SCA Summer Program Policies

Applications to the 2026 SCA Summer Program open December 15, 2025.
The 2026 Program runs from Thursday, June 25 - Friday, August 7, 2026.
 For any questions, please contact us at summer@cinema.usc.edu.
or 213-740-3327.

Code of Conduct

Every SCA Summer Program student is required to read and sign the SCA Summer Program Code of Conduct. If a student is Pre-College age, their parent(s) or legal guardian(s) must also sign the Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct Form can be found on the Mandatory Forms page.

Residential Pre-College Students

  • In compliance with the USC Office of Youth Protection policies, one Resident Assistant will be assigned to supervise every ten students living in the dorms.
  • Pre-College students living in the dorm who wish to leave campus must submit an Off-Campus Leave Request Form to the SCA Summer Program Administration at least 48 hours in advance.
  • Pre-College students must be picked up by a parent, legal guardian, or a guardian designated by the parent.
  • The student must sign out with the RA on duty before leaving and must sign back in with the RA upon return.
  • Students are not permitted to leave campus alone or use public transportation, Uber, Waymo, Lyft, or any other rideshare service unless accompanied by an approved adult who has been designated by the parent.
  • Campus Boundaries: All Residential Pre-College students must be inside their assigned residential hall by 10:00 p.m. all nights, including weekends, with a “in room” policy in effect at 10:30 p.m. each night.
  • Residential Pre-College students may access academic facilities on the University Park Campus, but for safety reasons, some nearby areas are restricted. Students are allowed to visit select shopping areas within a 10-minute walk—University Village, University Gateway, and Tuscany Plaza—which feature stores, restaurants, and ATMs including Target, Trader Joe’s, Starbucks, and Bank of America.
  • Please consult the SCA Summer Program Campus Boundary Map to see the specific details.

Academic Integrity
USC takes matters of intellectual integrity very seriously. It is the responsibility of the student to uphold the academic integrity of the university. Cheating on examinations and plagiarism — including, but not limited to, submitting work done by another person or purchased from any source and failing to document ideas found in sources, whether phrases or sentences within quotation marks — are considered very serious offenses, and any student found in violation of this regulation will be required to leave the program.

Emergencies
If a student requires medical assistance during non-business hours, the parent or legal guardian will be contacted to assess the proper procedure and circumstance of the individual student. If necessary, the student will be accompanied by a USC Summer Program admin staff member to the nearest emergency room. The USC Student Health Center refers students to the following hospital in case of emergency: California Hospital Medical Center 213-748-2411. It is located at 1401 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90015.

A parent, legal guardian, or an appropriate representative of the family is expected to meet the student at the hospital as soon as possible following notification to take over responsibility of the student’s care from the USC SCA Summer Program admin staff member.

Life-Threatening Emergencies: On or near the University Park Campus, students should call the USC Department of Public Safety (DPS) at 213-740-4321. DPS response time is faster than calling 911 if a student is on or near campus.

CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS

All cancellation requests must be made in writing to summer@cinema.usc.edu. Application fees or deposits are nonrefundable. Any tuition paid to the university will be refunded, not including fees and deposits, if processed before the university withdrawal date of July 1, 2026. The university will not refund tuition, room and board, or any other program fees for students dismissed from the program or unable to enter the country due to an improper visa.

Dismissal from the USC SCA Summer Program
Certain actions may result in immediate dismissal from the program. Students dismissed from the program at any time and for any reason will be withdrawn from their course and will not receive academic credit.

Residential students will be required to vacate the residential hall immediately. No refund of tuition, fees, room and board charges, or any other program charges will be provided in cases where a student is dismissed.