Institution Details

The University of South Carolina is a public research university in Columbia, South Carolina. It is the flagship of the University of South Carolina System, and its programmes rank highly throughout the world.

Originally founded in 1801, the university has a rich history of academic excellence and is the largest university in the state by enrollment. The university welcomes many international students from diverse backgrounds each year, with international students making up an estimated 5.2% of the student body.

As a long-running university with an excellent reputation, the facilities at the University of South Carolina attract many ambitious students to the institution. The Thomas Cooper Library is the main library on campus and contains more than 3.6 million volumes of books and resources for students to utilize. There are specialized schools, such as the School of Law and the School of Medicine, whereby students can use discipline-specific facilities. The Darla Moore School of Business is a LEED Platinum-certified building for business students and faculty to utilize.

Innovista is the name of the research district that centers around developing new technologies. It contains laboratories, a technology incubator, offices and communities for students to pursue innovation. The Strom Thurmond Wellness & Fitness Center is a state-of-the-art gym with fitness equipment and exercise classes to support students' overall well-being. The Carolina Coliseum is an impressive concert building with events throughout the year. The Colonial Life Arena is the chosen venue for sporting events and concerts, as it seats 18,000 people. The USC Gamecocks football team has their stadium as the Williams-Brice Stadium.

Columbia in South Carolina was named one of the best university towns in the USA by livability.com. The city has an air of coolness due to the many record and coffee shops, Soda City market and music festivals. As South Carolina’s capital, a diverse range of people and plenty of activities are happening regularly. Student nightlife is exciting due to the range of bar and club options, plus the weather is warm and sunny most of the time when relaxation calls. The city is known for having a close-knit community because of South America's friendliness culture.

Campus life is rich and varied. South Carolina is known for its sunshine, friendly locals and coastal views. The university provides for students by offering more than 30 dining options across campus and concessions at local restaurants in the area. The number of student clubs is significantly large as there are 500 organizations, from the Alliance for Women in STEM to the Fashion Board, the Gamecock Badminton club to the Italian Club and beyond. Many music and theater performances are held on campus throughout the year. The campus is known for providing great scenery due to the number of trees and the striking architecture.

International students who want to live in on-campus accommodation can choose between various housing options provided by the university. Traditional residence halls give students a sense of community, and there are nine to choose from that all offer the shared living experience student life is famous for being able to offer. Suite-style residence halls are better suited to students who enjoy independent living but still want to socialize with their peers - the university can offer five different housing options in this style. Similarly, there are six separate apartment-style residences to choose from.

If international students want to browse the off-campus housing options nearby, there are a variety of rental apartments in the surrounding area of the university. The student support team can provide students with resources to empower them in their search for off-campus accommodation.

Education, Finance, Biomedical Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Computer Sciences, Tourism Management, Sport Management, Business