Master of Science [MS] (Data Science)
Field of Study:
$50,640 /Yr
Fordham University Master of Science (MS) Data Science offers full-time postgraduate study at Lincoln Center, Manhattan, within a one-to-two-year format. The January 2027 intake expects a recognised equivalent bachelor’s degree, quantitative preparation and basic programming knowledge. Calculated tuition is US$53,670 (INR 50.70 Lakhs) at the published 2026-27 credit rate, before fees and any subsequent annual increases.
The programme develops computational modelling and large-dataset skills through a core curriculum, domain electives and a final applied or research component. Its capstone, internship and thesis choices suit quantitatively prepared applicants who want to connect technical training with a particular industry or research question.
- An optional artificial intelligence concentration provides a focused route through existing elective courses.
- Hands-on technologies include Spark, Tableau and natural language processing.
- Evening teaching allows students to organise daytime project work around scheduled classes.
Current Admission Status
Applications for the January 2027 intake are Open. International student deadline: 1 December 2026.
Indian applicants should submit a complete file early because credential checks, admission review and immigration-document processing require separate steps. August 2027 offers another published entry point.
Also Check: Fordham University MS Data Science Admission
Fordham MS Data Science Fees and Living Costs 2027
The 2026-27 tuition rate for Data Science is US$1,789 per credit (INR 1.69 Lakhs), rather than the general graduate-school rate. Multiplying that rate by 30 required credits gives a calculated US$53,670 tuition illustration (INR 50.70 Lakhs), without fixing rates for later academic years.
January 2027 entry: these published 2026-27 charges apply to the relevant academic year; the deposit is the currently published admissions amount.
| Charge | US dollars | INR equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition per credit | US$1,789 | INR 1.69 Lakhs |
| 30-credit tuition, calculated at unchanged rates | US$53,670 | INR 50.70 Lakhs |
| General fee per term | US$242 | INR 22,859 |
| Technology fee per term | US$372 | INR 35,139 |
| International service fee per term | US$76 | INR 7,179 |
| Application fee | US$89 | INR 8,407 |
| Enrollment deposit, credited toward first-semester fees | US$587 | INR 55,448 |
| Spring health insurance, including summer | US$3,342 | INR 3.16 Lakhs |
| Fall health insurance | US$1,890 | INR 1.79 Lakhs |
All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 94.4598 as of 06 November 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.
Source: Fordham GSAS Tuition and Fees, 2026-2027, and the current GSAS Admissions FAQ.
- The non-refundable enrollment deposit reduces your later first-semester fee liability, so do not add it twice when arranging loan disbursements.
- Each additional registered term adds the applicable term fees, making your approved completion schedule financially significant.
- The Python bridge requirement can add coursework, so request its credit and billing treatment before accepting a final loan amount.
Cost of Living in New York for Data Science Students
Fordham’s 2026-27 financial-support form publishes a combined monthly living allowance, covering housing, food, books, transport and other stated personal expenses. The following annual figure is calculated over 12 months; the allowance is neither a residence quotation nor an itemised spending forecast.
| Expense | Monthly (USD) | Monthly (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Combined official living allowance | US$3,350 | INR 3.16 Lakhs |
| Monthly total | US$3,350 | INR 3.16 Lakhs |
| Annual total, calculated as monthly allowance × 12 | US$40,200 | INR 37.97 Lakhs |
A calculated current-rate planning budget is US$100,571 (INR 95.00 Lakhs) for 30 credits, 12 months’ living, two billed terms, annual insurance and the application. Tuition plus living is US$53,670 + US$40,200 (INR 50.70 Lakhs + INR 37.97 Lakhs). Fees, insurance and application add US$1,380 + US$5,232 + US$89 (INR 1.30 Lakhs + INR 4.94 Lakhs + INR 8,407). This assumes completion within that spending period and excludes flights, visa charges, loan interest and any bridge coursework or later rate increases.
The living allowance mentions service fees, while the tuition schedule bills programme fees separately, so the illustration retains those billed fees as a conservative allowance. Request an itemised estimate to remove any overlap and extend housing and insurance costs if your approved schedule exceeds 12 months.
Read More: Cost of Living in USA for International Students
Financial-form inconsistency
The same official form lists a lower programme financial-support total that does not reconcile with its monthly living instruction. Obtain a corrected January 2027 funding requirement through the official GSAS financial-support form before preparing bank evidence.
Key insight: The 30-credit tuition calculation covers only part of this Manhattan programme’s budget. Confirm the term count and corrected financial-support requirement before fixing your borrowing.
Fordham MS Data Science Admission 2027
January and August 2027 are the published entry points for this programme. Admission depends on degree equivalence and quantitative readiness, so applicants from business or social sciences should demonstrate the relevant mathematics and programming preparation.
Current programme requirements: Fordham does not publish a course-specific minimum Indian percentage, work-experience requirement or named admitted-cohort profile on the checked programme surfaces.
| Requirement | Programme policy |
|---|---|
| Previous qualification | A recognised equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree, with quantitative preparation expected |
| Mathematics | Discrete mathematics, probability and statistics |
| Programming | Basic programming and familiarity with Python |
| Graduate Record Examination | Optional for this master’s programme |
| Application materials | Transcripts, resume, statement of intent and three recommendation letters |
| Statement length | Up to 500 words |
| Supplemental essay | Optional |
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is optional, and Fordham states that omitting scores does not disadvantage applicants where the test is optional. Use the application space to show quantitative coursework and a reproducible Python project rather than inventing a competitive test target.
For a three-year Indian bachelor’s degree, obtain a course-by-course evaluation under Fordham’s international eligibility rules. World Education Services is one accepted provider, alongside other approved evaluation services; Fordham retains the admission and equivalence decision.
Applicants with a four-year degree may request an evaluation waiver when the English transcript includes courses, credits, grades and an explanatory grading key. That waiver is discretionary, so retain the evaluation lead time when preparing a January application.
Fordham appears in the 1001 to 1200 band of the QS World University Rankings 2027, an overall institutional ranking that does not rank this master’s programme.
English Language Requirements
The Data Science-specific English thresholds are lower than the general graduate-school thresholds, so use the programme exception when submitting scores. Fordham’s current TOEFL policy distinguishes tests taken before and after 21 January 2026.
Current published policy for applicants: the table reproduces the university’s TOEFL transition wording without converting between scales.
| Accepted test | Published requirement |
|---|---|
| Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), earlier tests | Taken before January 21, 2026 - Minimum score: 85 |
| TOEFL, revised tests | Taken on or after January 21, 2026 - Minimum score: 4.5 |
| International English Language Testing System | Minimum 6.5 band score |
| Pearson Test of English Academic | 59 |
| Duolingo English Test | Minimum score of 115 |
- Graduates of Indian universities may request a case-by-case English exemption within the application, although Fordham can still request test scores.
- The revised TOEFL minimum uses the new score scale; submit the original score report without converting it yourself.
- Additional recommended English coursework is student-funded and excluded from graduate merit tuition scholarships, so resolve the language route before accepting funding.
Fordham also accepts specified Cambridge qualifications, while the checked programme table does not give separate English component minima. An Indian-degree waiver request therefore deserves attention before paying for another examination, but wait for Fordham’s decision before treating testing as waived.
Academic Fit and Course Planning
The standard structure reserves five courses for the core, four for electives and one for the capstone. Choosing the two-course thesis replaces the capstone and one elective, creating a direct tradeoff between research depth and elective breadth.
The department uses a Python placement examination to determine whether admitted students can bypass its bridge course. Applicants entering from another discipline should ask for the examination scope and map their preparation against it before choosing an intensive completion schedule.
Tip for Indian students: A quantitative degree title alone does not establish Python readiness. Document your mathematical coursework and resolve degree evaluation and bridge-course requirements before committing to the shortest schedule.
Fordham MS Data Science Application 2027
The January 2027 deadline is 1 December 2026, while August 2027 has a longer published admissions sequence. Indian applicants who need credential evaluation or additional Python preparation should use those tasks to choose between the two entry points.
Published 2027 entry dates: Spring means the January start and Fall means the August start; rolling review remains subject to available places.
| Intake and stage | Application date | Published decision timing |
|---|---|---|
| January 2027 final deadline | 1 December 2026 | Spring decisions generally follow within two to three weeks of a complete file |
| August 2027 priority deadline | 8 January 2027 | Fall decisions generally begin in late February or early March |
| August 2027 general consideration | 31 March 2027 | No fixed stage-specific decision date published |
| August 2027 rolling admissions begin | 1 April 2027 | Generally two to three weeks after application completion |
| August 2027 final deadline | 30 July 2027 | Rolling review, subject to remaining capacity |
The decision windows are graduate-school guidance, not guaranteed programme round-release dates. Fordham publishes calendar deadlines without a cutoff time or timezone on the checked schedule, so obtain the portal cutoff before calculating Indian Standard Time.
For August entry, the 8 January priority deadline supports full consideration for available merit funding and leaves more room for visa processing. The July deadline is a final application boundary, not evidence that places or scholarships will remain available.
- Ask all three recommenders to submit through Fordham’s system and check that every letter reaches the application checklist before the relevant deadline.
- Use the 500-word statement to connect a documented technical project with your intended elective field and final project route.
- Confirm the intended semester, full-time status and MS Data Science title before submitting, since the quantitative-economics and dual-degree options are separate programmes.
The checked programme requirements do not publish a mandatory interview stage, so do not build your schedule around an assumed interview invitation. After admission, the financial-support form indicates two to five business days for initial checking, followed by approximately two to three weeks for immigration-document issuance.
Those administrative steps follow your academic decision, which makes the January start less forgiving of an incomplete application. For August 2027, request the new academic-year tuition quotation before comparing offer costs because the published January rate does not establish later fees.
Application tip: Use 8 January 2027 for August-entry funding consideration rather than treating 30 July as the preferred submission date. Choose January only with a complete academic and financial-document plan.
Fordham MS Data Science Scholarships 2027
International MS Data Science applicants can be considered for merit-based graduate funding, but the checked sources do not promise a standard award for this programme. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) administers these opportunities through academic recommendations and funding decisions.
Current published funding mechanisms are described below; they are not confirmed January 2027 allocations. No separate Spring 2027 scholarship cutoff or guaranteed Data Science award amount appears on the checked funding surfaces.
GSAS Tuition Scholarships
These scholarships cover all or part of eligible tuition, with awards expressed through covered credits or a tuition portion. Recipients remain responsible for student fees, so an award letter must identify the credits and terms covered before you subtract support from the budget.
Only degree-applicable coursework qualifies under the published rules; a course imposed as a condition of admission is excluded. For applicants facing bridge coursework, confirm that course’s funding treatment separately rather than assuming a tuition award covers every registered credit.
GSAS Graduate Assistantships
Assistantships combine financial support with assigned duties, and the admissions guidance describes the positions as limited. The assistantship page specifies up to 18 hours weekly for a full assignment or nine for a half package, affecting time available for projects.
A Data Science applicant should establish the assigned duties, stipend and tuition component from the actual offer before accepting the appointment. An assistantship therefore changes both the financing calculation and the workload, especially alongside a thesis or intensive course schedule.
GSAS External Fellowship Matching Support
Students holding an external fellowship may apply for matching support, subject to the outside award’s restrictions and available GSAS funding. Notify the graduate school when the external award arrives and request written confirmation before counting a match in your financing.
The published mechanism gives no universal matching percentage, so an outside award does not establish an automatic tuition reduction. Keep the external award and proposed university match as separate entries until both are documented.
- Indicate merit-funding interest in the admissions application and request written confirmation of January-entry consideration.
- For August 2027 entry, submit by the published 8 January priority deadline to preserve full consideration for available merit opportunities.
- Check the credits, uncovered fees and work obligations in each award letter before reducing the loan amount.
The university’s funding conditions on its GSAS financial-support policy supplies the governing conditions for these mechanisms. For this master’s programme, request a written allocation and renewal terms because eligibility for consideration does not establish a funded offer.
Scholarship reality: Degree-only tuition coverage can leave prerequisite coursework and fees unpaid. Secure an award letter naming the covered credits before treating Fordham funding as available money.
Fordham MS Data Science Salary 2027
Course-cohort employment evidence is incomplete: the checked Fordham sources do not publish a dated MS Data Science salary, offer rate or sector distribution. The programme instead names alumni employers, including Amazon, American Express, Google, JPMorgan Chase and Mastercard, without cohort counts or hiring probabilities.
Those employer names establish reported alumni employment, while the university’s brochure identifies pathways such as data engineering and business intelligence. Ask the programme for recent international-graduate outcomes and career-support arrangements before assuming that the employer list represents a placement service.
External job-market benchmark: the following May 2025 figures describe employed US data scientists across experience levels, not Fordham graduates or starting salaries.
| External US occupational measure | Annual gross pay (USD) | INR equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| All-industry median, data scientists | US$120,230 | INR 1.14 Crore |
| Publishing, broadcasting and content providers median | US$142,240 | INR 1.34 Crore |
| Computer systems design and related services median | US$132,380 | INR 1.25 Crore |
| Credit intermediation and related activities median | US$129,490 | INR 1.22 Crore |
| Insurance carriers and related activities median | US$108,650 | INR 1.03 Crore |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Data Scientists, May 2025 wage data.
The official data-scientist employment dataset also projects 35% occupational growth from 2025 to 2035. That forecast supports investigating the occupation, but cannot establish how many Fordham international graduates secure eligible jobs.
Take-home pay depends on tax residency, location and deductions; use a suitable payroll calculator after checking the official tax-withholding guidance and estimator. A gross occupational median should not be entered as monthly disposable income when testing loan repayments.
Return on Investment for Indian Applicants
The calculated US$100,571 planning illustration (INR 95.00 Lakhs) makes funding and time to employment material to return on investment. Because course-specific outcomes are missing, this article does not calculate a payback period from the external occupational median.
- Thirty required credits create substantial tuition exposure, so request credit-specific scholarship coverage and finance uncovered credits before committing.
- The internship can replace the capstone, making it academically useful, but confirm how students find positions before budgeting any internship earnings.
- The thesis replaces one elective as well as the capstone, so choose its research depth only when that output supports your intended technical or doctoral route.
- The eligible post-study work window can reach 36 months, so test whether your loan remains serviceable if US employment begins late or ends earlier.
For a US career, connect the programme’s domain electives and applied project to specific job descriptions before selecting courses. Ask about the actual semester availability of those electives so that an intended finance or healthcare focus does not depend on an unconfirmed timetable.
For an India-return plan, use actual Indian offers or employer salary bands when testing repayments rather than converting US occupational medians into expected earnings. The thesis or project can supply evidence of technical work, but the New York living premium still has to be funded.
Check Out: MS Data Science Programmes in USA
ROI reality: Fordham offers alternative final-project routes but publishes no verified cohort salary for this course. Make the funding decision using your documented award, actual study schedule and an India-return repayment scenario.
USA Visa for Fordham MS Data Science Students 2027
This on-campus master’s requires full-time enrollment for F-1 student status, with Fordham issuing the immigration document after financial verification. The published visa application charge is US$185 (INR 17,475), alongside the separate US$350 student-record fee (INR 33,061). These charges sit outside the academic planning budget and do not resolve the financial-form discrepancy identified above.
- Optional Practical Training permits up to 12 months of degree-related work; this science, technology, engineering and mathematics programme supports an eligible 24-month extension.
- The extension requires an eligible employer and training arrangements, so verify those conditions with Fordham before treating the maximum 36 months as usable employment time.
- H-1B specialty-occupation sponsorship uses the higher of the employer’s actual wage or the occupation’s local prevailing wage, with permanent residence requiring a separate eligibility and visa-availability process.
- Eligible spouses and children may seek F-2 dependent status, but cannot work in that status, so obtain Fordham’s additional family funding requirement before arranging their move.
Read More: USA Student Visa Requirements for Indian Applicants
Visa reality: The programme’s work-extension eligibility creates a conditional employment window, with no fixed study-to-permanent-residence timeline. Keep the loan plan workable without assuming employer sponsorship or a dependent spouse’s earnings.
Fordham MS Data Science fits quantitatively prepared applicants who want to connect computational training with a domain-focused project or research pathway. Its choice of final component lets applicants shape that output, although a thesis reduces elective space. The material tradeoff is Manhattan expenditure without published cohort-level salary evidence to support a predictable repayment calculation. Before committing, confirm the Python requirement, obtain a corrected financial-support estimate and secure written funding terms for your chosen intake.
Fordham MS Data Science FAQs
Ques. Can a non-computer-science graduate make Fordham MS Data Science worthwhile?
Ans. A quantitative background can support the application, but the useful preparation test is whether you can handle probability, statistics and Python. Identify a domain you already understand and request the bridge-course decision before choosing your completion schedule. The elective structure can build on that domain knowledge, while missing foundations may add both coursework and expense.
Ques. Should I delay my Fordham MS Data Science application to improve my GRE?
Ans. An optional GRE does not justify missing a published deadline when the programme supplies no same-version competitive score benchmark. Prioritise a complete transcript, relevant technical evidence and recommendations that explain your quantitative readiness. Submit a score when it adds evidence to your file, rather than assuming a university-wide average is this course’s admission threshold.
Ques. How should I assess whether a Fordham MS Data Science scholarship makes the course affordable?
Ans. Compare the award’s covered credits and terms with the 30-credit requirement, then retain housing, fees and insurance as separate financing obligations. Ask whether the bridge course is excluded and whether an assistantship adds duties alongside study. The planning illustration assumes unchanged rates and a defined spending period, so recalculate it against your actual schedule and written award.
Ques. Is January or August 2027 the better Fordham MS Data Science application choice?
Ans. January requires a file ready for the December deadline and enough time afterward for financial verification and immigration processing. August gives a published priority stage for merit consideration and more preparation time. Applicants depending on funding should investigate that priority stage while requesting the later academic-year fee quotation before comparing the two options.
Ques. Does Fordham MS Data Science provide a guaranteed route to a US data-science job?
Ans. The employer list and optional internship establish possible career connections, while the checked sources provide no dated cohort placement probability. Ask how recent international students obtained internships and which career services support the final-project route you intend to take. Evaluate a US job search and an India-return repayment plan separately because occupational medians cannot establish your starting offer.
Tuition Fees
| Year | 1st Year Fees |
|---|---|
| Tuition Fees | $50640 |
Other Expenses
| Head | Avg Cost Per Year |
|---|---|
| Health Insurance | $4994 |
| Books and supply | $1590 |
Previous Year Tuition Fees
| Year | 1st Year Fees |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $50640 |
Important Dates
| Event | Application Date |
|---|---|
| Application deadline for August 2026 Intake | |
Scores Required
Required Document List
- Online Application
- Application Fee
- English Language Proficiency Testing
- Two letter of Recommendations
- Unofficial transcript(s)
- Two (2) or more letters of recommendation from professional or academic references
- C.V. or Resume
- Statement of academic goals and research interests
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Scholarship Grants & Financial Aids
| Name | Scholarship Per Student | Level of Study | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship Program | Scholarship per student$ 10,000/Yr$10,000 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Axol Science Scholarship | Scholarship per student$ 2,000/Yr$2,000 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeCompany-Sponsored | |
| VueVille Future Technology Scholarship | Scholarship per student$ 1,000/Yr$1,000 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| R&D Systems Scholarship | Scholarship per student$ 1,500/Yr$1,500 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Go Clean Scholarship | Scholarship per student$ 3,500/Yr$3,500 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Business Administration Scholarships | Scholarship per studentVariable Amount | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based |
















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