Tuition & Fees

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.

FAQ
Payment Due Dates:

  • Once a student is accepted into the Program, the non-refundable $750 Commitment Deposit must be submitted within 7 Days after the date of the Acceptance Notification. The Commitment Deposit will be credited back to the student's USC account toward their tuition.
  • Failure to submit the Commitment Deposit within 7 Days after the date of the Acceptance Notification could jeopardize enrollment in the SCA Summer Program.
  • Tuition and fee bills for the SCA Summer Program are made available beginning the second week of May.
  • All tuition and housing fees must be paid in full by June 15 in order to secure your enrollment in the Program and to guarantee your housing assignment. The University currently assesses a monthly finance charge on all past-due balances. The current annual rate is 12 percent, subject to change.
  • Failure to pay the tuition and housing fees in full by June 15 could jeopardize your enrollment in the SCA Summer Program and could impact your future standing with the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

TUITION & FEES

The SCA Summer Program follows the tuition rate set by the University. Tuition costs are determined by the number of Course Units a student takes. Please refer to the table below for the tuition and fees.

Notes Fee Amount
Tuition One 4-Unit Course $9,868
Two 4-Unit Courses $19,736
One 8-Unit Course $19,736
Three 4-Unit Courses $29,604
One 8-Unit Course + One 4-Unit Course $29,604
Program Application Fee Non-Refundable $75
***Housing Application Fee Non-Refundable $65
*Commitment Deposit Non-Refundable $750
Program Fee Non-Refundable $350
**USC Health Insurance Optional $106 (as of Summer 2025)
Health Center Fee Mandatory $175 (as of Summer 2025)
***Housing Adult (18+) $2,846 - $3,966***
Pre-college (16 - 17) $500 - Security Deposit
$2,846 - $3,966***
*Your Commitment Deposit will be credited back to your account and will be applied toward your tuition. The Commitment Deposit must be submitted in order to secure your enrollment in the Program.
**All students attending the SCA Summer Program must have health insurance. You may have your own health insurance plan or you may enroll in the USC Health Insurance plan for the summer.
***Please note that Housing Costs are determined by the USC Housing Office and are subject to change.
***Failure to notify the SCA Summer Program of housing cancellation after you have already submitted your housing application will result in a no-show fee being charge to your account.

Additional Fees

Production Insurance

Student productions are insured at the School of Cinematic Arts when they are properly vetted by the faculty and approved by the Office of Physical Production. The SCA insurance policy protects each production with basic industry standards that allow our students to effectively interact with the larger community. Please note that there is a deductible that must be paid first before the insurance will cover the rest of the expenses.

USC School of Cinematic Arts Production Insurance includes, but is not limited to:

  • A student's ability to use actors.
  • A student's ability to use USC facilities in accordance with USC rules and policy.
  • Access to SCA facilities as available in accordance with USC rules and policy.
  • Access to SCA industry union agreements.
  • Outside rentals.
  • Protection when using off-campus locations.
  • Use of equipment from SCA's Production Equipment Center, Camera Equipment Center, and Sound Equipment Center in accordance with class and Center rules and policies, as available.

Please see the table below.

Fee Type Amount
Production Insurance Premium $50
Insurance Deductible $500
Applicable Production Courses:

● Digital Cinematography
● Directing Intensive
● Documentary Filmmaking
● Filmmaking Intensive
● Horror Film Production
● Poetic Filmmaking
● USC Warner Bros. Filmmaking

International Student Fees

International students applying for an F-1 visa from USC (I-20 for Canadian students) are required to pay the fees laid out in the table below.

Please note: Citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not need a visa (only need an I-20) and therefore are not required to pay a visa application fee.
Notes Fee Amount Link
*USC I-20 Processing Fee $350 An email invoice will be sent.
Visa Application Fee $182 https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/
SEVIS I-901 Fee $350 https://www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/index.html
* Application Fee may vary from country to country. Please check here to see if your country has any additional issuance fees.

FINANCIAL AID

The SCA Summer Program does not offer financial aid to non-USC students. However, outside loans, scholarships, and financial assistance from other institutions may be applied to the program.

We encourage you to explore the following scholarship search engines to seek out financial aid opportunities that might be available for the SCA Summer Program. Note that many of these scholarships will only cover a portion of tuition, housing, dining, and fees, and multiple scholarships may be needed.

DEFERRAL POLICY

Students may defer their acceptance one time to the following summer session by paying the $750 commitment deposit. Please note that submitting an application and receiving acceptance does not automatically qualify a student for deferral.
To do so:

  • Email summer@cinema.usc.edu by May 1 to confirm your deferral. Written confirmation is required.
  • Email again by December 1 to indicate which class(es) you wish to enroll in.

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.

NOTE: You must notify the SCA Summer Program Office at least 14 days before the start of the Program if you plan to cancel your USC Pre-College Housing, or a No-Show Fee will be charged to your account.

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.