At a certain point during the course of your Progressive Degree, your student status will change from undergraduate to graduate level. This transition is managed by USC's Financial Aid Office. In general, a Progressive Degree student will transition from undergraduate to graduate class level as soon as one of the following conditions are met:

• Your Bachelor's degree is conferred
• The student is awarded a graduate research or teaching assistantship (RA/TA) (as contracted through the academic department and the Graduate School)
• The student earns the units calculated in their SACN Number

To calculate how many units you have until you reach graduate standing, please use the instructions below:

For more information about how the Progressive Degree Program would affect your financial aid status, please visit the Financial Aid website for further details.

The Viterbi School of Engineering is pleased to offer merit-based scholarships for USC undergraduate students who are applying to the Viterbi Progressive Degree Program (PDP). 

To apply for the PDP Scholarship, please complete the PDP Scholarship Application form after you submit an application for admission to Viterbi PDP. The  Fall 2025 PDP scholarship application is OPEN until September 25th. 

Scholarship Details

USC Viterbi is pleased to offer merit-based scholarships to admitted PDP applicants. On average, there will be up to 5 PDP scholarship recipients selected each semester. Awarded scholarship amounts are non-renewable with a value up to $10,000. The scholarship value awarded is to be used for tuition purposes solely.

Eligibility & How to Apply

PDP Scholarships are open to USC undergraduates who are in-process of applying to the Viterbi PDP. To apply for this scholarship, please follow the steps below:

1. Submit an application for admission into the Viterbi Progressive Degree Program (PDP).
2. Complete and submit the PDP Scholarship Application form.
3. Once the scholarship application window closes, you will be sent an email inviting you to complete a video interview for the scholarship. The video interview must be completed and submitted within one week of receiving the interview invitation.

When to Apply for the Scholarship?

Scholarship applicants must submit the application for the PDP scholarship after formally submitting an application for admission into Viterbi PDP. Students are only eligible to apply to for the PDP scholarship in the semester in which they are applying for PDP. Successful and unsuccessful applications will be notified of both admission and scholarship decisions within two months of the deadline.

• Fall Term deadline: September 25th (Application is now CLOSED)
• Spring Term deadline: February 25th

Please note: It is the student's responsibility to determine the impact (if any) that a scholarship award may have on one's financial aid. Consultation with the Financial Aid Office is recommended prior to accepting any scholarship awards presented.