UMD Data Science MS
University of Maryland, College Park · Science Academy, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences · College Park, United States- Full time
- College Park campus
- English
Tuition, university and international fees, SHIP, living estimate, visa, SEVIS and application.
10 three-credit courses × USD 4,484
full-time planning route
section scores apply; programme may be stricter
Fall or Spring 2027
What is UMD Data Science MS?
The Data Science MS is a less than 2 years (four terms) programme in College Park with published published tuition of USD 44,840. Data Science MS combines the taught sequence with the final work published for this exact award. The complete planning total shown here is INR 83.28 lakh. The current official course and fee pages control the final offer.
The planning horizon is less than 2 years (four terms). A combined funding estimate of USD 86,783, approximately INR 83.28 lakh, covers the stated baseline rather than tuition alone. This route fits a student who wants an integrated computing-and-statistics core with an applied finish. It is less suitable for someone who needs a thesis, a business-only analytics curriculum or substantial remedial mathematics.
The official catalogue entry for this award anchors the identity, credit total and academic route used here. It also prevents a similarly named UMD option from being folded into the comparison.
The Data Science MS is a professional programme built around computing, statistics and applied data work. Its course plan is most credible for applicants who can already demonstrate programming and quantitative preparation and want a structured route into advanced modelling and a capstone.
Data Science MS doesn’t guarantee admission, isn’t a job offer and can’t replace the published academic preparation or a workable funding plan.
How much does UMD Data Science MS cost for an Indian student?
The dated gross baseline is USD 86,783, about INR 83.28 lakh, with USD 44,840 in tuition. The four-term plan runs fall, spring, summer and fall. Its fee model uses three regular-semester charges, a separate summer programme charge and four international-service charges; living and SHIP use 1.5 academic years.
| Item | INR | Local currency | When it is due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-programme tuition | INR 43.03 lakh | USD 44,840 | 10 three-credit courses × USD 4,484 |
| Campus, international and programme fees | INR 2.83 lakh | USD 2,947 | Published full-time term charges across the planning route |
| Student health insurance | INR 4.23 lakh | USD 4,408 | SHIP across 1.5 academic years; waivable with approved cover |
| Living, books, personal and transport | INR 32.59 lakh | USD 33,963 | UMD annual estimate × 1.5 years |
| F-1 visa and I-901 SEVIS | INR 51,339 | USD 535 | Before the visa interview |
| Application fee | INR 8,636 | USD 90 | At submission; non-refundable |
| Gross planning baseline | INR 83.28 lakh | USD 86,783 | Before flights, deposits and spending above UMD estimates |
The visa and SEVIS charges are separate. Neither is tuition, and neither guarantees visa issuance. US-dollar items use USD 1 = INR 95.96, derived from ECB reference rates for 15 September 2026.
The visa and SEVIS charges are separate. Neither is tuition, and neither guarantees visa issuance. US-dollar items use USD 1 = INR 95.96, derived from ECB reference rates for 15 September 2026.
The tuition arithmetic uses the published programme-family rate of USD 4,484 per 3-credit course. Applied to the stated award structure, that gives USD 44,840 before any annual rate change or additional course charge. The official fee page controls the bill; the table preserves its date and does not subtract scholarships that have not been awarded.
UMD’s 2026-27 student budget supplies USD 22,642 a year for off-campus housing and food, personal expenses, books and transport. The baseline multiplies it by 1.5 academic years. Real rent, summer residence, furnishing, flights and deposits can exceed that allowance, particularly when a lease covers months outside the teaching calendar.
What are UMD Data Science MS entry requirements for India?
Eligibility has four independent parts: subject preparation, recognition of the Indian credential, section-level English evidence and the programme’s own application material. A strong result in one part does not erase a gap in another. The table turns each part into a document-level check before submission.
| Requirement | Published rule | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Starting knowledge for Data Science MS (India) | calculus, linear algebra, statistics and programming at a level that supports probability and algorithmic work from the opening term | Match named prior modules and grades to the opening data-science work |
| Indian degree equivalence for Data Science MS (India) | UMD normally expects the US equivalent of a four-year bachelor's for Data Science MS; only its published three-year pathways create exceptions | Submit the complete Indian education history for the data-science review |
| English threshold for Data Science MS (India) | IELTS full enrolment requires 7.0 overall, 7.0 in reading, listening and writing, and 6.5 in speaking unless Data Science MS sets a higher line | Check every section score against the data-science programme page |
| Documents for the data-science application (India) | The Data Science MS file combines transcripts, statement, résumé and its stated recommendations, tests or samples | Let the official Data Science MS instructions control every addition |
| Fee for the Data Science MS application (India) | USD 90 | Pay through UMD's portal unless a waiver is documented for this data-science application |
| Programme admission chances (India) | University of Maryland, College Park does not publish a programme-level intake size or acceptance rate for Data Science MS on the official pages checked on 2 November 2026. | Treat admission as a requirements decision, not a published probability. |
| Backlogs (India) | No blanket backlog limit is published for Data Science MS; the complete transcript and awarded degree are assessed. | Disclose every attempt and backlog in the official transcript. |
| Three-year Indian bachelor's (India) | No blanket statement accepting every three-year Indian bachelor's is published for Data Science MS. | Ask Admissions for a written equivalence decision before paying non-refundable costs. |
| Scholarships for Indian applicants (India) | No scholarship reserved for Indian applicants is promised on the Data Science MS programme page. | Use only awards whose nationality and programme rules explicitly include you. |
For data-science, rebuild the transcript around relevant modules rather than the diploma title. Record level, credit, grade and a substantial piece of work for each foundation. Any unresolved gap should become a written question to the programme before the applicant pays or treats admission as realistic.
Admission chances: University of Maryland, College Park does not publish a Data Science MS cohort size, acceptance rate or typical admitted GPA on the official pages checked on 2 November 2026. Meeting the minimum is not an offer guarantee.
“IELTS full enrolment requires 7.0 overall, 7.0 in reading, listening and writing, and 6.5 in speaking unless Data Science MS sets a higher line”University of Maryland, College Park official programme requirements
How should an Indian student apply for UMD Data Science MS in 2027?
The international deadline used for planning is February 26, 2027 for Fall 2027; September 30, 2026 for Spring 2027. The file goes through UMD’s graduate application route with the programme requirements and a USD 90 charge. Transcript reconstruction and English testing create the longest lead times.
International application through UMD; USD 90 fee; planning deadline February 26, 2027 for Fall 2027; September 30, 2026 for Spring 2027.
| Step | Task | Allowance | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Finish English and any programme test | 75 days | Allow score reporting time and preserve section-level evidence. |
| 02 | Assemble academic and professional records | 35 days | Original-language records, literal translations, statement, résumé and recommendations must tell one consistent story. |
| 03 | Map prerequisites and route | 21 days | Confirm each named prerequisite against transcript modules, grades and substantial prior work. |
| 04 | Submit the complete UMD application | 1 day | Pay USD 90 and submit before February 26, 2027 for Fall 2027; September 30, 2026 for Spring 2027. |
| 05 | Complete funding and I-20 steps | 30 days | After admission, document first-year funds and follow ISSS instructions. |
| 06 | Pay SEVIS and apply for the F-1 visa | 60 days | Use the issued I-20; visa issuance and entry remain government decisions. |
These allowances are preparation estimates, not university processing times.
International application through UMD; USD 90 fee; planning deadline February 26, 2027 for Fall 2027; September 30, 2026 for Spring 2027.
The allowances are Nbyula planning estimates, not processing times published by University of Maryland, College Park.
The application starts with the exact catalogue programme, because similarly named online, professional and research routes can carry different codes. The current catalogue record controls the award identity, while the parent record separates international from domestic deadlines.
What careers can follow UMD Data Science MS?
Possible directions include data science, analytics, machine learning, data engineering, experimentation and quantitative decision support. The degree can build relevant evidence for those conversations, but it does not create an offer. Any UMD result shown below is kept beside its cohort, timing and disclosure limits so that a small sample is not mistaken for certainty.
| Measure | Figure | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Roles connected to Data Science MS | Data science, analytics, machine learning, data engineering, experimentation and quantitative decision support | Data-science curriculum mapped to role tasks |
| Work produced during Data Science MS | The seven-course core moves from probability and data-science principles through modelling, systems and algorithms before communication and nine elective credits shape a domain | Official Data Science MS award structure for 2026-27 |
| Initial OPT after Data Science MS | Up to 12 months if the data-science work and student are eligible | USCIS rules applied to employment related to Data Science MS |
| Possible STEM extension after Data Science MS | Potential 24-month extension for eligible STEM degree and employer | Published CIP treatment for Data Science MS and USCIS eligibility rules |
| Outcome caution for Data Science MS | It is non-thesis and the official public outcome rate is Science Academy-wide rather than a clean MSDS denominator, so research ambitions and placement claims need restraint | Programme-specific disclosure and scope review for data-science |
The Data Science MS role map describes relevance, not a guaranteed job or salary. Any reported figure needs its stated sample and timing limits, while work permission remains separate from employer sponsorship.
The Data Science MS role map describes relevance, not a guaranteed job or salary. Any reported figure needs its stated sample and timing limits, while work permission remains separate from employer sponsorship.
For data science and analytics, a useful portfolio identifies the problem, method, individual contribution and measured result. The data-science award can supply material for that proof, but the student still has to make it legible to an employer. Immigration permission and sponsorship remain later, separate decisions.
The official Data Science MS programme page and the university career material linked in Sources were checked on 2 November 2026. No programme-level intake size, acceptance rate, audited placement rate, named recruiter list or salary table was published there. No salary is quoted on this page without a source.
The capstone can become a concrete work sample for data-science or analytics applications. The University of Maryland does not publish an audited placement rate, cohort salary table or guaranteed employer list for this exact programme, so national occupation data should not be presented as a programme outcome.
The separate official context comes from UMD 2026-27 graduate cost of attendance and UMD mandatory student health insurance. Those rules don’t guarantee admission, immigration status or employment for this programme.
Who is UMD Data Science MS for, and who should avoid it?
Fit rests on preparation, purpose and finance. The applicant needs to enter at the required level, know what evidence the degree should produce and fund the USD 86,783 plan without an assumed job. Ignoring the programme’s central limitation weakens all three parts.
| Verdict | Your background | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Strong fit | Prepared for the Data Science MS starting level | First-term graduate study assumes the named foundations are already secure |
| Strong fit | A defined use for the data-science coursework | The official completion design supports the intended portfolio |
| Needs evidence | Understands the exact Data Science MS route | The selected campus award must match the intended study and completion format |
| Needs evidence | Can carry the gross data-science budget | The gross baseline is USD 86,783 before flights, deposits and cost overruns |
| Do not shortlist | Would be harmed by the main Data Science MS constraint | The published caution changes the practical value of this choice |
| Do not shortlist | Needs employment to fund the data-science degree | Conditional US work rights cannot safely underwrite the opening bill |
A useful comparison places this data-science option beside the nearest plausible alternative and asks which required work better serves the intended role. Cost should be tested after that academic distinction is clear. A plan funded by hoped-for earnings has not passed the comparison.
The course order joins probability and modelling to data representation, large-scale systems, algorithms and technical communication. That combination is broader than a dashboard-focused analytics degree, yet it remains a taught, non-thesis route rather than an open-ended computer-science research programme.
What does the UMD Data Science MS curriculum contain?
The Data Science MS curriculum uses 30 credits to develop probability, machine learning, data representation, big-data systems, algorithms and communication for an applied data workflow. The table distinguishes compulsory Data Science MS work from choices and alternative completion routes, so structural rows should be read as rules rather than extra credits.
| Code | Component | UMD credits | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|---|
| DATA601 | Probability and Statistics | 3 | |
| DATA602 | Principles of Data Science | 3 | |
| DATA603 | Principles of Machine Learning | 3 | |
| DATA604 | Data Representation and Modeling | 3 | |
| DATA605 | Big Data Systems | 3 | |
| DATA606 | Algorithms for Data Science | 3 | |
| DATA607 | Communication in Data Science and Analytics | 3 | |
| Plan | Electives | 9 | Programme structure, not an extra course |
| Plan | Total Credits | 30 | Programme structure, not an extra course |
| Total | 30 |
- The current award total used for Data Science MS is 30 credits
- Required and elective rows are cumulative only where the programme rule says so
- A thesis, capstone or other completion choice applies only when this programme publishes that route
- The current programme plan and adviser-approved enrolment sequence control registration
The note “Official 2026-27 catalogue course” applies to 7 components in this table.
The award logic is concise. Applicants should read required, elective, thesis, capstone and concentration rows according to their labels rather than adding every displayed number into a false total. The table preserves the programme’s current completion sequence.
The published curriculum for Data Science MS lists Probability and Statistics, Principles of Data Science, Principles of Machine Learning, Data Representation and Modeling, and Big Data Systems. These are programme facts, not a claim about admission, module availability, salary or employment.
The published curriculum for Data Science MS lists Algorithms for Data Science, Communication in Data Science and Analytics, Electives, Total Credits, and Total. The linked official material describes these entries as Programme structure, not an extra course; Programme structure, not an extra course. These are programme facts, not a claim about admission, module availability, salary or employment.
Should an Indian student shortlist UMD Data Science MS?
Shortlist this degree only if preparation, completion design and the USD 86,783 funding plan point to the same goal. Its strongest case is a concrete route toward data science. Outcome limitations must stay visible, because institutional reputation cannot supply missing evidence or affordability.
A Data Science MS candidate should be able to explain the method, individual contribution and result behind assessed work. For data-science recruiting, that evidence can support a connection to data science and analytics; the UMD name cannot substitute for it.
The outcomes table records the strongest programme-specific caution and its evidence limit. The data-science financial case must absorb that uncertainty within the USD 86,783 baseline; an unpromised assistantship or assumed placement cannot make the plan safe.
Decision checks complete cost · entry fit · application timing · outcome evidence
- Data Science MS is a full-time, campus-based 30-credit UMD master's.
- Published tuition is USD 44,840 before fees and living costs.
- The dated gross baseline is USD 86,783, approximately INR 83.28 lakh.
- The international application date used here is February 26, 2027 for Fall 2027; September 30, 2026 for Spring 2027.
- The defining study area is probability, machine learning.
- The outcome caution and route rule should be checked before paying the application fee.
Frequently asked questions
What is the tuition for UMD Data Science MS?
The published-rate calculation is USD 44,840 for 10 three-credit courses at USD 4,484 each. It excludes mandatory campus and international fees, health insurance and living costs. The complete dated planning baseline on this page is USD 86,783, and future annual rate changes can alter the final invoice.
How long is UMD Data Science MS full time?
The planning duration is less than 2 years (four terms) for a full-time campus student. The actual sequence depends on prerequisites, course availability and any thesis, capstone, internship or specialisation rule. International students must also maintain the full course of study required by their immigration record.
What is the 2027 application deadline for UMD Data Science MS?
The catalogue's international deadline is February 26, 2027 for Fall 2027; September 30, 2026 for Spring 2027. It is distinct from the domestic closing date and from dates for similarly named online or certificate routes. English score reporting, recommendations and transcript translation make an earlier complete submission more practical.
Does UMD Data Science MS accept a three-year Indian bachelor's degree?
UMD publishes conditional three-year-degree pathways, including combinations with a master's or recognised postgraduate diploma, certain 13-year pre-university histories, and a possible department exception. A standalone three-year award is not automatically equivalent; the earned credential and complete education history are assessed.
Does UMD Data Science MS require IELTS?
Applicants without an eligible English-language exemption submit TOEFL, IELTS Academic or PTE Academic evidence. The current IELTS full-enrolment line is 7.0 overall, with 7.0 in reading, listening and writing and 6.5 in speaking. A programme can impose a higher requirement.
Can an Indian graduate work in the US after UMD Data Science MS?
An eligible F-1 graduate can seek up to 12 months of post-completion OPT for work related to the major. A qualifying STEM degree and employer can support a separate 24-month extension. Neither permission guarantees employment, H-1B selection, sponsorship or permanent residence.
Sources
These sources support the programme, admission, cost and immigration information used on this page.
Sources checked on November 2, 2026. The next intake covered here is Next published intake.
