The five Ball brothers, who made glass canning jars, bought the land that became Ball State in 1918, and their name is still on the university in Muncie, Indiana. It is now a public university of about 20,000 students, known for architecture, teacher education, media and business. David Letterman studied here, and the communication building carries his name.
Muncie, Indiana, United States
Official website: bsu.edu
1918
Public university
Muncie, Indiana
About 20,000
$27,000 – $31,000
International students, approximate
$11,000 – $14,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on bsu.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Data Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
Master of Architecture
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 79
A college of architecture and planning with an accredited Master of Architecture.
Journalism and media programmes with student TV and radio stations.
Teachers College, with a long history in Indiana schools.
Graduates join Indianapolis employers in healthcare, insurance, tech and education.
Architecture graduates work in practices across the Midwest.
STEM graduates can extend OPT for up to three years.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
The campus is compact and walkable, with the Village, a strip of cafes and bars, at its edge. The Cardinal Greenway, a long rail trail, passes through town.
Muncie is affordable, with low rent. Indianapolis is about an hour south-west by car.
Form I-20 issued by Ball State University
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
Ball State reviews applications on a rolling basis. International applicants should apply by spring for fall entry and by autumn for spring entry, leaving time for the I-20.
Programmes start in August and January, and some graduate courses also start in summer.
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from Ball State University after you confirm your place and show you can cover a year of costs; you then pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160 and book your consulate interview.
Computer science, data science, architecture, business and journalism are popular. Undergraduates need school grades and IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 79; graduate programmes need a bachelor's degree and usually IELTS 6.5.
Ball State offers some scholarships to international undergraduates based on academic record. Graduate students can apply for assistantships that include a tuition waiver.
