Cost of Attendance
The MSAII program is a component of the CMU School of Computer Science. Tuition rates are listed as a fall/spring per-semester tuition, plus additional summer semester tuition. These figures typically increase every academic year. New students should factor in an approximately 5 percent increase per year into any budget computation. Admited students must take, and pay for, the distance education course 15-513, Introduction to Computer Systems. You must take at least 36-units per semester to be considered a full-time student, including for VISA purposes. The per unit fee changes each year, and courses are typically 12 units each. You must also provide your own laptop.
Here's an example breakdown of ESTIMATED costs for the MSAII program.
| Cost | Summer Distance Ed Course | Fall 2023 | Spring 2024 | Fall 2024 | Spring 2025 |
| Tuition | $600 per unit | 27,900 | 27,900 | 30,000 | 30,000 |
| Activity Fee | 0 | 119 | 119 | 122 | 122 |
| Books and Supplies (estimate) | 0 | 2300 | 2300 | 2400 | 2400 |
| Health Insurance | 0 | 2577 | 0 | 2964 | 0 |
| PAT (public transportation) fee | 0 | 128 | 128 | 131 | 131 |
| Technology Fee | 0 | 230 | 230 | 235 | 235 |
Financial Assistance
The MSAII program does not offer financial assistance, but our students find various ways to finance their education, including external scholarships, loans, university employment or payment in full. Teaching assistantships are sometimes available, only in the second and third semester. The assistantship covers only a small part of the cost of tuition. Many organizations award external scholarships for Carnegie Mellon students, and U.S. citizens may also finance the cost of education through government-secured Stafford Loans. For more information on graduate student financial aid please visit the financial aid website.