Admission

Requirements and Procedures

To be eligible for admission to the M.A. program in East Asian Area Studies, an applicant must have an undergraduate degree (Bachelor's), a 3.0 cumulative grade point average, and a minimum score of 1000 on the GRE exam (combined verbal/quantitative).  International applicants must have achieved a minimum TOEFL score within the last two years of at least 600 on the paper-based test, 250 on the computer-based test, or 100 on the Internet-based test, with no less than 20 on each of the four test components.

Relevant codes for the application process:
GRE: 4852 
TOEFL: 4852

Departmental code for USC application only: 976

Application

The formal application deadline is January 7, 2010 for the 2010-2011 academic year. The application fee is $85 for all students, both domestic and international. Applications are available online through Graduate Admissions.

In addition to the Graduate School application, the East Asian Studies Center requires a personal statement and three letters of recommendation. The online application process allows applicants to submit these online, along with any supplemental materials and writing samples. If your recommender would prefer to send their letter of recommendation by mail, please have them send it directly to the East Asian Studies Center at:

USC East Asian Studies Center
823 West 34th Street
College House (CLH), Room 101
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0127

The following application materials are submitted online:

  • A completed application form and the application fee
  • Statement of purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation (can also be sent by mail, see above)
  • Writing sample in English (optional)
The following application materials must be mailed directly to:

University of Southern California
USC Office of Admission and Financial Aid
GRADUATE
University Park Campus
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0915
  • Official GRE Scores – Must be sent by the testing agency. ETS School Code: 4852.
  • Official TOEFL scores (international students only) – Must be sent by the testing agency. ETS School Code: 4852.
  • Official academic transcripts from all institutions attended – International students should submit transcripts in both their original language and in English translation.