Honest answer
Is an MS at University of Melbourne worth it for Indian students? (2026 numbers)
Numbers last checked: 2026-07-09
Short answer
Master of Computer Science at University of Melbourne costs about ₹1.11 crore in total (tuition + living, 24 months, converted July 2026). Typical starting pay in Melbourne is around ₹54.2 lakh/year - based on a market salary band for the role and city (Glassdoor/Indeed/PayScale, checked July 2026), not a per-university outcome - giving a payback of roughly 5.5 years under our disclosed assumption. Whether that is "worth it" depends on your budget, admit odds (typical bar: 3.0/4.0 GPA), and how much the Australia post-study visa pathway matters to you.
The numbers
Total cost: about ₹1.11 crore for the full 24-month program - published tuition plus a realistic living-cost estimate for Melbourne, converted to INR at July 2026 rates.
Starting salary: around ₹54.2 lakh/year. To be precise about the basis: this is a market salary band for the role and city (Glassdoor/Indeed/PayScale, checked July 2026), not a per-university outcome.
Payback: roughly 5.5 years. Our method is disclosed - the years of extra savings needed to cover the total cost, after destination tax and a year's living cost, compared with what you would save staying in India on a ₹8 lakh/year baseline role. It's the same formula the scorecard uses, and it's a simplification: it ignores loan interest, living costs above the visa minimum, and the risk of not landing the typical salary.
Admission bar: a GPA around 3.0/4.0 is the typical threshold. Test requirements: IELTS 6.5.
Visa reality
Australia tightened the Subclass 485 post-study visa in 2026: the age cap dropped to 35, the English bar rose to IELTS 6.5, and fees went up sharply. Factor the tightened rules in - the old '2 easy years after graduating' picture is out of date.
What to watch for
2-year duration raises total cost. Australia's 485 graduate visa was tightened in 2026 (age cap dropped to 35, IELTS bar raised to 6.5, fees up sharply).
Consultants earn commission from universities for placing students - a conflict of interest that shapes which programs get recommended. This page has no commission behind it; check the sources below and decide from the numbers.
Verify these numbers yourself
- Tuition & India entry requirements: study.unimelb.edu.au
- Salary band: Glassdoor / Indeed / PayScale / ZipRecruiter (Jul 2026)
- Visa: Australia Subclass 485, homeaffairs.gov.au (2026 rules)
Costs, salaries, and visa rules change - always confirm against the official program page before making a real decision. TruthPathMS aggregates and cites; it does not originate tuition, salary, or visa data.
Related: Why admit odds alone shouldn't drive this decision
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