We welcome students from around the world to pursue a PharmD at USC Mann. At USC, you will receive exceptional training that you can use to benefit your home country or wherever you ultimately decide to practice.

International Application and Eligibility Requirements

You must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent prior to entrance into the USC PharmD program. Your pre-pharmacy courses must be completed by the end of the spring term of your entering year.

We recommend that these prerequisites be completed at a four-year college/university in the U.S. Biochemistry must be completed at a four-year college/university at the upper-division level.

We use the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) to allow you to complete one application to submit to multiple schools. We don’t require a separate USC supplemental application.

On the PharmCAS application, write your name exactly as it appears on your passport. If the name on your academic record is different from your passport, enter the name from your academic record in the “Alternate Name” section. You must provide a permanent, physical mailing address (not a post office box).

As an international applicant, you’ll need to provide official copies of your academic records—translated into English if necessary—from all colleges and universities attended.

  • Have all your academic records sent directly from your school (whenever possible) to PharmCAS, along with an official World Education Services evaluation.
  • If you have not completed your bachelor’s degree when you apply, submit an International Education Research Foundation evaluation directly to USC as soon as you complete your degree.
  • Submit TOEFL scores directly to USC when applying through PharmCAS. 
  • If you completed a study-abroad program, submit transcripts from that coursework only if the courses are listed with letter grades.
  • Submit any additional documents as requested by PharmCAS and/or USC Mann. Sending USC the official course descriptions of your university courses may speed up our evaluation of your application.

International students must submit TOEFL scores directly to USC when applying through PharmCAS. This requirement is only waived for applicants who completed all 4 years of your Bachelor’s degree when English is both the only official language of the country and the language of instruction. For more information, please visit USC Graduate School’s English Proficiency page. 

If you are not a native English speaker, we recommended that you take a communication course in the United States in either interpersonal communication or public speaking. The USC International Academy offers programming to help international students succeed at the university.

The U.S. government requires all international students to provide proof of ability to pay tuition and living expenses for the first academic year of study as determined by the USC Financial Aid Office. If you are admitted to our program, you will receive a letter of admission from the USC Office of Graduate Admission. Follow the instructions in that letter to submit your financial documents.

The estimated cost of attendance is based on average expenses for a full-time graduate student (taking 15–18 units per semester) who is living in university housing.

Cost of Attendance

If you have dependents who will apply for F-2/J-2 visas, you must be able to provide an additional $7,200/year for your spouse and $3,600/year for each child.

Unless you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you cannot qualify for need-based financial aid. You may be eligible for merit scholarships within the school.

As an international student, you may apply for private financing if you have a co-borrower who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident. Your loans must be repaid with interest. These loans are unsecured educational loans made by private financial institutions such as banks or credit unions.

Please note: You will not be able to pay for the full amount of your educational expenses by working while you are in the United States.