Masters in Computer Science in Australia is a popular postgraduate program that provides students with advanced skills and knowledge in computer science. The program typically lasts for 1.5 to 2 years and is offered by 30+ top universities in Australia. The tuition fees for a Masters in Computer Science in Australia vary depending on the university and the program's duration. On average, international students can expect to pay between 15,000 AUD-50,000 AUD (8 lakhs to 27 lakhs INR) per year.

To be eligible for admission to the best universities in Australia for Masters in Computer Science, applicants must have a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field, with a minimum GPA of 2.5 or higher (75-70%). With a growing demand for skilled professionals in the technology industry, graduates of this program can expect to find good job prospects and attractive salaries. Top employers for graduates include companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and IBM, giving an average salary ranging from 60,000 AUD to 120,000 AUD (33 lakhs to 66 lakhs INR) per year
Explore: Jobs after MS in Australia

Masters in Computer Science in Australia: Course Highlights

Best Universities in Australia for Masters in Computer Science

The following table details the top Australian Universities offering a master's program in Computer Science ranked in accordance with THE World University Rankings 2023 by Subject: Computer Science along with the duration of the program and the course fee.

Apart from pursuing masters in computer science in Australia, applicants can also pursue masters in computer engineering from top computer science colleges in Australia. 

Why study Masters in Computer Science in Australia?

• Times Higher Education World University Ranking ranks 9 leading Australian Universities amongst the top 150 international universities for Computer Science programs.
• The top 5 Australian universities offering an MS in Computer Science are listed among the top 150 universities for computer science programs according to QS World University Rankings 2023.
• The top Australian universities, University of Melbourne and ANU offering the program have a high international student enrollment of 46% and 44%, respectively.
• Australian Computer Society (ACS) predicts there will be a greater demand for computer science graduates by 2024 owing to a shortage of 100,000 employees with 164,000 qualifications.
• The number of international students in the recent past pursuing Computer Science and Mathematics programs in Australia was registered to be 24,000
• International students with a skilled graduate temporary visa can work from 18 months to 3 years after the completion of their studies. 
• Australia is home to some of the world's largest tech companies, including Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. Completing a Masters in Computer Science in Australia can provide you with a competitive edge in the job market and increase your chances of securing a high-paying job. The graph below shows the top employers for the graduates of Masters in Computer Science in Australia, along with the average salaries

Masters in Computer Science: What is it About?

Detailed below is the outline of the program, course curriculum, types of degrees offered in Australia for pursuing a PG degree in Computer Science. The top universities in Australia offer the masters program in Computer Science under the Information Technology Department, Faculty of Science, and School of Engineering. Hence the criteria of the same apply to masters in Computer Science in Australia also. 

Course Curriculum: The master's degree in Computer Science is for prospective students with an undergraduate degree in a related subject or significant work experience. The course is structured to provide a strong foundation of advanced computer science topics to enhance career prospects. Emphasis is placed upon the structured design of algorithms, programming techniques, high-level description of the abstract architecture of the von Neumann machine, numerical and non-numerical applications. Hence the program equips the students with the following technical and professional skills for higher career outcomes.

• Critical thinking and problem-solving
• Research planning and execution
• Scientific communication.

Degree types:

The types of degree offered across graduate degree in Computer Science except Computer Science Engineering in Australia include:

• Masters of Computer Science: The degree involves a course-based program involving a broad base of high-level knowledge in areas of knowledge systems, programming languages and distributed computing, information systems, mathematics/statistics, spatial information science or linguistics.
• Master of Science in Computer Science: The degree involves a research-based program to extend and deepen their knowledge in a specialized area of computing by undertaking research under the supervision of a member of academic staff.

Australian Universities do offer master's programs in related topics Computer Science including computing, IT, computer systems engineering, architecture applied broadly in the emerging sectors of AI, Data Science, Database Systems, Big Data, Telecommunications, and IT, and software engineering among many others.

Specialization & Electives: The common areas of specializations offered by most Australian Universities include the following emerging fields: Intelligent Systems, Machine Learning, and Big data, Network and Information Security, Software Engineering, Big data management, Cloud computing, Mobile computing, Software architecture, Web systems and Search technology

Electives: Advanced Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Human-Computer Interaction, Programming Languages, and Distributed Computing, Spatial Information, etc. 

Masters in Computer Science in Australia: Admissions

International students should fulfill the English Language requirements in addition to meeting the academic and non-academic requirements as specified by the university to secure admission to masters in computer science in Australia. 

Intake sessions and Deadlines

Most of the top universities in Australia offer admission intakes twice a year during the months of February and July. The two teaching semesters run from February to June and from July to November. The university recommends international students apply well in advance of the specified deadlines to allow enough time for the Australian visa process and secure admission to the program in the desired semester. 

How to Apply

Prospective international students can apply to the universities in Australia for a masters program in Computer Science in one of the following ways:

• Complete the online application in University’s official website/application portal well in advance of the application deadlines
• Agents and representatives of the corresponding University to assist with the preparation and submission of the application to study as well as the student visa application.

Masters in Computer Science in Australia: Eligibility

The leading Australian universities follow similar eligibility criteria for both the international as well as domestic students. However, International students should meet the following criteria to be eligible for the program.

• Minimum 15 years of education mandating a 10+2+3 breakup
• A 3-4 year bachelor's degree in computer science, science, mathematics or other related fields. 
• Work experience in a related field (recommended)
• Proof of English proficiency

University-Specific Eligibility Criteria

The international students should fulfill the international credential equivalence and English language requirements as tabulated to secure admission to the masters in computer science in computer science colleges in Australia is as follows:

Documents Required for MS in Computer Science in Australia

• Completed application form with the application fee. 
• All academic transcripts including professional qualifications must be certified as a true copy of the original.
• Certified English translations all academic documents accredited by the university specified agencies.
• Proof of language proficiency in the form of tests required to study in Australia
• official ID including the birth certificate, Citizenship documents or the passport, 
• Financial affidavits as proof of funding
• 2-3 LOR for Australia
• Updated CV (if required).

Admission Decision

On successful submission of the completed application along with the supporting documents, the students receive a confirmation email. They can monitor the status of the application updated frequently in the student portal of the university. The ranking of the applications is based on prior academic performance. However, knowledge of formal logic and discrete mathematics and second-year university-level mathematics/statistics is recommended. 

All applicants can expect to receive an outcome regarding the admission decisions of the university applied through Email. The Australian universities recommend a time frame of 4-8 weeks and 8-12 weeks from receipt of a complete application for graduate coursework and graduate research work in Computer Science towards admission decision.

Masters in Computer Science in Australia: Cost of Study

Planning ahead about the expenses always works in favor of an international student. International students planning for a master's in Computer Science in Australia should plan for sufficient funding in accordance with the pre-arrival, tuition, and living costs. The details of these expenses have been provided in the sections below:

Masters in Computer Science in Australia: Tuition Fee

Post-arrival, one of the largest expenses will be the tuition fees you submit at universities. The annual tuition fees for some of the popular universities offering the program is compared in the image below:

Cost of Living in Australia

The costs of studying Masters in Computer Science in Australia largely depend on the education provider and the study location. The average monthly cost of living in Australia is around 2,326 AUD (1.28 lakhs INR) of which accommodation costs constitute major expenses. 

Masters in Computer Science in Australia with Scholarships

Australian universities do offer financial aid to international students in the form of scholarships, loans, bursaries, and grants. Apart from the need and merit-based scholarship, the universities do offer department-specific scholarships to deserving international students in computer science degrees. The table enlists the popular scholarships in Australia for international students pursuing the master's program in Computer Science.

Looking for more scholarships to study in Australia, click here to know more.

Job Opportunities after Masters in Computer Science in Australia

With the demand for Computer Science and IT professionals growing worldwide day-by-day the career opportunities for graduates with a master's in Computer Science is vast and financially rewarding. The program equips the computer Science graduates for key roles in Computer and Information Technology related sectors including: 

• Systems and security engineering
• Software and hardware management
• Network design, management, and engineering
• Data communications
• Telecommunications
• Wireless networks.

The potential careers of interest for computer science graduates in Australia are software developers and engineers, systems and cybersecurity analysts, data scientists and analysts, digital policy advisors, project managers, analysts, administrators, developers, programmers, hardware engineers, internet consultants, and multimedia/web Designer. 

Computer Science professionals with hands-on experience in Machine Learning, Business Intelligence, Data Visualization, Data Warehousing, and Data Management are awarded higher salary packages in the emerging sectors of Cable & Media, Telecom, Hospitality, Banking, finance, and insurance. 

The table lists the top employers recruiting computer Science professionals with a masters degree in the following emerging sectors:

Masters in Computer Science in Australia v/s Masters in Computer Science in USA

When it comes to pursuing a Masters in Computer Science degree, students have a plethora of options to choose from across the globe. Among the most popular destinations for higher education in this field are Australia and USA. Both countries have top-ranked universities that offer excellent Masters in Computer Science programs, and students often find themselves confused while deciding between the two. In this section, we will explore the Masters in Computer Science programs offered in Australia and the United States, highlighting their similarities and differences to help students make informed choices.

According to the Job Outlook website of the Australian Government, the boom of the digital era has resulted in a number of job openings from newly created jobs and even due to turnover (workers leaving). The number of software & applications programmers, computer network professionals, managers, database administrators, and system analysts grew very strongly over the past 5 years and projected to grow very strongly over the next 5 years. Hence, International students prefer a master's program in Computer Science in Australia for its broad grounding across the breadth of advanced computer science.

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