Master of Science [M.S] [Computer Engineering] From University of Louisiana

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Master of Science in Computer Engineering is a full-time, on-campus graduate programme in Lafayette, Louisiana, with 30 to 33 credits across thesis and project tracks. Applicants need a four-year bachelor’s degree, preferably in computer engineering, computer science or electrical engineering, with a 2.75 grade point average (GPA) on 4.0. That is approximately 65% to 75% or cumulative grade point average (CGPA) 6.5 to 7.5 on 10 for Indian applicants, while 2026-27 annual tuition and fees are US$26,840 (INR 25.65 Lakhs).

Built around hardware and software integration, the degree develops computer architecture, embedded systems and very-large-scale integration (VLSI) design through advanced coursework, research or a special project. VLSI work places many electronic components on one chip, while the prerequisite list suits applicants with digital logic, microprocessor hardware, data structures, assembly, discrete mathematics and calculus. Choosing thesis or project changes the balance between research preparation and a broader 33-credit coursework route, so track choice should follow the intended career.

• The thesis track uses 24 coursework credits and 6 thesis credits, supporting applicants considering research or doctoral study.
• The project track requires 33 coursework credits, including 6 project credits, giving applied applicants more classroom depth.
• The curriculum links architecture, embedded systems, VLSI, networking, security, robotics and intelligent computing.

Also Check: UL Lafayette graduate admission details

UL Lafayette Computer Engineering Fees and Living Costs 2027

For Spring 2027, the university’s live 2026-27 planning page gives an annual international graduate estimate rather than a fixed 30 to 33-credit programme total. The estimate assumes 9 graduate credits in each Fall and Spring semester, while this degree can require a third semester depending on the thesis or project track.

Use the figures below as the official 2026-27 planning baseline. The current fee schedule lists non-Louisiana-resident international students at 9 credits for US$13,420 (INR 12.83 Lakhs) in Fall 2026. The annual estimate also includes living costs, books and insurance.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 95.5699 as of 15 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: UL Lafayette 2026-27 graduate tuition and funding estimate and current graduate fee schedule.

• The published annual total is not a programme total, so a 30 to 33-credit plan needs a third-semester budget and future fee confirmation.
• Two 9-credit semesters equal the official annual US$26,840 (INR 25.65 Lakhs) tuition and fee estimate.
• Insurance is listed at US$957 (INR 91,460) per semester, but the annual I-20 estimate uses US$2,050 (INR 1.96 Lakhs); keep a fee buffer.

Cost of Living in Lafayette for Computer Engineering Students

Living expenses are officially estimated at US$9,960 (INR 9.52 Lakhs) for nine months, separate from tuition, books and insurance. The source provides one combined living figure, so it should not be split into rent, utilities, food or transport without a student-specific housing quote.

The monthly equivalent is a planning conversion, not a university rent quote. Lafayette’s housing choice can change the actual spend because housing and meal plans are additional to tuition and mandatory fees. The US$40,235 (INR 38.45 Lakhs) figure is the university’s financial responsibility estimate, not a separate federal visa-maintenance threshold.

Indian applicants should retain the full nine-month estimate for visa and arrival planning, then replace it with a lease-based budget after admission. A third semester can also add tuition, insurance and living costs beyond the annual estimate, particularly when the project track requires 33 coursework credits.

Check Out: USA living-cost planning guide

ROI reality: Annual costs cover the first two semesters, but the 30 to 33-credit tracks require a third-semester buffer and final bill confirmation.

UL Lafayette Computer Engineering Admission 2027

Admission uses a four-year bachelor’s degree, a 2.75 GPA baseline and technical foundations. The Graduate School also applies holistic review. The programme suits computer engineering, computer science and electrical engineering graduates, but other backgrounds may need preparation before regular graduate work.

Technical readiness matters because the department lists digital logic, microprocessor hardware, data structures, assembly language, discrete mathematics and calculus through differential equations. Applicants who lack computer architecture or operating systems may also need those courses or graduate equivalents after admission, which can change the study plan.

The table separates baseline eligibility from preparation the department may assess. Indian applicants should map each listed subject to a transcript course before submitting the application.

• A 2.75 GPA clears the published baseline, but prerequisite gaps can add coursework that affects both cost and completion timing.
• Thesis applicants should use the statement of purpose to connect prior projects with a research direction and a potential faculty fit.
• Three recommendation letters make early referee selection important because late submissions can prevent the Graduate School from forwarding a complete file.

English Language Proficiency for Indian Applicants

Indian applicants normally need an accepted English score unless their qualifying degree had primary instruction in an exempt location. India is not included in the listed exemption locations, so a degree taught in India should be planned with an official score.

The university accepts several tests and says scores must be sent directly by the testing agency. Allow 2 to 4 weeks for delivery and processing, because the file is not evaluated until required scores and documents are received.

Score scale and validity: the published scores below are minimums, and official results remain valid for two years.

• Schedule the chosen English test early enough to allow the university’s stated 2 to 4 week score-delivery window.
• Use the TOEFL scale printed on your score report and do not self-convert between the 0-120 and 1-6 formats.
• Ask the Graduate School about a waiver only when your degree instruction and country match the published exemption list.

Tip for Indian students: Treat prerequisite mapping and the conflicting GRE wording as separate checks, then submit a complete technical file before the Spring 2027 deadline.

UL Lafayette Computer Engineering Application 2027

UL Lafayette accepts international Computer Engineering M.S. applications for Fall and Spring, with separate deadlines for admission and funding. The applicant-accessible target is Spring 2027, whose international application deadline is 1 October 2026.

The programme does not offer incoming international applications for Summer, so applicants should use Spring or Fall instead. The official pages publish dates but no clock time or timezone, which makes early submission from India safer than relying on the final portal hours.

Forward-looking deadlines for this programme appear below. The funding date is earlier than the admission date for Fall but later than the admission date for Spring.

The university does not publish a guaranteed cycle-specific decision date for this course. CMIX says it makes a decision within three weeks after the Graduate School forwards a complete file, but Graduate School approval precedes the applicant notification.

Submit 3 to 4 weeks early because official English scores can take 2 to 4 weeks to arrive and process. The portal timestamp controls the deadline, so the absence of a published cutoff time should not be treated as extra time.

Application Checklist for Spring 2027

Start with the Graduate School application and select Computer Engineering M.S. as the programme. A complete international file needs academic records, references, required scores and proof of financial ability for the visa document stage.

The university issues a Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status) after credentials and formal admission are complete. This document supports the student visa process, so missing financial or academic records can delay the next step even after departmental review.

• Submit the online graduate application and the first-time international fee of US$30 (INR 2,867).
• Send official transcripts, individual mark sheets and certified English translations when records are not issued in English.
• Arrange three confidential recommendation letters from academic, internship or research referees.
• Upload a Curriculum Vitae, a statement of purpose when recommended and the accepted English test score.
• Include financial documentation early because the university requires proof of ability to meet education and living costs before issuing the Form I-20.

Also Check: USA graduate application planning

Application tip: For Spring 2027, finish technical mapping, English-score delivery and funding materials before 1 October 2026 so a complete file reaches the Graduate School.

UL Lafayette Computer Engineering Scholarships 2027

Funding is competitive rather than automatic. Graduate assistantships can provide a competitive stipend and tuition or fee waivers for up to 20 hours weekly. Academic merit and programme or faculty needs influence awards.

The strongest route for this Computer Engineering degree is an assistantship linked to research, teaching or a faculty project. Thesis-oriented master’s applicants receive priority within CMIX guidance, while project-track applicants should not assume that the same funding preference applies.

Target-cycle award amounts are not published for Spring 2027. The table therefore shows each verified mechanism and the action needed to establish eligibility without subtracting an unconfirmed award from the cost plan.

• The Spring assistantship priority date is 1 November 2026, which falls after the course admission deadline of 1 October 2026.
• Thesis applicants should identify a research match and contact faculty before the funding priority date because CMIX gives research-oriented students priority.
• Do not reduce the published cost plan until a written award states the tuition waiver, stipend, service hours and renewal conditions.
• The resident-tuition fellowship changes the tuition basis but does not automatically cover living expenses, insurance, books or the application fee.

The funding routes also carry a workload tradeoff. An assistantship can reduce direct education costs while requiring weekly service, so applicants should compare the work commitment with thesis research, project deadlines and any prerequisite courses.

Read More: University of Louisiana graduate funding context

Scholarship reality: Assistantships are the most course-relevant funding route, but their competitive selection and service requirement make early faculty contact more valuable than an assumed tuition discount.

UL Lafayette Computer Engineering Salary 2027

The university does not publish a current course-cohort salary, offer rate or placement rate for the Computer Engineering M.S. Its official course materials instead identify career areas such as embedded systems, hardware design, software development, networking, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides the external benchmark below. This figure describes the occupation nationally, not the salary or placement probability of a UL Lafayette graduate.

Career Outcomes and ROI for Indian Applicants

Computer hardware engineering is the closest named market benchmark for a degree combining architecture, embedded systems and hardware-software design. The benchmark is useful for market context, but it cannot replace a course-specific employment report.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2024 wage data.

The programme’s ROI evidence is therefore qualitative. The degree offers a technical pathway into hardware and software roles. Financial results depend on track, funding, location, authorization and work destination.

• The US$40,235 (INR 38.45 Lakhs) baseline covers two semesters, so request a third-semester budget before enrolment.
• The 30-credit thesis and 33-credit project tracks create different tuition exposure, so choose a track after confirming credit sequencing and current fee treatment with the department.
• The US$155,020 (INR 1.48 Crore) median is gross national data, not an entry-level forecast; compare it with hardware or embedded roles.
• The thesis route can support research or doctoral progression, while the project route may suit applied development, so funding and career intent should drive the track decision.

For host-country employment, the benchmark helps frame the occupation but does not prove local hiring access. For an India-return plan, do not convert the U.S. benchmark into an Indian salary or repayment promise; compare verified India offers for the same technical role.

Gross salary is not take-home pay because taxes, health coverage and location change net income. Use a current U.S. tax calculator before building a loan repayment or savings plan.

ROI reality: The hardware-software curriculum is clear, but course-level salary and offer data are unavailable; prioritise verified funding and track fit.

USA Visa for UL Lafayette Computer Engineering Students 2027

International students normally use the F-1 student visa for this full-time, on-campus degree. The U.S. visa application fee is US$185 (INR 17,680), and the separate I-901 SEVIS fee is US$350 (INR 33,449); review the official F-1 student visa instructions before payment.

Post-study work normally begins through Optional Practical Training (OPT), which provides up to 12 months when authorized. A qualifying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) degree may support a further 24-month extension, but the assigned degree code, employer and job must satisfy current rules.

The H-1B specialty occupation route has no single course-specific salary threshold. Employers must pay the higher of the actual wage or prevailing wage. Permanent residence (PR) has no fixed course-linked timeline because category, sponsorship and visa availability control.

• Budget US$535 (INR 51,129) for the standard student visa application and I-901 SEVIS fees before travel and university charges.
• Use OPT for a related role, then verify STEM eligibility before relying on a possible 24-month extension.
• Ask an employer about the required H-1B wage for the occupation and location because no UL Lafayette-specific threshold guarantees sponsorship.
• A spouse and unmarried minor children may apply for F-2 visas, but F-2 dependants are not employment-authorized.

Read More: USA F-1 and OPT visa pathway

Visa reality: The degree can support a U.S. work plan only through separate authorization steps, so verify the assigned STEM classification and employer conditions before relying on a 36-month work window.