University Registration Requirements

The University of South Carolina requires that students complete the following tasks prior to becoming eligible to register for courses. Applicants are encouraged to contact their academic unit to ensure they have met any departmental regulations such as student orientation, advisement, etc.

Immunization Requirements

Immunization Requirements

The University of South Carolina requires all students, regardless of birthdate, to contact the Immunization Office at 803-777-9511. Students born after December 31, 1956 need to be immunized against, or provide proof of immunity to, measles (rubeola) and German measles (rubella). Proof of immunity and/or immunization requires documentation of one of the following:

• two measles and one German measles (MR or MMR) shot after 1967 (not before first birthday)
• positive serum titers (blood antibodies) to measles and German measles
• physician-diagnosed measles illness and either shots or positive serum titer for German measles. (A history of German measles illness does not meet requirements.)

Mandatory Health Insurance

Mandatory Health Insurance

The Graduate School adheres to a mandatory hard-waiver health insurance program implemented for all graduate assistants (teaching, research, instructional, and staff), all international students, and other full-time enrolled graduate students (9 credit hours or more, 6 hours for Graduate Assistants). Graduate students in these categories will be required to have health insurance coverage as a condition of enrollment.

Graduate students affected by this mandatory health insurance requirement will be automatically enrolled in the University Plan (with the cost included in students’ bills for tuition and fees) unless documentation of comparable alternative health insurance coverage is on file in the Health Insurance Assistance Office at the Thomson Student Health Center.

Citizenship Verification

Citizenship Verification

USC students must present proof of citizenship or lawful presence in the U.S. before enrolling. This policy has been adopted by the University in order to comply with section 59-101-430 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, as amended, which requires that lawful presence in the United States is verified before enrollment at any public institution of higher education. Verification of immigration status for non-citizens will be conducted by International student officials. For other students, a proof of citizenship verification process has been adopted to deter and prevent false claims of citizenship by unlawful aliens attempting to evade the eligibility requirements of section 59-101-430. Students who are not verified as citizens during the Federal Financial Aid Application (FAFSA) process must present the USC’s Citizenship Status Verification form and one of the following acceptable documents:

• Copy of the South Carolina driver’s license if the student first became a licensed driver in the state after January 1, 2002;
• A Certified Birth Certificate indicating that you were born in the United States or a territory of the United States;
• Current U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport that has not been expired more than 10 years;
• Certificate of Naturalization — USCIS Form (N-550 or N-570);
• U.S. government issued Consular Report of Birth Abroad;
• Certificate of Citizenship (N-560 or N-561);
• Unexpired U.S. Active Duty/Retiree/Reservist Military ID Card (DOD DD-2)

The University can accept photocopies of birth certificates and other citizenship documents so long as we reserve the right to demand production of the certified original in the event there are any questions about whether the copy is true and accurate, or in the event any of the information on the copy is unreadable.
For more information: http://registrar.sc.edu/html/citizenshipverification.stm