The USC Global Scholar distinction honors graduating seniors who have excelled academically while integrating significant international experiences into their education. Applicants must spend at least 10 weeks total abroad during their undergraduate studies and complete a capstone project related to their international experiences. Global Scholars have thoughtfully connected their coursework at USC with their studies or research abroad, demonstrating a broadened perspective on cultures, ideas, and global challenges.
Who Should Apply: December 2025, May 2026, or August 2026 graduates (graduation defined by baccalaureate degree completion, not by participation in Commencement, or, walking)
DISTINCTION & PRIZE COMPETITION
Applicants who wish to be considered for the Global Scholars Distinction & Prize Competition must submit this form by the final deadline. Only complete applications that are submitted by the deadline will be forwarded to school committees for consideration.
ELIGIBILITY
- graduate with a 3.5 minimum cumulative GPA (with University Honors)
- graduate within 5 years of matriculation at USC
- spend at least 10 weeks cumulatively outside of the U.S. during undergraduate experience. Programs must be administered by USC or a alternative external organization. Student-run international programs will need to be verified for quality by the student's USC school.
APPLICATION COMPONENTS
The application consists of: capstone or final project based on discipline-specific criteria and a personal reflection essay. The Global Scholar application does not require a letter of recommendation.
Visit the Academic Honors & Fellowships website for complete details on application requirements.
If you are applying for the Global and Discovery Scholar distinction, you must submit a completely different project for each application to earn both distinctions and/or prize nominations. If you submit the same project for Discovery and Global, your school will certify you for just one of the distinctions based on which program criteria (if any) best fits your submitted work. In addition, you may be considered for each distinction’s Prize Competition; however, no student can be awarded more than one prize.
Group Projects: Applicants may submit a project that a group collaborated on, but it must also include a significant individual work component. Individuals are selected for the Prize awards based on their contribution to and beyond the group project.
General Questions?
Contact Academic Honors and Fellowships
ahfstaff@usc.edu
Global Scholar Distinction and Prize Competition
The USC Global Scholar distinction honors graduating seniors who have excelled academically while integrating significant international experiences into their education. Applicants must spend at least 10 weeks total abroad during their undergraduate studies and complete a capstone project related to their international experiences. Global Scholars have thoughtfully connected their coursework at USC with their studies or research abroad, demonstrating a broadened perspective on cultures, ideas, and global challenges.
Who Should Apply: December 2025, May 2026, or August 2026 graduates (graduation defined by baccalaureate degree completion, not by participation in Commencement, or, walking)
DISTINCTION & PRIZE COMPETITION
Applicants who wish to be considered for the Global Scholars Distinction & Prize Competition must submit this form by the final deadline. Only complete applications that are submitted by the deadline will be forwarded to school committees for consideration.
ELIGIBILITY
- graduate with a 3.5 minimum cumulative GPA (with University Honors)
- graduate within 5 years of matriculation at USC
- spend at least 10 weeks cumulatively outside of the U.S. during undergraduate experience. Programs must be administered by USC or a alternative external organization. Student-run international programs will need to be verified for quality by the student's USC school.
APPLICATION COMPONENTS
The application consists of: capstone or final project based on discipline-specific criteria and a personal reflection essay. The Global Scholar application does not require a letter of recommendation.
Visit the Academic Honors & Fellowships website for complete details on application requirements.
If you are applying for the Global and Discovery Scholar distinction, you must submit a completely different project for each application to earn both distinctions and/or prize nominations. If you submit the same project for Discovery and Global, your school will certify you for just one of the distinctions based on which program criteria (if any) best fits your submitted work. In addition, you may be considered for each distinction’s Prize Competition; however, no student can be awarded more than one prize.
Group Projects: Applicants may submit a project that a group collaborated on, but it must also include a significant individual work component. Individuals are selected for the Prize awards based on their contribution to and beyond the group project.
General Questions?
Contact Academic Honors and Fellowships
ahfstaff@usc.edu