M.S. in Computer Information Systems from St. Mary's University, San Antonio 2026 Entry: Dates, Fees, Eligibility, Entry Requirements etc.

St. Mary’s University Master of Science (M.S.) Computer Information Systems is a 33-credit postgraduate degree in San Antonio, Texas, offered in-person or online. The university publishes no fixed calendar duration; applicants need an accredited bachelor’s degree, programming, data structures, object-oriented programming, mathematical maturity, and relevant technical knowledge. For Spring 2027, calculated tuition is US$39,633 (INR 37.83 Lakhs) at US$1,201 (INR 1.15 Lakhs) per credit, before separately billed fees and insurance.

The curriculum combines systems analysis, databases, networks, software engineering, operating systems, computer science electives, and two business electives. This mix suits applicants who want technical depth with project-management context, while the thesis or project choice supports research or applied delivery. Because the programme offers both online and in-person study and no fixed calendar duration, compare the delivery format and course plan before estimating visa eligibility or living costs.

• The programme lets students choose a thesis route or a non-thesis project route within the same 33-credit structure.
• International applicants submit two recommendation letters, a statement of purpose, a résumé or CV, and an evaluated transcript.
• The current CIS admission page states that GRE and GMAT scores are not required.

Also Check: St. Mary’s University CIS admission

St. Mary’s University CIS Fees and Living Costs 2027

The Spring 2027 intake uses St. Mary’s 2026-27 graduate rates, effective from 01 August 2026 to 31 July 2027. Tuition is billed by credit and ancillary charges are billed by semester, so the table separates the calculated degree tuition from recurring costs.

Target-cycle fee details below use the current graduate schedule and the 33 credits published for Computer Information Systems.

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

Source: St. Mary’s University 2026-2027 tuition and fees page and current graduate admission pages.

• Budget US$39,633 (INR 37.83 Lakhs) for the published 33 credits before semester fees, health insurance, housing, and food.
• Treat US$1,201 (INR 1.15 Lakhs) as a per-credit rate because the university does not publish a flat CIS tuition total.
• Reserve US$727 (INR 69,388) for the listed academic assessment, student services, and information services fees in a regular semester above 8 hours.
• Confirm whether the international health insurance charge applies to the online format before removing it from a mode-specific budget.

St. Mary’s graduate budget lists annual housing, food, books, personal expenses, and transportation for students living on or off campus. The next table converts those published annual categories into monthly planning equivalents without replacing the university’s combined budget with a rent estimate.

Cost of Living in San Antonio for CIS Students

Living costs are separate from tuition and visa maintenance evidence. Monthly figures are calculated from the university’s 2026-27 annual graduate estimates, so rounding may create small differences in the total.

Source: St. Mary’s University 2026-2027 graduate estimated cost of attendance; monthly values are calculated from annual categories.

A four-semester planning illustration adds 33-credit tuition of US$39,633 (INR 37.83 Lakhs) and four semesters of listed graduate fees of US$2,908 (INR 2.78 Lakhs). It also adds four insurance periods of US$5,772 (INR 5.51 Lakhs) and two annual living estimates of US$50,356 (INR 48.06 Lakhs). The calculated total is US$98,669 (INR 94.17 Lakhs), not a university-published programme total, and it assumes the degree is completed across four regular semesters.

Read More: St. Mary’s University CIS course options

Key insight: The published 33-credit tuition is US$39,633 (INR 37.83 Lakhs), while a four-semester residential planning baseline reaches US$98,669 (INR 94.17 Lakhs). Confirm online charges and the completion schedule before arranging funds.

St. Mary’s University CIS Admission 2027

Admission requires an accredited bachelor’s degree, official transcripts, two recommendation letters, a statement of purpose, and a résumé or CV. The CIS programme also expects programming, data structures, object-oriented programming, mathematical maturity, and relevant technical knowledge.

The current CIS page does not publish a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA), and it states that GRE and GMAT scores are not required. International applicants must use a NACES member, meaning the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. The university requires a course-by-course review and official translations for credentials earned outside the United States.

Academic requirements below distinguish published CIS requirements from general graduate policies that may affect document review.

The technical prerequisites make this programme a poor fit for an applicant whose experience is limited to general office technology without programming or systems coursework. A computer science, information technology, engineering, mathematics, or related degree can help, but the application still needs evidence that the listed foundations are present.

English Language Proficiency for CIS

Indian applicants without an approved exemption should plan for the current graduate English minimums below. Scores must be no older than six months at application, and India is not listed in the university’s country-based exemption list.

TOEFL scale note: The current policy publishes “Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-based Test (iBT): 80” and continues to use that internet-based score. Applicants holding a post-21 January 2026 revised-format result should ask Graduate Admission how it will be assessed because no revised-scale CIS rule is published.

• Submit an English score above the threshold if you want to avoid the first-semester EN6301 placement attached to the minimum score band.
• Start the NACES evaluation before the deadline because missing credential reviews can prevent the application from becoming complete.
• Use the statement of purpose to connect programming foundations with a specific systems, database, software, or security problem.

Tip for Indian students: The application is built around technical readiness rather than a stated CIS GPA cutoff. Prepare the credential evaluation, two recommendations, English evidence, and a project-focused statement before 01 October 2026.

St. Mary’s University CIS Application 2027

Spring 2027 is the nearest actionable intake for Indian applicants, with an international priority deadline of 01 October 2026. The current international graduate page also publishes 01 May 2027 for Fall 2027, and both dates are future application windows at the time of research.

The university does not publish a cutoff hour or timezone for either date, so the portal timestamp controls. Graduate decisions usually take 7 to 14 business days after a complete file is submitted, processed, and reviewed. The credential evaluation can therefore delay the decision even when the online form is already filed.

Published international application windows are listed below; fully closed cycles are excluded.

Source: St. Mary’s University current international graduate admission page; dates are published as October 1 for Spring and May 1 for Fall.

The CIS programme table uses “Any” for its start term, while the international deadline table publishes only Fall and Spring. Summer 2027 international timing is therefore unpublished after checks, and applicants should not transfer the Spring date to a Summer application.

Application Steps for Indian Applicants

Submit the free graduate application first, then track the portal checklist until every document shows as received. The sequence below prioritises items that can delay academic review or visa planning.

• Submit the online graduate application without an application fee.
• Send official transcripts from every college or university and the required NACES course-by-course evaluation.
• Upload two recommendation letters, the statement of purpose, and the CIS résumé or CV.
• Submit a current IELTS, TOEFL iBT, or Duolingo score unless Graduate Admission confirms an exemption.

After admission, an in-person international student must complete the university’s financial documentation and immigration steps before an I-20 request can be processed. Online applicants should confirm whether the selected delivery format has a different enrollment and document route before paying for visa-related services.

Read More: USA application process and timeline

Application tip: Use 01 October 2026 as the Spring 2027 control date, then work backward from the NACES evaluation and English score. A submitted form is not a complete file until every required document is received.

St. Mary’s University CIS Scholarships 2027

The current funding pages publish no named Spring 2027 CIS scholarship, award amount, or scholarship deadline for incoming international graduate applicants. Graduate applicants are directed to ask Graduate Admission or the programme director about available awards, so the gross tuition calculation should remain the funding baseline.

The clearest named graduate route is a graduate assistantship, but the university says assistantships are limited and run from Fall through Spring. They require at least 6 credit hours each semester, and the stipend is announced annually.

Current graduate funding routes are separated below from undergraduate awards that should not be used in a CIS budget.

Source: St. Mary’s University graduate financial aid and scholarship pages.

Undergraduate awards such as Global Scholars are not substitutes for graduate funding because the university limits that programme to incoming international freshmen. An Indian CIS applicant should compare the written assistantship or scholarship offer with the full US$39,633 (INR 37.83 Lakhs) tuition calculation. Do not assume a general international award will transfer.

• Ask the CIS programme director whether a technical assistantship is available before accepting an offer.
• Keep US$39,633 (INR 37.83 Lakhs) as the tuition baseline until the award letter states a confirmed amount and renewal rule.
• Request the scholarship decision timeline because the current pages publish no Spring 2027 funding deadline.
• Exclude undergraduate Global Scholars and first-year merit awards from a graduate funding plan.

Check Out: St. Mary’s University funding overview

Scholarship reality: Spring 2027 CIS funding has no published award amount or deadline. Finance the gross tuition of US$39,633 (INR 37.83 Lakhs), then reduce the plan only after written scholarship or assistantship terms arrive.

St. Mary’s University CIS Salary 2027

St. Mary’s does not publish a CIS cohort salary, offer rate, placement rate, or employer report. The programme page instead cites a university-reported external benchmark of US$101,719 (INR 97.08 Lakhs) in median annual earnings for Computer Systems Analysts.

The same page cites +13.28% expected employment-demand growth for that occupation and lists analyst, operations officer, and technical director as possible role types. These figures describe a U.S. occupation and role examples, not typical St. Mary’s graduate outcomes, so they should frame research rather than prove repayment.

A separate university-wide statement says 80% of graduates are employed in positions aligned with their life goals. The published scope does not identify the cohort, degree, geography, salary measure, or CIS placement rate.

Salary Evidence by Scope

Scope labels matter because a market median and a university outcome answer different questions. The table keeps the only published monetary benchmark separate from the programme’s unpublished employment evidence.

Source: St. Mary’s University CIS programme page; the salary and growth figures are presented there as external occupational context.

Gross salary does not equal take-home pay because location, occupation, experience, benefits, and tax status change the net amount. Use the Internal Revenue Service tax-withholding estimator after choosing a job location and salary rather than treating the benchmark as disposable income.

ROI for an Indian CIS Applicant

A four-semester residential planning illustration is US$98,669 (INR 94.17 Lakhs) before loan interest, flights, taxes, and future fee changes. This is calculated from the published 33-credit tuition, four regular-semester fee sets, four insurance periods, and two annual living estimates.

• The published tuition input is US$39,633 (INR 37.83 Lakhs), so request written scholarship or assistantship terms before fixing a loan amount.
• The residential living input is US$50,356 (INR 48.06 Lakhs) across two annual estimates, so online applicants should obtain a mode-specific budget before removing housing.
• No CIS cohort salary or offer rate is published, so do not use the US$101,719 (INR 97.08 Lakhs) occupational median as a payback forecast.
• The US$101,719 (INR 97.08 Lakhs) benchmark covers United States computer systems analysts, so compare it with India-return salaries before borrowing.
• Eligible F-1 graduates may receive 12 months of post-completion OPT; confirm the programme’s immigration classification before including an extended work window in the ROI plan.

This suggests that the degree’s financial case depends on technical preparation, funding, work authorisation, and the applicant’s target market rather than on a published placement result. An applied project can strengthen the portfolio, while the thesis route may suit research or doctoral plans but can change the completion schedule used in the budget.

ROI reality: US$98,669 (INR 94.17 Lakhs) is a calculated four-semester residential baseline, while US$101,719 (INR 97.08 Lakhs) is an external occupational median. Request CIS outcomes and mode-specific funding evidence before borrowing.

USA Visa for St. Mary’s University CIS Students 2027

International applicants choosing the in-person format should confirm eligibility for an F-1 (academic student) visa before accepting the offer. St. Mary’s roadmap asks accepted international graduate students seeking F-1 or J-1 status to complete an I-20 request with financial documents, passport evidence, and any scholarship letter. The current student visa fee is US$185 (INR 17,657), and the I-901 SEVIS fee is US$350 (INR 33,405). Online students should not assume that the same immigration route or insurance charge applies without written confirmation from the university.

• Eligible F-1 graduates may receive 12 months of post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT), while a 24-month STEM extension requires a qualifying degree code and employer.
• The H-1B specialty occupation route has no single CIS-linked salary threshold because the employer must meet the higher of the applicable actual wage or prevailing wage.
• Employment-based permanent residence has no fixed CIS timeline because sponsorship, immigrant category, country limits, and priority-date availability control the process.
• F-2 status may cover an F-1 student’s spouse and unmarried minor children, but F-2 dependants are not authorised to work in the United States.

Read More: USA post-study work options

Visa reality: The online or in-person choice changes the immigration answer. Confirm I-20 eligibility and the programme’s Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code before including OPT, a STEM extension, or U.S. employment in the budget.