The University of San Francisco is a private Jesuit university on a hilltop campus beside Golden Gate Park in the centre of San Francisco. It is best known for business, data science, computer science, nursing, law and its social justice mission, with the Bay Area's tech and finance employers nearby and a very diverse student body. Choose it for a well-connected San Francisco degree with small classes and merit aid.
San Francisco, United States
Official website: usfca.edu
#1201
Top 120 (U.S. News)
One of the first and best-known data science master's in the US
Ranked among the most ethnically diverse universities in the US
$36,000 – $62,000
International students, undergraduate and master's programmes, before scholarships
$22,000 – $28,000
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 usfca.edu before you apply.
MS Data Science
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Jul
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 90
MBA (School of Management)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 90
MS Financial Analysis
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 90
MS Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 90
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 90
MS in Data Science — a one-year programme with a nine-month paid practicum at Bay Area companies.
Location — a hilltop campus beside Golden Gate Park, 20 minutes from downtown and Silicon Valley's shuttles.
Jesuit mission — small classes with a strong social justice and service tradition.
School of Management — a downtown campus for MBA and finance students.
Graduates join Google, Salesforce, Meta, Deloitte, Wells Fargo and San Francisco's startups.
Data science graduates report median starting salaries around USD 120,000, with over 90% placed within months.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Nursing graduates enter UCSF Health, Kaiser Permanente and Sutter hospitals.
Undergrad
15 Jan 2027
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
1 Nov 2026
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 55-acre main campus sits on Lone Mountain beside Golden Gate Park, with St. Ignatius Church and Gleeson Library at its centre, the science and engineering buildings nearby and a downtown campus for business and law.
San Francisco offers the tech, finance and creative industries of the Bay Area, with the ocean, the park and a mild climate. Rent is among the highest in the world, and most students share apartments or use campus housing.
Form I-20 issued by USF
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 vary: the data science master's closes in early spring for its July start, and computer science and business master's run rounds from November to May.
Undergraduates can start in fall (late August) or spring (January). The data science master's starts each July, computer science and the MBA admit for fall and spring, and financial analysis and entrepreneurship master's are fall only. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. International Student and Scholar 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.
Data science, computer science, the MBA, financial analysis and entrepreneurship attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a strong bachelor's degree, TOEFL 90-100 or IELTS 7.0, and programming and statistics preparation for data science; the GMAT and GRE are optional for most programmes. Undergraduate admission is holistic, with an acceptance rate around 70%.
Yes. International undergraduates are automatically considered for merit scholarships worth up to around USD 30,000 a year when they apply, though need-based aid for them is limited. Master's applicants with strong records receive partial tuition scholarships in data science, computer science and business. Check the financial aid pages for current amounts.
