Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, best known for computer science, robotics, engineering, design and drama. It is 55th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, 24th in the THE World University Rankings 2027 and in the 101–150 band of ARWU 2026. The single most important fact for international applicants: CMU does not offer financial aid to international students, so families must plan to pay the full first-year cost of $93,614 for 2026–27, plus $3,093 for health insurance. For fall 2027 entry, Early Decision closes on November 2, 2026 and Regular Decision on January 4, 2027. The School of Computer Science requires the SAT or ACT, most other colleges require at least one approved test, and every non-native English speaker must meet firm English minimums such as IELTS 7.5 or Duolingo 135.

Who should apply to CMU

CMU makes sense if your family can fund all four years or you have outside funding, and if your interest in computing, engineering, design or performance is backed by real projects. If aid is essential, build your list around universities that fund international students, such as Harvard. A comparable public option with a lower price is Georgia Tech, although it also offers international students almost no aid.

Colleges and majors

You apply to a specific college (only one under Early Decision), and your major options depend on it.

• College of Engineering: biomedical, chemical, civil and environmental, electrical and computer, materials science, mechanical, and engineering and public policy. Students are admitted to a department or as undecided. Only undecided students choose among the primary majors in spring of their first year; requests to change majors are reviewed case by case after first year and are not always approved.
• School of Computer Science: computer science, artificial intelligence, computational biology, human-computer interaction and robotics.
• College of Fine Arts: architecture, art, design, drama and music, with portfolios or auditions.
• Dietrich College of Humanities & Social Sciences: economics, statistics and data science, psychology, history, English, philosophy and social and decision sciences.
• Mellon College of Science: biological sciences, chemistry, mathematics and physics.
• Tepper School of Business: undergraduate business.
• Heinz College: the Information Systems program.

Intercollege options include the BXA degrees, which combine the arts with sciences, humanities or computer science, and IDeATe, which links technology and creative practice.

How to apply

International applicants follow the same process and deadlines as US applicants. The differences are the English test and the financial documents required later for the visa.

Application materials

• Common App and the $75 fee, which can be waived if you meet a Common App economic-need indicator.
• Common App essay and the CMU writing supplement with three short-answer questions.
• Counselor evaluation and one teacher recommendation.
• Transcript with an official translation verified by your counselor or a school official.
• Test results according to your college's policy (below).
• English proficiency test if English is not your native language.
• Fine Arts materials: portfolios, prescreens or auditions. Drama and Music applicants should apply early to book audition slots.

CMU does not accept résumés, portfolios (outside Fine Arts), recordings or websites. After January 15 it stops accepting updates from applicants, although counselors can still send documents. Optional extras include Schoolhouse.world certifications and, for Engineering and Computer Science applicants, a VIVA video assessment of a project.

If admitted, you must prove completion of secondary school by the end of May and send your final transcript by the end of July of your entry year.

Testing depends on the college

For students from Russian or Kazakh schools without IB, A-levels or AP, test-flexible usually means taking the SAT or ACT, or AP exams. CMU superscores the SAT but not the ACT. Aim to finish testing by November 1 for Early Decision and by January 3 for Regular Decision; a November score can still be considered for ED with a delay, but December is too late. CMU prefers scores from the last two years of secondary school and discounts results taken two or more years before college. Enrolled students in fall 2025 had a middle SAT range of 1500–1560 and ACT of 34–36. See our SAT or ACT guide.

English: minimums, not guidelines

Scores must be no more than two years old when you apply. CMU does not accept TOEFL MyBest scores and uses the sitting with the highest overall score. Take the TOEFL or IELTS by December of senior year, and register with your name exactly as it appears in your passport. InitialView or Vericant interviews are recommended for non-native speakers but not required.

Deadlines

These dates apply to fall 2027 entry. Early Decision is binding and requires the Early Decision Agreement; if admitted, you withdraw your other applications. CMU can admit, deny or defer ED applicants to Regular Decision, and denied ED applicants cannot reapply that year. Regular Decision applicants can switch to ED by emailing the admission office by November 1. In fall 2025, CMU admitted 553 of 2,680 Early Decision applicants, about 21%.

A workable timeline:

1. Spring–summer before senior year: SAT or ACT (mandatory for SCS) and an English test at or above the minimum.
2. September–October: choose your college, write the Common App essay and three short answers, and ask your counselor and a teacher for recommendations.
3. By November 2 or January 4: submit the application and, for ED, the agreement.
4. December or March: decision.
5. After admission: financial documents for Form I-20, the F-1 visa and final school records.

Fall 2025 admission data

According to the Common Data Set 2025–26, CMU received 34,867 first-year applications, admitted 3,859 (11.1%) and enrolled 1,804 students. International students made up 19% of undergraduates in 2024–25, and CMU says it often ranks in the top five national universities by that measure. These numbers describe the pool as a whole; your chances depend on your college and profile.

First-year cost

All incoming first-year students must live on campus unless Student Affairs grants permission to commute. For returning students CMU budgets housing at the on-campus apartment double rate and sets an off-campus housing allowance of $10,200. Flights and visa costs are extra. Compare universities with our guide to the cost of studying in the USA.

Financial aid: none for international students

CMU states plainly that it does not offer financial aid to international students, who must plan to pay the total cost of attendance. The Common Data Set 2025–26 confirms that no institutional scholarships or grants go to international undergraduates. The affordability pledges on CMU's website — tuition-free study for families earning under $75,000, aid without federal loans under $100,000 and meeting full need — apply to domestic students.

What remains for international students:

• outside scholarships from foundations, employers or home-country programs;
• private loans from US lenders, which usually require a US citizen or permanent resident co-signer;
• family funding, which you must document for Form I-20.

Payments from Russia must go through legal channels; see our guide on how to pay for studies abroad from Russia. If you have not arranged funding, compare CMU with universities that aid international students using our guide to financial aid for international students in the USA.

Graduate study

Many international students come to CMU for graduate programs in computer science, machine learning, robotics, information systems, public policy and management (Heinz) or business (Tepper). Each program runs its own admissions and publishes its own fees, and graduate funding works differently from undergraduate aid. For business school, see our MBA in the USA guide.

Visa, work and life in Pittsburgh

CMU issues Form I-20 once you document funds for the cost of attendance. Next come the $350 SEVIS fee, the $185 visa fee (both as of September 30, 2026; confirm them on the embassy site before paying) and the interview. The US Embassy in Moscow does not issue visas to ordinary applicants, so Russian citizens apply in Warsaw or Astana, with social media profiles set to public. The consulate decides on the visa. See our F-1 visa guide.

Graduates in computer science, engineering, mathematics and other STEM fields can extend OPT by 24 months after graduation. Our guide to working while studying and OPT explains CPT, OPT and campus jobs, and our student housing guide covers renting in later years.

For applicants from Russia and Kazakhstan

• Russian and Kazakh school certificates are accepted with an official translation verified by the school.
• Your name must match your passport exactly on the application, recommendations and test reports.
• Without IB, A-levels or AP, most colleges effectively require the SAT or ACT, and SCS requires them regardless.
• Expect no aid: before applying, budget four years at $93,614 a year or more and prepare proof of funds.
• If you are just finishing an 11-year school, start with our guide to US universities after 11 years of school.

College and program selection, a testing plan, short-answer coaching, financial documents and visa preparation are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Carnegie Mellon University decides on admission, and the US consulate decides on the visa.

Common mistakes

• Counting on aid. International students receive none, at entry or later.
• Applying to SCS without the SAT or ACT. Testing is mandatory for computer science.
• Stopping at IELTS 7.0. CMU's minimum is 7.5.
• Sending a résumé or project links. CMU does not review them unless you apply to Fine Arts.
• Applying ED to Drama or Music. Those schools have no Early Decision; their Regular Decision deadline is December 1.
• Testing in December for Early Decision. The score will arrive too late.

Rankings

The spread reflects methodology: ARWU counts prizes and papers in a narrow set of journals, while THE gives more weight to research quality and industry links. For computer science and engineering, subject rankings are more informative than overall tables.

FAQ

Where is Carnegie Mellon University?

The main campus is in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where undergraduates study and live. First-year students are required to live in campus housing.

Does Carnegie Mellon give financial aid to international students?

No. CMU states that it does not offer financial aid to international students, and its Common Data Set 2025–26 confirms this. Families must plan to pay the full cost or find outside funding.

Is the SAT required at Carnegie Mellon?

The School of Computer Science requires the SAT or ACT. Engineering, Dietrich, Mellon College of Science, Tepper and Information Systems require at least one approved test, while Fine Arts is test-optional.

What IELTS score does Carnegie Mellon require?

The minimum is 7.5 overall on IELTS Academic. Alternatives are TOEFL iBT 5 on the new scale, Duolingo 135 with all subscores at 135, or Cambridge English 191.

How much does a year at Carnegie Mellon cost?

The 2026–27 first-year cost of attendance is $93,614, including $69,702 tuition. Health insurance adds $3,093 unless the student has other qualifying coverage.

Can I apply to more than one CMU college?

Not under Early Decision, which allows only one. In any round the application is tied to a specific college or program, so choose carefully; transfers between departments and colleges after enrollment are reviewed case by case and are not always approved.

What are Carnegie Mellon's application deadlines?

For fall 2027 entry, Early Decision is November 2, 2026 and Regular Decision is January 4, 2027, with a December 1, 2026 deadline for Drama and Music. Early Decision results arrive by December 15.

Sources

• CMU Admission: Application Plans & Deadlines
• CMU Admission: Undergraduate Admission Requirements
• CMU Admission: Standardized Testing
• CMU Admission: International Applicants
• CMU Admission: Costs & Aid
• CMU Student Financial Services: 2026–2027 Undergraduate Tuition & Fees
• CMU Common Data Set 2025–2026
• US Embassy in Russia: Visas
• ICE: I-901 SEVIS Fee
• US Department of State: Visa Fees
• QS World University Rankings 2027
• THE World University Rankings 2027
• ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026

All amounts are in US dollars as published by CMU; checked on September 30, 2026. More universities are on our study in the USA page. If you are choosing between CMU colleges or working out how to fund your studies, send us a request.

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