University of San Francisco MSc Data Science & Artificial Intelligence, MSc 2026:Admission,Fees,Scholarship and Placement

University of San Francisco MS Data Science is currently titled Master of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. This 12-month, full-time postgraduate programme runs at the Downtown San Francisco campus and accepts bachelor’s graduates with statistics, linear algebra and programming preparation. Summer 2027 tuition is unpublished; 2026/27 tuition was US$60,725 (INR 57.36 Lakhs), as a prior-cycle reference.

The compulsory nine-month practicum connects classroom modelling with external organisations, making this an applied route for applicants who already possess quantitative foundations. Its accelerated curriculum suits candidates seeking intensive technical practice, while the prohibition on outside employment makes independent funding essential.

• All students receive a practicum placement, with projects matched to interests, skills and organisational needs.
• An optional Data Engineering concentration adds six weeks and extends the programme to 13.5 months.
• Programme-specific career preparation includes compulsory workshops and alumni mock interviews.

Also Check: University of San Francisco MS Admission

USF MS Data Science Fees and Living Costs 2027

Summer 2027 full-programme tuition is unpublished on the checked programme funding and graduate-cost pages. The available estimate covers 2026/27, so it cannot fix the price of a cohort continuing into 2027/28.

Prior-cycle reference: the following figures are published for 2026/27 and apply to the standard 35-unit programme, including international students.

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: USF programme financing and graduate student costs pages, 2026/27.

The prior-cycle tuition calculation is 35 units × US$1,735 (INR 1.64 Lakhs) = US$60,725 (INR 57.36 Lakhs). USF’s separate fall-and-spring attendance table covers only 26 units, so its tuition subtotal excludes summer coursework. Request the complete Summer 2027 schedule before accepting a loan amount based on that shorter billing period.

• Tuition is due at each semester’s beginning, although USF offers monthly payment arrangements.
• Confirm the admission deposit and application charge in the portal because the checked programme instructions do not publish their amounts.
• Budget for a compatible Mac because USF validates course code on macOS and does not troubleshoot other operating systems.

Cost of Living in San Francisco for MS Data Science Students

USF’s international finance page supplies a 12-month combined living estimate covering shared rent, food at home and health insurance. The table converts its 2026/27 annual figures into monthly averages; these are calculated budgeting equivalents rather than monthly university bills.

Prior-cycle living-cost reference: Summer/Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 entrants, using the university’s 12-month programme categories.

A prior-cycle planning illustration totals US$96,414 (INR 91.07 Lakhs), before flights, immigration charges and a laptop. The calculation adds tuition of US$60,725 (INR 57.36 Lakhs) to living and other expenses of US$35,109 (INR 33.16 Lakhs). Published fees add US$580 (INR 54,787), while insurance is already included in living expenses. This calculated subtotal is neither a Summer 2027 quotation nor the university’s visa-funding requirement.

The university’s certification-of-finances requirement serves a different purpose from this complete-course illustration. Its current table identifies earlier entrants, so obtain the Summer 2027 funding requirement before arranging bank evidence. Programme rules also prohibit employment outside the practicum during the core year, removing casual work as a reliable way to close a funding gap.

Read More: Cost of Living in USA for International Students

Key insight: USF’s published fall-and-spring tuition covers 26 units, while the degree requires 35; obtain the remaining summer charges before setting your borrowing limit.

USF MS Data Science Admission 2027

USF accepts bachelor’s graduates from any academic discipline who satisfy its quantitative prerequisites. Summer is the programme’s sole annual entry, and the standard degree has no part-time, evening or online delivery option.

Summer 2027 preparation: prerequisite subjects must be completed before enrolment, although applicants may apply while qualifying courses remain in progress.

A three-year Indian degree can therefore enter admission review, but degree length does not establish prerequisite completion. Map transcript modules to the published statistics, algebra and programming topics, then identify any missing graded coursework. Ordinary online certificates supplement preparation; they do not generally replace accredited coursework, except for specified USF Data Institute certificates.

USF publishes no minimum undergraduate grade-point average, although its FAQ says it generally seeks 3.0 or above. As an approximate planning comparison, that is around 60% to 70% for Indian applicants, with substantial institutional variation. USF makes the official equivalency decision, so this range cannot establish eligibility or predict selection.

The 2026/27 cohort contains 74 students, and 47% arrived with one year or less of work experience. Prior employment is therefore not a universal prerequisite, although these enrolled-student figures reveal no acceptance rate. Use the technical requirements to judge readiness instead of treating cohort membership as evidence of admission odds.

USF’s No. 110 national-university position in the 2026 U.S. News undergraduate edition is an overall institutional ranking. It does not rank this master’s programme or establish its employment performance.

English Language Requirements

The current graduate table places Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in the IELTS 6.5 category and publishes both TOEFL scales. A separately dated Summer 2027 policy is unpublished; verify the current rules on the official graduate English requirements page.

USF lists 4.5 on the revised TOEFL scale, but does not attach revised-scale component scores to that column. The 17-point subscore belongs to its separately displayed legacy requirements; do not convert it yourself. Confirm the component rule for your test date with admissions before booking or sending results.

• Do not assume Indian school English or an English-medium Indian degree creates a waiver because India is absent from the programme’s exemption list.
• Schedule testing before the December scholarship priority date so missing results do not delay a complete application.
• Use the published overall thresholds without inventing a higher competitive target, since USF supplies no admitted-student English-score benchmark.

The summer boot camp reviews existing knowledge and requires a linear algebra competency examination before progression. It cannot serve as a substitute for missing prerequisites, which must already be completed. Applicants changing disciplines should demonstrate readiness before paying for an accelerated programme that leaves no time for remedial courses.

Tip for Indian students: Three-year degrees receive consideration, but the technical interview tests actual prerequisite knowledge; prepare explanations of statistical reasoning and Python behaviour alongside your transcript.

USF MS Data Science Application 2027

The strongest documented timing advantage is priority scholarship consideration for applications completed by 05 December 2026. USF accepts Summer 2027 applications until 01 March 2027, while later applications receive space-available review.

Summer 2027 application schedule: these programme dates apply to international applicants; there are no separate fall or spring entry rounds.

The programme publishes calendar deadlines without a clock time or timezone, so no reliable Indian Standard Time conversion is available. Follow the portal’s displayed cutoff rather than assuming midnight in India. Priority submission changes funding consideration, while USF explicitly separates that benefit from any promise of an early admission decision.

Documents and Technical Interview

The course requires one recommendation letter, despite broader college instructions describing two letters. Follow the programme-specific checklist and use a recommender who can substantiate quantitative readiness through coursework or professional examples.

• Upload records from every college attended, with degree-conferral evidence or current enrolment documentation and English translations where required.
• Write a one-to-two-page statement connecting your educational preparation, relevant experience and career goals with the practicum-based curriculum.
• Include a current résumé, passport identity page, English scores where required and proof-of-funding documentation.
• Prepare for faculty questions in programming, statistics and linear algebra, including explanations of code behaviour and mathematical reasoning.

USF asks applicants to submit their own writing and explicitly discourages application materials generated by artificial intelligence. Use project examples that you can explain during the interview, especially when your degree title does not communicate technical preparation. Additional recommendation letters are accepted, but the programme does not require them.

Proof of funding is required during application review for applicants needing an F-1 student visa. If a lender issues funds only after admission, the programme FAQ allows a bank letter confirming conditional loan availability. Obtain the target-intake funding figure from USF first, since the currently published certificate table names earlier entrants.

Boot camp progression and laptop readiness should be addressed before enrolment, rather than after arrival. USF specifies a Mac with at least 16 GB memory, 256 GB storage and an M1 chip. Check your existing machine against those requirements and resolve prerequisite gaps while the application is being reviewed.

Application tip: Complete the application by 05 December 2026 for scholarship priority, while preparing the technical interview and conditional funding letter as separate readiness tasks.

USF MS Data Science Scholarships 2027

USF offers partial merit scholarships and automatically reviews admitted applicants for programme funding. Complete the Summer 2027 application by 05 December 2026 for priority consideration; the published funding descriptions do not establish a guaranteed award.

Programme and Identity-Specific Funding

The following awards appear on current published funding pages, without a separately labelled Summer 2027 allocation. Their eligibility conditions matter because a named scholarship does not automatically create an additional award for every applicant.

• Programme Scholarships: all applicants receive automatic consideration based on academic and professional evidence, with no separate scholarship application.
• Women in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence Scholarship: applicants of any gender may qualify by demonstrating plans to increase women’s representation in the sciences.
• Dean’s Scholarship: the college publishes an award ceiling of US$15,000 (INR 14.17 Lakhs), with merit selection and application by the programme’s priority deadline.
• Double Dons Scholarship: USF alumni and current students may receive 20% of programme tuition upon admission, generally without stacking another USF scholarship.

The Women in Data Science award is not restricted to women, but its representation objective still requires a relevant contribution. Indian applicants can connect mentoring, outreach or professional initiatives to that objective when their experience supports it. The programme does not publish a separate amount or application deadline for this award, so do not budget an assumed tuition reduction.

Double Dons eligibility depends on an existing USF connection, rather than Indian nationality or prior study elsewhere. Its published 20% tuition benefit cannot be converted into a Summer 2027 amount while target tuition remains unpublished. Obtain written confirmation of eligibility and stacking rules before choosing it over another offer.

The programme funding page describes two Dean’s awardees, while the college’s general financial-aid page says one scholar per programme. These live descriptions conflict on allocation, so the number of Summer 2027 places requires confirmation. The dedicated Dean’s page establishes the maximum value and merit route, but does not settle that cohort allocation.

Funding the Remaining Balance

Practicum participation does not guarantee pay, because USF explicitly permits paid and unpaid placements. The programme prohibits other work during its core year, so an employment-based funding strategy cannot assume campus wages or a teaching assistantship. Assistantship possibilities mentioned for the optional Data Engineering period do not fund the standard 12-month course in advance.

Indian applicants are ineligible for U.S. federal student loans, according to the college’s international funding guidance. Base the admission decision on documented savings, an approved loan and an actual scholarship letter. If partial funding is essential, the December priority date is more useful than waiting for the March final deadline.

Also Check: Scholarships for Indian Students in USA

Scholarship reality: Automatic consideration reduces application steps, but partial awards and potentially unpaid practicums mean the remaining living and tuition balance needs independent funding.

USF MS Data Science Salary 2027

USF reports Class of 2025 course-cohort compensation, including a median base salary of US$155,000 (INR 1.46 Crore) for international students reporting salaries. These are graduate survey results, with incomplete salary reporting, rather than an external job-market benchmark or a Summer 2027 employment promise.

Class of 2025 compensation: the published figures come from verified, self-reported graduate employment surveys and do not cover every graduate.

Source: USF MS Data Science and Artificial Intelligence career outcomes, Graduating Student Survey 2025.

The programme landing page reports that 78% of 2025 graduates accepted offers in California. That geography statistic must not be re-labelled as an overall placement rate, and the compensation page does not provide a cohort-specific offer-rate denominator. Its international salary median describes reported compensation rather than the probability that an international applicant will obtain employment.

Roles, Sectors and Career Preparation

The current outcomes page identifies technology and financial services as substantial employment sectors, alongside consulting and healthcare. The distribution below belongs to the Class of 2025 outcomes presentation and should guide role exploration rather than define admission suitability.

Source: USF programme career outcomes, Class of 2025 presentation.

Reported roles include data scientist, machine learning engineer and data engineer, while named employers include Amazon, Apple, Cisco, Meta and Visa. Employer presence establishes reported employment, without proving sponsorship availability or hiring volume. Match your practicum portfolio to the responsibilities of a chosen role rather than assuming every listed company recruits each cohort.

The course requires 10 hours of career training outside class, covering application materials, interviewing and salary negotiation. Weekly practicum mentor meetings and alumni mock interviews provide additional preparation, but project participation is distinct from a permanent job offer. Inspect the official graduate outcomes dataset before using the compensation figures in a loan decision.

Return on Investment for Indian Applicants

The 2026/27 prior-cycle planning illustration is approximately INR 91.07 Lakhs before flights, immigration charges and laptop purchases. Summer 2027 pricing remains unresolved, so the cost-to-career assessment must remain conditional on a complete target-intake quote and written funding.

• The 35-unit core degree prohibits outside work, so fund its living-cost gap before enrolment rather than depending on campus earnings.
• The compulsory nine-month practicum may be unpaid, so count its portfolio value while setting expected practicum income to zero until a paid placement is confirmed.
• The 2025 international salary median is US$155,000 (INR 1.46 Crore), so request reporting coverage before treating this selected earnings evidence as a repayment assumption.
• The science, technology, engineering and mathematics designation supports conditional post-study work, so test loan affordability against the authorised period and job-search constraints.
• No India-return salary outcome is published on the checked career page, so use an actual Indian role offer rather than converting California earnings into expected Indian pay.

Take-home pay depends on taxation, location and benefit deductions; use the Internal Revenue Service Tax Withholding Estimator with an actual employment offer. The median salary and average bonus measure different things, so adding them does not produce a published median compensation package. This evidence supports a career-focused decision, but does not supply the compatible inputs needed for a credible payback calculation.

ROI reality: The practicum supplies applied experience, while substantial upfront costs and incomplete salary coverage leave repayment dependent on your actual offer, funding terms and authorised work period.

USA Visa for USF MS Data Science Students 2027

USF identifies the degree as eligible for OPT (Optional Practical Training) after graduation. Eligible graduates can receive up to 12 months of relevant employment authorisation, followed by a conditional 24-month extension for designated science, technology, engineering and mathematics degrees. The programme requires international students to arrange separate practical-training authorisation for the practicum, so confirm the sequence with USF’s international advisers.

• The F-1 application fee is US$185 (INR 17,475), plus US$350 (INR 33,061) for student-system registration, excluding other applicable charges.
• H-1B employment sponsorship requires the higher of the employer’s actual wage or local prevailing wage, so the programme’s reported salary cannot establish sponsorship eligibility.
• Permanent residence has no fixed timetable tied to this master’s degree, so do not treat completing USF’s programme as a scheduled route to settlement.
• F-2 spouses and eligible children may accompany students with separate documentation, but cannot work, so dependant living costs require additional funding.

Read More: USA Student Visa Types and Requirements

Visa reality: USF’s designated science and technology degree creates a conditional training route, while continued employment and longer-term sponsorship remain separate decisions from admission.