M.S in Computer Science from Rivier University 2026 Entry: Dates, Fees, Eligibility, Entry Requirements etc.

M.S in Computer Science from Rivier University 2026 Entry: Dates, Fees, Eligibility, Entry Requirements etc.

Nashua, New HampshireLocation
UniversitySchool type
Estd1933established year
Private

Master of Science [M.S] (Computer Science)

2 years
full time

Field of Study: 

$13,392 /Yr

Study Abroad Team's profile photo

Study Abroad Team

Updated on - Nov 5, 2026

Rivier University Master of Science in Computer Science is a two-year, on-campus master’s programme in Nashua, New Hampshire, with its next intake on 19 January 2027. Applicants need an undergraduate degree and assessed computing prerequisites; calculated tuition is US$26,784 (INR 25.30 Lakhs) using the 2026-27 entry rate throughout.

The curriculum combines systems, algorithms and practical programming through 24 core credits and 12 elective credits, including a Professional Seminar. It suits applicants seeking broad software and systems preparation, while its retraining route requires applicants from non-technical backgrounds to address specific prerequisite gaps.

  • Classes use seven-week and 14-week terms, so applicants should check how their intended course combination distributes work across the semester.
  • The department supports internship searches and applied learning opportunities aligned with students’ academic interests.
  • Graduate applicants pay no application fee and do not need the Graduate Record Examination for admission.

Current Admission Status

Applications for the January 2027 intake are Open. International student deadline: rolling admissions, with completion recommended 60 days before the term starts.

Rivier publishes no fixed closing date for this rolling route. Indian applicants should prioritise credential evaluation and English evidence because the university’s recommended lead time includes admission review, visa processing and travel.

Also Check: Rivier University Computer Science Admission

Rivier MS Computer Science Fees and Living Costs 2027

The 2026-27 international Computer Science rate is US$744 (INR 70,291) per credit, giving calculated tuition of US$26,784 (INR 25.30 Lakhs) for 36 credits. Rivier reviews rates annually, so this entry-rate calculation is not a fixed two-year quotation.

January 2027 entry: the following figures use the published 2026-27 international graduate schedule, with calculated totals labelled explicitly.

Tuition or chargeAmount in US dollarsINR equivalent
Computer Science tuition per creditUS$744INR 70,291
Calculated tuition: 36 credits × entry rateUS$26,784INR 25.30 Lakhs
One-time new student feeUS$270INR 25,509
Technology fee per courseUS$25INR 2,362
Calculated technology fees for 12 coursesUS$300INR 28,343
Graduation feeUS$175INR 16,533
Graduate tuition deposit listed in the catalogueUS$100INR 9,448
Parking fee for commutersUS$120INR 11,337

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 94.4769 as of 05 November 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: Rivier international graduate tuition schedule and 2026-27 academic catalogue.

  • The 12-course technology calculation follows eight three-credit core courses and four three-credit electives, so additional prerequisite courses can increase the bill.
  • Ask Student Accounts how the graduate deposit is credited before adding it to the tuition total, because its accounting treatment is not specified.
  • Obtain separate prices for course materials and mandatory health insurance, since the published tuition schedule does not supply those programme-wide totals.

Cost of Living in Nashua for Computer Science Students

Graduate international students cannot use on-campus accommodation under Rivier’s pre-arrival guidance, so housing must be secured off campus. The university recommends finding roommates through the cohort group and confirms that students can use Nashua Transit System buses free with their Rivier identification card.

A public monthly or annual graduate living-cost estimate was not found on the checked official surfaces, so a numerical living-cost table would require unsupported assumptions. Use the official pre-arrival housing guidance to arrange accommodation and obtain a lease quotation before finalising the budget.

The calculated academic baseline is US$27,529 (INR 26.01 Lakhs): tuition plus the new student fee, 12 technology charges and graduation fee. An all-in total remains unverified because housing, insurance, materials, travel, prerequisite charges and subsequent annual rate changes are outside that calculation.

The catalogue lists 9 December for resolving the spring balance or enrolling in a payment plan, while pre-arrival guidance says fees are due one week before term. These official instructions differ, so request a written payment schedule for January entry before setting the loan-disbursement date.

Read More: Cost of Living in the USA

Tip for Indian students: Rivier requires off-campus housing for this applicant group; obtain an actual lease and insurance quotation before extending the academic baseline into a funding request.

Rivier MS Computer Science Admission 2027

January 2027 is the next programme start, and the current course sheet also lists March, May, July, September and October starts. International admission is rolling, but applicants must have the required academic evaluation and English evidence ready for review.

The programme accepts applicants through a technical or cross-trained track and a retraining track for non-technical graduates. Eligibility therefore depends on both the awarded undergraduate degree and demonstrated preparation in five knowledge areas.

2026-27 programme requirements: these requirements come from the current Computer Science catalogue and linked graduate admissions instructions.

RequirementWhat an Indian applicant must establish
Undergraduate qualificationAn awarded undergraduate degree, with official transcripts covering relevant academic study
Mathematics preparationCollege-level mathematics and discrete mathematics competency
Computing preparationProgramming fundamentals, computer organisation and data structures and algorithms competency
Credential evaluationA full course-by-course evaluation from an approved international credential evaluation agency
Programme documentsOne recommendation and a statement of purpose
Graduate Record ExaminationNot required for master’s admission

Missing prerequisites become additional requirements and must be completed before accumulating 18 graduate credits. Submit module descriptions alongside the transcript when asking the programme director to assess equivalence, because an accepted undergraduate degree does not automatically clear every knowledge area.

Applicants can demonstrate preparation through relevant transcripts, specified foundation study or arranged placement examinations. Because failing a placement examination requires the corresponding prerequisite course, request a written prerequisite assessment before relying on the advertised two-year completion estimate.

No numerical admission grade-point threshold, Indian percentage conversion, required employment duration or entering-class benchmark was identified in the checked programme requirements. The official graduate admissions requirements explain transcript handling; ask Rivier to assess the evaluated degree instead of applying an invented percentage cutoff.

English Language Proficiency Requirements

Rivier accepts the following current published English-test minimums for international admission, while noting that an applicant’s background or programme may require higher scores. These are institutional minimums rather than published Computer Science class averages.

Accepted testPublished minimum
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)5.5
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)“TOEFL (61 or 3.5/6 on the new scoring model)”
Pearson Test of English (PTE)49
Duolingo English Test95

The TOEFL row reproduces Rivier’s current wording, rather than converting between scoring models. Scores must reach Rivier directly or be electronically verifiable, so arrange official reporting alongside the application and obtain confirmation of any component requirements.

  • An Indian school-English mark or English-medium undergraduate degree is not expressly listed as a waiver route, so obtain written approval before omitting a test.
  • Published waiver routes include a United States degree, two years of full-time United States academic study, Anglophone citizenship or qualifying accredited English-language study.
  • Choose a listed test whose result can be verified for your intended start, since an unverified score does not satisfy Rivier’s evidence rule.
Tip for Indian students: The retraining route widens academic access, but prerequisite clearance before 18 graduate credits can change both the course sequence and the amount you must finance.

Rivier MS Computer Science Application 2027

Apply through Rivier’s international graduate route for January 2027, rather than waiting for a numbered admission round. The university recommends completing the file 60 days before the intended start, and its next programme start is 19 January 2027.

The current programme sheet lists six annual entry months: January, March, May, July, September and October. The published international rolling-review rule supplies no separate final deadline for these starts, so confirm the intended term with admissions when requesting your prerequisite assessment.

Fixed application rounds, decision dates, an interview timetable and a portal cutoff timezone are not published on the checked application surfaces. There is consequently no verified foreign-time deadline to convert into Indian Standard Time, and the 60-day recommendation should not be presented as a final closing date.

  • Open the Graduate F-1 Visa Seeking/International application and identify Computer Science and the intended entry term before submitting supporting evidence.
  • Arrange the full course-by-course credential evaluation early, because Rivier requires the completed evaluation to be sent directly by the approved agency.
  • Use the recommendation and statement of purpose to explain preparation for systems, algorithms and practical programming, especially where your transcript needs contextual explanation.

File completeness controls review: the catalogue states that admissions does not review an application until all required materials have arrived. Check receipt of the recommendation, evaluated transcripts and verifiable English result together, rather than treating online submission as the end of the process.

For a non-technical graduate, the priority is a written prerequisite and sequencing decision before committing to January entry. If foundation study is required, ask which courses must precede the core and whether the proposed first semester remains compatible with full-time international enrolment.

Read More: Rivier University Courses and Fees

Application tip: Rivier reviews complete files on a rolling basis; track the evaluated transcript and recommendation as carefully as the application form when targeting January entry.

Rivier MS Computer Science Scholarships 2027

No named January 2027 Computer Science graduate scholarship, award amount or scholarship deadline was identified on the checked Rivier funding surfaces. The university’s published scholarship list is primarily restricted to undergraduate applicants, so those awards should not be deducted from this master’s budget.

The Founders Merit Scholarship and Transfer Scholarship apply to undergraduate study, while the Conway Nursing Scholarship supports the bachelor’s nursing programme. Their presence on the university funding page does not establish eligibility for an international Computer Science master’s applicant.

Rivier’s catalogue describes graduate financial aid mainly through federal loan programmes, which have citizenship or eligible non-citizen conditions. An ordinary international student route does not establish that eligibility, so request funding specifically available to your immigration and academic profile.

  • Ask admissions and Financial Aid whether any Computer Science award or paid graduate assistantship is available for January entry and request written eligibility conditions.
  • For any offer, obtain the award value, renewal rule and payment timing before reducing the self-funded academic budget.
  • Keep tuition funding separate from an anticipated campus job because Rivier publishes vacancies without guaranteeing a position or earnings for this cohort.

Check the official scholarship eligibility list before treating a university award as available to this course. Without a written graduate award, use gross tuition in the loan request and resolve any prerequisite charges with the programme director.

Scholarship reality: Rivier’s listed undergraduate awards cannot fund this master’s by assumption; obtain a graduate-specific written offer before reducing the amount your family or lender must provide.

Rivier MS Computer Science Salary 2027

Rivier does not publish a verified recent Computer Science cohort salary or offer rate on the checked course and department surfaces. No course-level sector mix, geographic pay distribution or employer list was available there, so the evidence cannot establish a typical graduate return.

Individual alumni evidence: the programme features Sachiko Leahy, Class of 2000, as a Lead Software Quality Assurance Engineer at UKG. Her account connects Java, database work and the software development cycle with her career, but one established graduate does not indicate current placement probability.

External job-market benchmarks: the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the following May 2025 occupational medians across experience levels. These independently sourced national figures are neither Rivier graduate salaries nor university-cited placement data.

Occupation-wide benchmarkGross annual medianINR equivalent
Software developersUS$135,980INR 1.28 Crore
Software quality assurance analysts and testersUS$104,300INR 98.54 Lakhs

Source: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 wage data.

The Practical Java Programming and Professional Seminar core makes implemented software and communication evidence relevant to career preparation. Ask the department how elective availability and project supervision support your intended development or testing role before committing the limited elective allocation.

Take-home pay depends on tax residency, withholding and deductions, so use the official tax-estimator eligibility guidance when evaluating an actual offer. That guidance directs nonresident taxpayers to separate instructions, which matters when translating a gross market benchmark into loan repayment capacity.

Return on Investment for Indian Applicants

The entry-rate academic baseline of US$27,529 (INR 26.01 Lakhs) excludes living costs and future rate changes, while course-specific employment data remain unavailable. The financial case therefore depends on a documented skills gap and affordable funding, rather than a verified graduate payback period.

  • The 12 elective credits limit specialisation within a broad core, so confirm role-relevant elective scheduling before financing the course for a narrow technical career change.
  • Rivier requires off-campus housing for graduate international students, so add a real lease and insurance quote before deciding how much borrowing the academic baseline requires.
  • Standard Optional Practical Training provides 12 months of eligible field-related work, so model an India-return repayment scenario alongside any United States job-search plan.
  • No verified graduate scholarship amount supports a discounted price, so exclude prospective awards and campus earnings from the initial loan-service calculation.
ROI reality: Rivier’s practical systems curriculum can address a defined skills gap, but unpublished cohort outcomes prevent a defensible payback forecast. Base the funding decision on documented costs and attainable roles.

USA Visa for Rivier MS Computer Science Students 2027

Rivier’s on-campus international route requires F-1 student status, financial documentation and the university’s Form I-20 eligibility document. Graduates may apply for OPT (Optional Practical Training) when eligible. This authorisation permits 12 months of work directly related to the field of study.

  • Budget the student visa application fee of US$185 (INR 17,478) and separate student-record registration fee of US$350 (INR 33,067), outside Rivier’s academic charges.
  • A designated science, technology, engineering or mathematics degree may support 24 additional months, so verify this programme’s eligibility and employer requirements with Rivier’s international advisor.
  • Later H-1B specialty-occupation sponsorship requires the applicable higher actual or prevailing wage, and the master’s provides no automatic permanent-residence route or fixed settlement timeline.
  • A spouse or unmarried child under 21 may seek F-2 dependant status, but F-2 dependants cannot work and Rivier requires additional dependant documentation.

Read More: USA Student Visa Application Process

Visa reality: Rivier asks students to verify extension eligibility with an advisor; use the confirmed standard work window in the funding decision until the degree designation is checked.

Rivier’s MS Computer Science fits applicants seeking broad systems and software preparation through a structured core and a limited elective allocation. The retraining route can accommodate a different undergraduate background, provided the applicant can clear the specified foundation requirements. The material tradeoff is financing off-campus living and possible additional study without recent course-level salary evidence. Before committing to January 2027, obtain written prerequisite, payment and housing-cost information alongside any confirmed funding offer.

Rivier MS Computer Science FAQs

Ques. Can a non-technical Indian graduate use Rivier’s MS Computer Science to change careers?

Ans. The retraining track makes that route possible, but the prerequisite assessment determines the extra study involved. Send mathematics and computing module descriptions for review before treating the two-year estimate as your personal completion schedule.

Ques. How much should I borrow for Rivier’s MS Computer Science?

Ans. The academic baseline excludes off-campus living, insurance and future tuition changes, so it cannot serve as the full loan amount. Add a documented lease, insurance quotation and any assigned foundation courses before asking the lender to schedule disbursements.

Ques. Does Rivier’s no-GRE policy make Computer Science admission easy?

Ans. A waived test requirement does not establish selection odds because Rivier publishes no programme-specific entering-class benchmark on the checked surfaces. Focus the application on evaluated academic preparation and clear evidence for the five prerequisite areas, rather than an unsupported acceptance estimate.

Ques. Should I wait for a scholarship before applying for January 2027 at Rivier?

Ans. The application has no graduate application fee, while the university recommends a complete international file well ahead of the start. Pursue the funding enquiry alongside credential evaluation, but commit to enrolment only after establishing what funding is actually available to this graduate programme.

Ques. Is Rivier’s MS Computer Science financially sensible if I return to India?

Ans. The relevant question is whether the systems and software curriculum addresses a demonstrable gap in your preparation at an affordable total cost. Evaluate repayment against India-based roles you could pursue, because national United States occupational medians do not establish Rivier graduate earnings or an India-return salary.


Tuition Fees

Year1st Year Fees
Tuition Fees$13392

Other Expenses

HeadAvg Cost Per Year
Living cost$15000
Total Cost$15000

Previous Year Tuition Fees

Year1st Year Fees
2024$12000

Important Dates

Applications for admission are reviewed on a rolling basis. 

EventApplication Date
Application Deadline For Summer Intake Mar 1, 2026
Application Deadline For Fall Intake Jun 1, 2026

Scores Required

95 / 160

Avg. Score in

Duolingo

61 / 120

Avg. Score in

TOEFL

5.5 / 9

Avg. Score in

IELTS

49 / 90

Avg. Score in

PTE

36

ECTS Credits

TOP Scholarships

Scholarship nameAward amountEligibility
Rivier Graduate Merit ScholarshipUSD 3,000–5,000 per yearInternational students with a GPA of 3.2+. Automatically considered upon admission. Renewable with a CGPA of 3.0. Contact admissions@rivier.edu.
Graduate AssistantshipUp to 50% tuition (USD 10,000) + stipendInternational students with relevant experience. Apply via Rivier’s Graduate School.
Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship50% grant, 50% loan (up to full tuition)Students from developing countries with financial need. Apply via Aga Khan Foundation.



Comments


No Comments To Show

Scholarship Grants & Financial Aids

NameScholarship Per StudentLevel of StudyType
Axol Science ScholarshipScholarship per student$ 2,000/Yr$2,000Level Of StudyBachelorTypeCompany-Sponsored
Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship ProgramScholarship per student$ 10,000/Yr$10,000Level Of StudyBachelorTypeMerit-Based
R&D Systems ScholarshipScholarship per student$ 1,500/Yr$1,500Level Of StudyBachelorTypeMerit-Based
VueVille Future Technology ScholarshipScholarship per student$ 1,000/Yr$1,000Level Of StudyBachelorTypeMerit-Based
Business Administration ScholarshipsScholarship per studentVariable AmountLevel Of StudyBachelorTypeMerit-Based
Go Clean ScholarshipScholarship per student$ 3,500/Yr$3,500Level Of StudyBachelorTypeMerit-Based

interested in this College ?

Get free counselling