University of South Carolina, Columbia: Fees 2026, Scholarships, Admissions 2026, Rankings & Programs

Popular Courses and Fees at University of South Carolina, Columbia 2027

The University of South Carolina charges non-resident tuition of USD 14,880 per semester for graduate students and USD 19,050 per semester for undergraduates, uniform across most departments. Standard master’s programmes run 2 years (4 semesters) and bachelor’s programmes 4 years (8 semesters), with the Darla Moore School commanding a premium fee for its full-time MBA and specialised business masters.

Top 10 PG Courses at University of South Carolina, Columbia

[Source: University of South Carolina Bursar’s Office; Darla Moore School of Business]

Top 5 UG Courses at University of South Carolina, Columbia

Insider note: Indian applicants overwhelmingly cluster into MS Computer Science, MS Electrical Engineering, and Moore’s International MBA. The IMBA’s international immersion component is a distinctive draw compared with standard US MBA cohorts.

Read More: University of South Carolina Fees and Programs List

University of South Carolina, Columbia Admission 2027

The University of South Carolina operates two international intakes each year (Fall and Spring), with Fall as the primary cycle for Indian applicants. Undergraduate admissions run three published deadlines, while graduate deadlines are set independently by each department.

[Source: University of South Carolina Undergraduate Admissions and Graduate School]

Indian applicants targeting graduate admission should review the individual department page for the MS admissions in USA timeline, since Moore School programmes, Engineering, and Public Health each publish different cutoffs.

Planning note: Indian applicants should begin credential verification with WES 6 to 8 weeks before submitting, since WES ICAP evaluations require original transcripts and mark sheets to be sent directly by the issuing institution.

Read More: University of South Carolina Admissions Guide for Indian Students

University of South Carolina, Columbia Admission Requirements for Indian Applicants 2027

The University of South Carolina requires Indian applicants to demonstrate academic eligibility, English proficiency, and (for most graduate programmes) submit a WES-verified transcript evaluation.

Postgraduate:

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum 55% or CGPA 5.5/10 (recommended); Moore School programmes prefer 65% or CGPA 6.5/10
• TOEFL iBT 4.0 (1-6 scale, for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026) or TOEFL iBT 80 (0-120 legacy scale, for earlier tests); IELTS 6.5; PTE Academic 53; Duolingo 120
• WES ICAP credential evaluation for Indian transcripts
• GMAT or GRE for Moore School MBA and IMBA; GRE optional for most STEM masters

Undergraduate:

• Class 12 (CBSE/ISC/state boards) with a minimum 70% aggregate (recommended); competitive programmes prefer 80% and above
• TOEFL iBT 5.0 (1-6 scale) or TOEFL iBT 77 (legacy scale); IELTS 6.5; PTE 53; Duolingo 115
• SAT and ACT are test-optional for Fall 2027, but proof of English proficiency remains mandatory for Indian applicants

Applicants can review the accepted TOEFL scores for top US universities and the IELTS band requirement for the USA to benchmark their scores before applying.

Key insight: USC accepts three-year Indian bachelor’s degrees for many graduate programmes, but Moore School may require a four-year degree or equivalent NASBA/AACSB-mapped credential; confirm with the specific department before applying.

University of South Carolina, Columbia Acceptance Rate 2027

The University of South Carolina operates a moderately selective admission profile with an estimated 62% (estimated) overall acceptance rate at the undergraduate level, based on publicly available application-to-admit ratios. The university does not publish disaggregated international admit rates.

Moore School’s IMBA and MS Business Analytics run tighter admit rates due to cohort caps; Engineering and Arts and Sciences masters admit at healthier rates. Indian applicants with a WES-verified 3.0 GPA equivalent (~60% or CGPA 6.0/10) and valid English scores typically clear the academic bar.

Reality check: A 62% admit rate looks generous, but Indian applicants still need a differentiated statement of purpose and a WES ICAP-verified transcript; incomplete file submissions are the single largest reason for late-cycle rejections.

Read More: University of South Carolina Reviews and Applicant Insights

University of South Carolina, Columbia Fees and Cost of Living for Indian Students 2027

Indian students at the University of South Carolina should budget a total annual cost of USD 48,000 to 60,000 (INR 45.96 to 57.44 lakh) at the graduate level and USD 55,000 to 65,000 (INR 52.66 to 62.23 lakh) at the undergraduate level, combining non-resident tuition with living costs in Columbia.

University of South Carolina, Columbia Tuition Fees for Indian Students 2027

[Source: University of South Carolina Bursar’s Office 2026-2027]

Monthly Cost of Living in Columbia SC for University of South Carolina, Columbia Students

[Source: Wise Cost of Living Index 2026; Amber Student housing survey 2026]

On-campus housing at USC costs approximately USD 18,064 (INR 17.30 lakh) for the academic year, and international students must carry mandatory health insurance from Fall 2026 onwards regardless of credit-hour load.

Insider note: Off-campus shared apartments within a 2 km radius of the Horseshoe and Greek Village typically run USD 500 to 700 per bed; Five Points and West Columbia are the most rented Indian-student clusters.

Read More: Cost of Living in USA for International Students

University of South Carolina, Columbia Campus, Facilities and Student Life

The main University of South Carolina campus sits on 359 acres in downtown Columbia, walkable from the South Carolina State House and served by a free campus shuttle plus the local Comet bus network.

• Location and transport: Downtown Columbia campus; free shuttles across academic zones; nearest airport is Columbia Metropolitan (CAE), 15 km from campus
• Housing: On-campus residence guaranteed for first-year international undergraduates; graduate students use off-campus rentals in Five Points and West Columbia
• Notable facilities: Thomas Cooper Library (1.6 million volumes), Strom Thurmond Wellness Center, McCausland Center for Brain Imaging
• Indian student community: Indian Students Association hosts Diwali, Holi, and Republic Day events; South Asian Society runs regular language meetups
• Student support: Over 500 registered student organisations and dedicated International Student and Scholar Support services

What Indian students say: Columbia is described as a low-friction, low-cost Southern college town with a tight Indian community; students note that grocery access (Patel Brothers, Indian Grocers) improved significantly after 2023, though winter socialisation slows compared with larger metros.

University of South Carolina, Columbia Scholarships 2027

The University of South Carolina operates a mix of internal awards and departmental assistantships open to Indian applicants; no marquee scholarship targets Indian nationals exclusively, but the International Student Excellence Scholarship and graduate assistantships are the two most accessible funding routes.

[Source: University of South Carolina International Student and Scholar Support; Graduate School Fellowships]

Planning note: The International Student Excellence Scholarship at USD 500 per year is a symbolic award; Indian applicants targeting real fee reduction should apply for graduate assistantships during the admission cycle itself, as post-admission requests are rarely funded.

Read More: MS Universities in USA for Indian Students

University of South Carolina, Columbia Rankings 2027

The University of South Carolina’s strongest ranking is #711-720 in QS World University Rankings 2027, and the Darla Moore School’s Masters in International Business holds #75 globally on the QS Business Masters Rankings 2026, its most differentiated position.

[Source: QS, Times Higher Education, ARWU, Collegedunia Study Abroad]

Collegedunia Study Abroad ranks USC #144 of 357 USA universities, #176 globally for Law, and #257 globally for Engineering in 2026. Subject strengths per ARWU GRAS 2025 include Political Sciences (#36), Hospitality and Tourism (#36), Law (#40), and Business Administration (#76-100).

Key insight: USC’s QS band of #711-720 comfortably clears the top-500 threshold that Indian employers and US H-1B lottery-adjacent tech firms informally screen for; the Moore School’s #75 QS subject rank in International Business is a stronger signal than the overall world rank for business-track applicants.

Read More: Universities in USA for Indian Students

University of South Carolina, Columbia Placements and Career Outcomes 2027

The University of South Carolina does not publish a consolidated placement rate for its international cohort; available salary data reflects market medians for USC bachelor’s and master’s graduates entering the US labour market.

• Undergraduate median starting salary: USD 56,000 per year (INR 53.61 lakh, market median)
• Master’s early-career salary: USD 79,000 per year (INR 75.63 lakh, market median)
• Top-earning UG programmes: Chemical Engineering (USD 68,800; INR 65.87 lakh), Electrical Engineering (USD 67,000; INR 64.15 lakh), International Business (USD 66,800; INR 63.96 lakh) (market median)
• Career support: University Career Center runs on-campus recruiting fairs, Handshake employer access, and dedicated international-student advising
• Post-study work: All F-1 graduates access 12 months of OPT; STEM programmes extend eligibility to 36 months via the STEM OPT extension

Indian graduates from Moore School’s IMBA and STEM masters typically enter analytics, consulting, and engineering roles across the US Southeast (Charlotte, Atlanta, Nashville) and remote-first tech firms. Applicants can review the post-study work visa in USA guide for OPT and STEM OPT application steps.

Insider note: Indian graduates report that Columbia’s Southeast tech hub proximity (Charlotte 145 km away) drives most non-Moore placements; the USC-specific recruiter list is narrower than metropolitan peers, so proactive internship applications during first summer are critical.

University of South Carolina, Columbia vs Peer Universities

Indian applicants comparing the University of South Carolina typically benchmark it against similarly ranked public research universities in the Southeast United States on fee and programme differentiators.

[Source: University Bursar Offices; Collegedunia peer fee database 2026]

USC stands out for its International MBA and international business masters, which few Southeast peers match. Applicants prioritising engineering research usually shortlist Clemson or NC State; USC wins on business, law, and hospitality-tourism specialisations.

The University of South Carolina fits an Indian applicant with a USD 45 to 60 lakh two-year budget who wants moderate selectivity, a Southeast US location, and Moore School’s international business specialisation, all pointing to a defensible salary anchor of USD 79,000 (market median) against total investment. The 36-month STEM OPT and Moore’s #75 QS Business Masters position make it a pragmatic anchor for career-focused Indian applicants targeting the US Southeast tech and analytics job market.

It is a weaker fit for applicants chasing top-100 world ranks or elite consulting or investment-banking recruitment; those cohorts should compare with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill or Emory University, both of which offer stronger name-recognition premia at higher cost.