MS in User Experience and Interaction Design from Thomas Jefferson University 2026 Entry: Fees, Eligibility, Entry Requirements, Admission Deadlines & Scholarships.

Thomas Jefferson University MS in User Experience & Interaction Design is a 37-credit, two-year, full-time hybrid and on-campus master’s at East Falls, Philadelphia. Applicants need an equivalent bachelor’s, a required portfolio and preferably GPA 3.0, approximately 75% to 80% or CGPA 7.5 to 8.0 on 10. Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished; 2026-27 tuition was US$52,651 (INR 50.13 Lakhs), as a prior-cycle reference.

The course combines user research, interaction design, emerging technology and business thinking, then culminates in a high-fidelity product or service prototype. It best fits applicants seeking portfolio-intensive practice across screens, artificial intelligence and immersive experiences rather than a coding-only or research-only degree.

• Established web, multimedia, interaction or UX designers may qualify for the 18-month, 31-credit advanced-placement route.
• Interdisciplinary projects with Industrial Design students develop collaboration across product and digital design decisions.
• Two electives let students deepen a specialised interest while retaining the shared research, strategy and studio core.

Also Check: Thomas Jefferson University graduate admission

Jefferson MS UX and Interaction Design Fees and Living Costs 2027

Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished after checking the live programme, application and tuition pages. Jefferson currently publishes the 2026-27 per-credit rate, so the figures below are prior-cycle planning references rather than a Fall 2027 quote.

2026-27 prior-cycle academic charges: The standard course requires 37 credits, and the table multiplies only Jefferson’s published course-specific tuition and general fee rates. Verify the target fee on the official fee page.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 95.2167 as of 28 October 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: Thomas Jefferson University 2026-27 tuition schedule; calculated totals use the published 37-credit curriculum.

The general fee supports student and academic services, while Jefferson lists no programme departmental, technology or library fee for this course. If advanced placement reduces the course to 31 credits, the same prior-cycle rates produce a US$45,260 (INR 43.10 Lakhs) academic illustration. Jefferson must first approve that route.

Cost of Living in Philadelphia for UX Students

Jefferson’s current East Falls I-20 funding guidance combines US$13,587 (INR 12.94 Lakhs) in living expenses with US$10,000 (INR 9.52 Lakhs) in personal expenses. These figures support funding proof and should not be treated as a detailed rent or groceries budget.

Current published East Falls estimate: Monthly figures are calculated by dividing Jefferson’s annual amounts by 12, without inventing expense subcategories.

A two-year prior-cycle planning illustration adds US$54,020 (INR 51.44 Lakhs) in academic charges and US$47,174 (INR 44.92 Lakhs) in living allowances. It also includes the US$50 (INR 4,761) application fee. The calculated total is US$101,244 (INR 96.40 Lakhs), before travel, credential evaluation and any insurance not explicitly included in the East Falls estimate.

Read More: Cost of living in the USA for international students

ROI reality: The prior-cycle planning total reaches US$101,244 (INR 96.40 Lakhs) before unlisted costs. Wait for 2027-28 tuition before fixing the loan amount or comparing the standard and advanced-placement routes.

Jefferson MS UX and Interaction Design Admission 2027

Admission requires an equivalent bachelor’s degree and a portfolio from every applicant, while a 3.0 cumulative GPA is preferred. Jefferson uses holistic review, so the portfolio must show reasoning and iteration rather than polished screens alone.

The standard course welcomes varied academic backgrounds because its first term builds common visual-thinking and conceptual foundations. However, advanced placement requires stronger proof of established professional design capability and is not an automatic reward for work experience.

Academic Eligibility for Indian Applicants

The table separates requirements from preferred preparation and from evidence that can reduce the credit load. Jefferson makes the final international degree and grade equivalency decision.

Applicants with no formal design portfolio may submit a project case study using visual evidence and a written process narrative. A repaired object, undergraduate project or independent creative work can qualify when it clearly shows observation, testing and revision.

NACES means National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. A course-by-course NACES member evaluation is the preferred international route, while Jefferson also permits official records with English translations and may outsource their evaluation.

No current programme ranking in UX or interaction design from QS, THE, FT, ARWU or U.S. News was verified. Curriculum fit, portfolio development and the conditional advanced-placement route therefore provide more useful selection evidence.

English Language Proficiency

TOEFL means Test of English as a Foreign Language. Jefferson explicitly publishes the revised 4.0 TOEFL requirement for tests taken on or after 21 January 2026, so no score conversion is necessary.

Current Fall 2027 policy: Results must be dated within two years of application, and component conditions apply where shown.

• Indian applicants should expect to test because Jefferson’s country list identifies Hindi rather than English as India’s official language.
• A US bachelor’s earned after at least three years of US study can satisfy the programme’s published waiver route.
• Choose IELTS, PTE or Duolingo when preferred, but preserve enough time for official results before 15 April 2027.

Check Out: Thomas Jefferson University graduate programmes

Tip for Indian students: A non-design bachelor’s does not prevent entry, but the required portfolio still controls readiness. Build one case study around research, iteration and tested design decisions before submitting.

Jefferson MS UX and Interaction Design Application 2027

Fall 2027 applications are open, and Jefferson reviews complete files as they arrive. The priority deadline is 01 February 2027, while international students must complete every supporting item by 15 April 2027.

Jefferson also publishes 01 August 2027 as the general final deadline, but that later date does not replace the international deadline. No decision date, interview stage, cutoff hour or timezone is published for this programme.

Fall 2027 Deadlines and Portfolio Strategy

The table contains every forward-looking Fall stage published for the programme. Because the university gives no cutoff hour or timezone, an exact IST conversion is unavailable and the application portal timestamp controls.

Fall 2027 confirmed schedule: Submit on the preceding IST calendar day to avoid relying on an unstated US cutoff.

A complete file contains the highest earned degree transcript, personal statement, professional résumé and portfolio. The live requirements do not list a recommendation or GRE, so the written narrative and project evidence must carry the applicant’s academic and professional case.

The portfolio may be a multipage PDF or website, and every project should identify its scope, decisions and process. Applicants seeking advanced placement should also show realistic sketching, iterative testing, digital products and command of tools such as Figma or Adobe Creative Suite.

• Use the personal statement to connect user research, interface decisions and career direction rather than duplicating the résumé.
• Present one case study from problem framing through testing because isolated final screens cannot demonstrate the required reasoning process.
• Label individual contributions within team projects so reviewers can distinguish collaboration from personal design responsibility.
• Finish the credential evaluation before uploading because rolling review begins only after the application is complete.

The official UX application page embeds the live Fall 2027 form and requirements. Recheck it before submission because Jefferson can change supporting-material instructions within the cycle.

Application tip: The portfolio is both an admission requirement and the evidence used for advanced-placement review. Submit a process-led case study before 01 February when funding or a reduced credit route matters.

Jefferson MS UX and Interaction Design Scholarships 2027

The strongest confirmed Fall 2027 route is the East Falls Graduate Assistantship, offering tuition remission up to US$25,000 (INR 23.80 Lakhs) yearly. A full award also includes US$2,600 (INR 2.48 Lakhs) yearly for 14 service hours each week.

Jefferson has not published 2027-28 values for the Dean’s, partnership or Fulbright awards. Those awards remain useful eligibility references, but their 2026-27 amounts cannot reduce a Fall 2027 tuition figure that is itself unpublished.

Mixed-cycle funding evidence: Only the assistantship timeline is confirmed for Fall 2027, while the remaining award values are explicitly 2026-27 prior-cycle references.

The assistantship requires admission by 01 February, not merely an application submitted by that date. Invited candidates apply by 15 February, receive results on 16 March and must accept by 15 April 2027.

An assistantship begins as a one-semester award, is reviewed each semester and can continue for at most four semesters. Its headline value therefore should not be treated as a guaranteed two-year remission when sizing an education loan.

• Submit the admission file well before 01 February because rolling review must produce an offer before the assistantship invitation condition is met.
• Frame the assistantship cover letter around research, teaching or administrative skills that support a specific design-school assignment.
• Claim partnership eligibility only when the bachelor’s institution appears on Jefferson’s published list, including CEPT, LPU and three named Indian architecture colleges.
• Keep a no-award budget because the Dean’s, partnership and Fulbright values are not yet confirmed for 2027-28.

Read More: Scholarships in the USA for Indian students

Scholarship reality: A full assistantship can offset up to US$25,000 (INR 23.80 Lakhs) yearly, but admission by 01 February is mandatory. Semester review makes renewal the central funding risk.

Jefferson MS UX and Interaction Design Salary 2027

Jefferson publishes no course-cohort salary, offer rate or placement report for this master’s. Course career evidence therefore shows portfolio preparation and reported employer presence, while national labour data remain external market benchmarks.

The programme identifies roles across user research, product design, interaction design, information architecture and digital project management. Its breadth supports several portfolio directions, but it does not establish equal demand or pay across those roles.

Verified Course Career Evidence

Jefferson reports that recent graduates have held creative positions at organisations including Comcast, Microsoft, Meta and Bank of America. These names demonstrate graduate presence, not recurring recruitment or a placement guarantee.

External Digital Design Salary Benchmarks

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2025 median of US$104,000 (INR 99.03 Lakhs) for web and digital interface designers. This national occupation figure includes varied experience levels and is not Jefferson starting pay.

External May 2025 evidence: Industry medians show how work setting can change gross pay within the occupation.

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics digital design data, May 2025.

Gross pay differs from take-home income because federal, state and local taxes depend on work location and personal circumstances. Test an actual offer in current federal and state tax calculators before estimating loan repayment capacity.

ROI for an Indian Applicant

The available planning case is US$101,244 (INR 96.40 Lakhs), using prior-cycle academic charges and two years of Jefferson living allowances. Course salary evidence is absent, so a numerical payback forecast would be unsupported.

• The unpublished 2027-28 fee creates borrowing risk, so obtain the official bill before setting a US$101,244 (INR 96.40 Lakhs) loan ceiling.
• Approved advanced placement saved US$8,760 (INR 8.34 Lakhs) at prior-cycle rates, so request a 31-credit decision before comparing routes.
• A full assistantship offers up to US$25,000 (INR 23.80 Lakhs) yearly, but semester review requires a no-award funding reserve.
• The STEM designation can support 36 months of eligible OPT, so verify the I-20 code and employer conditions before valuing that work window.
• The US$104,000 (INR 99.03 Lakhs) market median is not starting pay, so validate role-level US and India-return offers against the portfolio produced.

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ROI reality: The course is financially defensible when portfolio evidence, advanced placement or confirmed funding reduces exposure to the prior-cycle cost. Do not borrow against the national occupation median.

USA Visa for Jefferson MS UX and Interaction Design Students 2027

Full-time on-campus students normally use F-1 status, with a US$185 (INR 17,615) visa fee and US$350 (INR 33,326) SEVIS I-901 fee. SEVIS means Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, which tracks the student record tied to the I-20. The programme is STEM-designated, but the I-20 code and employer conditions control extended work eligibility.

• OPT means Optional Practical Training and provides 12 months, while an eligible STEM graduate with an E-Verify employer may seek 24 additional months.
• H-1B sponsorship has no single national salary threshold because the employer must satisfy the applicable actual or prevailing wage rule.
• An F-2 spouse or unmarried minor child may accompany the student, but F-2 dependants cannot work in the United States.
• The degree creates no automatic permanent-residence route or fixed settlement timeline, so continued stay requires a separate qualifying pathway.

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Visa reality: The US$535 (INR 50,941) government fee total is small beside the programme budget. The real financial variable is securing eligible work within the authorised OPT window.