Life at USC / FAQs

These are answers to some questions that arise once you are ready to come to USC. If you could not get an answer for your question here, please contact us.

What is a good time to arrive at USC?

You can arrive as much as one month before the official start date of college. Arriving early will help you to find an apartment quickly, and if ur lucky, get a on-campus job. Arriving 20 days before the start date is a reasonable time.

How much money(cash) should we bring with us?

You will not need a large amount of "cash" here, so get around 200$. You can get the remaining money as demand draft. It takes around a week to get into your account. Besides the fees, you will need around 1200$ initially for the rent+deposit+misc. expenses. We would recommend keeping another 1000$ extra, just in case of emergencies.

We are a group of 'n' students coming to USC. Can you reserve an apartment for us?

No. Apartment-search is a pretty tedius task, and is not possible for us to do it for everyone. If you know someone personally, you can ask them to book one for you. However, everyone eventually gets a place to stay, so dont worry.

I am new to US. Can you come to pick us up at the airport?

No. Unless you know someone personally, it is not really feasable for AIS to arrange for pickups at the airport.

How do we reach USC from the airport?

There are 2 ways, Taxi and Shuttle(shared mini-vans). Taxis are typically quite expensive (around 50$), so shuttle is the most economical way to come to USC from the airport. There are shuttle stops right outside the gate where you come out from the airport. There are 2 companies running them, Primetime and Super Shuttle, they both are good. They will charge around 15-20$ per person. Shuttles will drop you exactly at the address you tell them.

What if we cannot find temp-accomodation place, or its locked?

Try to contact the person with whom you are supposed to stay. As you will not have cellphone or anything, your best bet is to just go with the other guy in shuttle with you, and then call up people from there.

What do we do after coming to USC?

After you arrive here, you have to:

Register with USC
Find housing
Open Bank Account
Apply for SSN (Social Security Number)
Find on-campus job if you plan to
Register for courses

The Office of International Students (OIS) keeps registration workshops few times every week, so you just need to check a day and register yourself. You will need to take the necessary documents for verification. Details can be found on the OIS website. They will also provide information on how to apply for SSN.

How do I look for an apartment?

Ask everyone you know. Ask the people you are staying with. Look for "Now Leasing" banners in front of the apartments. They usually have a number written, which you can call up.(Do not hesitate to call or leave a message)

What is the rent like?

A studio (1 room, kitchen) costs around 900 per month. A 1 bedroom apartment costs around 1200 and 2 bedroom around 1700 per month. These are approximate prices, it may be higher/lower depending upon the apartment and location. Typically, 3 people stay in a 1 bdrm apartment and 5 in a 2 bdrm apartment. So you rent will something between 375-450 + Utilities (Electricity,Gas,Internet - around 25$ ) per month.

West of campus is considered unsafe. Should I take an apartment there ?

Some areas around USC are unsafe. However, if your apartment is gated and has security system installed, it will not be a problem. Typically, "North" side of campus is considered to be safe. The key is not to walk alone at nights on the streets. USC has campus cruisers that pick you up from wherever you are and drop you wherever you wanna go (eg. Home to Library) at any time (there is no charge for this service).

Is international driving permit valid in California, what is valid in California?

Sadly California does not acknowledge International driving Permit (IDP) as a valid license (here).According the California Department of Motor Vehicle Handbook (here) California recognizes license from a different country until it is valid or you take a job in california or become a resident of california.