MS in USA Without GRE: Top Universities, Deadlines, Fees

| Updated On - May 16, 2024

Highlights

MS in USA without GRE is offered to students with a competitive GPA of above 3.0/4.0 (85%), SOP, LOR, work experience and resume.
Top universities like MIT, Boston University, Purdue University and Northeastern University offers MSc in USA without GRE for certain programs.
You can pursue masters programs in USA without GRE in both Fall and Spring term like 2 year MS courses.
While the admission process is more stringent, once graduated, a master degree in USA without GRE will not affect your career objectives.

MS in USA without GRE is available across many popular universities in USA including some ‘Ivy League’ institutes. GRE is a standardized test required for admission to master's programs in USA. These universities will either offer GRE score waiver or will require it as an optional requirement for 2024-25 admission session.

Universities in USA offering MS programs are placing a greater emphasis on holistic assessment of admission applications. The significant eligibility criteria for MS in USA without GRE includes the following:

Competitive GPA above 3.0 out of 4.0 (85%)
Statement of purpose
1-2 Letters of recommendation
Updated CV or resume
Work experience in a relevant field

Table of Contents

Top Universities in USA for MS Without GRE
Eligibility for MS in USA Without GRE
Tuition Fee for MS in USA Without GRE
Scholarships for MS in USA Without GRE
MS in USA Without GRE: Job Opportunities

Top Universities in USA for MS Without GRE

Currently, several popular universities, including some of the best universities in USA for MS offer the program without GRE to international students. These universities do not rely only on GRE score, instead, they assess applications holistically. Some top universities offering masters in USA without GRE are as follows:

QS World University Rankings 2024	University	Courses With GRE Waiver	Application Deadlines
#1	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	MS in Computational Science and Engineering	Rolling admission
#=93	Boston University	MS Computer Engineering	Deadline: March 15, 2024 \| Applications after March 15 will be assessed based on space availability
#99	Purdue University	MS Computational Science and Engineering	February 1, 2025
#=375	Northeastern University	MS in Electrical Engineering	Fall: June 1, 2024 \| Spring: September 15, 2024
#=387	Concordia University Chicago	MS in Instructional Design and Technology	To be declared
#=410	University of Kansas	MS in Bioengineering	Spring: To be declared
#=441	The University of Utah	MS in Information Systems	Spring: Priority - August 31, 2024, Final: October 2, 2024 \| Fall: Priority: February 1, 2025, Spring: April 1, 2025
#621-630	Stevens Institute of Technology	MS in Information Systems	Priority: October 15, 2024 \| Standard: January 15, 2024 \| Final: April 15, 2024
#691-700	University of Cincinnati	MS in Information Technology	International Students: March 3, 2025
#901-950	University of Alabama at Birmingham	MS in Biological Sciences	Fall: December 10, 2024 \| Spring: June 1, 2024
#951-1000	George Mason University	MS Computer Science	To be declared
#1001-1200	University of North Texas	MS Electrical Engineering	Fall Priority: April 1, 2025 \| Spring Priority: October 15, 2024
#1401+	California State University	MS in Biology	To be declared
-	University of Bridgeport	Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence	Fall: July 15, 2024 \| Spring: December 1, 2024
-	University of Dayton	MS in Computer Science	Spring: November 1, 2024 \| Summer: Case by case basis, no later than March 1

Eligibility for MS in USA Without GRE

Submission of GRE scores for MS in USA can be waived under certain conditions. Below are the eligibility criteria for MS in USA with GRE scores waived:

A GPA of 3.0 or higher (85%+)
Additional graduate degree
Relevant work experience or internship
Updated resume
Letter of recommendation
Statement of purpose

Alternatives of GRE for MS in USA

To provide a master degree without GRE in USA, the universities might ask for several alternatives to be submitted. Some popular standardized test scores submitted instead of GRE scores are:

GMAT: Graduates management program
MCAT: Graduate medical program
LSAT: Graduate law programs

Tuition Fee for MS in USA Without GRE

The tuition fees for MS programs in USA without GRE score requirements across some top universities in USA are provided in the following table:

Tuition Fee for MS in USA Without GRE

University	Tuition Fees Per Year (USD)	Equivalent Tuition Fee for Indians (INR)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	59,750	24.93 lakhs
Boston University	66,670	27.82 lakhs
Purdue University	29,918	24.97 lakhs
Northeastern University	54,030	45.09 lakhs
Concordia University Chicago	15,150	12.64 lakhs
University of Kansas	28,308	23.62 lakhs
The University of Utah	45,000	26.79 lakhs
Stevens Institute of Technology	44,494	37.13 lakhs
University of Cincinnati	22,803	19.03 lakhs
University of Alabama at Birmingham	29,730	24.81 lakhs
George Mason University	35,677	29.77 lakhs
University of North Texas	33,694	28.12 lakhs
California State University	12,276	10.24 lakhs
University of Bridgeport	27,370	22.84 lakhs
University of Dayton	35,300	29.46 lakhs

Cost of Living in USA

An estimation of the cost of living in USA for Indian students is provided in the following table:

Expense Type	Annual Expense (USD)	Equivalent Cost for Indians (INR)
Accommodation	18,450	15.40 lakhs
Food	3,480	2.90 lakhs
Utilities (Gas, electricity, water)	2,160	1.80 lakhs
Internet	1,080	90,160
Transport	840	70,127
Miscellaneous	3,500	2.92 lakhs

Scholarships for MS in USA Without GRE

To suppress the high expenses of studying MS in USA, you can avail various university-scholarships and externally-funded scholarships. These scholarships in USA cover partial or full expenses, reducing your financial burden while studying abroad. Check out some popular scholarships for MS in USA without GRE:

Scholarship	Eligibility	Award Amount
Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship	Excellent bachelor’s degree or equivalent training/professional experience \| Demonstrated financial need \| Reliable multi-source funding plan \| Admitted to a reputable PG institute \| SStrong leadership potential, professional experience, ECA or entrepreneurial achievements or volunteer contributions	Tuition fees and living expenses on 50% grant and 50% loan basis
Fullbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowship	4 year bachelor's degree with 55% \| 3 years of relevant professional work experience \| Leadership and community service experience	J-1 visa support \| Round-trip economy class air travel from home city to USA university \| Tuition and Fees \| Cost of Living and miscellaneous \| Accident and sickness coverage
National Overseas Scholarship	Students from socially and economically backward classes \| 60% or equivalent in qualifying examination \| Family income below 8 lakhs INR	Annual Maintenance Allowance: 15,400 USD \| Contingency Allowance: 1500 USD \| Tuition Fees \| Visa Fees
Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation Scholarship	Indian citizen below 30 years	Up to 20,00,000 INR

MS in USA Without GRE: Job Opportunities

Pursuing MS in USA without GRE score does not have any direct impact on your future career objectives and professional roles. Some top universities in USA without GRE for MS and the average salary of the respective graduates are as follows:

University	Average Annual Salary (USD)	Equivalent Salary for Indians (INR)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	120,000	1 crore
Boston University	85,000	70.93 lakhs
Purdue University	83,000	69.27 lakhs
Northeastern University	87,000	72.60 lakhs
Concordia University Chicago	71,116	59.35 lakhs
University of Kansas	75,000	62.59 lakhs
The University of Utah	81,000	67.60 lakhs
Stevens Institute of Technology	101,000	84.29 lakhs
University of Cincinnati	103,541	86.41 lakhs
University of Alabama at Birmingham	77,000	64.26 lakhs
George Mason University	82,000	68.43 lakhs
University of North Texas	71,000	59.25 lakhs
California State University	80,000	66.76 lakhs
University of Bridgeport	82,000	68.43 lakhs
University of Dayton	80,000	66.76 lakhs

MS in USA Without GRE Return on Investment

Once graduated with MS in USA, you can expect a high return on investment. Explore the comparison between the tuition fees at universities in USA for masters without GRE and average salary after graduation:

MS in USA Without GRE Return on Investment

University	Tuition Fees (USD)	Average Salary Per Year (USD)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	59,750	120,000
Boston University	66,670	85,000
Purdue University	29,918	83,000
Northeastern University	54,030	87,000
Concordia University Chicago	15,150	71,116
University of Kansas	28,308	75,000
The University of Utah	45,000	81,000
Stevens Institute of Technology	44,494	101,000
University of Cincinnati	22,803	103,541
University of Alabama at Birmingham	29,730	77,000
George Mason University	35,677	82,000
University of North Texas	33,694	71,000
California State University	12,276	80,000
University of Bridgeport	27,370	82,000
University of Dayton	35,300	80,000

To secure admission to MS in USA without GRE, you must demonstrate competitive academic score and supplementary requirements. The universities require a competitive GPA, SOP, resume and multiple LORs for admission to MS in USA.

FAQs

Ques. Is GRE Mandatory for MS in USA?

Ans. No, GRE is not mandatory for admission to MS in USA. Several universities in USA like MIT, Boston University, Northeastern University and others offer MS without a GRE score. You can avail GRE waiver in USA by demonstration of alternative requirements like high GPA, convincing recommendations, and personal essay.

Ques. What is a good GRE score to study in USA?

Ans. The GRE test can be segregated into GRE Verbal (130-170 score range) and GRE Quantitative Reasoning (130-170 score range) and Analytical Writing Assessment (0-5 score range).

For admission to MS in USA as an international student, you require a total competitive score of 320 out of 340 in GRE.
You need a score of 4.5 in GRE AWA to increase your chance of admission.
Although scores below this are also considered for admission to the US universities, you should always target for higher scores to stay on track in the competitive admission process in USA.

Ques. Which colleges waive GRE in USA?

Ans. Some top universities in USA offering GRE waiver for certain MS programs are as follows:

QS World University Rankings 2024	University
#1	Massachusetts Institute of Technology
#=93	Boston University
#99	Purdue University
#=375	Northeastern University
#=387	Concordia University Chicago
#=410	University of Kansas
#=441	The University of Utah
#621-630	Stevens Institute of Technology
#691-700	University of Cincinnati
#901-950	University of Alabama at Birmingham
#951-1000	George Mason University
#1001-1200	University of North Texas
#1401+	California State University
-	University of Bridgeport
-	University of Dayton

Ques. What is the GRE pass mark to study MS in USA?

Ans. The minimum scores in GRE verbal and GRE Quantitative reasoning are 130 for each or 260 in total. However, the minimum score for GRE Analytical Writing Assessment section is 0. Hence, the minimum score in GRE is 260, excluding Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA).

Ques. Can I choose not to submit GRE for USA?

Ans. If it is mentioned in the eligibility criteria of your selected program that GRE is not required for admission, then you can choose not to submit your GRE score. Always check what else is mandatory to avail the GRE waiver in the university and submit all the necessary requirements to avoid rejection.

Ques. Can I get into Ivy League without GRE?

Ans. Yes. A few Ivy League universities waived off GRE requirement for Fall 2024. These universities are, Harvard University, Cornell University, Columbia University, and University of Pennsylvania. Besides, top universities in USA like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University, Purdue University and Northeastern University also offer GRE waiver to international students for certain courses.