research activities and student engagement, University of South Carolina can be considered as one of the best places to study in USA.

FAQs

Ques. What GPA is needed for admission to University of South Carolina?

Ans. The minimum GPA required to get admission to USC is 4.1 out of 5.0 (83-86%). This demonstrates the standard of education of the university.

Ques. Is University of South Carolina a good university?

Ans. Yes. University of South Carolina is one of the best research institutes in the world with ‘R1 university’ status by The Carnegie Foundation for very high research activity. The university has been ranked among the top 750 universities in the world according to various esteemed agencies like QS, THE, U.S. News and World Report among others.

Ques. How difficult is it to get into University of South Carolina?

Ans. University of South Carolina exhibits a moderately selective admission policy with an acceptance rate of 62%. Applicants must satisfy all the admission requirements of the university to secure admission to the university.

Ques. How much is the tuition cost at University of South Carolina?

Ans. The tuition fee for the undergraduate programs at University of South Carolina is around 25,000 USD per year (20.50 lakhs INR). Graduate students can expect to spend around 36,000 USD per annum (29.51 lakhs INR) in tuition and fees at University of South Carolina.

Ques. Does University of South Carolina provide accommodation to its students?

Ans. Yes. Students can live on campus with room rates ranging from 5,800 to 12,210 USD (4.75 to 10.01 lakhs INR) per annum.

Ques. How much does University of South Carolina?

Ans. University of South Carolina graduates reportedly earn an average salary of 67,000 USD (54.93 lakhs INR).