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Admission & Aid

Visiting Students

No matter where you are in your educational journey, there's a spot for you at USF.

Choose from hundreds of undergraduate and graduate courses to earn academic credit, meet diverse peers and professors, and immerse yourself in our distinct Jesuit values.

Get started by seeing what classes are available each term at our Schedule of Classes. When you're ready to apply, click the "Apply" link from the menu for instructions. If you plan to transfer your USF credits to another institution, be sure to confirm with that institution that your USF credits will transfer to your program.

Important Dates

Term Application Opens Registration Begins Classes Begins Application Closes
Intersession 2024 August 1, 2023 November 13, 2023, at 8:30 am January 2, 2024 January 2, 2024
Spring 2024 August 1, 2023 November 13, 2023, at 8:30 am January 22, 2024 January 24, 2024
Summer 2024 October 1, 2023 November 13, 2023, at 8:30 am May 20, 2024 May 20, 2024
Fall 2024 January 1, 2024 April 15, 2024, at 8:30 am August 20, 2024 August 22, 2024

Apply

As a visiting student, you can take classes at either the undergraduate or the graduate level. Please choose the appropriate application below.

Apply as an Undergraduate Visiting Student Apply as a Graduate Visiting Student

Registration

You can register for classes through myUSF. Learn how to register for classes.

You may register for up to 18 units in both the fall and spring semesters and 4 units in the intersession (winter) term. We recommend registering for no more than 8 units in the summer term.

Adding/Dropping courses

The deadline to add/drop classes varies by term. Please see the registration calendar for the last day to add or drop a class for each term.

Course Prerequisites and Restrictions

Before you register for a course, you will need to request a permit from the course instructor or academic unit if:

  • The class is full
  • The class has a waitlist
  • There are prerequisites or restrictions for the course. You'll see any prerequisites or restrictions on the Detailed Class Information page when you click on a course name. You may be required to provide supporting documentation such as your transcript or syllabus from a course you've already taken.

To request a permit to register for a class with any of these restrictions, please reach out to the course instructor or the academic unit. Undergraduate Visiting students in the School of Management should reach out to Deanna Pachinger, Associate Dean, pachinger@usfca.edu. Please visit our Permits page for more detailed information about permits including contact information for the academic units.

Auditing a class

If you'd like, you can audit a class instead of receiving class credit or a grade. The same tuition charges apply for audited classes. You should check with the academic department for the courses you are interested in to make sure that auditing is allowed for that specific class.

Tuition & Fees

Visiting students will be charged on a per-unit basis. Check our Tuition and Fees page for the current per-unit cost.

You may also be subject to the health insurance fee, which can be waived if you already have comparable health insurance coverage.

Payment

Generally, payment is due in early May for the summer term, early August for the fall term, and early January for the spring term/intersession term. Confirm the due dates and learn how to pay your bill on the billing and tuition page. USF accepts multiple methods of payment.

If you need to register for classes after the payment due date, you will need to make payment in full prior to enrollment.

USF also offers a semester payment plan for balances of at least $2,250. Learn more about our semester payment plan.

Financial Aid

USF does not offer financial assistance to visiting students. You may check with your current institution to see if they will provide aid for you to take classes at USF.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • USF welcomes visiting students to continue taking classes. To do so, visiting students must reapply for the subsequent term by submitting a new application. Upon receiving the notice of admission, visiting students will be permitted to register for classes.

  • Visiting students may only live on campus during the summer session. Visiting summer students must apply through Student Summer Housing.

  • Yes. We offer pre-health classes in biology, chemistry and physics required for medical and other professional health graduate programs.

  • Yes. Approval from the instructor and Dean’s Office is required.

  • Requests for official transcripts are made online. Visit our Transcript website for further information.

  • The Schedule of Classes includes a link with information on required books and options to buy online. Students may also purchase books at the USF bookstore in the University Center 1st Floor.

  • You have access to all campus buildings except Athletic Spaces and Residence Halls. A complete list of buildings can be found by viewing the USF Campus Map.

  • No. Visiting students must purchase lending privileges through the Library.

  • No. Visiting students must purchase memberships in order to access the gym and its facilities.

Office of the University Registrar
Lone Mountain Main 114
2800 Turk Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
Hours

Monday – Friday:
8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.