USC considers dropping sophomore housing guarantee

USC Housing may sunset its guarantee that second-year undergraduates can receive university-provided housing, a spokesperson said.

“We are currently reviewing all housing policies and programs as we do each year,” said the USC spokesperson. “One of the programs under review is the second-year housing guarantee, but no final decisions have been made."

The statement contradicted a memo that Morning, Trojan previously reported which said the decision was final. The memo wrote that changes would apply to students who enter USC starting in the fall 2026 semester — meaning current freshmen are still guaranteed housing for next year.

USC has in the past guaranteed that any freshman who lives in a university dorm has the option of continuing to live in school housing the following year. The memo reviewed by Morning, Trojan indicates that USC still expects the majority of returning sophomores to receive school housing, even if the guarantee were sunset.

The average rent for a studio apartment in ZIP code 90007, which surrounds USC, is $1,520, according to Zillow.

This story was updated with new information that the university has not made a final decision to remove the sophomore housing guarantee.

Tomo Chien can be reached at [email protected].