USC will remove the Academic Achievement Award and Exceptional Funding for incoming students beginning in Fall 2025, according to a memo sent to academic advisors on August 13. Students who matriculated to USC before Fall 2025 will remain eligible for the award until their graduation date. The change was first reported by Morning, Trojan.

In an interview with the Daily Trojan, Vice Provost for Academic Programs Andrew McConnell Stott said USC’s delicate financial position and the resource-intensive nature of the program led to the reversal. 

“[USC’s financial context] requires us to make the most efficient use of our resources, both financial and personnel,” Stott said. “Only 3% of our undergraduate population actually utilize this program.”

AAA allows undergraduate students pursuing a minor or double major to take up to 21 units per semester at no additional cost, provided they meet certain requirements. Without AAA, students  pay to exceed 18 units in a semester. In fall 2025, the rate per unit is $2,467. 

Exceptional Funding allows Trustee and Presidential scholarship recipients to take 8 additional units either during the academic year or over the summer. The cost of these additional units is discounted based on the students’ scholarship.

USC did not publicly announce the changes and instead privately notified academic advisors. However, Academic Honors and Fellowships updated its website with the new parameters. 

In a memo provided to the Daily Trojan, Stott wrote that “currently enrolled students may not need to adjust their course plans … This update is primarily intended to help advisors support the newest incoming class.”

In the interview, Stott said that resources could be diverted towards programs for lower-income students.

“[AAA] tends to be used by students who are better resourced,” Stott said. “Students who utilize this program utilize financial aid at a lower rate.” 

Stott also said that the program was very resource-intensive. “I want to … focus my staff efforts on programs which benefit all students,” he said. 

Namratha Kasalanati, a senior majoring in music composition as well as economics/mathematics, used AAA for several semesters. She believes removing the reward will hurt students’ academic endeavors.

“I’m super grateful [for it] … and it was one of the things that drew me to USC,” Kasalanati said. “[This change] will definitely make it harder for qualified students who are really interested in pursuing an interdisciplinary course path.”

USC previously announced the removal of AAA and Exceptional Funding in Spring 2024 and said the awards would immediately be removed in their entirety. Following student and faculty backlash, USC reinstated the awards for students with graduation dates prior to September 2025. Amid continued backlash, this was later amended to reinstate the awards for all students. 

At the time, USC administrators said that community responses caused them to alter course. In a letter provided to Daily Trojan on March 25, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Andrew Guzman said that “We received feedback from the community about sunsetting these programs … and we listened.” 

Isaac Millians, a senior majoring in international relations, said he found the University’s recent actions disingenuous. 

“When AAA was canceled previously, the response was overwhelming,” Millians said. “For them to turn around and [remove it again] … they’re really blindsiding the community in a manner that completely undermines the spirit of its reinstatement in 2024.”

Millians said that AAA was serving a wide community already, and served as a strong reward for performing well in classes. 

“It had a clear purpose. It was easy to interact with, and it was vital for me to complete my degrees,” Millians said. 

USC’s policy change comes as the University recorded a $200 million deficit in the 2024-25 academic year, which was higher than the deficit in 2023-24 despite significant budget cuts. Thus far, USC’s budget cuts have ranged from scholarship reductions, including for National Merit, to layoffs of at least 342 employees.