Cost & living - Tuition & budgets Questions

It remains viable only as a high-risk, high-reward bet: choose a STEM-designated program, keep the loan under your expected first-year salary, and know that under half of international graduates land full-time jobs quickly against a strict 90-day OPT unemployment window before your visa status becomes invalid without a job.

Physically and socially it remains safe with strong Indian communities on most campuses, but financially it is high risk now: sponsorship-offering job postings have fallen sharply, total costs run Rs. 60 lakh to Rs. 1.8 crore, and your outcome depends heavily on the university tier you choose to attend.

Yes, strongly consider it. Your US citizenship eliminates F-1 visa limits, employer sponsorship needs and H-1B lottery risk, and makes you eligible for FAFSA federal aid. Real challenges remain around out of state tuition, holistic admissions, and adjusting to independent daily living.

There is no universal answer: an Indian job avoids $80,000 to $150,000 in debt and compounds wealth risk-free, while a top MFE like Baruch, Princeton or CMU can break even within two to three years if you land a strong quant role and win the H-1B lottery.

Yes, EasyTransfer is a reliable, regulated fintech that processes over $3.5 billion annually with rates closer to the market than Flywire, but Flywire remains the safer choice when your university mandates it inside the student portal, while EasyTransfer works better for flexible off-campus rent and living expense payments.

With two years of experience, a top MiM such as LBS, HEC Paris or INSEAD fits better for entry-level global tracks and costs thirty to eighty thousand dollars, while a decent MBA suits US-focused careers but costs far more and you can never do a full-time MBA again afterward.

Application fee waivers rarely apply to international MS in CS applicants at UC or CSU schools, since most categories target domestic or undergraduate cases. Once enrolled, a Teaching Assistantship at twenty five percent time or higher covers in-state tuition and a stipend, though UC students still owe the non-resident surcharge.

Yes, but only for the right profile. Indian visa issuances have dropped sharply, yet STEM students at well ranked universities still see strong returns, with salaries between seventy thousand and one hundred forty thousand dollars and a three year OPT window. Non-STEM and financially stretched applicants should weigh safer options.