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USC Essentials
International Students

USC Chan Global Initiatives

The Global Initiatives team at USC Chan provides a variety of International Student Resources. International students and allies can also like our Facebook page to receive updates. Contact Daniel Park OTD, OTR/L for more information.

Passport Verification

You will need to sign up with the USC Office of International Services (OIS) for Passport Verification (PPV). PPV is mandatory and you should complete the online PPV registration process well in advance of your planned USC campus arrival. You will also be required to attend the PPV session in person to learn about maintaining your immigration status and to submit your PPV documents.

Update (March 10, 2023) from OIS:

On March 20, 2023, the Office of International Services (OIS) will launch a new web-based case management system, Trojan International, which will provide international students and scholars a web portal to submit and check the status of document requests. In preparation for Trojan International, OIS must offline existing systems, including the Passport Verification (PPV) Document Upload System. Document processing will be temporarily affected from March 8 through March 19. OIS will accept PPVs until March 10. PPVs cannot be submitted between March 11 and March 19. PPV will be accepted again beginning March 20 via Trojan International.

We appreciate your patience during this time.

If you are admitted to Summer or Fall 2023 and you have committed to USC, you will submit your I-20 application + your financial documents in Trojan International. Current USC international students, students returning from a Leave of Absence, or online students changing to an on-campus mode of study must speak with the Office of International Services (OIS) to manage their immigration record or acquire proper documents.

Housing

The USC Office of International Services provides useful information about housing options, and general housing tips. Information about temporary housing for international students is also available from USC Housing.

Banking

The USC Office of International Services provides useful information about setting up a US bank account. One of your options is to create an account at the USC Credit Union.

Driving

The USC Office of International Services provides useful information about obtaining a California Driver’s License. USC Credit Union is a provider of auto insurance.

USC Transportation is the source for information about parking at USC, and parking permits. See the Transportation / Parking section for more general information about getting around Los Angeles.

Additional Resources

International Education Research Foundation
ierf.org/uni-evaluation/usc
Certification of Studies for USC can be obtained via IERF.

Interstride
student.interstride.com
Interstride is a university resource that includes domestic and international job opportunities, visa insights for various industries and companies, and information about hiring processes. There are webinars available on a variety of topics.

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
nbcot.org/Students/get-certified
Information regarding the exam for students intending to practice in the United States. Be sure to scroll down, click on Internationally Educated, and read about the Occupational Therapist Eligibility Determination (OTED®) process.

USC Office of International Services — Post-Completion OPT
ois.usc.edu/employment/employment-f1/opt/post-completion-opt
Post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a type of work authorization for F-1 students completing a baccalaureate or graduate degree in the US.

USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The USC entry-level doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) degree program (cost of attendance) is accredited by ACOTE®. View our program’s ACOTE® standards public data. ACOTE® c/o the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-AOTA, www.acoteonline.org.

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. All states require licensure to practice; a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT® OTR certification examination or attain state licensure. Program results from the NBCOT® can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.