Town and Gown of USC is proud to offer approximately 190 merit-based scholarships totaling $2,100,000 to deserving current undergraduate and graduate students in 2024.

Scholarships of up to $15,000 are awarded annually and are for tuition only. Qualified applicants must meet all eligibility requirements listed below. Please note an interview is a prerequisite for scholarship consideration.

Town and Gown of USC Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

Scholarships are for tuition only. Please review the eligibility requirements before completing an application. Applicants are required to:

  • Demonstrate academic strengths, leadership, and community involvement.
  • Be a citizen of the United States.
  • Be a permanent resident of Southern California (area defined from the Kern County border to the California/Mexico border).
  • Be unrelated to any member of Town and Gown of USC who is currently actively involved in the selection and funding of scholarships at the time of the scholarship application.
  • Not be a current member of Town and Gown of USC.
  • Not be receiving tuition remission, i.e., a Trustee Scholarship (full-tuition), Presidential Scholarship (half-tuition), or any other combination of scholarships totaling 50% of tuition.
  • Be a full-time student. Undergraduate students must complete 12 to 18 units per semester and achieve degree completion within 4 years, unless in a 5-year program such as Architecture. Graduate students must complete 8 or more units per semester in a Master’s program and 6 or more units per semester in a Doctoral program and be considered full-time by the graduate program. Students working on dissertations do not qualify for scholarships.
  • To maintain the scholarship, Town and Gown of USC scholars must be full-time students as defined by their program and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Additional requirements apply and are detailed in the scholarship contract.

Categories of Applicants

Current Undergraduate Students: Current USC undergraduate student applicants and transfer students who have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.4 are eligible for a scholarship. Leadership, community involvement, and activities are considered in the award process.

Incoming Graduate Students: Students applying for Graduate School who have a GPA of 3.4 or higher are eligible for a scholarship. Leadership, community involvement, and activities are considered in the award process. The applicant must meet all Town and Gown of USC Scholarship eligibility requirements.

Current Graduate Students: Current USC graduate students who have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.4 are eligible. Leadership, community involvement, and activities are considered in the award process.

How do I determine if I am a Permanent Resident of Southern California?

If you are an undergraduate student, you must have graduated from a Southern California high school or equivalent.

Students who have completed 4 years as an undergraduate student at USC also qualify.

If you are a graduate student age 24 or younger, we require one of the following: 4 years of residency documented by a southern California high school diploma or equivalent, 4 years of undergraduate study at USC or another accredited institution in southern California.

If you are a graduate student age 25 or older, we require one of the following: 5 years of residency documented by a degree, diploma, or professional certificate from an accredited institution in southern California; undergraduate degree from USC; military service or employer verification within the southern California boundaries.

Applications for the 2024-2025 academic year will be accepted between
August 1, 2023 and December 1, 2023.

Successful candidates will be notified of their scholarship by June 1, 2024.

Questions: Direct any questions regarding the Town and Gown of USC scholarship process not answered above to: scholarship@townandgownofusc.org.