Madison, South Dakota, is a farming town of about 7,000 people, and it holds one of the more serious cyber security schools in the US. Dakota State University started in 1881 training teachers, but its Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences now drives most of its reputation. The university holds several NSA Center of Academic Excellence designations. Tuition is low.
Madison, South Dakota, United States
Official website: dsu.edu
1881
Public university in South Dakota
NSA Center of Academic Excellence designations
$13,000 – $18,000
Non-resident tuition and fees, undergraduate and graduate
$10,000 – $13,000
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 dsu.edu before you apply.
BS Cyber Operations
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
BS Network and Security Administration
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
MS Applied Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
PhD Cyber Operations
DoctorateDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
Hands-on cyber operations degrees with NSA recognition.
The Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences.
Very low tuition for a US public university.
Graduates go into security roles with federal agencies, defence contractors and banks.
Computer science graduates join software and IT teams in Sioux Falls and beyond.
STEM graduates can extend OPT to three years.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Madison sits between Lake Herman and Lake Madison, with fishing in summer and ice fishing in winter. The town is small, safe and very quiet.
Sioux Falls, about an hour's drive east, has the airport, shopping and many of the region's employers. Winters are harsh, with deep cold and wind.
Form I-20 issued by Dakota 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
Dakota State admits international students on a rolling basis. Apply by about June for fall and October for spring so there is time for the I-20 and visa interview.
Most programmes start in fall (August) and spring (January).
It's the F-1 student visa. Get your I-20 from Dakota State University first (they need your deposit and bank documents), then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and attend the visa interview. Book the interview early in peak season.
Cyber operations, computer science, network and security administration and applied computer science are popular. Undergraduates need secondary school records and IELTS 6.0. Graduate programmes need a relevant bachelor's degree and IELTS 6.5.
DSU offers some scholarships for international undergraduates, and graduate assistantships are available in computing. Awards are partial.
