Stony Brook University is the flagship of the State University of New York system, on Long Island an hour from New York City. It is best known for physics, computer science, engineering and medicine, and for co-managing Brookhaven National Laboratory. Choose it for a research-heavy degree at some of the lowest tuition among top US public universities.
Stony Brook, United States
Official website: stonybrook.edu
#416
Top 30 (U.S. News)
Member
Co-managed by the university, with seven Nobel Prizes to its name
$24,000 – $33,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$16,000 – $22,000
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 stonybrook.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90
MS Electrical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 85
MS Data Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90
MS Applied Mathematics and Statistics
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 85
MBA (College of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
Co-manages Brookhaven National Laboratory — a US Department of Energy lab with seven Nobel Prizes.
Computer science — a top-40 US department with strong ties to New York's tech sector.
Simons Center for Geometry and Physics — funded by the founder of Renaissance Technologies.
SUNY flagship — public tuition well below private universities in the New York area.
Graduates join Google, Amazon, Bloomberg, JPMorgan Chase and New York's finance and tech firms.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Computer science bachelor's graduates report median starting salaries above USD 90,000.
Physics and applied maths alumni work at Brookhaven, quant funds and research institutes.
Undergrad
15 Jan 2027
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
1 Nov 2026
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 1,450-acre wooded campus sits on Long Island's North Shore, with the hospital and research buildings on the east side and a Long Island Rail Road station at its edge.
Stony Brook is a quiet suburban village near beaches and harbours, with New York City about 90 minutes away by train. Rent is moderate for the New York area, and most students live on campus.
Form I-20 issued by Stony Brook
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
For fall 2027 undergraduate entry, Early Action closes 1 November 2026 and Regular Decision closes 15 January 2027; spring 2027 entry closes 1 November 2026. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with computer science closing around 15 January and most engineering master's in February or March.
Undergraduates can start in fall (late August) or spring (January). Most computer science, engineering and applied maths master's programmes also admit for spring, as does the MBA, while data science is fall only. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. Visa and Immigration Services issues your Form I-20 after you accept the offer and submit proof of funding. Then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and book an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Computer science, electrical engineering, data science, applied mathematics and statistics and the MBA attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 3.0, TOEFL 85-90 or IELTS 6.5, and the GRE for some programmes. Undergraduate admission is holistic, with an acceptance rate around 50%.
Stony Brook offers a limited number of merit scholarships to international undergraduates, considered automatically if you apply by the Early Action deadline; need-based aid is not available. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships, which are common in physics, computer science and engineering.
