MS in USA for an Indian student is a 2-year program with research and assistantships. More than 500 universities in the USA like MIT, Stanford, and Harvard are currently offering MS courses in the USA. Most Indian students opt for stem courses or management degrees in the month of December or January.Â
The eligibility for MS in the US for Indian students is 16 years of education, 320+ GRE score, GPA of 3.5/4. Apart from academic requirements, students are also required to submit a score of 100 in TOEFL-IBT for tier-1 universities. Furthermore, a good academic background, prior internship experience, SOP, and 2-3 LORs will further boost students’ profiles.Â
To pursue MS in the USA, an Indian student must prepare a budget of 50 lakhs per annum for top universities like Harvard, Stanford and MIT. USA universities like Florida State University, Angelo State University, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, Purdue University Indiana offer MS degrees for as low as 15 lakhs.Â
To cut down the high cost of attendance, USA universities offer a plethora of scholarships like the Fulbright Scholarship, Dean’s Scholarship and Aga Foundation Scholarship. Some of these scholarships can reduce student expenses to 50% or cover 100% of tuition fees. After completion of the degree, students can secure placements in top MNC’s like Amazon, Deloitte, IBP, Google and earn an average package of 59 lakhs per annum.Â
Best MS Colleges in USA for Indian StudentsÂ
MS in USA for Indian students is offered by more than 500 universities. Popular tier-1 universities like MIT, Stanford and Harvard ace the ranking by offering not only quality education but excellent salary packages. Some of the best MS colleges in the USA for Indian students are tabulated below with QS World Rankings 2023.Â
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | #1 |
Stanford University | #3 |
Harvard University | #5 |
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | #6 |
University of Chicago | #10 |
University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) | #13 |
Yale University | #18 |
Princeton University | #16 |
Cornell University | #20 |
Columbia University | #22 |
John Hopkins University | #24 |
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor | #25 |
UC Berkeley | #27 |
Northwestern University | #32 |
New York University (NYU) | #39 |
UCLA | #44 |
Duke University | #50 |
Carnegie Mellon University | #52 |
University of California, San Diego (UCSD) | #53 |
Brown University | #63 |
University of Texas (UTAUS) | #72 |
MS in USA for Indian Students: Most Popular Fields
MS in USA is offered to Indian students in various fields with the majority opting for stem and business courses. Some of the popular courses for MS in USA with universities are tabulated below.Â
Course | Universities |
MS in Computer Science and Information Systems in the US |
|
MS in Engineering and Technology |
|
MS in Business Analytics in USA |
|
MS in Data Science in USA |
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Eligibility for MS in USA for Indian Students
To apply for MS in the USA, students must note that most of the universities have their admission deadlines between December and January. Students applying early will have benefits as universities offer 2-4 weeks of time or acceptance. Some universities also offer admissions on a rolling basis.Â
- Bachelor’s degree of 3-4 years in relevant field
- Minimum GRE score of 300
- Research Internships
- Statement of Purpose
- Letter of Recommendations (2-3)
- A GPA above 3.5/4Â
- Official Transcripts
- CV
- Financial Statements
- Health Insurance in USA
- English Language Proficiency (7 bands in IELTS and 100 in TOEFL-IBT for tier-1 universities)
Students must also note that for management courses a valid GMAT score is required whereas for Science and technology GRE scores are mandatory. Some MS Colleges in USA for Indian students like Boston University, University of Phoenix and Kansas State University offer GMAT/GRE waivers.Â
Cost for MS in USA for Indian Student
To pursue MS in USA as an Indian student, a budget of 30 lakhs- 40 lakhs must be prepared beforehand. Tier-1 universities like MIT, Stanford and Harvard are quite hefty on the pocket and can cost upto 50 lakhs. Nonetheless, the USA is blessed with certain universities that offer affordable MS courses.Â
Some of the top universities in USA offering MS in USA with average annual fees are tabulated below.Â
University | Average Tuition Fees (INR/year) |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 42 lakhs |
Harvard University | 43 lakhs |
Columbia University | 48 lakhs |
Michigan State University | 21 lakhs |
University of California, Los Angeles | 59 lakhs |
Stanford University | 40 lakhs |
Yale University | 33 lakhs |
New York University | 26 lakhs |
Apart from tuition fees, students are also required to incur pre-arrival expenses and cost of living charges. On an average, the pre-arrival cost for MS in USA is 35,000- 38,000 INR. Some of the pre arrival expenses are mentioned below.Â
- Application Fees: 7,000-15,000 INR
- USA Student Visa Fees: 12,000 INR (approx.)
- ELP Tests Fees: 14,000- 18,000 INR
After moving to the university, students are required to find suitable accommodation for themselves. Every month a student spends 2 lakhs- 3 lakhs on meals, accommodation and transportation. Some of the basic cost of living expenses are stated below.Â
- Rent: 0.70 lakhs-1.40 lakhs per month
- Food: 1.50 lakhs per month
- Transportation: 0.70 lakhs per month
- Health Insurance in USA: 0.55 lakhsÂ
- Personal Expenses: 0.40 lakhs
MS in USA for Indian Students: Scholarship and Financial Aid
Studying abroad comes with financial burden and apart from loans, students moving to USA universities can apply for scholarships. USA universities offer both government and private scholarships for students. Hence, some of the popular scholarships for MS in USA for Indian students are tabulated below.Â
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Scholarship | Waiver |
Penn State University Scholarship | USD 1000 |
Presidential Scholarship | USD 26,000 |
Fulbright Foreign Student Program | Living stipend and covers tuition fees, health insurance, airfare |
Aga Foundation Scholarship | Variable |
AAUW International Fellowship | USD 18,000 |
Dean’s Scholarship | Full tuition fees |
Generation Google Scholarship | USD 10,000 |
Global Study Awards | USD 14,000 |
MS in USA for Indian Students: Placements
After pursuing MS in USA , students can apply for jobs in the USA. The average salary offered to students is 59 lakhs per annum. Some of the top recruiters offering placements after MS in USA for Indian students are:Â
- McKinseyÂ
- Accenture
- AdidasÂ
- Apple
- Amgen
- IBM
- DellÂ
- BoseÂ
- Adobe
- Deloitte
- Amazon
Some of the popular courses for MS in USA with average salary packages are mentioned below.Â
Field | Average Salary (INR) |
Engineering | 58 lakhs |
Management | 56 lakhs |
Computer Science | 53 lakhs |
Humanities | 41 lakhs |
Pursuing MS in USA comes with a great academic curriculum, top universities, high-tech facilities and a broadened job market. Students while pursuing MS courses in USA can also apply for research and assistantship opportunities. Hence, it can be said that an MS degree from USA university is quite beneficial for Indian students.Â