Master of Science [M.S] [Mechanical Engineering] From Oakland University

Oakland University Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering is a 32-credit, two-year, in-person graduate programme in Rochester, Michigan for the Winter 2027 intake. Applicants generally need a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering; related engineering, science or mathematics degrees may be considered with remedial coursework. Target-cycle tuition is US$34,504 (INR 32.93 Lakhs), based on 32 credits at US$1,078.25 (INR 1.03 Lakhs) per credit.

Students choose solid and structural mechanics, energy, fluid and thermal systems, manufacturing processes, automotive engineering or general mechanical engineering. Each option can be completed through coursework alone or with a graduate engineering project or master’s research thesis, so the best fit depends on intended practice or research. Indian applicants with strong mechanics, thermodynamics, manufacturing or automotive preparation can use the programme’s applied focus to build a deeper technical portfolio.

• Five technical options let applicants align electives with automotive, energy, manufacturing or mechanics interests.
• The project and thesis routes create different evidence for industry applications or future doctoral study.
• Evening and weekend scheduling described by the university can suit working engineers, although students on the F-1 student visa must preserve full-time enrolment.

Also Check: Oakland University graduate admission

Oakland Mechanical Engineering Fees and Living Costs 2027

For Winter 2027 planning, Oakland publishes a 2026-27 non-resident graduate rate rather than a flat mechanical engineering programme fee. The table multiplies the published US$1,078.25 (INR 1.03 Lakhs) rate by the catalog’s 32-credit requirement and adds the official application charge.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 95.4309 as of 14 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

The target tuition of US$34,504 (INR 32.93 Lakhs) is calculated from the published rate and credit total, not presented as a flat programme quote. Because tuition is charged per credit, remedial or repeated credits would increase the academic bill at the applicable rate.

• Budget target tuition separately from living costs because the university’s 32-credit figure covers academic charges only.
• Ask the department whether remedial coursework is required because related-degree applicants may need additional credits.
• Keep an exchange-rate buffer because the INR figures are planning conversions rather than university billing amounts.

Read More: United States living costs for students

Cost of Living in Rochester for Mechanical Engineering Students

Oakland’s checked cost sheet gives a combined graduate living estimate and medical insurance for 12 months; it does not publish a Rochester rent breakdown. The figures include books, supplies and miscellaneous expenses, so they are not a separate visa maintenance threshold.

Prior-cycle reference: The current chart checked is labelled 2025-2026; monthly figures below are calculated by dividing its annual amounts by 12.

This prior-cycle planning illustration uses target-cycle tuition of US$34,504 (INR 32.93 Lakhs) plus two years of 2025-26 living expenses. Adding US$41,390 (INR 39.50 Lakhs) for living and US$4,584 (INR 4.37 Lakhs) for insurance gives US$45,974 (INR 43.87 Lakhs). Adding the US$45 (INR 4,294) application charge gives US$80,523 (INR 76.84 Lakhs). It is not a 2026-27 university-published all-in total.

Key insight: The target tuition is confirmed from 2026-27 rates, but the living baseline is prior-cycle. Indian applicants should budget academic charges separately and verify the refreshed cost sheet.

Oakland Mechanical Engineering Admission 2027

Admission is centred on prior preparation in mechanical engineering and the ability to complete advanced technical study in person. Oakland also considers related engineering, science or mathematics degrees, but the department may require remedial coursework to address subject gaps.

The general graduate file requires academic records, a professional recommendation, a curriculum vitae or resume and identity verification. International applicants also need a detailed transcript evaluation, financial documents and proof of English proficiency before an F-1 document can be prepared.

Academic Eligibility for Indian Applicants

Indian applicants should present a recognised bachelor’s degree from a government-recognised institution and show preparation in the mechanical engineering subjects expected for graduate work. Oakland accepts some three-year degrees from outside the United States when the degree qualifies the holder for graduate study in the country of award and the evaluation is detailed.

Oakland’s current mechanical engineering page does not publish a programme-specific minimum Grade Point Average or an India-specific percentage conversion. The university therefore makes the equivalency decision through the required evaluation rather than through a generic percentage rule.

English Language Proficiency

Oakland’s current catalog accepts the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic). It also accepts the Duolingo English Test, and each score must be no more than two years old at intended enrollment.

The current policy still lists TOEFL iBT 79 and TOEFL computer 213 rather than a revised 1.0 to 6.0 scale. Because Oakland does not state a current revised-scale policy on the checked page, applicants using a newer TOEFL format should verify acceptance with Graduate Admissions.

The catalog lists some English-medium degrees and other alternatives as proof in certain cases, but it says those options are unavailable for F-1 or J-1 visa applicants. Indian applicants seeking an F-1 student visa should plan for a listed test unless Oakland confirms an applicable exception in writing.

• Arrange the detailed transcript evaluation early because the report is part of the international graduate file, not a post-admission formality.
• Choose the test whose published scale and score-reporting route you can complete within the two-year validity window.
• Use the programme’s five technical options to show why your prior subjects support the selected mechanical engineering focus.

Read More: Oakland University graduate programmes

Tip for Indian students: A mechanical engineering degree is the clearest academic fit, while related-degree applicants should document prerequisites and remedial-course risk before submitting the 32-credit plan.

Oakland Mechanical Engineering Application 2027

Winter 2027 is the target intake because Oakland’s current international graduate schedule gives a 01 September 2026 deadline for January admission. The university also publishes recurring international deadlines for Summer and Fall, while warning that a programme may set an earlier date.

No earlier mechanical engineering deadline was displayed on the checked programme page, and no programme-specific decision date was published. Oakland’s general graduate guidance says complete applications usually receive a decision within two weeks, although programmes with scheduled reviews may communicate later.

International Application Timeline

The table maps Oakland’s current published season deadlines to the next applicant-accessible intakes. Oakland gives dates without a cutoff time or timezone on the checked international page. Indian applicants should verify the portal’s displayed Eastern Time cutoff and not assume an IST time.

Deadline context: These are international graduate deadlines; submit the complete application and supporting documents by the applicable date because Oakland defines an application deadline as receipt of all required material.

For Indian applicants needing an I-20, the Winter 2027 recommendation is to complete the transcript evaluation, English test reporting and financial documents as one file. Submit that complete file by the 01 September 2026 deadline, which is the university’s published winter international date.

What to Submit for Oakland Graduate Admission

The online graduate application is only one part of the file because Oakland will not review an incomplete application. International applicants should assemble the academic, identity and financial documents before uploading the application.

• Submit transcripts from every post-secondary institution and the required detailed foreign credential evaluation.
• Include a professional recommendation, curriculum vitae or resume and identity verification in the graduate application.
• Upload the international supplemental documents, including the statement of finances, certified bank statement and affidavit of support.
• Pay the non-refundable US$45 (INR 4,294) application charge when submitting unless Oakland has issued an eligible waiver code.

Oakland sends a completed and accepted file to its International Students and Scholars Office for I-20 preparation, so missing financial evidence can affect visa timing after academic review. Applicants transferring from another United States institution also need the F-1 transfer form listed in the international documents.

Application tip: Winter 2027 is workable only with a complete file by 01 September 2026, so Indian applicants should start credential evaluation and financial certification before opening the online form.

Oakland Mechanical Engineering Scholarships 2027

Indian applicants should treat graduate assistantships as the main Oakland funding route because no target-cycle tuition scholarship with a published amount and deadline was verified for this programme. Assistantships are competitive and should reduce financial risk only after a written award is issued.

Oakland states that support varies by position, with some assistantships covering tuition for two courses per semester and some providing a small monthly stipend. The university does not publish a mechanical engineering award amount or Winter 2027 assistantship deadline on the checked pages.

The three assistantship routes can support a technical applicant who has strong preparation and can work within the full-time study conditions. A full-time assistant may not be employed full time elsewhere, and the assistantship requires continued full-time enrollment and satisfactory progress.

For Indian applicants, funding should be staged around admission. Check Handshake and the mechanical engineering department, then revise the budget only after an award letter states tuition support or stipend terms. The domestic scholarship boundary prevents an incorrect resident-rate assumption.

• Prepare a technical resume and concise research or teaching statement because assistantship selection is position-based rather than automatic.
• Ask whether a position covers two courses per semester or only provides a stipend because the financial effect differs materially.
• Keep the full target tuition and prior-cycle living baseline available until written funding terms cover specific credits or expenses.

Check Out: United States scholarships for international students

Scholarship reality: The programme offers potential department funding, but no Indian-applicant award is confirmed here, so submit a self-funded plan and pursue assistantships after admission.

Oakland Mechanical Engineering Salary 2027

Oakland does not publish a current course-cohort salary, offer rate or placement report for the Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering in the checked official outcomes materials. The closest evidence is the U.S. mechanical engineering labour market, which must not be read as a graduate outcome.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a May 2024 median annual wage of US$102,320 (INR 97.64 Lakhs) for mechanical engineers. This is an external occupational benchmark, so it does not measure Oakland graduates or guarantee an offer.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Mechanical Engineers profile, May 2024.

The BLS projects 9% employment growth for mechanical engineers from 2024 to 2034 and about 18,100 annual openings. Oakland’s five options connect to automotive, manufacturing, energy and product development, but the programme page provides no verified offer rate for those sectors.

ROI for Indian Applicants

The financial case depends on a technical role and a work-authorisation plan because the target tuition is substantial and Oakland does not publish an MS-specific salary outcome. Use the following verified inputs to test funding capacity rather than treating the external median as a payback forecast.

• Target-cycle tuition is US$34,504 (INR 32.93 Lakhs), so confirm funding for all 32 credits before relying on future employment.
• The two-year prior-cycle planning illustration is US$80,523 (INR 76.84 Lakhs), so refresh living costs before finalising an education-loan amount.
• The BLS median is US$102,320 (INR 97.64 Lakhs) for American mechanical engineers, so assess offers by occupation, location and experience.
• Oakland lists a 12-month OPT route and a possible 24-month STEM extension, so verify the programme code and employer conditions with the international office.
• An American benchmark does not predict India-return earnings, so obtain India-specific role evidence before borrowing against a host-country salary assumption.

All BLS wages are gross annual figures, and take-home pay changes with federal tax, state tax, insurance and location. Use the official U.S. tax withholding estimator before setting a repayment plan.

ROI reality: Oakland offers a focused technical structure and STEM work potential, but it does not publish a course-cohort salary report. Indian applicants must underwrite the degree using verified funding and role-specific evidence.

US Visa for Oakland Mechanical Engineering Students 2027

Indian applicants entering this in-person, full-time degree normally use the F-1 student visa. The current visa application fee is US$185 (INR 17,655), while the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System fee is US$350 (INR 33,401). Together, these charges total US$535 (INR 51,055).

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is the post-study work route connected to F-1 study. Oakland’s current international guidance describes 12 months of post-completion OPT, with a further STEM extension possible when the degree code, employer and filing conditions qualify.

• Oakland’s guidance describes 12 months of OPT, while a further 24 months requires a qualifying STEM field, designated school official recommendation and an E-Verified employer.
• Oakland’s official STEM materials identify Mechanical Engineering programme code 5160 and field code 14.1901, but verify the current I-20 record before relying on 36 months.
• The H-1B specialty occupation route has no fixed course-specific salary threshold because the employer must pay the higher of the actual or prevailing wage.
• Permanent residence has no fixed course-linked timeline, while F-2 status may cover a spouse and unmarried minor children but does not authorise a spouse to work.

The 24-month STEM extension is administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and requires a qualifying degree, employer training plan and timely filing. Read the current STEM OPT rules before treating the possible work window as part of an ROI calculation.

Read More: U.S. student visa requirements

Visa reality: Mechanical Engineering may support a 36-month post-study work window, but the current I-20 code, employer conditions and later H-1B sponsorship must be verified separately.