Next Steps: Graduate Arts & Sciences

Welcome to the College of Arts and Sciences at USF. The steps below will provide you with the information you need to successfully enroll at USF.

Step 1: Review Your Admission Letter and Packet

Please carefully read your admission letter and items in your admission packet. There are important instructions in your admission packet, including:

  • The deadline for securing your space in your graduate program.
  • The date of your graduate program's mandatory orientation.

In addition, please read any email that you may receive from the University of San Francisco. You might also check your Spam folder in the possibility that a USF email is diverted into your Spam folder.

Step 2: Reserve Your Space

To reserve a space in your graduate program, you must complete the online Intent to Enroll Form and submit the non-refundable admission deposit payment online by the deadline, as detailed in your online admissions letter. If the admission deposit is not received by the deadline, then your admission to the program may be canceled and the graduate program may offer your space to the next qualified applicant on the waiting list.

The Intent to Enroll form and deposit payment are accessible through your online application account. You will need to fill out the Intent to Enroll before you can pay your admission deposit. Your non-refundable admission deposit will be credited to your first tuition payment. 

Note: Chemistry is the only Arts and Sciences graduate program that does not require an admission deposit, however you must complete the online Intent to Enroll form.

Questions?
Contact your graduate program by searching at
www.usfca.edu/arts-sciences/graduate-admission/program-contacts

Step 3: Send Your Official Transcripts

Mail your official, sealed Bachelor's degree transcript and proof of Bachelor's degree conferral (unless stated on your transcript) to the address below before your program begins. If you have not completed your Bachelor's degree at the time of admission, please mail an official transcript once you have proof of degree conferral. If you have mailed your official transcript, check the status of your transcript on your online application account. If will show as "Received (Official)" when it has been verified by our office. We only require your Bachelor's degree transcript. Please do not send community college, transfer courses, or graduate coursework transcripts.

University of San Francisco
Office of Graduate Programs
College of Arts and Sciences
2130 Fulton Street, HR G82
San Francisco, CA 94117

You will not be permitted to register for your second semester classes until your official transcript has been received and verified. As stated in the online application, USF reserves the right to rescind admission based upon official documents received or not received.

Step 4: Financial Aid for U.S. Students

Due to the delayed release of the FAFSA application for this admissions cycle, we are anticipating Financial Aid loan decisions will be available mid to late April. Below, you’ll find some additional information and resources to help guide your admissions decision in the meantime. If you have not already filed the FAFSA and plan to receive federal student loans, please file the FAFSA as soon as possible.

After receipt of your FAFSA application for U.S. students, the Financial Aid Office will determine your aid eligibility and send you a financial aid notice. Upon receiving your notice, you must log in to accept or decline the aid offered to you. 

  • Go to the Financial Aid section of MyUSF:
    Log into MyUSF, click on the Student button in the Self Service Box. Once in Student Self Service, click on the Student tab, and then click on the Financial Aid menu.
  • Check the status of your aid:
    Click on the Financial Aid Status link. If you have any outstanding requirements, you must complete them before your aid can be confirmed.
  • Accept or decline your aid:
    Click on the Award link, then follow the link to accept or decline your award offers.  You will not receive your aid unless you go online to accept it.

Deadline: You must accept your aid within 30 days of receipt of your award letter.

More Information about Financial Aid for domestic students - 

Loan Types - Most students receive the full amount of federal loans available. The types of loans under the FAFSA application are:

Direct Unsubsidized Loans are loans made to eligible undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, but eligibility is not based on financial need. Note that this particular loan has a lower interest rate than the PLUS loan but does have a yearly cap of $20,500 which can include summer classes/credits. Most students will receive up to $20,500 with this loan.

Direct PLUS Loans are loans made to graduate or professional students and parents of dependent undergraduate students to help pay for education expenses not covered by other financial aid. Eligibility is not based on financial need, but a credit check is required. Borrowers who have an adverse credit history must meet additional requirements to qualify. Most students will receive enough funds to cover the full cost of attendance with this loan.

Students must be enrolled at least half-time to receive federal student loans.

Additional resources

Tuition and Fees - you can see the expenses related to courses and other university fees on the Graduate Student Costs page. Those amounts vary by program so please find the program you are admitted into to see expected costs.

Living Expenses - these can include items like the cost of housing, food costs, and other expenses related to living and studying in your program. Loans can be used to help pay for living expenses. Average living expenses are listed on the Graduate Student Costs page.

Payment plans - USF offers a payment plan, for students who would prefer to setup payments. See payment plan options on the Payment Plans page.

Scholarships - Most programs offer scholarships to help offset the cost of tuition. If you have not received a scholarship, please reach out to your program's admission office for instructions. 

Federal Student Loans for US Students

U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents are eligible for a federal Stafford loan of $20,500 for each year of graduate studies. In addition, the federal Grad PLUS loan program covers remaining tuition and living expenses. Apply for U.S. federal student loans (Stafford and Grad Plus) through FAFSA as early as possible. There is no FAFSA deadline for graduate students; FAFSA deadlines apply only to undergraduate students. The FAFSA code for USF is 001325. File the FAFSA.

MFA in Writing is a two-year, full-time program with an optional summer course: Thesis I, recommended for anyone looking to graduate with a book-length thesis. If you're applying for financial aid and are interested in Thesis I, be sure to submit the FAFSA for your first year to cover the fall, spring, and summer terms.

Questions?
Office of Financial Aid, Lone Mountain, Room 203
2800 Turk St, San Francisco, CA 94118
Tel: (415) 422-3387, Fax: (415) 422-6084
Email: financialaid@usfca.edu, Web: myusf.usfca.edu/financial-aid

Step 5: New Student Orientation

Each graduate program provides a mandatory orientation during which students learn important information and procedures for their graduate program, and meet new classmates.

  • Mark your calendar:
    Read your admission letter for details about orientation.
  • International Students:
    In addition to the individual program orientation, international students are required to attend the International Student Orientation offered by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services.
  • Remember:
    Orientations are mandatory and failure to attend an orientation may result in cancellation of admission to your graduate program.

Student Visa Information for International Students

Please visit the International Student and Scholar Services website for information about the visa process, to prepare for your interview and watch a video "How to Apply for a Student Visa."

ISSS is a resource for our international students to connect with. Email ISSS@usfca.edu and make sure to plan to attend International student orientation.

Questions?
Contact your graduate program by searching at
www.usfca.edu/arts-sciences/graduate-admission/program-contacts

International Student and Scholar Services, UC Fifth Floor
2130 Fulton St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Tel: (415) 422-2654, Fax: (415) 422-2412
Email: isss@usfca.edu, Web: myusf.usfca.edu/isss

Step 6: Housing Options

For graduate students who move to San Francisco, you will need to make your own housing arrangements. Graduate students have two housing options:

  • Off-Campus Housing:
    The majority of USF graduate students choose to live in apartment off-campus (not operated by the university). Some graduate programs offer assistance in connecting students who want to search for an apartment together. USF's Off-Campus Housing website provides tools for searching for housing, information on SF neighborhoods, worksheets for creating a budget, and more. Go to the Off-Campus Housing site to get started now.
  • On-Campus Housing:
    USF also offers a limited number of gradate student housing units in university-operated apartments in Loyola Village. To apply for housing at USF, log into myUSF, click on the Student tab, and then scroll to the bottom of the page. Click on the USFrooms link on the lower left. As part of your application in USFrooms, you will need to submit a $300 non-refundable housing pre-payment.

Questions?
Student Housing and Residential Education, UC Fifth Floor
2130 Fulton St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Tel: (415) 422-6824, Fax: (415) 422-2480
Email: share@usfca.edu, Web: myusf.usfca.edu/housing

Step 7: Registration Process for Classes

Registration for classes varies by each graduate program. Most students can complete registration online through MyUSF, but some programs automatically register new students for that graduate program's required courses.

Questions?
Contact your graduate program by searching at
www.usfca.edu/arts-sciences/graduate-admission/program-contacts

Step 8: Set Up Your Student Account

Before you register for classes, you should plan how you will pay your semester bill, including tuition, fees, and room and board.

  • Go to View & Pay:
    Log into MyUSF. Click on the View & Pay link in the Quick Links box. This is where you can pay your deposit, view your tuition bill, make payments, and more. Remember, you will not receive a paper bill, so you must log into View & Pay to view your account.
  • Choose your method of payment:
    You may pay your tuition using online e-check, personal checks, bank wires, or by signing up for the payment plan. Go to myusf.usfca.edu/billing-tuition/payment-plan for more information.
  • Set up an authorized payer:
    Authorized payers are spouses, employers, etc., who can view bills and make payments online. To set up an authorized payer, go to View & Pay, located in the Quick Links of MyUSF, and click the Add New link located in the Parents and Authorized Payers box. Authorized payers can go to myusf.usfca.edu/billing-tuition/authorized-payer for more information.
  • Be aware of semester payment deadlines:
    Fall: August 1
    Intersession: January 2
    Spring: January 2
    Summer: May 1

If you register for classes after the payment due date for the semester, you must be prepared to pay the balance due at the time of registration, or you must enroll in the payment plan. Go to www.usfca.edu/billing-tuition for complete information about the University's tuition and payment policies.

Questions?
Office of Student Accounts, Lone Mountain, Room 200
2800 Turk St, San Francisco, CA 94118
Tel: (415) 422-2571, Fax: (415) 422-6084
Email: StudentAccounts@usfca.edu, Web: myusf.usfca.edu/student-enrollment-services

Step 9: Health Insurance

  • Automatic enrollment:
    To protect your health and well-being all domestic graduate students registered for 6 credit hours or more, all international graduate students registered for 1 credit hour or more, and all graduate students who reside in USF operated housing will be automatically charged and enrolled in the USF-sponsored health insurance plan.

    Exception: Graduate students enrolled in online degree programs who do not reside in USF-operating housing will NOT be automatically charged and enrolled in the USF sponsored health insurance.
  • Waive USF plan:
    Students who have a health insurance plan with coverage comparable to the USF-sponsored plan may choose to waive the student insurance each academic year. Students can visit myusf.usfca.edu/hps to view waiver instructions and access the health insurance waiver application.
  • Voluntary Enrollment:
    Domestic graduate students registered for under 6 credit hours and graduate students enrolled in an online degree program are eligible to voluntarily purchase the plan online by visiting myusf.usfca.edu/hps.

Deadline: The deadline to waive the student insurance or voluntarily enroll in the plan for the Fall semester is September 1. The deadline for the Spring semester is February 1.

For more information, visit myusf.usfca.edu/hps/insurance.

Questions?
Health Promotion Services, UC Fifth Floor
2130 Fulton St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Tel: (415) 422-5797, Fax: (888) 471-2290
Email: hps@usfca.edu, Web: myusf.usfca.edu/hps

Step 10: Proof of Immunization

To protect the health of all USF community members, USF requires all international students and domestic graduate students to submit proof of immunizations.

Domestic students (living in USF-operated housing):

  • Must submit evidence of the Initial COVID-19 vaccine(s) and COVID-19 booster when eligible. 
    two doses of the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine. If proof of immunization for MMR is not available, a blood titer showing immunity for each disease will be accepted.
  • Domestic students born before January 1, 1957 are excluded only from the MMR requirement.

Domestic students (living off-campus):

  • Must submit evidence of the Initial COVID-19 vaccine(s) and COVID-19 booster when eligible. 

All International Students:

  • Must submit evidence of the Initial COVID-19 vaccine(s) and COVID-19 booster when eligible.
  • Must submit two doses of the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine. If proof of immunization for MMR is not available, a blood titer showing immunity for each disease will be accepted.
  • Proof of a Tuberculosis PPD (Mantoux)) test administered in the last 12 months. (Students with a positive PPD test are required to submit the results of a chest x-ray administered in the last 12 months).
  • Proof of three doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine or a test showing immunity.

How to submit proof

Students must submit their immunization records through Med+Proctor. Please note: students only need to provide their USF email, student ID, and name to create their account. 

Deadlines

The deadline to submit proof of required immunizations depends on your term of admission:

  • Fall Semester: August 15 at 5 p.m.*
  • Spring Semester: January 15 at 5 p.m.*

*Students planning to reside in USF-operated housing must submit all required immunization records prior to their moving-in day.

Failure to submit the immunization records by the deadlines will result in a $100 fine and registration hold. Learn more information from the Health Promotion Services website. 

 

Questions?
Health Promotion Services, UC Fifth Floor
2130 Fulton St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Tel: (415) 422-5797, Fax: (888) 471-2290
Email: hps@usfca.edu, Web: myusf.usfca.edu/hps

Step 11: Complete the U Got This 2! Course

The university is committed to creating a safe, respectful, and healthy campus culture by empowering students to make decisions that contribute to a successful college experience. Therefore, new and incoming students in their first semester will be assigned to complete a mandatory online training program through Catharsis Productions. 

U Got This 2! is an engaging conversation about bystander intervention, consent, healthy relationships, sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking.

These students will receive an invite at the beginning of their first semester via email when their course becomes available. If students do not receive an email, they can contact hps@usfca.edu. Students who fail to complete the course by their deadlines will be charged a $100 late fine.

Deadline:

  • Fall Semester: August 15
  • Spring Semester: January 15

Questions?
Health Promotion Services, UC Fifth Floor
Tel: +1 (415) 422-5797, Fax: +1 (888) 471-2290
Email: hps@usfca.edu, Web: myusf.usfca.edu/hps

Step 12: One Card

All USF students are issued a university photo ID called a One Card. Your USF One Card grants you access to on-campus resources, including classroom buildings, Don Dollars accounts, Gleeson Library, Koret Health and Recreation Center, and more.

  • Smile for the camera:
    Have someone take a picture of you. You should be facing the camera with your head and shoulders visible. Save the picture as a .jpg or .jpeg file.
  • Log onto I.D. Express:
    I.D. Express will allow you to pre-order your USF One Card so that it is ready for you to pick up on orientation day. To get started, go to myusf.usfca.edu/student-life/one-card/student-card.
  • Raffle:
    Students who participate in I.D. Express will be automatically entered into a raffle to receive $50 in Don Dollars, which can be used on-campus at the bookstore, dining locations, vending machines, and more.

Questions?
One Card and Public Safety Systems, Lone Mountain, Room 130
2130 Fulton St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Tel: (415) 422-7663, Fax: (415) 422-6664
Email: onecard@usfca.edu, Web: myusf.usfca.edu/one-card

Step 13: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities

The Family Educational Right and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records

  • Privacy of Records:
    Under federal law, students' records (including grades, GPA, class schedule, tuition and billing records, and more) cannot be disclosed to any third-party, even parents or spouses, without the written authorization of the student (some exceptions apply). To learn more about your FERPA rights, go to myusf.usfca.edu/registration/privacy.
  • Student Consent to Release Information:
    Students who wish to allow a third-party (parents, siblings, etc.) to view their education records must submit a form authorizing the access. Access can be granted to academic records, tuition and billing records, and/or financial aid records. Go to myusf.usfca.edu/registration/forms for instructions on how to submit the form.
  • What if I don't submit the Student Consent to Release Information form?
    If you do not authorize your someone to have access to your records, USF will not disclose any information to them. This means that your spouse or parents will not be able to call USF to find out information about your financial aid or balance even if they are helping you pay your tuition.

Questions?
Office of the University Registrar, Lone Mountain, Room 217
2800 Turk St, San Francisco, CA 94118
Tel: (415) 422-7260, Fax: (415) 422-6329
Email: registrar@usfca.edu, Web: myusf.usfca.edu/registration

Step 14: Keep Your Contact Information Up to Date

As an admitted student, please keep your contact information up-to-date with your individual graduate program. Your admission status may be canceled if you do not respond to communications from your graduate program.

  • Phone:
    Call your graduate program to update your contact information. Contact your graduate program by searching at www.usfca.edu/arts-sciences/graduate-admission/program-contacts.
  • Online:
    Update your contact information online at myUSF. Log into myUSF and click on the Student tab. Click on the 'Click Here' button in the Student Self Service area, and then click on the 'Addresses and Phones' link.