University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)

UT Austin at a glance

The University of Texas at Austin is the flagship public university of the University of Texas System, in Austin, Texas. Indian students mostly look at its Master's programs in computer science, engineering and business analytics.

Four things Indian applicants should know first:

• UT Austin does its own degree check, and does not accept WES. The Graduate School says it will not consider outside evaluations by companies such as WES, Scholaro or ECE. Indian transcripts are sent directly through TrueCopy Credentials.
• For India, UT Austin accepts a 4-year bachelor's degree, or a Master's degree (MA, MSc or MCom). A 3-year bachelor's degree on its own is not on UT Austin's list of comparable degrees.
• Indian applicants with an Indian bachelor's degree do not need an English test for the Graduate School, because India is on UT Austin's list of exempt countries. Individual programs can set their own rules.
• UT Austin's 2026–27 estimate for a non-resident graduate student is $41,880 to $44,279 for the autumn and spring semesters, before the required health insurance.

What it really costs

UT Austin's Texas One Stop office publishes the estimated cost of attendance for 2026–27. For a full-time graduate student paying the non-resident rate (which applies to international students), for the autumn and spring semesters:

Tuition differs by college. UT Austin's 2026–27 tuition tables list $9,081 a semester (9 hours) for non-resident graduate students in Natural Sciences, where Computer Science sits, and $9,660 in Engineering. Some Master's programs charge a fixed total instead: the MS in Business Analytics is listed at $59,700 for non-residents.

Health insurance is extra and compulsory. The UT System requires every F-1 student to have health insurance, and you are enrolled in the UT Student Health Insurance Plan (UT SHIP) automatically, with the premium added to your bill. For 2026–27 it costs $309 for August (new students), $1,204 for autumn (September to December) and $1,505 for spring (January to May). You can only opt out if you have qualifying cover: a graduate assistantship that comes with UT staff insurance, or a US employer or individual plan with a deductible of $500 or less. Travel and international plans are not accepted. See our health insurance waiver guide.

Proof of funds for the I-20. UT Austin's international office (ISSS) asks graduate students paying non-resident tuition to show $45,487 for the first year: $23,487 tuition and fees plus $22,000 living costs for 12 months. Add $10,900 for a spouse and $5,400 for each child. Accepted documents include bank statements or bank certificates and education loan approval letters showing the bank, your name, issue date, loan type and amount. Documents must be in English and not older than 6 months, and are uploaded in myIO. Mutual funds, stocks, property deeds, lines of credit and parents' payslips are not accepted. See our I-20 proof of funds guide.

Can you reduce the cost?

Be realistic: UT Austin's Computer Science department says its Master's program "does not include automatic funding".

• Teaching assistantships (TA). UT Austin says non-resident graduate students appointed at least half time as teaching assistants get the non-resident part of their tuition waived and pay the in-state rate. In Computer Science, a 20-hour-a-week TA or research assistant (GRA) post covers tuition, fees and insurance. These posts go mainly to PhD students, so do not count on one when you plan your budget.
• Research assistantships (GRA). Offered by individual faculty members on research projects. You have to find these yourself once you are on campus.
• Education loans. UT Austin accepts loan approval letters as proof of funds for the I-20. See our US education loans guide.

Getting in: what UT Austin looks at

From the Graduate School's admission pages:

1. Degree: a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited US university, or a comparable foreign degree. For India, UT Austin's comparable degree list says "MA/MSc/MCom or Four year Bachelor's Degree". If you have a 3-year degree, you need a Master's as well. See our guide to 3-year degrees in the USA.
2. Grades: at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in your upper-division (later years) and any graduate coursework. UT Austin works this out itself from your transcripts; it does not use WES.
3. GRE: the Graduate School says most programs require the GRE or GMAT, but each program decides. Computer Science has made the GRE optional. Scores must be less than five years old.
4. English: India is a qualifying country, so you are exempt if your bachelor's degree is from India. A Master's alone does not give the exemption. Otherwise the minimums are TOEFL 79, IELTS Academic 6.5 or Duolingo 115, and some programs ask for more. See our English test cut-offs guide.
5. Department requirements: usually letters of recommendation, sent through UT's MyStatus portal. Computer Science asks for at least three.

Fees and transcripts. The application fee is $90 for international applicants, and UT Austin does not give fee waivers to international citizens. Indian institutions send official transcripts through TrueCopy Credentials. Send your degree certificate as well if you have graduated.

Deadlines

Each department sets its own deadlines. For the on-campus Computer Science graduate programs, the department lists:

Other departments, such as Engineering and McCombs School of Business, publish their own dates. Apply early: after admission you still need your I-20 (ISSS says to allow 3 weeks after your financial documents are approved) and a US visa appointment.

Popular Master's programs for Indian students

• MS in Computer Science (on campus): about 10 courses (30 credit hours), with a coursework or thesis option, designed to be finished in two years. The department calls it "highly selective"; GRE optional.
• Online MS in Computer Science: a separate, fully online program listed at $10,000 in total tuition. You study from home, so it does not lead to a US student visa or OPT.
• MS in Business Analytics (McCombs): listed at $59,700 total tuition for non-residents in 2026–27.
• Engineering Master's programs, such as Electrical and Computer Engineering, are charged at the Engineering rate.

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

Where you'll live

UT Austin's 2026–27 estimate allows $17,052–$17,423 for housing and food for the two semesters, plus $1,840 for transport. See our guide to off-campus housing in the USA.

After you graduate

Whether you can use the 24-month STEM OPT extension depends on the CIP code printed on your I-20, which must be on the US government's STEM Designated Degree Program List. See our guides to OPT and STEM OPT and H-1B selection.

Who UT Austin is a good fit for

• A strong choice if you have a 4-year degree (or a 3-year degree plus a Master's), a strong record in your subject, and you can fund about $45,000 for the first year without an assistantship.
• Think carefully if you only have a 3-year bachelor's degree (not accepted on its own), you planned to rely on a WES evaluation, or you are counting on a TA post to pay your fees.

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from these official UT Austin pages, checked on 19 October 2026:

• Texas One Stop: cost of attendance 2026–27
• Tuition tables 2026–27
• ISSS: financial information for F-1 students
• ISSS: student health insurance costs and waivers
• Graduate School: where to begin (degree, GPA, outside evaluations), how to apply and international students
• Texas One Stop: teaching assistantships
• Computer Science: apply, Master's program and cost and aid

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