The USC School of Cinematic Arts Summer Program has rolling admission. After the application is received and reviewed, classes will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis upon acceptance. Therefore, we encourage students to apply early.
Please review the courses we offer HERE. To apply, you must first fill out the online application. You then select the courses you want to consider for the upcoming summer.
| APPLICATIONS | OPEN | DEADLINE |
|---|---|---|
| General Student Application | December 15 | April 30 |
| International Student Application | ||
| General International Student | December 15 | March 15 |
| Currently on another school's I-20/F1 | December 15 | March 31 |
| Permanent Resident/Green Card Holder | December 15 | April 30 |
| *Other valid visa (e.g. J-1, O-1, E-2) | December 15 | April 30 |
| Waitlist | Live updates and notifications | |
| *B-1/B-2 and other tourist/visitor visas are not considered valid visas. | ||
To view available classes for the upcoming summer, please select "view classes" below.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
- Students may only take a maximum of 8 units.
- Certain browsers may not work well with our application. Please follow the directions below before filling out the application.
- Use Desktop/Laptop Computer
- Use either Firefox or Chrome as the browser.
- Make sure that it is the most updated version.
- Clear all Cookies and browsing history.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
- 30 Second Student Introductory Video
Please review carefully the following information on the required materials for admission consideration. This video is a self-recorded interview and not a sample of work. Please make sure to show yourself speaking to the camera.
Please submit a 30-second introduction video of yourself stating your full name and where you are from, touching upon the following questions:
- Why the USC School of Cinematic Arts?
- What do you wish to get out of attending our program?
- Why are you a good match for our program?
- What are your future ambitions and goals?
- Personal Statement
The SCA Summer Program Admission Committee will read your personal statement as a measure of self-awareness and artistic vision.
Different from your introductory video, we seek a sense of you as a unique individual. Please demonstrate how your distinctive experiences, characteristics, background, values, and views of the world have shaped who you are and might influence your work as a creative filmmaker or game developer. We want to know the stories you want to tell or the game experiences you want to make.
- 500-Word Limit
- Helpful Hints:
- Enthusiasm for your field, descriptions of your favorite films or games, and involvement in the production process are common among many candidates. As a result, we encourage you to focus on your individuality.
- Note that there is no standard format or correct answer.
- Creative Sample
The SCA Summer Program Admissions Committee will read your creative sample solely on your ability to create a unique central character of a film, series, or video game.
Characters are the central aspect of any visual story, from television, games, animation, and feature films. Please write a detailed character description. We are looking for more than a name, role, age, job, etc. The structure is up to your discretion. Below are some questions to keep in mind when creating your character:
- 300-Word Limit
- Helpful Hints:
- What is their goal?
- Any shortcomings/weaknesses?
- How do they feel about themselves? Others?
- Any likable/unlikeable qualities?
- Additional Application Requirements Pre-College Students
Pre-College Students (16 & 17-year-olds) are required to submit the following.
Please review carefully.- Recent academic transcript (official or unofficial)
- USC SCA Recommendation Form
- Please send this link to a school official, e.g., counselor or teacher.
- Please note that this form must be turned in within 15 days of the application being submitted.
Submitting a Video
When submitting your video, please remember that you are submitting a link (URL) to your video (such as on YouTube, Vimeo, some other video hosting site, or your own website), not the video itself.
YouTube Help:
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/57407?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
Vimeo Help:
https://help.vimeo.com/hc/en-us/articles/18774922216721-How-to-upload-a-video-to-Vimeo
Do not secure your video with a password. Instead, we recommend that you make the video unlisted. The following descriptions apply to YouTube, but should be applicable to other video hosting sites. YouTube has three privacy settings: Public, Private, and Unlisted.
- Public Anyone can find it and view it. Do not use this option.
- PrivateCan only be seen by you and whomever you choose. The video doesn't appear in your channel or in search results. Selected viewers must have a Google account to log in and see the video, and you must also know to whom to grant permission. Do not use this option.
- Unlisted You can share an unlisted video's URL. Those you share the video with don't need a Google Account to see the video. Anyone with the link can also reshare it. Please use this option.