Northeastern Illinois University M.S Computer Science 2026 Entry: Dates, Fees, Eligibility, Entry Requirements etc.

Northeastern Illinois University Master of Science in Computer Science is a 36-credit graduate degree with no fixed published duration and evening and Saturday classes in Chicago. Applicants need a four-year degree and GPA 2.75 on 4.0 (about 68% to 70% or CGPA 6.8 to 7.0 on 10). Spring 2027 direct charges are US$39,903.84 (INR 38.09 Lakhs), including US$35,403.84 (INR 33.79 Lakhs) tuition and US$4,500 (INR 4.29 Lakhs) mandatory fees.

The academic proposition combines algorithms, discrete modelling and object-oriented design with required study across three technical categories. Applicants choose an industry, PhD or teaching direction through a project, thesis or coursework-only route. This suits learners with technical foundations, but missing preparation can require background courses before degree credits begin.

• Only 27 of the 36 credits must be earned at Northeastern Illinois University, subject to graduate transfer rules and core-course exclusions.
• Three required category courses create breadth before electives are selected with the graduate advisor.
• The official programme page reports a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio and practical research and internship opportunities.

Also Check: Northeastern Illinois graduate admission

Northeastern Illinois M.S. Computer Science Fees and Living Costs 2027

The target-cycle fee basis is the 2026-2027 non-resident graduate rate, which applies to international students. The 36-credit curriculum therefore creates a calculated direct charge before housing, books, transport, personal costs, insurance and travel.

Fee status: The university publishes US$983.44 per graduate credit (INR 93,863) and a US$125 mandatory fee per credit (INR 11,930) for 2026-2027. The programme does not appear among the graduate programmes with a separate listed differential.

Target-cycle fee context: The table uses the 2026-2027 graduate rate and the current master’s application fee shown by the international checklist.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of US$ 1 = INR 95.4438 as of 17 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: Northeastern Illinois University 2026-2027 Tuition Information, Tuition and Fees page and Graduate Application Checklist.

The 36-credit direct charge is a calculation from current per-credit rates, so it excludes any course-specific charge added at registration. Verify the current rate before payment because the university states that tuition and fees remain subject to Board approval.

• The calculated tuition and mandatory fees total US$39,903.84 (INR 38.09 Lakhs), making funding capacity a pre-application decision.
• The US$30 application fee (INR 2,863) applies to most master’s programmes, while the MBA and MSA use a different fee.
• Part-time pacing can spread direct payments, but extra semesters can extend housing and personal costs beyond the first budget.

Read More: Northeastern Illinois courses and fees

Cost of Living in Chicago for M.S. Computer Science Students

NEIU’s official full-time graduate budget covers a nine-month Fall and Spring academic year. The estimate separates residence, off-campus living, books, transportation and personal expenses.

Living-cost basis: Monthly figures below divide the official nine-month amounts by nine and are planning calculations, not rent quotations.

Source: Northeastern Illinois University Cost of Attendance estimate for an incoming full-time graduate student; monthly figures are calculated from nine-month amounts.

A calculated one-year planning subtotal combines US$39,903.84 (INR 38.09 Lakhs) in direct charges with US$14,157 (INR 13.51 Lakhs) in indirect costs. That produces US$54,060.84 (INR 51.60 Lakhs). Two-year planning illustration is US$68,217.84 (INR 65.11 Lakhs), excluding health insurance, travel and visa costs because duration is not fixed.

The university’s living estimate is separate from the financial proof required for Form I-20 processing. NEIU requires sponsor documents in exact US dollar amounts, so obtain the current programme-specific funding figure before filing the visa documents.

Check Out: USA cost of living guide

ROI reality: The 36-credit direct charge is US$39,903.84 (INR 38.09 Lakhs), while the university’s nine-month indirect budget adds US$14,157 (INR 13.51 Lakhs). Secure funding for both categories before relying on the flexible pace.

Northeastern Illinois M.S. Computer Science Admission 2027

The university threshold is a four-year degree and at least a 2.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Full admission also requires approval from the Computer Science department based on readiness for graduate study.

The technical screen is important because no previous computer science coursework is required, yet students must know programming and discrete structures. Missing preparation can lead to background courses before the 36 degree credits begin.

International applicants must also submit evaluated academic records, two recommendation letters, a goals statement and an accepted English proficiency route. The current materials list no GMAT or GRE requirement for the M.S. Computer Science programme.

Academic eligibility for Spring 2027

The table distinguishes the published minimum from the department’s qualitative review. The Indian percentage and CGPA range is approximate because NEIU does not publish an India-specific conversion table.

GPA means grade point average. NEIU does not publish a country-specific Indian conversion on the programme page, so the range is planning guidance rather than an admission decision.

Departmental approval changes the decision: A score above 2.75 does not replace evidence of programming and discrete-structures preparation. Applicants from another undergraduate field should contact the department before paying for evaluation.

English language proficiency for Indian applicants

NEIU accepts several graduate English routes, while some graduate programmes may set higher requirements. The current international-student page lists the following university graduate minimums.

TOEFL iBT means Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test. NEIU currently publishes TOEFL iBT 79 or higher and does not publish a revised 1.0 to 6.0 TOEFL scale, so do not self-convert a newer score.

SAELL means the School for the Advancement of English Language and Learning. Passing Level 4 with at least 80% in each core class can satisfy the published alternative pathway.

• Choose IELTS or TOEFL iBT early, then confirm the current TOEFL reporting rule before score delivery.
• Use an official institutional letter when claiming English-medium study because India is not listed as a country-based waiver.
• Review discrete structures and programming transcripts with the department before committing to an evaluation fee.

Tip for Indian students: The 2.75 GPA is only the academic floor because departmental approval depends on technical preparation. Resolve programming and discrete-structures gaps before submitting the Spring 2027 file.

Northeastern Illinois M.S. Computer Science Application 2027

The practical target is Spring 2027, with an Expected international deadline of 01 October 2026 under NEIU’s current recurring F-1 schedule. The live application portal lists Graduate Students as an applicant type and supports online submission.

NEIU’s programme page states that the M.S. Computer Science accepts fall and spring entry. It does not publish decision dates, interview stages or a Computer Science-specific international calendar, so applicants should treat the dates below as Expected rather than confirmed.

Intakes and international deadlines

Cycle context: The F-1 page publishes recurring dates without naming the 2027 cycle. The table carries those dates forward only because the current page remains readable and the programme explicitly lists fall and spring enrollment.

The portal cutoff controls submission even though the official schedule does not state a timezone. Indian applicants should check the live portal clock and keep the university’s published date as the controlling deadline.

Application components and submission sequence

Graduate applicants submit an online application, evaluated academic records, a goals statement, two recommendation letters and accepted English proof. International applicants also submit passport identification, sponsor bank evidence and the signed financial statement required for Form I-20 processing.

Use the NEIU graduate application portal to select the graduate applicant type and confirm the available term. The portal distinguishes graduate applications from BusinessCAS, which the university reserves for MBA and MSA applicants.

Transcript evaluation should begin before the application form because it can delay a complete file. A submitted form does not replace missing records, test reports or financial documents required for international processing.

• For Spring 2027, complete evaluation, English testing and departmental preparation before the Expected 01 October 2026 deadline.
• For Fall 2027, use the Expected 15 June 2027 date only after checking the portal for a cycle-specific notice.
• Write the goals statement around one concentration and one completion route because the curriculum offers project, thesis and coursework-only options.

Application tip: Work backward from Expected 01 October 2026 because evaluation, score delivery, departmental review and financial documents can each delay a Spring 2027 submission.

Northeastern Illinois M.S. Computer Science Scholarships 2027

The strongest target funding routes are a Graduate Merit Tuition Scholarship, graduate assistantship appointments and College of Business and Technology awards. NEIU says many merit and talent awards are open regardless of citizenship, but selection, funding and eligibility differ by award.

No target-cycle scholarship deadline or guaranteed award amount is published for the M.S. Computer Science applicant. International students should therefore keep the full tuition and living budget available while contacting the graduate advisor and the Computer Science department about funding.

Funding routes for Spring 2027

Funding context: The table uses current published graduate and College of Business and Technology routes. Tuition waivers reduce tuition components but do not cover mandatory fees.

Source: Northeastern Illinois University Graduate Assistantships, Scholarship Office and College of Business and Technology scholarship pages.

Graduate assistantships require admission to a degree-seeking programme and continued good standing with at least a 3.0 graduate GPA. Appointments may be renewed by term, and work can involve teaching, research or discipline-specific support.

The 2026-2027 Research and Creative Activities Assistantship offered one tuition waiver per semester. It also offered a US$1,200 stipend (INR 1.15 Lakhs) and a research budget up to US$250 (INR 23,861). Its 05 August 2026 submission deadline has passed, and it required current enrolment, so treat it as closed cycle context rather than Spring 2027 funding.

• Apply for the Graduate Merit Tuition Scholarship after confirming whether the 3.50 GPA condition is assessed at admission or after enrolment.
• Submit the assistantship application and contact Computer Science faculty because the central office administers paperwork but hiring units choose recipients.
• Ask CBT whether its tuition awards accept new international Computer Science master’s students before treating an unspecified award as committed funding.

Read More: US scholarships for international students

Scholarship reality: The published assistantship benefits are concrete, but no Spring 2027 deadline or award guarantee exists. Treat funding as upside and keep the US$39,903.84 (INR 38.09 Lakhs) direct-charge baseline available.

Northeastern Illinois M.S. Computer Science Salary 2027

NEIU does not publish an M.S. Computer Science salary report, offer rate or placement rate. The university’s closest published proxy is the 2019-2020 College of Business and Technology master’s alumni survey, where the response count was too low to report.

External labour-market figures can show the scale of U.S. occupations connected to the curriculum, but they are not NEIU graduate outcomes. The programme’s project, thesis and concentration choices also lead to different roles, so one median cannot represent every graduate.

Course and market outcome evidence

The evidence table labels each figure by scope. BLS means Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. agency that reports occupational wages and employment projections.

Source: NEIU Alumni Survey and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections, May 2024 data.

The external figures are gross occupational medians, not starting salaries or placement promises. Review the BLS 2024-2034 projections table by occupation before matching a concentration to a job target.

Take-home income varies with federal, state and payroll deductions, so use the IRS tax withholding estimator when modelling disposable income. A U.S. gross median should not be treated as the amount available for loan repayment.

ROI analysis for an international applicant

The minimum cost baseline is US$39,903.84 (INR 38.09 Lakhs) in direct charges. Add one official nine-month indirect budget of US$14,157 (INR 13.51 Lakhs), producing US$54,060.84 (INR 51.60 Lakhs). This is a planning subtotal rather than a completion total because NEIU publishes no fixed duration.

• Course outcomes are unpublished, so do not use a NEIU placement estimate; ask the department for recent role evidence before committing the direct-charge baseline.
• The software developer benchmark is US$133,080 (INR 1.27 Crore), but it is an occupational median; compare your experience and portfolio with actual job requirements.
• Assistantships can provide US$1,200 to US$2,400 per term (INR 1.15 Lakhs to INR 2.29 Lakhs) plus waivers, but fees remain payable; budget without unconfirmed funding.
• F-1 graduates may seek 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) and a conditional 24-month STEM extension; verify the degree code and employer first.
• For an India-return plan, United States medians do not establish Indian earnings; model repayment with an India-specific offer or benchmark.

The course is financially easier to defend when the applicant can use the industry concentration, a portfolio and the U.S. work window. The thesis or PhD direction may instead justify cost through research progression, where salary payback is not the primary measure.

ROI reality: NEIU supplies a flexible 36-credit route but not a salary guarantee. Treat US$54,060.84 (INR 51.60 Lakhs) as a one-year planning subtotal and decide only after testing funding, work-window and India-return assumptions.

USA Visa for Northeastern Illinois M.S. Computer Science Students 2027

International students need an F-1 student visa for this degree route. Current government fees are US$185 (INR 17,657) for visa processing and US$350 (INR 33,405) for the I-901 SEVIS fee; health insurance and university charges remain separate.

Use the official U.S. student visa page for consular instructions because appointment availability, document rules and issuance procedures can change.

OPT means Optional Practical Training, a period of employment related to the student’s major. STEM means Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and an extension requires a qualifying degree and employer.

• Post-completion OPT can provide up to 12 months of authorized work after a qualifying F-1 degree, subject to USCIS and Designated School Official requirements.
• A 24-month STEM OPT extension is conditional on the degree’s DHS STEM list classification, an E-Verify employer, a compliant training plan and qualifying employment.
• H-1B employers must pay the higher actual or prevailing wage, while permanent residence depends on sponsorship and visa availability rather than a fixed course timeline.
• F-2 status can cover a spouse and unmarried children under 21, but dependants cannot work in the United States and should budget without their income.

Ask NEIU’s designated school official to confirm the Computer Science Classification of Instructional Programs code before relying on STEM OPT. The degree field alone does not replace the government’s code and employer conditions.

Also Check: US F-1 student visa process

Visa reality: F-1 status can create a post-study work window, but OPT and STEM OPT are conditional authorizations rather than placement guarantees. Verify the CIP code, employer requirements and funding proof before paying visa costs.