The School of Cinematic Arts looks forward to receiving your application for admission. The Admissions Office is available to assist you during the application process and can be reached at 213-740-8358 or admissions@cinema.usc.edu with any questions.

Please note that students are admitted to a specific semester and cohort within the School of Cinematic Arts. As such, deferrals are not typically granted for any of our programs outside of verified medical circumstances. If a student is unable to attend for the term they were admitted to, they are welcome to re-apply for a future term. In submitting this application, students confirm their intention to enroll for the term of admission and have no plans to request a gap semester or year if admitted and accepted.

The application process and requirements vary by incoming status and program. Please review the procedures detailed below for first-year/freshmen, external (non-current USC) transfers, current USC transfers or graduate applicants.



First-Year/Freshmen Applicants
External (Non-Current USC) Transfer Applicants
Current USC Transfer Applicants
Graduate Applicants

Application Open Dates & Deadlines

Application Open Dates

  • Fall semester:
    • Undergraduate (first-year/freshmen and transfer) applications: August 1st
    • Graduate applications: August 26th
  • Spring semester:
    • Current USC transfer applications: June 20th
    • Graduate Film & Television Production MFA application only: June 24th

Application Deadlines

Animation & Digital Arts
  Fall Spring
Freshmen (First-year) Applicants December 1st Not available
Current USC Transfer Applicants December 1st Not available
External Transfer Applicants December 1st Not available
Graduate Applicants November 15th Not available

Cinema & Media Studies
  Fall Spring
Freshmen (First-year) Applicants December 1st Not available
Current USC Transfer Applicants February 15th September 15th
External Transfer Applicants February 15th Not available
Graduate Applicants    
Master of Arts (M.A.) December 1st Not available
Doctoral (Ph.D.) December 1st Not available

Film & Television Production
  Fall Spring
Freshmen (First-year) Applicants December 1st Not available
Current USC Transfer Applicants February 15th September 15th
External Transfer Applicants February 15th Not available
Graduate Applicants November 15th August 15th

Game Art BFA
  Fall Spring
Freshmen (First-year) Applicants December 1st Not available
Current USC Transfer Applicants December 1st Not available
External Transfer Applicants December 1st Not available

Game Development and Interactive Design BFA
  Fall Spring
Freshmen (First-year) Applicants December 1st Not available
Current USC Transfer Applicants December 1st Not available
External Transfer Applicants December 1st Not available

Themed Entertainment BFA
  Fall Spring
Freshmen (First-year) Applicants December 1st Not available
Current USC Transfer Applicants December 1st Not available
External Transfer Applicants December 1st Not available

Interactive Media MFA and Interactive Media MS
  Fall Spring
Graduate Applicants November 15th Not available

Cinematic Arts (Media Arts, Games & Health) MA
  Fall Spring
Graduate Applicants November 15th Not available

Media Arts + Practice
  Fall Spring
Freshmen (First-year) Applicants December 1st Not available
Current USC Transfer Applicants February 15th September 15th
External Transfer Applicants February 15th Not available
Graduate Applicants December 1st Not available

Peter Stark Producing
  Fall Spring
Graduate Applicants November 15th Not available

Writing for Screen & Television
  Fall Spring
Freshmen (First-year) Applicants December 1st Not available
Current USC Transfer Applicants December 1st Not available
External Transfer Applicants December 1st Not available
Graduate Applicants November 15th Not available

Expanded Animation MFA
  Fall Spring
Graduate Applicants November 15th Not available