Master of Science Software Engineering Science from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University 2026 Entry: Dates, Fees, Eligibility, Entry Requirements etc.

Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) offers the two-year, full-time, on-campus Master of Science M.S. Software Engineering Science (MSSE) in Tallahassee, Florida for computing applicants. The degree requires a bachelor’s degree and grade point average 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. For Indian applicants, that is approximately 75% to 80% or cumulative grade point average 7.5 to 8.0 on 10. For the Summer 2027 intake, the schedule lists US$1,110.09 per graduate non-resident credit (INR 1.07 Lakhs), but not a total programme tuition.

The degree is designed for students with an academic background in computing, so prior programming and software-development study is more relevant than a general technology interest. Its structural tradeoff is that FAMU’s current public material confirms the degree and entry preparation but does not publish a current credit total or detailed course map. The best-prepared Indian applicant will therefore bring computing evidence, budget from the per-credit charge and confirm the study plan with the department before paying.

• Full-time on-campus delivery places the programme within FAMU’s Tallahassee graduate environment and supports direct access to department faculty.
• The graduate school publishes Summer, Fall and Spring application windows, so applicants can ask the Computer and Information Sciences department which applies to the MSSE.
• The department states that faculty teach and pursue research, which suits applicants seeking a software-engineering degree with an academic component.

Also Check: FAMU course admission

FAMU MS Software Engineering Fees and Living Costs 2027

The target Summer 2027 budget must use the Fall 2026 fee schedule because FAMU states that schedule applies through the 2026-27 academic year. The table separates tuition, mandatory non-resident charges and the application fee, so Indian applicants can model the bill before the programme credit total is confirmed.

Target-cycle fee basis: FAMU’s Fall 2026 schedule lists graduate non-resident charges per credit hour, while Graduate Admissions lists a US$30.00 application fee (INR 2,896).

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 96.5372 as of 16 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

• The non-resident fee is the largest line item, so using tuition alone would understate the billed per-credit amount.
• The current schedule does not publish the MSSE credit requirement, so do not multiply the rate by an assumed credit count.
• Material and supply charges can reach US$300 per course (INR 28,961), so ask whether any MSSE course carries that charge before enrolment.

Cost of Living in Tallahassee for MS Software Engineering Students

FAMU’s official graduate cost-of-attendance page provides Fall and Spring estimates for out-of-state students. The table converts those term totals into nine-month monthly equivalents, which supports planning but is not an official monthly quote.

Living-cost basis: The official estimate assumes on-campus housing with double occupancy and separates living costs from tuition and required university charges.

FAMU’s on-campus estimate assumes double occupancy, while the table’s monthly figures divide Fall and Spring totals by nine months. The resulting US$19,042 (INR 18.38 Lakhs) includes housing, food, books, personal expenses, transportation and health insurance but excludes tuition, required fees and loan fees.

A calculated 18-credit academic-year fee illustration is 18 × US$1,110.09 = US$19,981.62 (INR 19.29 Lakhs). Adding the estimate gives US$39,023.62 (INR 37.67 Lakhs), but this is only a planning illustration because the MSSE credit requirement is not stated.

Key insight: A verified total bill awaits FAMU’s MSSE credit count, so request the programme-specific invoice before accepting an offer.

FAMU MS Software Engineering Admission 2027

Admission suits applicants with computing background and a bachelor’s degree, but FAMU also requires standardized scores and international documents. Use the general international graduate requirements until the Computer and Information Sciences department (CIS) confirms the MSSE file.

International applicant baseline: FAMU assesses the academic record, test scores, English proficiency and document completeness together. The requirements below distinguish the MSSE preparation signal from the university-wide graduate application rules.

The table shows the baseline rather than a confirmed MSSE-specific waiver policy. FAMU’s international checklist also requires direct academic records and financial documents, so missing paperwork can delay review even when the grade point average is sufficient. No programme-specific ranking was verified for the MSSE, so rankings do not inform this course-level decision.

• A computing degree or demonstrable computing coursework is the clearest fit signal because FAMU describes the MSSE as intended for students with an academic computing background.
• The published test rule is a planning risk because the current instructions do not state that MSSE applicants may omit GRE or GMAT scores.
• Indian applicants should order transcript evaluation and translations before the final application stage because FAMU requires document completeness for processing.

English Language Proficiency

FAMU’s current graduate pages publish TOEFL and IELTS thresholds, with no current Duolingo or PTE threshold on the checked MSSE surfaces. The TOEFL values remain on the 0 to 120 and paper-based scales, so applicants should not convert them into the newer 1.0 to 6.0 scale.

Score scale note: The values below reproduce FAMU’s published wording, including the separate paper-based TOEFL threshold.

FAMU states that TOEFL and IELTS results are valid for two years, so check the test date against the intended enrolment period. Applicants should recheck the current graduate admissions requirements before sending a post-January 2026 TOEFL report.

• IELTS 6.5 is the clearest listed route when an applicant wants one overall threshold rather than separate TOEFL scale questions.
• Applicants using TOEFL should retain the official score report because FAMU’s current pages do not publish a revised 1.0 to 6.0 policy for this programme.
• The checked FAMU pages do not publish an India-specific school-English waiver, so do not assume prior English-medium study replaces a test.

Tip for Indian students: Meet the published academic and English thresholds, then obtain written confirmation of the MSSE-specific test policy and credit plan before submitting a non-refundable application.

FAMU MS Software Engineering Application 2027

The strongest application sequence is to confirm that CIS is accepting the MSSE, prepare the complete international file and submit before FAMU’s published international deadline. Summer 2027 is the first applicant-accessible intake identified in the current schedule, while later rows show the next recurring windows for planning.

Deadline context: FAMU publishes general graduate international deadlines rather than programme-specific decision dates, and the page gives no time-of-day or timezone.

FAMU does not publish programme-specific decision dates on the checked page. Treat the deadline as the point by which the complete file must be ready, not as a promised offer date. Because the deadline table is not time-zoned, Indian applicants should submit before the displayed calendar date rather than wait for the final day.

• Ask CIS to confirm that the MSSE accepts Summer 2027 applications because the general graduate calendar does not prove every programme’s intake pattern.
• Prepare the online form and the US$30.00 application fee (INR 2,896) after the programme confirmation is received.
• Request official transcripts, test scores, recommendations and evaluation documents early because FAMU requires a complete international file for processing.
• Keep the financial responsibility statement, immunization record and health insurance documents ready because they are part of the international checklist.

Application sequence

FAMU uses an online graduate application, followed by direct receipt of academic and test documents. The sequence matters for Indian applicants because an application fee does not replace missing transcripts, score reports or credential evaluations.

Recommended order: Confirm the MSSE intake, prepare evidence of computing preparation, then submit the complete file before the international cutoff.

Read More: FAMU graduate programmes

Application tip: Use Summer 2027 as the working target, but obtain written CIS confirmation of intake, credit count and document requirements before paying the application fee.

FAMU MS Software Engineering Scholarships 2027

FAMU does not publish a named target-cycle scholarship for direct Indian applicants on its current graduate funding pages. The practical funding routes are competitive assistantships, tuition waivers and fellowships administered through the school or college, and award amounts are not fixed in the checked material.

FAMU does not require international students to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA is the United States federal aid form, so this exemption removes a form but does not create an award.

Funding routes for Indian applicants

Each route below requires a complete admission file and separate follow-up with the relevant academic unit. FAMU also states that students must pay any remaining balance by the published payment deadline, even when a waiver or fellowship is approved.

The funding page does not provide a fixed assistantship value or a target-cycle MSSE award deadline, so applicants cannot safely subtract a scholarship from the calculated budget. Ask CIS and the graduate school for the current funding form before treating an award as part of the financial plan.

• The Delores Auzenne Fellowship is not a general Indian applicant option because FAMU limits it to United States citizens or permanent residents.
• International students can pursue eligible assistantships without FAFSA, but FAMU describes graduate funding as competitive and does not guarantee an award.
• A waiver or fellowship may leave a balance due, so keep liquid funds for tuition and fees until the award amount is written into the account.

Check Out: FAMU university profile

Scholarship reality: The available FAMU routes are funding processes rather than guaranteed named awards, so apply for assistantships early and keep a full-cost plan until written funding is posted.

FAMU MS Software Engineering Salary 2027

FAMU does not publish an MSSE cohort employment report with a course-specific salary or offer rate. The closest official evidence is a university-wide exit survey, which must be read separately from the national software occupation benchmarks below.

Outcome scope: The FAMU figures cover respondents completing the academic year (AY) 2023-24 exit survey, not confirmed MSSE graduates. The survey reports salary bands among respondents who had secured employment, so the percentages are not a placement rate.

Source: FAMU Exit Survey Academic Year 2024 Report.

The survey provides context about reported employment confidence and secured roles across FAMU, but it does not establish MSSE placement probability. An Indian applicant should request current department-level outcomes if salary evidence is central to the funding decision.

External Software Developer Benchmark

For a career-oriented software engineering degree, the closest public pay reference is the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) occupation data. These figures describe the broader United States workforce and are not FAMU graduate outcomes.

Benchmark scope: The figures below are national median annual wages for May 2024, so geography, role level and employment status still affect the offer an individual receives.

Source: BLS software developer and tester profile.

Because FAMU has not published a course-cohort salary or total programme credit count, a defensible payback period cannot be calculated. The financial decision instead combines the verified per-credit charge, a calculated 18-credit annual illustration and clearly separated outcome scopes.

• The calculated 18-credit fee illustration is US$19,981.62 (INR 19.29 Lakhs) before living costs, so obtain the MSSE credit plan and invoice before accepting an offer.
• FAMU’s 23.8% university-wide offer figure cannot support a placement-based loan plan, so request MSSE outcomes before borrowing.
• The BLS software developer median is US$133,080 (INR 1.28 Crore), but it cannot serve as starting-pay evidence, so compare any offer with role level and local taxes.
• The standard post-study window is up to 12 months under F-1 Optional Practical Training, limiting time to secure income, so confirm STEM eligibility before modelling repayment.
• Because the verified FAMU outcome is university-wide and total tuition is unconfirmed, calculate India-return repayment from a written offer rather than a United States occupational median.

Take-home pay varies by state, role and payroll deductions, so use a current United States tax calculator before translating a gross benchmark into loan repayment.

ROI reality: The public evidence supports a software-career rationale but not a course-specific payback claim, so secure the credit plan, funding outcome and employment scope before borrowing.

USA Visa for FAMU MS Software Engineering Students 2027

The F-1 (academic student) visa is the normal route for this full-time United States degree. The current visa application fee is US$185 (INR 17,859) and the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee is US$350 (INR 33,788). SEVIS is the federal student-record system used for Form I-20 and the visa process. FAMU’s FAQ sets graduate funding evidence at US$39,920 (INR 38.54 Lakhs) for one academic year. This is visa funding evidence, not the university’s living-cost estimate.

• New F-1 visas may issue 365 days early, but entry is limited to 30 days before start and on-campus work to 20 hours weekly with approval.
• Post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) can last 12 months, while a 24-month Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) extension depends on degree, employer and federal filing.
• H-1B specialty-occupation status has no single course salary threshold; employers must meet the higher actual or prevailing wage, while residence depends on sponsorship and priority dates.
• F-2 spouse and child dependants may accompany the student, but F-2 dependants are not authorized to work and the MSSE creates no course-linked permanent-residence timeline.

Read More: United States student visa requirements

Visa reality: Keep the FAMU I-20 funding figure separate from living-cost planning, and treat post-study work and longer-term residence as conditional pathways rather than guaranteed outcomes.