
University of Texas, El Paso fees for Indian students are $21,164 (₹18.52 Lakhs) undergraduate and $17,530 (₹15.34 Lakhs) postgraduate per year, with MS Computer Science, MS Data Science, and MBA the most-applied Indian programmes. Tuition has been frozen by the UT System Board of Regents since 2021 and stays flat through 2027.
Your realistic entry from India is the Spring 2027 intake, with Fall 2027 opening after it. Fall 2026 is not achievable: F-1 visa processing from India runs 4-8 weeks and the fall payment deadline falls on 17 August 2026.
An MS at UTEP totals roughly ₹32 Lakhs for tuition and living over two years; a four-year BS runs about ₹1.40 Crore all-in. That makes UTEP one of the lowest total-cost pathways to a US STEM degree available to Indian students.

Exchange rate: 1 USD = INR 87.50.
Spring 2027 Intake: Your Realistic Planning Window
Intake: Spring 2027 (January 2027) is your workable entry from India, with Fall 2027 (August 2027) next. Fall 2026 is closed for new applicants because F-1 visa processing plus I-20 issuance cannot fit before the 17 August 2026 payment deadline.
Fee update: The 2026-27 international rate applies to both intakes shown: UG $21,164 (₹18.52 Lakhs) and PG $17,530 (₹15.34 Lakhs) annually. UT System has held tuition flat since 2021 and confirms no rise through 2027, so Fall 2027 is expected at the same rate.
When to pay: Spring 2027 full payment is due 11 January 2027, or 20% at registration with four monthly instalments through May 2027. Full mechanics live in the Tuition Deposit and Payment Options section.
Scholarships: External Indian awards (Inlaks, JN Tata, KC Mahindra, Narotam Sekhsaria, Aga Khan) open application windows September-October 2026 for the 2027-28 cohort. UTEP graduate assistantships are decided at admission stage; the IELTS USA Andrea Scott award ($5,000) is worth flagging for graduate applicants.
Also Check: University of Texas, El Paso Admission Process, Deadlines and Requirements
Table of Contents
UTEP charges Indian students the non-resident international rate: $21,164 (₹18.52 Lakhs) per year at the undergraduate level and $17,530 (₹15.34 Lakhs) at the graduate level for 2026-27. All figures below are annual unless labelled as a full-programme total.
Undergraduate international tuition covers a 30-credit-hour academic year across Fall and Spring semesters. A mandatory international student services fee of $70 (₹6,125) is added each semester.
| Programme (UG) | Annual Tuition (USD) | Annual Tuition (INR) | Four-Year Total (INR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BS Computer Science | $21,164 | ₹18.52 Lakhs | ₹74.07 Lakhs |
| BS Electrical Engineering | $21,164 | ₹18.52 Lakhs | ₹74.07 Lakhs |
| BS Mechanical Engineering | $21,164 | ₹18.52 Lakhs | ₹74.07 Lakhs |
| BBA Business Administration | $21,164 | ₹18.52 Lakhs | ₹74.07 Lakhs |
| BS Data Science | $21,164 | ₹18.52 Lakhs | ₹74.07 Lakhs |
Source: UTEP Catalog, Tuition and Fees 2026-27. International student services fee of $140 (₹12,250) per year applies to every UG programme and is not repeated in each row.
Graduate international tuition sits about 17% below the undergraduate rate at $17,530 (₹15.34 Lakhs) annually. MBA is the exception, priced by total programme rather than by academic year.
| Programme (PG) | Annual Tuition (USD) | Annual Tuition (INR) | Full Programme Total (INR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS Computer Science (2 years) | $17,530 | ₹15.34 Lakhs | ₹30.68 Lakhs |
| MS Data Science (2 years) | $17,530 | ₹15.34 Lakhs | ₹30.68 Lakhs |
| MS Electrical Engineering (2 years) | $17,530 | ₹15.34 Lakhs | ₹30.68 Lakhs |
| MBA (2 years) | $20,000 | ₹17.50 Lakhs | ₹35.00 Lakhs |
| MS Mechanical Engineering (2 years) | $17,530 | ₹15.34 Lakhs | ₹30.68 Lakhs |
Source: UTEP Catalog, Graduate Tuition 2026-27. All MS programmes carry the same per-year rate; MBA is priced per full 2-year programme.
Note: The $17,530 (₹15.34 Lakhs) PG rate assumes 24 semester credit hours per academic year, the standard full-time international load. Doctoral students admitted with an assistantship are billed at the in-state rate of $7,166 (₹6.27 Lakhs) plus a monthly stipend, cutting tuition liability by roughly ₹9 Lakhs a year.
UTEP tuition has been frozen. The UT System Board of Regents held UTEP international rates flat from 2021-22 onwards and has confirmed no increase through 2027, an outlier among US public universities where 3-5% annual rises are the norm.
| Academic Year | UG International (USD) | UG International (INR) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | $21,164 | ₹18.52 Lakhs | 0.0% |
| 2023-24 | $21,164 | ₹18.52 Lakhs | 0.0% |
| 2024-25 | $21,164 | ₹18.52 Lakhs | 0.0% |
| 2025-26 | $21,164 | ₹18.52 Lakhs | 0.0% |
| 2026-27 | $21,164 | ₹18.52 Lakhs | 0.0% |
Source: UTEP Catalog, Tuition Freeze Notice from UT System Board of Regents.
Key Insight: The Spring 2027 intake locks you into the 2026-27 tuition rate of $21,164 (₹18.52 Lakhs). Because the freeze holds through Fall 2027 as well, applicants have no urgency to prefer one intake over the other on price alone, unlike UK or Australian universities where a September-then-January delay adds 4-6% to the fee. Prioritise the intake that gives you better visa lead time and stronger assistantship offers.
UTEP’s own Cost of Attendance sheet puts on-campus living at $16,696 (₹14.61 Lakhs) annually across housing, meals, books, personal expenses, and transport. Off-campus independent living pushes the total to about $22,736 (₹19.89 Lakhs). El Paso is one of the least expensive US university cities, with a cost index roughly 30% below Austin and 40% below Dallas.
| Expense | Monthly (USD) | Monthly (INR) | Annual (INR) | Notes for Indian Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing and Meals (on-campus dorm) | $916 | ₹80,150 | ₹9.62 Lakhs | Miner Village or Miner Heights plus meal plan |
| Rent and Utilities (off-campus 1BHK) | $850 | ₹74,375 | ₹8.93 Lakhs | Sharing with one roommate cuts this by half |
| Groceries (off-campus) | $350 | ₹30,625 | ₹4.20 Lakhs | Indian groceries at Fiesta Foods and El Super |
| Transportation | $208 | ₹18,200 | ₹2.19 Lakhs | Sun Metro bus is free with UTEP student ID |
| Books and Supplies | $117 | ₹10,238 | ₹1.23 Lakhs | Textbook rentals cut this by 40-50% |
| Personal and Health Insurance | $300 | ₹26,250 | ₹3.15 Lakhs | Includes mandatory UTEP-approved F-1 health plan |
| Total (on-campus scenario) | $1,541 | ₹1.35 Lakhs | ₹16.19 Lakhs | Excludes tuition |
Source: UTEP Financial Aid Office, Cost of Attendance 2026-27.
Note: El Paso’s cost advantage over Austin, Dallas, or Houston is real but comes with trade-offs. The city has a smaller Indian community than the Texas triangle, fewer direct flight options via Dallas or Houston, and the January weather runs 10-15°C colder than most Indian students expect. Factor a one-time winter wardrobe cost of about ₹18,000 into your first-semester budget.
Off-campus students typically save on food but spend more on rent and utilities. The break-even usually favours on-campus for first-year Indian students because the meal plan and paid utilities remove the friction of setting up accounts, arranging deposits, and cooking during exam weeks.
Currency Tip: Your first semester tuition of $10,582 (₹9.26 Lakhs) is due at registration for the Spring 2027 intake. Use a forex card loaded once in bulk or route via UTEP’s international payment portal (Flywire) rather than a raw SWIFT wire, which typically saves 2-3% on the transaction, or roughly ₹18,000-27,000 on that first payment alone.
Total Year 1 cost for an Indian student ranges from $34,000 (₹29.75 Lakhs) for a graduate on-campus scenario to $46,400 (₹40.60 Lakhs) for an undergraduate off-campus independent scenario. UG figures assume a 10-month academic year; PG figures use a 12-month basis to account for summer housing.
| Scenario | Tuition (INR) | Living (INR) | Mandatory Fees + Visa (INR) | Total Year 1 (INR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UG on-campus (10 months) | ₹18.52 Lakhs | ₹14.61 Lakhs | ₹0.59 Lakhs | ₹33.72 Lakhs |
| UG off-campus independent | ₹18.52 Lakhs | ₹19.89 Lakhs | ₹0.59 Lakhs | ₹39.00 Lakhs |
| PG on-campus (12 months) | ₹15.34 Lakhs | ₹16.19 Lakhs | ₹0.59 Lakhs | ₹32.12 Lakhs |
| PG off-campus (12 months) | ₹15.34 Lakhs | ₹19.89 Lakhs | ₹0.59 Lakhs | ₹35.82 Lakhs |
| MBA on-campus (Year 1 of 2) | ₹17.50 Lakhs | ₹16.19 Lakhs | ₹0.59 Lakhs | ₹34.28 Lakhs |
Source: computed from UTEP Tuition and Fees and UTEP Cost of Attendance.
Mandatory fees line covers the international student services fee $140 (₹12,250), SEVIS I-901 fee $350 (₹30,625), and DS-160 visa application fee $185 (₹16,188).
Full-programme totals: an MS runs about ₹64 Lakhs across two years including living; the MBA totals roughly ₹68 Lakhs; a four-year BS Computer Science works out to approximately ₹1.40 Crore. A ₹30 Lakhs education loan financing an MS at 10.5% over ten years translates to an EMI of about ₹40,300 per month, and a ₹40 Lakhs loan lands at roughly ₹54,000 per month.
Key Insight: A graduate assistantship at UTEP switches you from the non-resident rate to the in-state rate of $7,166 (₹6.27 Lakhs) and adds a monthly stipend, effectively cutting your Spring 2027 tuition liability by ₹9 Lakhs annually. Apply for TA or RA roles as part of your admission packet, not after arrival, because assistantship slots are filled during the same review cycle.
Also Check: University of Texas, El Paso Rankings and Subject Positions
UTEP funds international students primarily through graduate assistantships (which waive non-resident tuition) rather than named merit awards. The Andrea Scott Graduate Scholarship from IELTS USA is the most tangible cash award for new Indian graduate admits, and continuing students unlock two named institutional awards from the second year onward.
| Scholarship | Amount (USD) | Amount (INR) | Eligibility | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate Assistantship (TA/RA) | Waives non-resident tuition + stipend | ~₹9 Lakhs/yr saving + stipend | Merit-based; TA roles need TOEFL 600+ or IELTS 7.5 | Apply within admission packet |
| IELTS USA Andrea Scott Graduate Scholarship | $5,000 | ₹4.38 Lakhs | New graduate admits with valid IELTS score | Direct via IELTS USA portal |
| Anne Roland Claudius Memorial | Variable | Variable | Preparatory school outside US + 30 UTEP semester hours + GPA 3.0+ | Continuing students only |
| Frank and Polly Ann Morrow | Variable | Variable | F-1 students active in UTEP activities | Continuing students only |
Source: UTEP Office of International Programs, Scholarships for F-1 Students. UTEP’s Good Neighbor Scholarship is restricted to Western Hemisphere nationals and is not available to Indian citizens.
India-based funders remain the largest single lever for Indian students at UTEP. Application windows for the 2027-28 cohort (covering Spring 2027 and Fall 2027 UTEP admits) open between September 2026 and April 2027.
| Scholarship | Amount (INR) | Level | Application Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation | Up to ₹85 Lakhs | MS and PhD | Opens January 2027 |
| JN Tata Endowment Loan Scholarship | Up to ₹10 Lakhs | MS, MBA, PhD | Opens January 2027 |
| KC Mahindra Scholarship for PG Studies Abroad | Up to ₹8.5 Lakhs | MS and MBA | Closes March 2027 |
| Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation | Up to ₹20 Lakhs (interest-free loan) | MS and MBA | Opens January 2027 |
| Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship | 50% grant + 50% loan | MS and PhD | Closes March 2027 |
Source: awarding foundations’ official portals. Amounts and cycles verified for the 2027-28 academic year.
Tip for Indian Students: Stack a UTEP graduate assistantship with the JN Tata loan scholarship for the Spring 2027 or Fall 2027 intake. The assistantship saves you roughly ₹9 Lakhs a year on tuition, and the ₹10 Lakhs JN Tata loan (interest-free during study, low interest after) covers most of your living expenses. Submit the JN Tata application in the window that opens January 2027; the assistantship request goes in with your UTEP admission packet, not later.
Also Check: Scholarships for Indian Students in USA
UTEP does not charge a separate enrolment deposit for international students. Your first financial obligation is the Spring 2027 semester tuition, due in full on 11 January 2027, or split across the instalment plan. Getting the payment scheduled early is what unlocks the I-20 form and the F-1 visa application.
Methods of payment accepted by UTEP:
Steps to pay tuition fee as an international student at UTEP:
The instalment plan splits liability as 20% at registration plus four monthly instalments due by the 15th of each month. For a graduate Spring 2027 semester at $8,765 (₹7.67 Lakhs), that is roughly ₹1.53 Lakhs upfront and ₹1.53 Lakhs each month through May 2027.
Source: UTEP Payment Deadlines and Instalment Plan.
Tip for Indian Students: For the Spring 2027 intake, the practical deadline is not 11 January 2027 but roughly 15 December 2026, because an Indian bank wire takes 3-5 working days plus year-end holidays, and Flywire needs 2-4 business days for INR-to-USD conversion. Missing the 11 January deadline triggers late fees and can jeopardise the I-20 registration status you need to keep your F-1 visa valid.
The one-time costs of getting to and settling in El Paso add roughly ₹3-4 Lakhs beyond the published Cost of Attendance. These are the items that most Spring 2027 applicants underestimate:
Budget approximately ₹3.5-4.5 Lakhs for first-year hidden costs beyond the tuition and living figures published by UTEP.
Note: Health insurance is the hidden cost families most often miss. UTEP charges the mandatory international student plan directly to your account each semester at roughly $900 (₹78,750) per semester, added to tuition, unless you submit proof of an equivalent private plan before the enrolment deadline. Plan for it upfront so it does not surprise your Spring 2027 cash-flow.
The single largest saving lever for the Spring 2027 intake is securing a graduate assistantship at admission stage, worth roughly ₹9 Lakhs a year in tuition alone. Beyond that, five smaller levers stack meaningfully:
Tip for Indian Students: For the Spring 2027 intake, the highest-value single action is emailing your target department (typically the graduate coordinator for Computer Science, Data Science, or Electrical Engineering) between October and December 2026, expressing interest in a TA or RA role and attaching your GRE and TOEFL scores. Faculty allocate assistantships during the admission review cycle; late requests almost never land funding, and a successful pitch is worth roughly ₹9 Lakhs annually.
An MS at UTEP totals roughly ₹64 Lakhs over two years including living, set against a typical entry-level US STEM salary of $70,000-90,000 (₹61-79 Lakhs annually) after OPT. Payback on a fully loan-funded MS lands in three to four years of post-study employment, faster than most US public research universities in the same tier.
UTEP is classified as an R1 doctoral research university by the Carnegie Classification, the same tier as UT Austin, UT Dallas, and Arizona State. Its computer science and engineering programmes are directly connected to national labs and defence contractors in the El Paso and Las Cruces corridor, which drives strong CPT and OPT placement despite UTEP’s lower national brand recognition.
All UTEP MS engineering programmes are STEM-designated, giving Indian graduates 36 months of OPT work authorisation in the United States after the degree. A ₹30 Lakhs education loan for an MS at 10.5% over ten years generates an EMI of roughly ₹40,300 per month, comfortably serviced by even the low end of the US STEM salary band.
Key Insight: With a UTEP graduate assistantship layered on, your net Spring 2027 MS tuition drops from ₹15.34 Lakhs to about ₹6.27 Lakhs a year and adds a stipend. Two-year net cost falls to roughly ₹40 Lakhs all-in, payback compresses to about two years of post-OPT US earnings, and the loan EMI on that ₹20-25 Lakhs residual is roughly ₹27,000-33,600 per month. The financial case is decisively positive when the assistantship lands.
UTEP is one of the lowest total-cost pathways to a US STEM degree for Indian students, thanks to the UT System tuition freeze holding $21,164 UG (₹18.52 Lakhs) and $17,530 PG (₹15.34 Lakhs) steady through 2027 and El Paso’s low cost of living. Target the Spring 2027 intake, apply for a graduate assistantship inside your admission packet to save roughly ₹9 Lakhs a year, and layer external Indian scholarships (JN Tata, KC Mahindra, Narotam Sekhsaria) whose 2027-28 windows open between January and April 2027. A funded MS finishes at around ₹40 Lakhs net cost and an EMI comfortably serviceable on US STEM salaries.
Ques. What is the total cost of studying MS at University of Texas, El Paso for Indian students?
Ans. The two-year MS total at UTEP for the Spring 2027 intake is approximately ₹32 Lakhs in tuition (at $17,530 or ₹15.34 Lakhs annually) plus around ₹32 Lakhs in living costs, taking the all-in figure to roughly ₹64 Lakhs. A graduate assistantship reduces the tuition portion by about ₹9 Lakhs per year, dropping the net two-year cost to roughly ₹40 Lakhs.
Ques. When is the payment deadline for the Spring 2027 intake at University of Texas, El Paso?
Ans. Full payment for the Spring 2027 semester is due on 11 January 2027. UTEP also offers an instalment plan of 20% at registration plus four monthly instalments due by the 15th of each month through May 2027. Indian students should route funds by roughly 15 December 2026 to allow for bank wire and Flywire processing time.
Ques. Has University of Texas, El Paso raised international tuition recently?
Ans. No. The UT System Board of Regents has held UTEP tuition flat since 2021 and has confirmed no increase through 2027. This is unusual among US public universities, where 3-5% annual increases are the norm, and it means Spring 2027 and Fall 2027 applicants both lock into the same $21,164 UG and $17,530 PG rate.
Ques. What scholarships are available for Indian students at University of Texas, El Paso?
Ans. Indian students can apply for the graduate assistantship (waives non-resident tuition plus stipend), the IELTS USA Andrea Scott Graduate Scholarship of $5,000 (₹4.38 Lakhs), and continuing-student awards like Anne Roland Claudius and Frank Polly Ann Morrow. External Indian funders including Inlaks, JN Tata Endowment, KC Mahindra, and Narotam Sekhsaria open their 2027-28 windows between January and April 2027. UTEP’s Good Neighbor Scholarship is restricted to Western Hemisphere nationals and does not apply to Indian citizens.
Ques. How much does an education loan for University of Texas, El Paso cost per month?
Ans. A ₹30 Lakhs education loan for an MS at 10.5% over ten years translates to an EMI of roughly ₹40,300 per month. A ₹40 Lakhs loan works out to approximately ₹54,000 per month. Section 80E of the Income Tax Act allows unlimited deduction on interest paid for eight years, cutting the effective monthly cost by roughly 20-30% at a 30% tax bracket.
Ques. Is Spring 2027 or Fall 2027 the better intake at University of Texas, El Paso?
Ans. Both intakes carry the same tuition rate because of the UT System freeze, so price is not a decision driver. Spring 2027 is faster if you are ready to apply between now and November 2026 and can complete visa processing by December 2026. Fall 2027 is better if you want a larger assistantship pool, since Fall carries the majority of graduate funding allocations, and it gives more time to secure external Indian scholarships.
Ques. What is the cost of living in El Paso for Indian students at University of Texas, El Paso?
Ans. On-campus living costs run approximately $16,696 (₹14.61 Lakhs) annually, covering housing and meals ($10,996), books, personal expenses, and transport. Off-campus independent living pushes this to roughly $22,736 (₹19.89 Lakhs). El Paso is one of the least expensive US university cities, sitting about 30-40% below Austin, Dallas, and Houston.
Ques. Can Indian students work part-time to offset University of Texas, El Paso fees?
Ans. Yes. F-1 visa rules permit on-campus employment up to 20 hours per week during semesters and 40 hours during breaks. Typical UTEP on-campus roles pay $10-15 per hour, generating approximately ₹1.75-2.60 Lakhs per semester. Off-campus work requires CPT or OPT authorisation and is generally available only after the first academic year.
Ques. Does University of Texas, El Paso charge a separate enrolment deposit?
Ans. No. UTEP does not charge a separate international student enrolment deposit. Your first financial obligation is the semester tuition, due in full at registration or split via the 20% plus four monthly instalments plan. This differs from many US universities that require a $500-2,000 non-refundable deposit to confirm admission.
Ques. What are the hidden costs of studying at University of Texas, El Paso for Indian students?
Ans. Hidden costs total approximately ₹3.5-4.5 Lakhs in Year 1: SEVIS I-901 fee $350 (₹30,625), DS-160 visa fee $185 (₹16,188), F-1 health insurance approximately ₹1.58-1.93 Lakhs annually, round-trip flight ₹85,000-1.10 Lakhs, initial setup and winter clothing ₹18,000-25,000, and 2-3% bank FX spread per SWIFT payment. Using Flywire instead of raw SWIFT wires saves roughly ₹18,000-27,000 per semester payment.
Ques. Are University of Texas, El Paso MS programmes STEM-designated for OPT purposes?
Ans. Yes. MS Computer Science, MS Data Science, MS Electrical Engineering, and MS Mechanical Engineering at UTEP are all STEM-designated, granting Indian graduates 36 months of Optional Practical Training work authorisation in the United States after the degree. This is a key ROI factor because it extends the post-study earning window by two years beyond the standard 12-month OPT.
Ques. Is University of Texas, El Paso worth the cost for Indian students?
Ans. Yes for STEM-focused Indian students. A ₹64 Lakhs two-year MS payback sits at three to four years of typical entry-level US STEM salaries ($70,000-90,000 or ₹61-79 Lakhs). With a graduate assistantship layered on, net cost drops to about ₹40 Lakhs and payback compresses to roughly two years post-OPT. UTEP is an R1 doctoral research university with strong connections to national labs and defence contractors in the El Paso corridor, which drives CPT and OPT placement.
| Program | Important Dates | Fees | Application Fees | Eligibility | Financial Aid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M.S Computer Science 2 years Course Offered by: | Spring Priority Deadline (1st Aug 2026) Spring Final Deadline (1st Sep 2026) | INR 22.6 L/Yr USD 23,437 /Yr | 90 | IELTS:- 6.5, TOEFL:- 79, Duolingo:- 105 |
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