Located in Mississippi, the University of Southern Mississippi is focused on providing a huge learning platform to the students pursuing different courses from the list of an array of undergraduate and graduate courses it offers. This renowned institute with a prestigious reputation among the US Education System was established in 1910 and is spread across a lush suburban campus of around 1,090 acres.

It observes a student-faculty ratio of 17:1 that ensures no compromise on quality of education imparted to its students and operates one semester-based system. With an international student population of around 12%, the institute is indeed one of the coveted choices to study in the USA.

Admissions to University of Southern Mississippi are offered on a rolling basis round the year and require a nonrefundable application fee of 40 USD. The university is a very lightly selective institute with an acceptance rate as high as 98%.

Rankings

  • The institute ranked between #293-#381 in the category of National Universities by US News 2023.
  • Ita slo stood at #165 in Top Performers on Social Mobility. 
  • The similar survey also awarded its Business Programs at #260 in the country as per the survey results of 2023 US rankings.

Highlights

College Type Public
Campus Setting Urban
Endowment 116.8 Million USD
Student Retention Rate 72%
Work-study program yes
Mode of Program Full time; Part time; online
Campus Housing Capacity 28%
Annual cost of Attendance 25,516 USD
Admission Helpdesk 601 266-5000 admissions@usm.edu

Programs, Campus and Accommodation

Courses

The university offers various programs for international students including undergraduate program, graduate program along with online learning option to the students. A total of 189 programs including bachelors, masters and doctoral are offered under five schools at the institute. 

The online learning at the University of Southern Mississippi offers a convenient, flexible learning platform to the students allowing them to earn the degree you want. The faculty members at the university design high-quality programs and courses for the students.

Presently more than 2800 students from across the globe are pursuing degrees in a variety of degree and certificate programs across all academic colleges. Some of the popular undergraduate courses at the university include Applied Technology, Business Administration, Economics Minor, among many others.

Campus

The University of Southern Mississippi laid its foundation in 1910 and welcomed students coming from all over the world. The university has two campuses including Hattiesburg Campus and Gulf Park Campus.

On a 300 acre campus, the university offers residence facilities, which includes eight residential halls and The Sorority Village which can accommodate 294 students. The students get a chance to be involved in more than 220 student organizations or one of our immersive study-abroad programs.

The university aimed at offering the best safety and security to its students. Complete safe living and learning environment is offered to the entire USM community.

Housing Facilities/Residence

  • The university offers safe on-campus housing facilities in Hattiesburg which include quiet study lounges and free tutoring as well.
  • The Department of Housing and Residence Life at Southern Miss is made up of 14 residence halls, nine fraternity houses, 10 sorority houses, for accommodating the on-campus population of above 3,000 students.
  • There are different types of meal plans that are provided to students according to their level of study.
  • The Residence Hall Association also arranges different fun activities to help the students in building strong relationships that can last a lifetime.

University of Southern Mississippi Application Process

Application Portal

Student Class profile:

  1. Total applicants: 11,920, with a gender distribution of 37 percent male students while 63 percent are the female students.
  2. Standardized test scores: SAT or ACT Score (500- SAT verbal score or ACT English score of 20); minimum TOEFL score of 71 (IBT), 525 (PBT); or minimum IELTS score of 6.0 35

Supporting Documents: Immunization certificate, Visa/passport (if required), proof of English proficiency, official high school transcript and/or school leaving examination results

University of Southern Mississippi Cost of Attendance

If you are a probable applicant of the institute for the upcoming sessional year, an estimated budget for international students looking to study in the US is as mentioned below.

Expenses Cost
Tuition 10,514 USD
Room and Board 10,618 USD
Books and Supplies 1,500 USD
Transportation 1,200 USD
Personal Expenses 1,840 USD
Miscellaneous 266 USD
Total 25,938 USD

Scholarships/ Financial Aid for International Students

  • The institute offers various awards and scholarships for international students to study in the USA.
  • The university offers part time jobs for undergraduates, through which they can earn up to 3,600 USD.
  • There are both subsidized and unsubsidized loans for students along with parent loans.
  • The office of Undergraduate Scholarships provides rewards to the scholarly students at The University of Southern Mississippi to achieve their academic and financial goals.
  • International applicants are allowed for scholarships and grants.
  • To be considered for the scholarship, the students must take admissions by December 1.
  • The students who have got admission to The University of Southern Mississippi by this date will be automatically considered for freshman academic scholarships.

Types of scholarships for International Students

Honors Scholar Award USD 2,000 annual scholarship for 4 years
Honors College Presidential Scholarship USD 500 per semester educational allowance
Honors College Discovery Scholarship One-time $5,000 scholarship toward the USM study-abroad program of the recipient’s choice.
Freshman National Merit Scholarships Scholarship is equivalent to tuition for four years

Alumni Network

The alumni of the University of Southern Mississippi are provided numerous things like access to Alumni Debit Card, Alumni Scholarships, alumni career service, free access to library and newsletter, all aimed to deepen alumni there to Southern Miss.

Some other benefits include access to The Talon, the Alumni Association's award-winning quarterly alumni magazine and Travel Opportunities with Go Next and Collette. A few notable alumni: Justin Keys- marketing executive for Parker + Young; Miya Bates – a senior editor at Matthew Cutrer and Lindsay in Ridgeland

Placements

The university organizes many career fairs for the students pursuing their studies at the university. According to the reports, alumini of the University of Southern Mississippi get decent placements post completing their studies.

The median starting salary of the university alumina is almost USD 43,200.