CSULB MS Computer Science Fees, Requirement, Application, Deadline 2026.

California State University Master of Science (MS) Computer Science is a full-time, on-campus graduate programme in Long Beach, California, usually completed in 4 to 5 semesters. Applicants need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or computer engineering, or equivalent preparation, plus a 2.7 grade point average (GPA). The university assesses that GPA across the last 60 semester units, while a calculated Spring 2027 tuition estimate is US$35,054 (INR 33.50 Lakhs), before living costs.

The curriculum develops advanced capability in software development, systems, networking, artificial intelligence and algorithms through Advanced Systems or Software Development concentrations. Because students finish through a comprehensive examination or thesis, the course suits applicants who want technical depth plus a choice between applied assessment and research. The structure is strongest for applicants who already have programming or systems preparation and can decide early whether a thesis or examination route fits their objective.

• A 30-unit structure leaves room for electives after the 15-unit core.
• The thesis route can support applicants preparing for research or doctoral study.
• The programme is listed as STEM-designated in the university’s graduate programme table.

Also Check: California State University Long Beach MS Computer Science Admission

CSULB MS Computer Science Fees and Living Costs 2027

California State University Long Beach (CSULB) uses its 2026-2027 graduate fee schedule for Spring 2027. International students pay the full-time graduate tuition and mandatory fee subtotal plus US$471 (INR 45,013) per nonresident unit, so the unit count materially changes the bill.

Target-cycle fee basis: The following charges are from the 2026-2027 graduate schedule and apply before any course-specific charges.

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: CSULB 2026-2027 Tuition and Fees.

Four semesters at 7 or more units plus 30 nonresident units produce a calculated estimate of US$35,054 (INR 33.50 Lakhs). The programme review reports completion in 4 to 5 semesters, so this is a four-semester planning estimate rather than a guaranteed programme total.

A fifth semester would add at least another semester charge and may add nonresident tuition if units remain. The university also lists a US$70 (INR 6,690) application fee and a US$150 (INR 14,335) enrollment deposit, which should be budgeted separately.

One-time charges: These fees are separate from tuition and mandatory semester charges.

Cost of Living in Long Beach for MS Computer Science Students

The university’s Cost of Attendance (COA) estimates tuition, fees, housing, food, transport and personal costs. The off-campus figures below are useful for Indian applicants who will arrange housing independently, while monthly values are calculated from annual amounts.

Official 2026-2027 off-campus estimate: Annual amounts come from the university’s COA table, and monthly amounts are annual figures divided by 12.

Official annual tuition and mandatory fees total US$18,936 (INR 18.10 Lakhs). Adding off-campus living and study categories of US$33,728 (INR 32.23 Lakhs) gives US$52,664 (INR 50.33 Lakhs) for one academic year.

A two-year planning illustration is US$105,328 (INR 1.01 Crore), calculated from that annual estimate. Actual billing can change because the programme may take 4 to 5 semesters, and the official COA does not provide a separate rent range.

Read More: USA cost of living for international students

Key insight: The four-semester tuition estimate is calculated, while the official off-campus annual COA is US$52,664 (INR 50.33 Lakhs). Secure first-year funds and retain a fifth-semester buffer.

CSULB MS Computer Science Admission 2027

Admission requires a relevant bachelor’s degree or equivalent preparation and a minimum 2.7 GPA in the last 60 semester or 90 quarter units attempted. International applicants also need equivalent degree documentation, complete transcripts and English proficiency before the department makes its final decision.

Spring 2027 academic basis: The programme uses university graduate admission rules plus its computer science preparation requirement. Applicants should verify the current MSCS admissions requirements before submitting Cal State Apply materials.

The 2.7 GPA rule applies to upper-division major work rather than every semester equally. Indian applicants should calculate the relevant units carefully and explain any degree or grading irregularity before the department review.

The programme review records that the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) was removed in Spring 2023, and the current MSCS requirements page does not list a GRE score. A missing GRE therefore does not replace the need to demonstrate computing preparation, academic readiness and English proficiency.

English Language Requirements for CSULB MS Computer Science

Every international applicant must demonstrate English proficiency through an accepted route. The current post-baccalaureate requirements list the following minimums for the target cycle.

TOEFL note: CSULB states 80 and 4.0 for tests taken after 21 January 2026. The current listing does not explain the scale relationship, so reproduce those values without self-conversion and verify the policy before booking.

• India is not included in the university’s listed English-test waiver countries, so an Indian degree taught in English does not create an automatic waiver.
• The university’s FAQ says a medium-of-instruction letter is not accepted as English proof, making a recognised test the safer application route.
• Book the test early enough to send the official score before the 1 October 2026 application deadline and the 15 October document deadline.

Tip for Indian students: Treat the 2.7 GPA as a minimum screen, not a competitiveness measure. Submit a clear upper-division transcript and valid English score because the department makes the final programme decision.

CSULB MS Computer Science Application 2027

For the target intake, the application route is Cal State Apply followed by international document review and computer science department review. The Spring 2027 application deadline is 1 October 2026, so Indian applicants should prepare transcripts and English scores before opening the form.

CSULB publishes application dates without a clock time or named timezone on the checked pages. The portal controls the exact cutoff, and the university’s earliest international or departmental deadline should govern the submission plan.

Published Spring 2027 stages: The row below combines the current international document schedule with the programme table’s offer-response date.

The international page identifies 1 October as the graduate Spring deadline and 15 March as the graduate Fall deadline. Because Fall 2027 is not separately announced on the checked page, treat its dates as expected and verify them when the cycle opens.

• Complete Cal State Apply with the computer science programme selected, then monitor the portal for department-specific document requests.
• Upload transcripts and individual marksheets from every institution because international review requires a complete academic record.
• Release the English score through the testing service and check that the result is visible before the supporting document deadline.
• Explain the thesis or comprehensive examination preference in the application so the department can understand the academic direction behind the 30-unit plan.

The application should be treated as complete only after academic records, English proof and any requested equivalency material are visible to International Admissions. This sequence matters because the department’s final decision follows preliminary international coursework evaluation.

The programme review reports a sharp rise in applications, from 804 in Fall 2019 to 3,400 in Fall 2022, while yield remained about 30%. These figures describe programme demand rather than an admission probability, so a clear preparation record is more useful than an invented odds estimate.

Read More: California State University Long Beach graduate programs

Application tip: Use 1 October 2026 as the Spring 2027 submission date and 15 October 2026 as the document checkpoint. Submit a complete file early enough to resolve transcript or score visibility problems.

CSULB MS Computer Science Scholarships 2027

CSULB lists graduate fellowships, travel awards, engineering donor scholarships and department assistantships, but it does not publish a guaranteed MS Computer Science scholarship or target-cycle award deadline. The current graduate funding information shows which routes need faculty nomination, a conference presentation or a separate department application.

Funding reality: Treat every amount below as current published information, not a Spring 2027 award promise. International eligibility is explicit for some routes and must be confirmed for others.

The Graduate Research Fellowship has the clearest potential value for an international student, but faculty nomination and college allocation make it competitive by design. The Graduate Travel Fellowship can reduce conference costs, yet it does not offset tuition or living expenses.

• Ask a potential faculty supervisor about research fit and nomination timing before relying on the US$4,500 (INR 4.30 Lakhs) fellowship as part of the first-year budget.
• Review the Engineering donor list for named awards, then confirm each award’s international and MS Computer Science criteria before applying.
• Check department listings for Teaching Associate or Graduate Assistant positions because the programme review reports about a dozen teaching or instructional assistant opportunities from the second semester.
• Keep personal funding available because the checked pages do not publish a target-cycle scholarship deadline or a guaranteed award for this programme.

Assistantships may provide experience and funding, but the programme review presents them as opportunities rather than entitlements. International students should ask about appointment eligibility, workload, start semester and whether an award changes tuition or only provides a stipend.

Scholarship reality: The US$4,500 (INR 4.30 Lakhs) fellowship and up to US$1,000 (INR 95,570) travel award support defined needs, not tuition. Secure the tuition and living-cost base before pursuing nominated funding.

CSULB MS Computer Science Salary 2027

CSULB does not publish a course-level salary, offer rate or placement report for MS Computer Science in the official sources checked. The strongest available evidence is programme-level completion data plus an external job-market benchmark, so neither should be presented as graduate pay.

Return on investment (ROI) scope: This is a professional and mixed academic course because it combines software and systems preparation with a thesis option. The financial decision therefore depends on verified cost, completion pace, funding access and the student’s target role.

Source: CSULB MS Computer Science Program Review Summary, May 2025.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a US$133,080 (INR 1.27 Crore) median annual wage for software developers in May 2024. This external benchmark describes an occupation across employers and experience levels, not the salary of CSULB graduates.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics software developer wage data.

Gross salary is not take-home pay because federal, state and benefits deductions vary. Use a current tax calculator before modelling repayment, and keep the calculation separate from this occupational median.

The programme table identifies this degree as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-designated. ROI decisions for Indian applicants: The following inputs show where the financial risk sits.

• The calculated four-semester tuition is US$35,054 (INR 33.50 Lakhs), so secure that amount before treating scholarships or assistantships as possible funding.
• The official off-campus COA is US$52,664 (INR 50.33 Lakhs) annually, so retain funds for a fifth semester and housing variation.
• No course-level salary or offer rate is published, so judge ROI through skills, portfolio evidence and verified career support rather than a payback forecast.
• The programme review reports about a dozen teaching or instructional assistant opportunities from the second semester, so ask about eligibility without counting an appointment as income.
• CSULB lists MS Computer Science as STEM-designated, but the 36-month work window depends on degree, employer and status requirements, so verify eligibility before relying on it.

The host-country option can extend the time available to seek qualifying work, but it does not create an offer or remove visa conditions. For an India-return plan, assess the thesis or examination route, portfolio quality and target role because no CSULB salary outcome is published.

ROI reality: The programme has useful completion and assistantship evidence, but no course salary report. Fund the calculated cost first and test the career case against a specific role, location and work-authorisation plan.

USA Visa for CSULB MS Computer Science Students 2027

International students need an F-1 student visa for this full-time course after CSULB issues Form I-20, the university document used for student visa processing. The visa application fee is US$185 (INR 17,680), and the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee is US$350 (INR 33,449). Optional Practical Training (OPT) can provide post-completion work authorisation, while a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) extension depends on the degree, employer and government conditions. Verify current fees and entry rules on the official student visa page before filing.

• Initial post-completion OPT can last 12 months, and a qualifying STEM degree may permit a 24-month extension, for up to 36 months total.
• Any later H-1B specialty-occupation sponsorship must use the higher actual or prevailing wage, while permanent residence has no fixed course-linked timeline.
• F-2 status can cover a spouse and unmarried minor children, but dependants are not employment-authorised under that status.
• A new visa may issue up to 365 days before study, entry is limited to 30 days before start and departure is due within 60 days after authorised training.

Check Out: F-1 student visa guide

Visa reality: The STEM designation can support a longer work-authorisation window, but it does not guarantee employment or permanent residence. Keep visa fees, living funds and employer eligibility separate in the financial plan.