Northeastern University (NEU)

Northeastern at a glance

Northeastern University is a private research university based in Boston, Massachusetts, with campuses across the US and in Canada and London. Indian students mostly look at the Master's programs in its Khoury College of Computer Sciences, known for co-op: paid work placements built into the degree.

Four things Indian applicants should know first:

• Tuition is charged per credit hour: $1,922 per credit hour at Khoury College in 2026–27. The MS in Computer Science is 32 credits, so tuition alone comes to about $61,500 for the degree.
• For the I-20 you must show $59,449 for one academic year (MS Computer Science, Boston).
• A 3-year degree is accepted, as long as it is a complete bachelor's degree. WES is not needed and the GRE is not required.
• The English test can be waived with a 4-year (or longer) degree from an institution where English is the medium of instruction. A 3-year degree doesn't qualify for the waiver, and Duolingo is not accepted.

What it really costs

Tuition. Northeastern's Student Financial Services lists 2026–27 graduate tuition per credit hour:

Full-time students usually take two 4-credit courses a semester, so the 32-credit MS in Computer Science comes to about $61,504 in tuition over the degree, before fees.

Proof of funds for the I-20. Northeastern's Office of Global Services (OGS) publishes the amounts you must show for one academic year (fall 2026 to summer 2027 starts):

OGS says you only have to show the first year for the I-20, but you must have funding for the whole program. It also says students should not plan to pay tuition or living costs from US earnings, because work on an F-1 visa is limited and not guaranteed. See our I-20 proof of funds guide.

Can you reduce the cost?

• No assistantships for Master's students. Khoury College says it does not offer assistantships for Master's students, though campus jobs and some teaching assistant positions are often available.
• Co-op. All Khoury Master's students are eligible for co-op, subject to academic eligibility rules. It adds about six months to the degree. Treat co-op pay as a bonus, not as a way to fund your I-20.
• Merit scholarships are listed on Khoury's financial support page. Northeastern graduates get a 25% tuition discount ("Double Husky").
• See our US education loans guide.

Getting in: what Khoury College looks at

From Khoury College's Master's admissions FAQ:

1. Degree: a 3-year bachelor's degree is welcome as long as it is a complete bachelor's degree. If you have no technical background, Khoury's Align program (44 credits, including bridge courses) is designed for you. See our guide to 3-year degrees in the USA.
2. Transcripts: WES evaluation is not needed. Indian applicants upload semester mark sheets, the degree or provisional certificate, and the consolidated transcript. If mark sheets are not available, add a letter from your college on letterhead listing any backlogs. Enter your GPA on the scale it appears on your transcript; you don't need to convert it.
3. GRE: not required ("waived indefinitely"). If you send scores, the highest score in each section is used.
4. English: you can skip TOEFL/IELTS if you have a degree of 4 years or more from a country where English is an official language, or from an institution where English is the medium of instruction. A 2-year Master's, and 2+2 or 3+1 joint programs, don't qualify. Duolingo is not accepted, and TOEFL "MyBest" scores aren't either. See our English test cut-offs guide.
5. Statement of purpose: up to 1,000 words. Recommendation letters are submitted through the application system.
6. Fees: Khoury does not give application fee waivers. The enrolment deposit for MS programs is $750, and fees and deposits are non-refundable.

Popular Master's programs for Indian students

• MS in Computer Science: 32 credits, 2 years (2.5 with co-op), $59,449 I-20 estimate.
• MS in Information Systems: College of Engineering, $1,977 per credit hour, $59,711 I-20 estimate.
• Khoury also runs MS programs in Data Science, Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence (32 credits each).

Compare Northeastern with other US universities in our MS Computer Science in USA comparison.

Where you'll live

OGS allows $27,728 for living expenses for one academic year. See our guide to off-campus housing in the USA.

After you graduate

Khoury College says all its Master's programs are eligible for post-graduation OPT as STEM programs, so you can apply for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. See our guides to OPT and STEM OPT and H-1B selection.

Who Northeastern is a good fit for

• A strong choice if you want co-op work experience during your degree, can show about $59,500 for the first year without an assistantship, and have a 4-year English-medium degree (no English test needed) or a good TOEFL/IELTS score.
• Think carefully if you need an assistantship to pay fees (Khoury doesn't offer them to Master's students), or the total cost of about $61,500 in tuition plus Boston living costs is beyond your budget.

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from these official Northeastern pages, checked on 22 October 2026:

• Student Financial Services: tuition and fees 2026–27
• Office of Global Services: estimate of expenses for I-20 requests 2026–27
• Khoury College: Master's programs frequently asked questions

Fees and rules change. Always confirm on Northeastern's own pages before you pay or apply.