Undergraduate students provide the foundation of the debate squad. Undergraduates comprise the intercollegiate competitors for the squad and they play active roles in our research and service programs.
Current USC Students
Membership on the debate squad is open to any current USC student. Students may join any of the squad’s programs at any time. The intercollegiate policy team debates a single proposition for each year-long season (July – March). Students interested in competing are encouraged to join at the start of each academic year.
Prospective USC Students
The debate squad is happy to help prospective students to learn more about the admissions process. Admission to USC is very competitive and although debate is well-regarded at USC, each prospective student must earn admission based on their own merit.
Potential undergraduates are encouraged to review the information provided by at USC’s Office of Undergraduate Admission and consider following USC Admissions on Twitter to stay current with deadlines and new information. From USC Admissions, prospective students can learn about the 150 majors and 150 minors available to students. Membership on the debate squad is open to undergraduate USC students in any academic program.
Many of the squad members earn a major or minor from the squad’s academic home, the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. Students can earn degrees in Communication, Public Relations, or Journalism at one of the nation’s leading programs. Prospective students are encouraged to learn about the many exciting programs available to Annenberg students.
Financial Aid
USC has a long-standing commitment to helping to make the university experience affordable. More than 60% of students at USC receive some form of financial assistance. Our Debate Scholarship , for example, has been supporting Trojan Debaters since the 1940s. These scholarships allow students to focus their attention on debate and academic matters.
Much like admissions, the determination of debate scholarships is also very selective. Outstanding students are selected on a series of factors, including accomplishments and potential in policy debate, academic merit, personal character, and involvement in community programs.
We encourage interested students to fill out the debate scholarship application form as well as all USC financial aid applications. The university provides a great deal of information about financial aid opportunities.
