International students are eligible for
merit aid at USC, and applying for merit aid will not have a negative impact on your admissions decision. Unfortunately, International students are not eligible for need-based aid. And while USC is need-blind for US applicants, there is a U.S. Government requirement that International students submit a Financial Statement showing they can pay tuition and living expenses for the first year before a letter of admission can be sent.
From the USC website:
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International students do not qualify for need-based financial aid. Permanent residents of the United States, naturalized U.S. citizens, and U.S. citizens residing abroad and attending school outside the United States are not considered international students and are eligible for need-based financial aid.
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About the Financial Guarantee Statement (Form 8a)
The United States government requires all international applicants to provide proof of ability to pay tuition and living expenses before a formal letter of admission, or the forms needed for obtaining a visa, can be issued.
Each applicant relying on personal or family support must furnish, at the time of application, an original financial-guarantee letter— preferably a bank letter—stating the sponsor's name and address and verifying the ability to pay the annual cost of education-related expenses (See 2010 I20 Undergraduate Financial Statement Expense Figures PDF below) for the first academic year (nine months). This document must be verified by a bank. It is crucial that students submit a financial-guarantee letter with the application if they wish to receive notification of admission in a timely manner.
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Applicants whose financial support will come from their home governments or other official agencies (e.g., AMIDEAST) must submit appropriate documents from their sponsors at the time of application.
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International Students - USC Undergraduate Admission
Again, this is not a USC requirement, it is a requirement of the U.S. Government.
The required form can be found here:
http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergr...0910/Form8.pdf 
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