MS Cybersecurity in Computer Science at GWU: Fees 2026 Dates & Requirements

George Washington University Master of Science in Cybersecurity in Computer Science is a STEM-designated, 30-credit degree offered full-time on campus in Washington, DC. It takes two years and requires GPA 3.0 on 4.0, approximately 75% to 80% or CGPA 7.5 to 8.0 on 10. Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished; 2026-27 tuition was US$2,195 per credit (INR 2.09 Lakhs), as a prior-cycle reference.

The programme combines computer science foundations with network, systems and software security, then offers thesis or coursework completion. It best suits applicants with programming preparation who want technical depth and can fund a high-cost degree without assuming a United States job.

• Core study covers software fundamentals, computer systems, algorithms, computer networks, computer security and network security.
• Placement examinations can replace two foundation courses with electives, preserving the 30-credit total while creating greater specialisation.
• Evening classes support working professionals, although F-1 students must normally maintain full-time graduate enrolment.

Also Check: George Washington University Cybersecurity admission

GW Cybersecurity in Computer Science Fees and Living Costs 2027

Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished after checks of the programme, application, tuition and funding pages. Verify the target fee on the official fee page before accepting an offer.

Prior-cycle fee context: GW’s 2026-27 schedule covers Summer 2026, Fall 2026 and Spring 2027. These figures support planning only and do not establish Fall 2027 pricing.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 95.1675 as of 27 October 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: GW Student Accounts and GW Engineering, 2026-27 on-campus graduate tuition and fees.

The 30-credit calculation multiplies the official prior-cycle rate by the programme’s required credits. Both thesis and non-thesis routes require 30 credits, so their gross tuition basis is identical.

Cost of Living in Washington, DC for Cybersecurity Students

GW’s cached 2026-27 graduate estimate separates combined living expenses from books, transport and personal costs. Monthly figures divide each official nine-month academic-year amount by nine.

Prior-cycle living-cost context: The university estimate supports budgeting but does not replace financial evidence required for an immigration document. Health insurance, international travel and future price increases remain outside this table.

The 2026-27 prior-cycle planning illustration combines US$65,850 (INR 62.67 Lakhs) tuition with US$67,000 (INR 63.76 Lakhs) for two living-cost years. Listed entry and student fees raise the illustration to about US$133,755 (INR 1.27 Crore).

The US$400 (INR 38,067) deposit is not added again because GW applies it to the first-semester bill. This illustration excludes health insurance, travel, visa charges and future fee increases.

Check Out: USA cost of living for international students

ROI reality: The prior-cycle all-in illustration reaches US$133,755 (INR 1.27 Crore), while Fall 2027 tuition remains unpublished. Secure a target-cycle bill before committing funds.

GW Cybersecurity in Computer Science Admission 2027

Admission requires a bachelor’s degree in any field and GPA 3.0 on 4.0 across the final 60 undergraduate credits. That threshold is approximately 75% to 80% or CGPA 7.5 to 8.0 on 10 for Indian applicants.

The Indian range is a planning estimate because GW publishes no country-specific conversion. GW makes the final equivalency decision and requires individual semester marksheets from every Indian university graduate.

Preparation context: The programme prefers some programming experience but publishes no required work-experience period, acceptance rate or entering-class profile. Applicants from another discipline must therefore prove readiness through programming, mathematics, systems or security evidence.

The minimum GPA establishes eligibility but does not show security readiness. A non-computing applicant should use projects and references to prove programming depth before attempting graduate systems courses.

English Language Requirements for Indian Applicants

Accepted routes include the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Duolingo English Test and PTE Academic. GW Engineering’s current policy states “4.0 overall for exams taken after January 21, 2026” for TOEFL.

The programme bulletin requires IELTS 6.5 with no component below 6.0, although the general Engineering page lists IELTS 6.0. Use the stricter programme threshold and verify updates on the official international admissions page.

The same pages differ on PTE Academic because the programme bulletin shows 53 while the current Engineering page shows 58. Use PTE Academic 58 unless GW confirms another threshold in writing.

• Take IELTS only when every component can clear the programme bulletin’s 6.0 floor.
• Submit a revised TOEFL result exactly on GW’s 1.0 to 6.0 scale without self-conversion.
• Send a replacement English score before 01 July 2027 when seeking removal of a Fall English-course condition.

GW waives testing only for qualifying degrees from the United States or listed exempt countries under its current rules. English-medium study in India alone does not create the published exemption.

Thesis and Non-Thesis Study Routes

Both routes require 30 credits across computer science foundations and security study, but they produce different completion evidence. The non-thesis route preserves four electives, while the thesis route substitutes six research credits.

First-semester placement examinations can waive Software Fundamentals and Computer Systems Fundamentals as required courses. Passed courses become elective capacity, so prepared applicants gain specialisation without reducing the degree’s credit total.

Security options include cryptography, usable security, network defence, software security, secure computing systems and advanced topics. Thesis applicants need a viable research question and faculty supervision before registering for research credits.

Read More: George Washington University courses and fees

Tip for Indian students: Pair the approximate Indian grade range with complete semester marksheets and technical evidence. Use GW’s revised TOEFL scale exactly as published for Fall 2027.

GW Cybersecurity in Computer Science Application 2027

The Fall 2027 priority deadline is 15 January 2027, while GW’s live programme portal lists 01 March 2027 as the final application date. Submit by January when merit funding affects enrolment.

GW publishes calendar dates without a cutoff hour or timezone, so a reliable Indian Standard Time conversion is impossible. The application portal’s recorded submission time determines whether the file meets the date.

Intake context: The Spring 2027 portal deadline was 15 October 2026, earlier than the 27 October 2026 research date. Summer entry excludes new visa-seeking applicants, while GW has not announced Spring 2028 for this programme.

GW publishes no fixed decision date or mandatory interview process for this M.S. Because immigration documentation follows acceptance and the deposit, a March application leaves less visa preparation time.

Documents for the Cybersecurity M.S. Application

A complete file must establish academic ability, technical preparation and a coherent security objective. The checklist separates required evidence from the choices that can strengthen a cross-disciplinary application.

The statement should explain why the computer science security route fits better than a policy-led cybersecurity degree. For a thesis plan, identify a research question without claiming an advisor agreement that does not exist.

• Complete the route and focus decision before drafting the statement because both choices should shape the technical evidence.
• Ask recommenders early enough for all letters to arrive before the 15 January 2027 priority deadline.
• Upload individual semester marksheets because GW does not accept a third-party evaluation instead of original institutional records.
• Check the portal after submission because GW communicates file updates and the admission decision through the applicant account.

Application tip: Submit a route-consistent technical file by 15 January 2027, although the portal remains open until 01 March 2027. The earlier date protects funding options.

GW Cybersecurity in Computer Science Scholarships 2027

Incoming on-campus M.S. applicants receive automatic consideration for merit tuition discounts of 25% to 75%. GW states that qualifying awards continue throughout the master’s programme while the recipient remains in good academic standing.

The live funding page does not assign those percentages or a separate scholarship deadline to Fall 2027. Apply by 15 January 2027 because admission-linked funding depends on the completed application.

Current published funding context: Every route below has a distinct eligibility condition and no award is guaranteed. Percentage awards remain percentages because Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished.

The International Partnership Award matters only when the applicant’s home institution has a live GW agreement. A normal direct application does not create partnership eligibility or the associated discount.

The programme page also promotes CyberCorps support covering tuition and living expenses, but that route requires United States citizenship. An Indian international applicant should exclude it from the funding plan unless citizenship eligibility is independently met.

Assistantship and fellowship consideration requires three recommendations rather than the normal two. Funding coverage is not published for Fall 2027, so the written award letter must control the budget.

• Submit by 15 January 2027 because automatic consideration still requires a complete and timely admission file.
• Confirm partner-university status before relying on the International Partnership Award or transferred coursework.
• Provide a third recommendation when requesting assistantship or fellowship consideration through the application.
• Keep the unfunded budget viable because no published award guarantees Washington living-cost support for this M.S.

Read More: USA scholarships for international students

Scholarship reality: Automatic merit review can reduce tuition by 25% to 75%, but Fall 2027 pricing remains unpublished. Apply by the priority date and budget living costs separately.

GW Cybersecurity in Computer Science Salary and ROI 2027

GW publishes no course-cohort salary, offer rate or placement denominator for this M.S., so a graduate payback calculation is unsupported. The 2026-27 prior-cycle planning illustration is US$133,755 (INR 1.27 Crore) before health insurance, travel and visa charges.

The rational return on investment (ROI) decision therefore depends on funding, technical fit, work access and intended labour market. National occupation medians describe employed analysts, not new GW graduates.

• Cost: the prior-cycle baseline reaches INR 1.27 Crore, so secure Fall 2027 pricing without assuming a graduate salary.
• Outcomes: no course offer rate exists, so request recent international graduate destinations before accepting the admission offer.
• Funding: merit discounts range from 25% to 75%, but subtract only the percentage confirmed in the award letter.
• Work window: STEM eligibility can support up to 36 months of practical training, so verify the degree code and employer conditions.
• Access: federal-linked cybersecurity roles may impose citizenship or clearance rules, so build a private-sector alternative before enrolment.

Employment Evidence and Salary Benchmarks

GW’s course career page maps technical cybersecurity pathways and support resources but provides no measured M.S. cohort outcomes. That evidence shows career alignment, not placement probability or expected pay.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports May 2025 medians for information security analysts and selected industries. These are external job-market benchmarks, separate from GW graduate outcomes.

Source: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics information security analyst data, May 2025.

The national median aligns most closely with analyst work protecting networks and systems. Cryptography, research or secure software roles can follow different occupations, so this median cannot price every curriculum pathway.

Washington’s public-sector proximity can support networking, but PISCES itself requires United States citizenship and carries a service obligation. International applicants should verify role eligibility before treating location as a career advantage.

For an India return, compare the funded balance with actual security offers in the intended city and specialty. Do not convert a United States occupation median into expected Indian earnings.

Gross salary differs from take-home pay because location, tax status, benefits and deductions alter the result. Use the Internal Revenue Service withholding estimator when evaluating an actual United States offer.

Read More: USA post-study work options

ROI reality: A STEM work window improves opportunity but does not replace missing course outcomes. Accept only when confirmed funding makes the degree viable without assumed employment.

United States Visa for GW Cybersecurity Students 2027

International students normally use the F-1 student classification for this on-campus degree. The visa fee is US$185 (INR 17,606), while the I-901 system fee is US$350 (INR 33,309). Eligible graduates may use OPT (Optional Practical Training). This work authorisation lasts up to 12 months, with a possible 24-month extension for a qualifying STEM degree. Check the official United States student visa process before paying either fee.

• STEM extension: the additional 24 months requires a qualifying degree code, related employment, an eligible employer and a compliant training plan.
• Employment transition: a later specialty-occupation visa requires the higher applicable actual or prevailing wage, not one national cybersecurity threshold.
• Permanent residence: the degree creates no automatic settlement route or fixed timeline, so employer sponsorship requires a separate immigration process.
• Dependants: F-2 status can cover a spouse and unmarried children under 21, but those dependants cannot work.

Check Out: F-1 student visa process for Indian students

Visa reality: The programme’s STEM status can extend practical training to 36 months when federal degree, job and employer conditions align. Confirm the degree code before enrolment.

GW Cybersecurity in Computer Science Ranking 2027

Times Higher Education places GW in the 301 to 400 global band for Computer Science in its 2026 subject ranking. The same table places GW at joint 74 among ranked United States institutions.

The subject methodology includes cybersecurity and networks, but the result remains an institution-level Computer Science measure. It is not a standalone ranking for this Cybersecurity M.S.

Ranking scope: The edition and subject are shown once because no verified programme position or comparable previous position was published for this degree.

The band confirms GW’s inclusion in a recognised Computer Science comparison. However, it provides no thesis supervision quality, international placement rate or Cybersecurity M.S. salary evidence.

Honest take: Treat the 301 to 400 band as academic context, not proof of cybersecurity outcomes. Compare curriculum fit, confirmed funding and role access before ranking position.