University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) Courses and Fees 2026

University of California, Santa Cruz fees for Indian students require a route-specific budget because nonresident charges sit beside tuition. Postgraduate (PG) tuition spans $39,456-$52,608 (INR 37.74-50.32 Lakhs) across three-quarter and four-quarter routes. Undergraduate (UG) tuition and student fees total $56,760 (INR 54.29 Lakhs) annually for a nonresident entrant. Computer Science and Engineering Master of Science (M.S.) costs $39,456 (INR 37.74 Lakhs) for one standard academic year.

The University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) uses United States dollar (USD) billing. On-campus means university housing, while off-campus means a private or non-university lease. UCSC’s 2026-27 budget places on-campus living expenses at $21,477 (INR 20.54 Lakhs) annually. The off-campus estimate is $21,522 (INR 20.59 Lakhs), so housing choice does not guarantee a large saving. University Town Center offers a double at $17,127 (INR 16.38 Lakhs) for the academic year. Graduate apartments list $1,545 (INR 1.48 Lakhs) monthly.

Computer Science, B.S. (Bachelor of Science) needs $86,898 (INR 83.12 Lakhs) for an average on-campus first-year budget. The amount includes tuition, living expenses, health insurance, books, transport, and personal costs. It excludes the $250 (INR 23,913) Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) deposit, visa charges, and airfare. Fall 2028 follows Fall 2027, but its fee schedule is unpublished.

Exchange rate: 1 USD = INR 95.65 on 30 August 2026, using the supplied open.er-api.com rate.

Also Check: University of California, Santa Cruz admission deadlines

University of California, Santa Cruz Tuition Fees by Programme

UCSC publishes a shared graduate quarterly rate, while undergraduate nonresident tuition combines standard fees with a supplemental charge. The postgraduate table uses 10 current graduate routes, and the undergraduate table uses five four-year degrees.

University of California, Santa Cruz Postgraduate Fees: Fall 2027

PG tuition is $13,152 (INR 12.58 Lakhs) per quarter. Three quarters cost $39,456 (INR 37.74 Lakhs). Professional degree charges, campus fees, and health insurance can sit outside this standard rate.

Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) use the standard two-year route.

Tuition is calculated from the published quarterly rate and each programme’s official duration.

Source: UCSC graduate tuition and graduate programme pages.

• Computational Media M.S. closes January 6, 2027.
• Computer Science and Engineering M.S. closes January 26, 2027.
• Scientific Computing and Applied Mathematics M.S. closes February 1, 2027. Human Computer Interaction M.S. closes February 2, 2027.
• Electrical and Computer Engineering M.S. closes February 4, 2027. Biomolecular Engineering & Bioinformatics M.S. closes March 16, 2027.
• Materials Science and Engineering M.S. closes March 18, 2027. Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology M.S. closes April 1, 2027. Natural Language Processing M.S. closes April 15, 2027. Statistical Science M.S. closes December 14, 2026.

University of California, Santa Cruz Undergraduate Fees: Fall 2027

UG tuition and student fees are $56,760 (INR 54.29 Lakhs) annually for nonresident entrants. The same published annual rate applies to Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Business Management Economics, Psychology, and Marine Biology.

The five routes include Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees.

The table uses the 2026-27 annual nonresident tuition-and-fee budget.

Source: UCSC 2026-27 undergraduate tuition and cost-of-attendance pages.

• All five degrees use the same published nonresident annual tuition-and-fee rate.
• Health insurance, books, transport, personal costs, visa charges, and housing sit outside tuition.
• Computer Science and Computer Engineering are engineering routes. Business Management Economics, Psychology, and Marine Biology use the same billing benchmark.
• Four years multiplies the current annual figure for comparison, not as a future-fee forecast.

Compare Next: UCSC undergraduate and graduate programme routes

University of California, Santa Cruz Fee Trend by Year

The nonresident supplemental tuition rose from $31,026 (INR 29.68 Lakhs) in 2022-23. It reached $39,270 (INR 37.56 Lakhs) in 2026-27. The 2025-26 jump was 9.95%, so a later intake can require more cash after a new fee release.

Source: UCSC archived nonresident supplemental tuition schedules.

The 9.95% increase in 2025-26 shows why an unchanged current rate is not a promise for Fall 2028. Recalculate the budget when UCSC publishes the next nonresident schedule.

Track Next: UCSC application deadlines and admission steps

Cost of Living in Santa Cruz for Indian Students

UCSC’s published 2026-27 on-campus living benchmark is $21,477 (INR 20.54 Lakhs) per academic year for entering nonresident undergraduates. The official budget separates on-campus, off-campus, and commuter scenarios.

Source: UCSC 2026-27 undergraduate cost-of-attendance budget.

University Housing Near Santa Cruz: Indian Student Options

University Town Center’s published double rate is $17,127 (INR 16.38 Lakhs) for the academic year. UCSC publishes university housing rates, but no comparable private-lease range appears in the figures used here.

Source: UCSC housing rates and contracts.

• Residence halls include the Blue meal plan. Apartments do not require that plan.
• Graduate apartments bill monthly and offer 10 or 12-month contracts.
• The Village rate is not directly comparable with a residence hall because meal inclusion differs.
• The on-campus and off-campus living estimates differ by only $45 (INR 4,304) annually.
• A resident lives in housing, while a commuter lives away from campus and needs a separate transport plan.

Fall 2027 housing requests should accompany admission acceptance because the housing guarantee requires a housing preference during SIR.

Total Cost of Studying at University of California, Santa Cruz

UCSC’s average on-campus first-year budget is $86,898 (INR 83.12 Lakhs). It applies to Computer Science, B.S. under the 2026-27 nonresident budget. These undergraduate scenarios use a 10-month living basis.

Source: UCSC 2026-27 non-California resident undergraduate budget.

• The total includes tuition, student fees, living, books, transport, and personal costs. It includes the University of California Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP).
• UC SHIP is budgeted at $3,870 (INR 3.70 Lakhs) and sits outside the tuition line.
• The SIR deposit reduces registration fees and is excluded from this budget total.
• Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) charges and the visa fee sit outside UCSC’s budget.
• The high scenario changes with housing and personal spending, not with a different tuition rate.

Four-year Computer Science, B.S. tuition and student fees total $227,040 (INR 2.17 Crore) at unchanged current rates. This tuition-only total excludes living expenses, health insurance, books, transport, personal costs, visa charges, and travel. A loan of INR 50 Lakhs has an equated monthly instalment (EMI). It is roughly INR 65,000-70,000 monthly over 10 years at 10.5%.

University of California, Santa Cruz Scholarships for Indian Students

The Undergraduate Dean’s Award provides $12,000-$100,000 (INR 11.48-95.65 Lakhs). It spans four years for eligible new nonresident students. UCSC assesses this award through the undergraduate application, so no separate form is needed.

Source: UCSC undergraduate scholarship and financial-aid guidance.

• The minimum award spreads to $3,000 (INR 2.87 Lakhs) per year across four years.
• UCSC says 95% of nonresident students receive an Undergraduate Dean’s Award.
• The award must be accepted in MyUCSC each year to continue.
• The award applies to an undergraduate route, not a graduate tuition waiver.

The Study California Scholarship offers at least $1,000 (INR 95,650) per recipient. The Deserve Scholarship lists $5,000 (INR 4.78 Lakhs) for eligible international students.

Source: UCSC International Student Services and Programming funding guidance.

No Indian-only external scholarship has a published Fall 2027 deadline. Treat these awards as separate applications, not automatic UCSC reductions.

Review Next: UCSC admission requirements and application route

University of California, Santa Cruz Tuition Deposit and Payment Options

The international graduate application fee is $155 (INR 14,826). The undergraduate application fee is $95 (INR 9,087) per campus. UCSC has one published undergraduate SIR amount, but graduate deposit terms are offer-specific.

UCSC’s 2026-27 catalog sets the undergraduate SIR deposit at $250 (INR 23,913). It is nonrefundable and applies toward registration fees. UCSC does not publish one graduate tuition deposit for every programme.

The featured graduate routes do not show course-specific deposit amounts in their public programme pages. Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology therefore require offer-level payment instructions.

Methods of Payment: UCSC International Students

UCSC supports five practical payment routes, led by International Funds Transfer (IFT) and Flywire.

• IFT through UCSC eBill or ePay, powered by TransferMate.
• Flywire, UCSC’s named international payment provider, supports home-currency transfers and tracking.
• A bank transfer should use IFT or Flywire instructions, not an unreferenced wire.
• A forex card can reduce conversion leakage by about 2-3%. On the $56,760 (INR 54.29 Lakhs) annual UG charge, 2% equals $1,135.20 (INR 1.09 Lakhs).
• An education-loan disbursement should match the MyUCSC bill date.

Steps to Pay Tuition Fees: International Students

Five steps connect acceptance to the MyUCSC balance.

1. Accept the offer and complete the SIR process, if applicable.
2. Pay the $250 (INR 23,913) undergraduate SIR deposit, or follow the graduate offer instructions.
3. Submit financial documents and receive Form I-20, the eligibility document for the F-1 visa.
4. Pay the balance through the MyUCSC billing schedule.
5. Keep every payment receipt with the visa file.

UCSC bills undergraduate registration fees by academic term and housing according to the housing contract. Graduate students receive quarterly billing dates in MyUCSC. The $250 (INR 23,913) deposit reduces undergraduate registration fees, not living costs.

Source: UCSC fee reversal, MyUCSC acceptance, and Student Business Services payment guidance.

Read Next: UCSC offer acceptance and document steps

Hidden Costs of Studying at University of California, Santa Cruz

• Fall 2027 timing: The University of California Application closes November 30, 2026. Graduate deadlines start December 14, 2026.
• The F-1 Student Visa application fee is $185 (INR 17,695).
• The SEVIS I-901 fee is $350 (INR 33,478).
• No UK-style Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) applies to this United States route. UCSC instead budgets UC SHIP at $3,870 (INR 3.70 Lakhs).
• Books cost $1,176 (INR 1.12 Lakhs). Transportation ranges from $963-$2,808 (INR 0.92-2.69 Lakhs).
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) retakes have separate charges. Bank transfer fees vary by provider, so both remain outside the known minimum.

Cash Needed Before Arrival: Computer Science, B.S.

The known pre-arrival minimum is $935 (INR 89,433) before any tuition balance or airfare. It includes the $250 (INR 23,913) SIR deposit and $185 (INR 17,695) visa fee. It also includes the $350 (INR 33,478) SEVIS fee and $150 (INR 14,348) housing deposit.

UCSC applies the SIR deposit toward registration fees, so it is not counted again as tuition. The housing deposit’s refundability depends on withdrawal timing. The minimum excludes tuition balance, annual housing charges beyond the deposit, UC SHIP, books, travel, airfare, and personal setup.

The upper case adds a $21,249 (INR 20.32 Lakhs) residence-hall charge. It combines with the $935 (INR 89,433) pre-arrival minimum. Budget approximately INR 0.89-21.22 Lakhs for first-year hidden costs, depending on housing timing.

Source: United States Department of State, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and UCSC housing guidance.

Fee Saving Strategies for Indian Students

The minimum Dean’s Award can reduce annual undergraduate charges by $3,000 (INR 2.87 Lakhs) across four years.

• Submit the University of California Application by November 30, 2026, for Fall 2027 Dean’s Award consideration.
• Compare university housing carefully. The Village is $10,458 (INR 10.00 Lakhs). A residence hall double with meals is $21,249 (INR 20.32 Lakhs).
• Use Section 80E of the Indian Income Tax Act only after confirming current eligibility for the education-loan interest deduction.
• Treat part-time campus work as a secondary living-cost offset because F-1 authorization and hours are restricted.
• A 2% reduction on the annual UG charge saves $1,135.20 (INR 1.09 Lakhs). The annual charge is $56,760 (INR 54.29 Lakhs). Compare that saving with the university’s payment-provider quote.
• Optional Practical Training (OPT) lasts 12 months, with a possible 24-month STEM extension for eligible degrees. STEM means science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Compare Next: UCSC ranking information and subject context

Is University of California, Santa Cruz Worth the Cost for Indian Students

The cost case is conditional at $86,898 (INR 83.12 Lakhs). That is the average first-year Computer Science, B.S. budget. UCSC’s HCI and Natural Language Processing routes use the Silicon Valley Campus, while CSE and ECE offer two-year graduate routes.

Eligible science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates can use 12 months of OPT plus a 24-month extension. That possible 36-month work-authorisation path can provide more recovery time than a 12-month route.

A loan of INR 50 Lakhs costs roughly INR 65,000-70,000 monthly at 10.5% over 10 years. The decision is stronger when the Dean’s Award reduces the annual burden and the chosen route supports post-study work eligibility.

Explore Next: UCSC university profile and study options