Tuition
The Master of Science in Data Science is a self-sustaining, fee-based program. Course fees are charged on a per-credit basis and are the same for Washington state residents and nonresidents alike. The estimate below is based on 2023-24 rates and is subject to change without notice.
| Cost per credit: | $1,085 |
|---|---|
| Number of credits required: | 45 |
| Total estimated tuition cost:* | $48,825 |
*A portion of the course fees is used to defray the cost of receptions, food and non-alcoholic beverages served at program events and activities, and graduation mementos.
Quarterly Fees
Students pay other required fees each quarter, including registration, technology and U-PASS fees. Fees are assessed by the total number of credits a student takes per quarter, so are different for part-time and full-time students. Check the UW Registrar’s Fee-Based Degree Registration page for more information on quarterly fees (scroll down to the “Graduate” section).
Currently, part-time students usually take around 5 credits and pay $370/quarter in fees, while full-time students take 10 credits and pay $444/quarter in fees. Total fee estimates for completing the MSDS program are around $2960 for part-time students (~8 quarters of study), or $2220 for full-time students (5 quarters of study).
Graduate Student Budget Estimates
Tuition and fees are not the only costs to consider when planning for your education. The UW Student Financial Aid Office hosts a Student Budgets page for both undergraduate and graduate students to estimate their costs for the main 9-month school year—autumn, winter, and spring quarters.
These are estimates only, as many expenses depend on personal choices for housing, vendors for supplies, etc. Full program costs can be extrapolated by computing a cost per quarter from this chart, and multiplying this by the number of quarters you expect to attend: usually 5 quarters for full-time study, or 8 quarters for part-time study.
Please note that the tuition estimates on the Student Budgets page do not reflect an accurate estimate of MSDS tuition costs, which are listed here, above. Please use our estimates of tuition, as they are more specific to the MSDS program.
Financial Aid
U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for federal financial aid programs, which include student loans. We encourage you to apply for financial aid as early as possible. To apply for federal financial aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The federal school code for the University of Washington is 003798.
International students are not able to apply for federal financial aid programs in the U.S., but may find aid or loan resources in their countries of origin, through their employers, or from other sources.
Other Funding Options
Students admitted to the Master of Science in Data Science program may be eligible for the following funding options:
- Merit & Opportunity Scholarships: The MSDS program offers some internal partial scholarships to our top admitted and returning students each cycle. Applicants are automatically considered for these scholarships by the admissions committee after applying to the program; no special scholarship application or materials are necessary.
- GSEE Graduate Supplemental Awards: Students in the MSDS program are eligible to be nominated for a GSEE Graduate Supplemental Award, through the UW Office of Graduate Student Equity & Excellence.
- Employer Provided Tuition Benefits: Many companies provide full or partial tuition reimbursement to their employees.
- Veterans Benefits: Military service members and veterans can learn more about their educational benefits by contacting the UW Veterans Benefits Office.
- Graduate Funding Information Services (GFIS): GFIS is a resource provided by UW Libraries to assist UW graduate students in their search for funding opportunities for graduate school-related expenses. GFIS representatives host workshops, post funding announcements and meet one-on-one with students.
- Teaching and Research Assistantships: Though many TA/RA positions on campus are taken by UW Ph.D. students as a condition of their funding, there are some campus TA and RA positions available to our students, particularly in their second year of study. Opportunities are often sent out via student email listservs, or listed on Handshake, the campus hiring database.
- Application Fee Waivers and Pre-Payments. The central UW Graduate School offers application fee waivers to domestic students in certain situations with demonstrated financial need. For applicants who have participated in eligible pipeline programs, the UW MSDS program offers Application Fee Pre-Payment. Please consult our Application Fee Waiver and Pre-Payments page for more information. (International applicants planning to study on F and J visas are not eligible for fee waivers or fee pre-payments.)
A note about the Washington State Employee Tuition Exemption. Fee-based and self-sustaining programs, such as the Master of Science in Data Science, are not covered by the Tuition Exemption Program for Washington state employees.
In general, the vast majority of our students finance their MSDS degrees through a combination of their own resources and student loans, in anticipation of a strong industry salary upon graduation. Many of our students are additionally able to find highly remunerative internships during their studies, which can continue for more than one quarter and occasionally lead to permanent jobs. These internships often provide greater funding than other sources, as well as giving practical career experience during one’s education.