Master of Science [M.S] [Computer Science - Bio/Cheminformatics] From UMass Lowell

UMass Lowell Master of Science Computer Science Bio/Cheminformatics is a two-year, full-time, on-campus postgraduate degree in Lowell, Massachusetts. The published option expects a relevant bachelor’s degree plus B-or-better preparation in computing, mathematics, biology and chemistry. The exact Fall 2026 course tuition is unpublished. Current 2026-27 international graduate costs are US$34,717 (INR 33.12 Lakhs) per academic year, including tuition and mandatory fees. A two-year current-estimate planning basis is US$109,318 (INR 1.04 Crore), before travel and one-time costs. The current catalog says the option is no longer accepting applications.

The academic proposition combines computer science with molecular biology and chemistry, then applies algorithms, computational methods and scientific data tools to biomedical problems. Applicants who already understand coding and laboratory science can use the 30-credit structure more efficiently because prerequisites are assumed to be filled. The tradeoff is important: the catalog records the option as closed, so the curriculum is useful for fit assessment but not an invitation to apply.

• Interdisciplinary electives include bioinformatics, computational chemistry, protein and chemical informatics, and biochemistry.
• An optional master’s thesis can replace up to six credits, creating a research route within the published structure.
• The option links to the current computer science ecosystem while keeping molecular science central to course selection.

Also Check: UMass Lowell graduate admission details

UMass Lowell Bio/Cheminformatics Fees and Living Costs 2026

Exact target-cycle tuition for this discontinued option is not published. The current university estimate for international full-time on-campus graduate study supplies a planning reference, while the older official rate is shown only as prior-cycle context.

2026-27 fee basis: The first three rows are current international graduate estimates for a full-time on-campus academic year. The final three rows are 2025-26 prior-cycle references from the same official schedule.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 95.4011 as of 13 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: UMass Lowell Graduate Tuition and Fees, 2026-27 and 2025-26 schedules.

The US$29,250 tuition estimate (INR 27.90 Lakhs) is separate from international mandatory fees, so Indian applicants should not treat tuition as the full annual university bill. The mandatory-fee line includes the International Fee and Health Insurance Fee, which means coverage and waiver rules should be checked before a deposit is paid. The 2025-26 amounts remain useful only for understanding the previous official schedule and must not be used as a confirmed charge for a future application.

• The US$29,250 tuition estimate (INR 27.90 Lakhs) excludes the separate international mandatory-fee line, so budget both figures.
• The US$5,467 mandatory-fee estimate (INR 5.22 Lakhs) includes international and health-insurance charges, so confirm waiver conditions before payment.
• The discontinued option has no verified course-specific fee, so use the current university estimate only to test financial capacity.

Cost of Living in Lowell for Bio/Cheminformatics Students

UMass Lowell’s 2026-27 international graduate estimate assigns US$19,942 (INR 19.02 Lakhs) to annual living expenses. The university describes this combined figure as room and board, books, personal expenses and more, so it should not be split into rent, groceries or transport without separate official evidence.

The current annual university total is US$34,717 (INR 33.12 Lakhs). Adding the annual living estimate of US$19,942 (INR 19.02 Lakhs) gives US$54,659 (INR 52.15 Lakhs) for one academic year. Multiplying that published annual estimate by two gives a calculated two-year planning budget of US$109,318 (INR 1.04 Crore), not a course-specific tuition quote. The calculation excludes travel and other one-time costs. UMass Lowell separately states that students remain responsible for the full cost of their education.

Read More: USA cost of living for international students

Key insight: A two-year current-estimate budget reaches US$109,318 (INR 1.04 Crore) before travel and one-time costs. Because the option is closed, verify the replacement programme and its fee schedule before arranging funding.

UMass Lowell Bio/Cheminformatics Admission 2026

The published Bio/Cheminformatics criteria require a related bachelor’s degree and B-or-better competency across biology, chemistry, mathematics and computer science. However, the current graduate catalog says the option is no longer accepting applications, so the table describes the last published academic structure rather than a live admission threshold.

Published academic criteria: The catalog expects prerequisite courses or equivalent prior learning, with related courses normally passed at B or better. For Indian applicants, B or better is approximately 75% or CGPA 7.5 on 10 as a planning guide, not a published UMass Lowell conversion.

The combination of science prerequisites and systems coursework is the main selection risk for Indian applicants because a strong software background alone may not document biology and chemistry preparation. A biology or chemistry graduate faces the opposite gap if the transcript does not show algorithms, operating systems and data structures. The catalog also says biology and chemistry competency may be demonstrated through the CLEP, or College-Level Examination Program, exam, although applicants should confirm that route for any replacement programme.

No programme-specific ranking from major ranking publishers could be confirmed for this option, so no ranking claim is used here. Overall university rankings would not answer whether this discontinued interdisciplinary curriculum fits an applicant’s preparation.

English Language Proficiency for Bio/Cheminformatics

The current international graduate requirements state a minimum 79 TOEFL score and 6.5 IELTS score for many programmes, while departments set thresholds. Because the Bio/Cheminformatics option has no active target-cycle notice, use these as current university guidance rather than a confirmed re-opening requirement.

English-test scale note: The current page says “minimum 79 TOEFL score” without identifying a revised scale, so confirm the department’s accepted TOEFL scale before booking a test.

• Use the transcript audit before an English test because missing prerequisites are a larger course-specific risk than a generic score target.
• Ask Graduate Admissions whether an Indian university course can satisfy each named prerequisite when the transcript uses different titles.
• UMass Lowell says international transcripts may require an outside evaluation such as WES, or World Education Services, so wait for programme instructions before ordering one.

Read More: UMass Lowell courses and fees

Tip for Indian students: Build a course-by-course transcript map covering biology, chemistry, calculus, algorithms and systems. Do not treat a high English score as a substitute for missing technical prerequisites or a closed application route.

UMass Lowell Bio/Cheminformatics Application 2026

The correct application strategy is to pause: no target-cycle application route or international deadline could be confirmed because the current catalog says the option is no longer accepting applications. The live curriculum page should not override that status, so an Indian applicant should not use its old requirements to submit a new application.

Deadline position: No current international deadline, decision date or interview schedule is published for this option. The university’s general graduate process uses rolling admissions for many active programmes, but that general policy cannot reopen a discontinued Bio/Cheminformatics route.

Documents in the Last Published Structure

The last published structure required a relevant bachelor’s degree, two letters of recommendation and evidence for named prerequisite areas. The current active Computer Science page also describes a statement of purpose, transcripts and test-score submission. Those details belong to the active programme and are not a confirmed Bio/Cheminformatics checklist.

The current active Computer Science page lists a graduate application fee of US$50 (INR 4,770). That amount must not be treated as a payable fee for this closed option because an unverified application route creates avoidable cost.

• Confirm that UMass Lowell has assigned you to a currently accepting replacement programme before uploading documents.
• Request the replacement programme’s exact intake, international deadline, decision timeline and interview rule in writing.
• Prepare a transcript map with course syllabi for biology, chemistry, calculus, algorithms, systems and data structures.
• Recalculate the financial plan from the replacement programme’s current tuition, mandatory fees, living estimate and I-20 amount.

The most useful application work is diagnostic rather than procedural. A transcript map can expose a missing prerequisite, while written programme confirmation prevents confusion between a live curriculum page and an open admissions route. Keep the prior structure as an academic-fit reference until Graduate Admissions identifies a current option with matching content.

Application tip: Treat the current catalog’s closure statement as the controlling application fact. Ask for a live programme code and deadline before paying the US$50 (INR 4,770) application-fee reference or arranging visa funds.

UMass Lowell Bio/Cheminformatics Scholarships 2026

No course-specific scholarship can be treated as open because the Bio/Cheminformatics option is closed. The current Graduate International Excellence Scholarship is published for active master’s programmes and can be used only as conditional funding context.

Funding reality: UMass Lowell also describes limited teaching and research assistantships whose availability can change. Indian applicants should not subtract an award or assistantship from the calculated course budget until a current programme offer names the funding in writing.

Current published award context: The award below is for international students admitted to eligible active master’s programmes, not a confirmed Bio/Cheminformatics award.

The award’s published maximum is tied to four semesters, which matches the normal length of a 30-credit full-time master’s structure. That arithmetic does not make the discontinued option eligible. The scholarship page also says an enrollment deposit must be submitted within 21 days after an award, so a future replacement programme may impose a short funding-confirmation window.

• The award requires admission to an eligible active master’s programme, so it cannot reduce the closed option’s planning cost.
• The Fall priority date is 15 March and the Spring priority date is 15 November of the prior year, so confirm the replacement intake before using either date.
• Teaching and research assistantships are limited and availability-based, so model the budget without them and treat any offer as an upside.

For an Indian applicant, the funding decision is binary. UMass Lowell must confirm a replacement programme that can be considered for the award. Otherwise, exclude the current published scholarship from the return calculation. External awards may have different nationality, field or deadline rules, so check them separately.

Scholarship reality: The current award can reach US$20,000 (INR 19.08 Lakhs) over four semesters for eligible active programmes, but it is not verified for this closed option. Confirm programme access first, then ask about automatic scholarship consideration.

UMass Lowell Bio/Cheminformatics Salary 2026

No course-cohort salary, offer rate or placement report could be verified for Bio/Cheminformatics. The closest official evidence is a university-cited labour-market benchmark on the current Computer Science page. It reports 25% projected growth for software engineers between 2022 and 2032 and a US$146,500 (INR 1.40 Crore) mean annual wage for software developers in Massachusetts in 2023. Those figures describe market conditions, not graduate outcomes, and the option’s closed status prevents a course-specific employment claim.

Outcome scope: The current active Computer Science page names employers including Amazon, BAE, Cisco, Fidelity, Google, IBM, Intel, Microsoft and Oracle. It does not publish a Bio/Cheminformatics cohort, offer rate, sector mix or median salary. Employer names therefore show reported employer presence rather than hiring volume or placement probability.

The active page describes STEM OPT, or Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Optional Practical Training, as available for eligible graduates. This is a work-authorization possibility, not a course-specific employment outcome.

Salary evidence table: The monetary figure below is an external market benchmark cited by the university, not a graduate outcome.

Source: UMass Lowell current Computer Science programme page, citing U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Return on Investment (ROI) and Career Risk for Indian Applicants

A two-year current-estimate budget of US$109,318 (INR 1.04 Crore) is the financial input for this ROI analysis, not a confirmed course fee. Because no course-specific employment evidence is published and the option is closed, a payback calculation would imply precision that the sources do not support.

• No course-cohort salary or offer rate is published, so do not calculate a payback period or use the Massachusetts benchmark as expected pay.
• Because the option is closed, any loan plan should assume zero scholarship and zero assistantship until a replacement offer confirms both.
• The US$146,500 benchmark (INR 1.40 Crore) is gross market evidence, so compare a replacement programme’s employment report with it before borrowing.
• Confirm the replacement programme’s field code before counting a 36-month STEM OPT work window.
• Take-home pay varies with federal, Massachusetts and payroll taxes, so use a current tax calculator before matching gross salary to loan repayments.

For an applicant returning to India, the course’s interdisciplinary curriculum may still have academic value, but the financial case cannot be supported by a verified placement rate or salary. For an applicant targeting the United States, missing cohort evidence and uncertain programme status make the work-window assumption the main funding risk.

Read More: USA post-study work options

ROI reality: The current-estimate two-year budget is US$109,318 (INR 1.04 Crore), while course-specific salary evidence is absent. Exclude payback claims and verify a replacement programme’s outcomes, funding and work authorization before borrowing.

USA Visa for UMass Lowell Bio/Cheminformatics Students 2026

An international student would normally use an F-1 student visa for a full-time, on-campus UMass Lowell graduate programme. UMass Lowell requires international graduate students to take nine credits per semester. The university also asks for one year of financial documentation before issuing the Form I-20, the Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status. That pathway cannot be assumed for this closed option, so the figures below are planning references rather than an invitation to apply.

The current U.S. student visa guidance lists a US$185 (INR 17,649) application fee. The I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee is US$350 (INR 33,390). UMass Lowell’s 2026-27 one-year financial estimate is US$54,659 (INR 52.15 Lakhs). It comprises US$34,717 (INR 33.12 Lakhs) in tuition and operating fees plus US$19,942 (INR 19.02 Lakhs) in living expenses.

• Optional Practical Training (OPT) can provide up to 12 months after study, while a qualifying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics degree may support a 24-month extension.
• The current active Computer Science page advertises STEM-OPT, but verify the replacement programme’s field code before counting a 36-month window.
• H-1B, the specialty-occupation work visa, has no single course-linked salary threshold because employers must pay the higher actual or prevailing wage and sponsorship remains separate.
• F-2 status may cover a spouse and unmarried minor children, but F-2 dependants are not employment-authorized, while permanent residence has no fixed course-linked timeline.

Also Check: USA student visa requirements

Visa reality: The current university financial-document estimate is US$54,659 (INR 52.15 Lakhs) for one year, but the requested option is closed. Confirm a current programme’s I-20 eligibility, STEM field code and funding amount before paying visa fees.

UMass Lowell Bio/Cheminformatics Ranking 2026

The available discipline-level ranking is a 2025 U.S. News Computer Science result, not a ranking of the discontinued Bio/Cheminformatics option. The ranking page lists UMass Lowell at #133 out of 210 globally and #29 out of 204 in the USA for Computer Science in 2025.

Because the current 2026 row does not show a Computer Science position, the 2025 result is prior-edition context rather than a current programme signal. It can help an applicant understand the discipline’s external visibility, but it cannot establish admission competitiveness, teaching quality or placement probability for this closed option.

The ranking measures Computer Science as a discipline, while this option’s academic proposition is interdisciplinary and its admissions route is closed. Indian applicants should therefore weigh the prerequisite match, current replacement availability and verified financial evidence more heavily than the discipline position.

Read More: UMass Lowell Computer Science ranking

Honest take: The 2025 Computer Science result provides discipline context, not a Bio/Cheminformatics outcome. Use it only after confirming that a current UMass Lowell programme preserves the interdisciplinary curriculum and accepts applications.