The University of South Carolina (also referred to as USC, SC, or Carolina) is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over 359 acres (145 ha) in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House. The University has been recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for its research and engagement, has received a Top-10 ranking from U.S. News & World Report for being "most promising and innovative," and for decades has received annual recognition for its prestigious undergraduate and graduate International Business programs. It also houses the largest collection of Robert Burns and Scottish literature materials outside of Scotland.

Founded in 1801, USC is the flagship institution of the University of South Carolina System and offers more than 350 programs of study leading to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from fourteen degree-granting colleges and schools to an enrollment of approximately 44,557 students, 30,721 on the main Columbia campus. USC also has several thousand future students in feeder programs at surrounding technical colleges. Professional schools on the Columbia campus include business, engineering, law, medicine, and pharmacy.

South Carolina (ⁱ/ˌsaʊθ kærəˈlaɪnə/) is a state in the Southeastern United States. It is bordered to the north by North Carolina; to the south and west by Georgia, located across the Savannah River; and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British Crown during the American Revolution. The colony was originally named by King Charles II of England in honor of his father Charles I (Carolus being Latin for Charles). South Carolina was the 8th state to ratify the US Constitution and become a state which it did on May 23, 1788. South Carolina later became the first state to vote to secede from the Union which it did on December 20, 1860. It was readmitted to the United States on June 25, 1868.

South Carolina is the 40th most extensive and the 24th most populous of the 50 United States. South Carolina comprises 46 counties. The capital and largest city of the state is Columbia.