Southern Miss, as everyone calls it, is a public research university in Hattiesburg, in the pine belt of south Mississippi. It started in 1910 as a teachers' college. Today it's best known for polymer science, and for hydrographic and ocean science taught at the Gulf Park campus and at Stennis Space Center on the coast. Nursing, business and music are also popular. The Gulf of Mexico is about ninety minutes south.
Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States
Official website: usm.edu
1910
Public research university
School of Polymer Science and Engineering
Hattiesburg and Gulf Park, Long Beach
$11,000 – $14,000
International students, full-time, approximate
$10,000 – $13,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on usm.edu before you apply.
BS Polymer Science and Engineering
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 71
MS Hydrographic Science
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
BS Nursing
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
Polymer science teaching with strong industry links.
Hydrographic surveying taught at NASA's Stennis Space Center.
Low tuition and living costs.
Polymer graduates join paint, coatings, plastics and chemical companies.
Hydrographic and ocean graduates work with navies, survey firms and government agencies.
STEM graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Undergrad
Main intake
Postgrad
Main intake
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Selected programmes
Hattiesburg is a mid-sized college town with a restored downtown and the Longleaf Trace, a long rail trail for walking and cycling that starts at campus.
Summers are long and humid. New Orleans is under two hours south-west, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast beaches are about ninety minutes south.
Form I-20 issued by University of Southern Mississippi
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
Southern Miss reviews international applications on a rolling basis. Apply by about June for fall and October for spring. Graduate programmes may close earlier, especially for assistantships.
Most programmes start in fall (August) or spring (January). Hydrographic science usually starts in the fall.
It's the F-1 student visa. Get your I-20 from University of Southern Mississippi first (they need your deposit and bank documents), then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and attend the visa interview. Book the interview early in peak season.
Polymer science, hydrographic science, computer science, nursing and the MBA are popular. Undergraduates need secondary school results and IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 71. Graduate programmes need a relevant bachelor's degree and IELTS 6.5.
Southern Miss offers merit scholarships to some international undergraduates. Graduate students in polymer science and ocean science often receive research assistantships with a tuition waiver.
