USC Postdoctoral Scholar Benefits Program Enrollment
All postdoctoral scholars will receive similar benefit packages regardless of title code. The postdoctoral scholar benefits package is designed to closely match the benefits offered to faculty and staff and includes health, dental, vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment, short-term and long-term disability insurance plans. Postdoctoral Benefits are managed through the USC Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (not through USC HR Benefits). To be considered for appointment as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Southern California, the individual must qualify as a:
- Postdoctoral Scholar – Research Associate
- Postdoctoral Scholar – Teaching Fellow
- Postdoctoral Scholar – Fellowship Trainee
- Postdoctoral Scholar – Visiting Fellow
Partner and family coverage are also available with a variety of plan options. All postdoctoral scholars on the USC Postdoctoral Benefits Program will be eligible for tuition remission for training-related courses at USC.
If you were a graduate student at USC and have transitioned to a postdoc position, you will no longer be eligible to use Student Health. Postdocs who need health benefits must enroll in the Postdoc Health Benefits plan.
All information about play types, individual/family/dependent rates, postdoc contributions, etc. can be found in the plan documents library on the USC Health Benefits Portal. Enrollment or waiving enrollment is also completed on this portal.
Please visit our benefits and enrollment site.
Period of Eligibility: Postdoctoral Scholars are eligible to enroll 31 days from their appointment start date. Enrollment is not automatic.
Postdoc resources
USC Office of Research: The mission of the Office of Research at the University of Southern California is to nurture and promote ethical and rigorous research, scholarship, creativity, and innovation to benefit society. Here, postdocs will find resources for research/scholarship, training, funding and events.
Center for Excellence in Teaching: CET supports your teaching and course design. CET institutes engage postdocs with all levels of experience in advancing their knowledge of scholarly approaches to teaching excellence and offers free resources for course design, evaluation and instruction.
Office of Postdoctoral Affairs Programs: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs offers travel support, research grants, tuition remission for work-related coursework, and signature programs that enhance postdoc career development.
Other Resources available to postdocs:
National Postdoc Association (NPA) membership: As the national voice of the postdoctoral community, the NPA is the one national entity representing both postdocs and their institutions. Promoting a culture of inclusion through advocacy, professional development, and a tireless dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion. As a sustaining member of the National Postdoc Association (NPA), USC postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and administrators are entitled to a free affiliate NPA membership.
Office of International Services has drop in advising sessions to answer visa related questions. Schedules can be found on the OIS website. For international postdocs, all visa related questions should be directed to OIS.
USC Career Center: All USC postdocs are encouraged to take advantage of the full range of career services. From resume review and career advising services to online networking and targeted job search resources, the Career Center offers robust tools to help you make valuable connections and identify potential employers and industry trends. The website enables you to search for jobs, research organizations, attend webinars, and network with fellow Trojans via the Trojan Network. In addition to our office, USC has school-based career centers or advisors who can assist you. For free yearly membership, email the Career Center. Lyon Center (UPC) and the HSC Fitness Center access: To activate your access, please register online prior to visiting the gym. Current enrollment in PDF-999 is required.
Lyon Center (UPC) and the HSC Fitness Center access: To activate your access, please register online prior to visiting the gym. Current enrollment in PDF-999 is required.
LinkedIn Learning: All postdocs get free access to this platform through USC libraries. LinkedIn Learning is an online educational platform that helps you discover and develop business, technology-related, and creative skills through expert-led course videos. With more than 5,000 courses and personalized recommendations, you can discover, complete, and track courses related to your field and interests. You can also choose to add these courses and related skills to your LinkedIn profile once you’ve completed them.