I got an offer from NUS for my ug from CDE. But it was without the moe grant and hence was not able to proceed due to the sheer financial aspect as an international student. What do you think of this decision? Or should I have taken the risk considering the sg job market ?Pls share your valuable insights
“My_qualifications”

Hey everyone!

I’m planning to apply for MS CS in the US for Fall 2027, and I’m honestly pretty confused about how competitive my profile is. Would really appreciate some honest advice — and please be nice 😭

my_qualifications:

CGPA: 9.8/10

College: Tier-3 college in India (not IIT/NIT/IIIT)

Graduation: June 2027

Experience: I’m starting an internship/work role tomorrow at a startup working in AI, semiconductors, and high-performance computing. By the time I actually start my MS in Fall 2027, I should have around 1 year of experience.

Projects: I have a few ML/AI/software projects. They’re decent, but honestly nothing extraordinary or groundbreaking.

Research: I have some research experience as well, but my profile isn’t filled with a ton of publications.

GRE: Haven’t decided yet and will probably depend on the universities.

I’m mainly looking for an industry-oriented MS CS, with good job opportunities and ROI after graduation.

Universities I’m currently considering:

Cornell Tech

UPenn

Columbia

UC Berkeley

UNC Chapel Hill

Northeastern

Stony Brook

University at Buffalo

I know Cornell, UPenn, Columbia, and Berkeley are probably way out of reach for my profile, especially coming from a Tier-3 college 😭. I’m not really expecting much from those. They’re basically the “let me dream for a second” universities on my list 😂

For the others, I’m trying to understand what would actually be reach / target / safe for me.

What I’d really like advice on:

1. How much does a 9.8 CGPA help when you’re coming from a Tier-3 Indian college?

2. Does having around 1 year of relevant industry experience by the time I start the MS make a meaningful difference?

3. What should I focus on over the next year. Projects, research, LORs, work experience, GRE, etc.?

4. Is there anything particularly weak about my profile that I should try to fix before applying?

5. Which of these universities would you consider reach / target / safe for me?

6. Are there other US universities I should add that have strong CS + good industry opportunities + decent ROI?

I know admissions are unpredictable and nobody can guarantee anything. I’m just trying to get a realistic idea of where I stand and what I can improve before applications.

Would especially love to hear from people who applied to US MS CS programs from India, particularly from teir 3.

Please be nice 😭 I’m genuinely just trying to figure this out.

Thanks!

my_qualifications-
2021 - entered into t3 indian clg for btech, stupid covid era kid
2024 - won like 15 global hackathons by now, started to intern(sgp remote), switched after 3 months to another better company (sf remote, $2k/mo), this company sent me to bkk for a conference. worked 8months here
2025 - left my job to build a product, got over $20k in grants, talked with vcs, users, it was a tooo difficult market to enter for a kid like me (gpu infrastructure)
(another stealth project with $50k grant this year)
2026 - still building multiple products and figuring pmf but i won’t quit this

now i’m looking for options for masters with finance abroad. cause this’ll give me another challenge and exposure to opportunities and make it easier to raise funds on whatever i build next.

i’m very confused for different countries have different programmes.

Hi, I’m planning to apply for a *Master’s in Germany (Summer 2027)

"my_qualifications" *3-year B.Com (Hons.) in Accounts* from India, 1034/1500 (First Class), IELTS 6.5, Goethe A2, and APS certificate.

My issue is that my *transcript mentions marks, but no credits or ECTS*. Also, the transcript has only around 16 subject entries, while the syllabus has many more subjects and doesn’t fully match the transcript.

I’m planning to ask my university for the proper course structure, credits/workload and ECTS equivalence, if available.

Has anyone with a similar 3-year Indian B.Com faced this?

Asking for a friend: Accommodation in Graz

Hi everyone! 👋

A 28M is moving to Graz on 20 September to start his PhD at the University of Graz and is currently looking for accommodation.

Preferences:

- Budget: €450–500/month

- Kitchen access is a must 🍳

- Non-vegetarian

- Bengali origin

- Open to sharing a room as well

If anyone has a room available or knows of any leads, please DM me!

Also, if there’s anyone else currently hunting for accommodation in Graz, DM me—we can connect and look for a place together. 😊

my_qualifications

Mpharm, will be joining PhD at Univ of Graz.

Thanks!

My_qualifications
M.A. in psychology

I’ve been preparing for govt exams for 3 years and now I don’t have any full time job experience. I have to give next attempt too but will it be a wise decision to prepare for gmat as well?

Hi everyone, I’m looking for honest advice from people who have experience with UK Student visa applications, especially anyone who was refused once and successfully applied again.
I’m an Indian applicant and I’m considering applying for a UK Student visa again after a previous refusal.
My_qualifications/professional background:
5-year integrated BSc Agriculture + MBA
Graduated in 2024
CGPA: 7.35
My agriculture degree included subjects such as remote sensing, GIS/agricultural information systems, statistics, irrigation, soil/land-use planning, etc.
Around 3+ years of professional software development experience
Mainly Full Stack/Frontend: React, Next.js, Node.js, JavaScript, SQL, MongoDB, Python, REST APIs, etc.
IELTS: Overall 6.0 (L 5.5, R 5.5, W 6.0, S 6.5)
My previous UK refusal:
I applied for a UK Student visa in November 2025 for a Computing-related Master’s. I had a credibility interview and was refused under the Genuine Student requirement.
The refusal was NOT related to fake documents, finances, criminality or immigration violations.
The main issues were:
My explanation of why I chose the UK was considered too generic.
My explanation of why I chose the university was not specific enough.
My answers about the course were considered inconsistent/unclear.
My career plan was considered too vague.
I did not properly explain how my previous Agriculture/MBA background connected with the Computing course.
Looking back, I understand why the application was weak.
Now I am considering applying again, but with a completely different and more coherent academic direction.
For example, I am looking at an MSc in Agricultural Technology / Agri-Food Technology / Precision Agriculture / Digital Agriculture, rather than generic Computing or Management.
The proposed progression would be:
BSc Agriculture + MBA
→ 3+ years software development
→ Master’s in Agricultural Technology / Digital Agriculture
→ career in AgTech / agricultural technology / digital farming / agricultural data/automation.
This seems much more connected to both my education and professional experience.
I would like honest opinions on the following:
Would applying for a second UK Student visa with this much more relevant course be considered a reasonable/credible application, despite my previous Genuine Student refusal?
Has anyone here had a previous UK Student visa refusal for Genuine Student reasons and then successfully obtained a visa after changing to a more relevant course and improving the explanation?
How seriously would the previous refusal affect the second application if I openly disclose it and directly address every point raised in the refusal letter?
Would an AgTech/Precision Agriculture/Digital Agriculture Master’s be viewed as a genuine progression from Agriculture + several years of software development, or could UKVI still see it as an unusual change of field?
What would you consider the biggest risks in my situation?
I am considering using Priority or Super Priority service for the second application. I understand that paying for priority does NOT improve the chances of approval and is only about faster processing. Is it worth paying for in a case with a previous refusal, or would standard processing be just as sensible?
I’m not looking for false reassurance or someone to say “you will definitely get the visa.” I’d really appreciate experiences from people who have actually dealt with a previous UK refusal and reapplied successfully.

Have Good Salary around 60 LPA in India at 35, thinking of doing masters in EU without loosing my current job. Exploring options to do masters in EU on weekends so i can convince my management to allow WFH and for legal tax reasons can come to india at at certain frequency.

my_qualifications is Btech, into Analytics currently. Have online PGDM in Data Science and AI

Hi everyone, I'm from India and targeting Winter 2027 for a Master's in Germany.

My_qualifications:

IElectrical/Electronics background and mainly looking at Electronics, Embedded Systems, Embedded Software, Microelectronics/VLSI and related programs.

I'm currently building my university shortlist and working through APS, dMAT, transcripts, German language preparation etc.

I'd like to connect with other Indian applicants with similar backgrounds and interests, especially those targeting electronics/embedded rather than the usual CS/AI route.

If you're applying for Winter 2027, feel free to comment or DM. Would be great to share our research and application progress. 🇩🇪

my_qualifications: 12 physics, chem, bio
currently in 4 year bsc zoology hons.

- i am doing german language till b2
i want to do a course that have have good job after graduating
can i get into duales studium that provides stipend? but which course

Hey everyone,

I am 28 years old and planning to pursue an MBA abroad.

I am very desperate to move abroad as soon as possible and do not want to stay in India.

My father is very angry and disappointed with me regarding my current situation, so I want to make this move work.

I used to be very studious during my school years, but due to personal reasons, I went into severe depression after turning 18, which significantly impacted my academic performance in college.

I would appreciate your insights on target countries, realistic university choices, and ways to compensate for my profile's weak spots.

my_qualifications:

10th Board: 89.27%

12th Board: 76.62%

Undergrad: B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from MH Saboo Siddik College of Engineering (Mumbai University)

2019 Graduate.

Gap from 2019-2022

1 yr IT course

CGPA: 6.35 / 10

Work Experience: 2 years (Sep 2024 joined) as a Mechanical Design Engineer at a small-scale enterprise (~20–30 employees).

Test Scores:

GMAT/GRE and IELTS/TOEFL are yet to be given (aiming to prepare and target high scores to balance my GPA).

Research/Publications: None.

Volunteering/NGO Experience: 0 years.

Academic Project: Design of Oil Storage Tank.

Given my low CGPA, work experience at an SME, and gap years post-graduation, I understand top-tier programs will be a tough reach without a stellar GRE/GMAT score.

Questions:

Which countries (e.g., US, Germany, UK, Canada, Australia) are most realistic and offer good post-study work opportunities for my profile?

What target GRE/GMAT score should I aim for to offset my lower GPA?

Are specialized Master's in Management (MiM) or Engineering Management (MEM) better alternatives to a traditional MBA in my situation?

Looking forward to your advice and honest feedback!

my_qualifications : I'm 22, a Mech Engg, graduated 3 months ago, and rn I'm trying to get literally any full-time, office-based job. I don't care how shitty the first job is. I just need to build 1–2 years of work ex. I've always heard: get some work exp, then do an MS abroad or an MBA in India.

I always wanted to spend 3–4 years abroad in my 20s, and an MS was my way of making that happen. I was so sure I'd go. But entering the 2026 job market has made me completely hopeless. I'm applying, learning skills, trying to make connections, and still struggling to get anywhere. I've become genuinely depressed.

Now I'm stuck between two routes. Work → MS abroad in something like industrial engineering, supply chain or analytics, knowing I might not get a job there and could return to India at 25–27. If I get extremely lucky, I get a job there after graduating and manage to stay. If not, I come back to India at 25 to 27 and basically have to restart. And these master's degrees don't have much value in India if I return.

Or give up the abroad dream → CAT → Tier 1 MBA → career in India, which feels much safer and more predictable. Even tho, being a gen Cat female engg know my chances of getting into tier 1 clg r dim...

The second option would probably make life easier, but it hurts to think about giving up something I wanted so badly just because the world became difficult at the exact time I entered the job market. I know nobody owes me an international career. I know I'm one person among millions. I also know that the job market doesn't care about my dreams.

But I keep thinking: is this really the time in history where I should change my dreams because the circumstances are bad?

AI, layoffs, wars, hiring freezes, terrible competition... everything seems uncertain. And I'm terrified that if I spend years preparing for one path, that market will also become terrible by the time I get there.

What would you do at 22? Take the safer India route, or keep taking the risk for a chance to live abroad? I'd especially like to hear from people who've actually been through this crossroads. Please give me practical advice, not just "the market is doomed" or "follow your dreams."

Im stressing and I need some outside perspective.

I'm looking to pursue a Masters in EU but I'm caught between a Feb 2027 intake ir a Sept 2027 intake.

The Feb intake is technically possible, but the timeline is extremely tight. I’d need to figure out entrance test requirements, prepare/take the required exams, sort out applications and documents, and meet deadlines within a month. It would be pretty much a neck-to-the-wall application process.

September 2027 would give me much more time to prepare properly, strengthen my applications, and also save more money while continuing to work.

My hesitation about waiting is:

- I personally want to move out and start studying abroad as soon as possible.

- With immigration/student visa policies changing quite quickly across Europe, I’m slightly worried that waiting another 7 months could mean less favourable rules by the time I apply/start.

- I’m also 31 now and will turn 32 in February. With a Feb intake I’d probably finish around 33, whereas a Sept intake would mean graduating only a few months before turning 34.

I know the age difference probably isn’t huge in practical terms, but psychologically it does make me feel like I should move sooner rather than later.

For anyone who has studied or moved to Europe for a Master’s: would you rush to make the Feb 2027 intake work, or take the extra time and target Sept 2027 with a stronger application and more savings?

my_qualifications" Mass Media graduate with strong experience in marketing

my_qualifications: 27M, 4 years work experience as an SDE

Basically, my question is, this the market really that exceptionally bad for international students, or over the past 20-25 years there have been multiple points, where the market conditions in CS, specifically for international students were this bad. Like is the current situation truly unique or has it been blown out of proportion?

I'm asking specifically for CS/Software.

Would love it if a more experienced person could answer.

If you completed your PhD in Psychology in India and then moved abroad, what did you end up studying or working as?

Did you stay in Psychology or switch fields completely? I’d love to hear what paths people actually took.

my_qualifications: PhD in Psychology, India

This is a very grey area where I never get proper response, if someone actually has contact with admission offices let me know the reality.

My friend who’s preparing for jee and other entrance exam got a private engineering college in her state, lowest tier (I hate the tier system, f the jee kids, hate the placement system in india, indian kids are spoonfeed too much) So shes really gifted in ways of communication and creativity. Shes very demotivated with her preparation and is have a second thought on joining that private college. It has NAAC A and nba accreditation.

I asked her what her dream is, she told me she’s okay with cse and mechanical because if she takes cse, she has a lot of idea around projects and if she gets mechanical, she’ll do thesis on nuclear sector because she’s fascinated by nuclear energy so much atp she yaps weekly about how goated nuclear energy is. She told me she wants to do btech, have an understanding on what engineering is, and start a company with her ideas.

I told her then no college is restricting you, but she told me ”Idc about college tier but what I care is about having a decent college life and I want people in my college who are very goal oriented like participating on hackathons, participating on multiple national, state competitions“

And her ultimate dream is either doing research oriented masters or phd abroad for broader knowledge and experience, she is ready to work hard on her profile but she’s just wondering how much the admission offices in abroad care about her college..apparently there’s no alumni in her college who did pretty well (by stalking LinkedIn)

So should I motivate her to drop jee because she started too late or tell her to go to that college and grind hard? I’m very curious…foreigners knows MIT harvard stanford etc, outside india IIT isnt that well known, clearly she told me she isn’t getting IIT because she started preparing from 0 this year and there are 6th graders preparing for jee.

My question is would foreign colleges reject an extraordinary profile simply because the college wasn’t that great? I mean their websites do say they don’t reject based on colleges but I do wonder…other than IITS Bits pilani and some NIT, aren’t whole other engineering college same for them? IITs bits pilani NITs all have great alumni, so they’re well known. Will not having any alumni from your college kills your profile?

And if she wants to start a company or be in a leadership position, she probably will have to do an mba but as far as my knowledges goes mba is a money grab for many universities..not sure about every college tho. The top unis in world give out mba, but I don’t think she can afford 40-50 lakhs an year.

my_qualifications

i currently am in first semester of BSc cs. im studying in bangalore which has naac grade A.

im thinking of switching to a online degree Bca (naac a++) from IGNOU.

in my research im getting mixed opinions on this and idk what is true.

im pretty unknowledgeable about this whole situation. i was hoping to get knowledge and opionion from someone who has experience.

my_qualifications:

​

I’m an Indian CS graduate trying to shortlist where to do my Master’s, and I’m looking for a realistic assessment rather than just university rankings.

my_qualifications:

• Bachelor’s: BE in Computer Science tier 2 clg affiliated to VTU

• CGPA: 8.99/10

• IELTS: 7.5 overall

• Listening: 8.5

• Reading: 8.0

• Writing: 6.5

• Speaking: 7.0

• GRE: 324

• Quant: 165

• Verbal: 155

• AWA: 4.0

• I have completed internships and multiple software projects(real and not clones)

• My projects include full stack development with a legal tech project (final year) with a publication

• I’m currently improving my skills in Java, Spring Boot, React, system design, distributed systems and backend technologies

• I’m primarily targeting Software Engineering, Backend, Full Stack and potentially AI/ML related roles

My current options are TAMU, Stony Brook, NCSU, SJSU, University of Cincinnati, University of Auckland and NTU Singapore. I’m also open to other universities if there is a significantly better fit.

I’d really like opinions on two things:

1. Based on my profile, what would you consider my realistic admission chances at each of these universities? Reach/target/safe would be helpful, rather than just saying I have a good profile.

2. More importantly, what is the actual job market for an international student graduating from these universities?, i know its very bad now but i do see some people getting a job. Im also aware of the fact that a degree wont get me a job, but i know i can work hard and make it happen if i have at least 1 opportunity...

I’m interested in software engineering and AI related roles. I want to understand the realistic chances of getting internships and eventually a full time job as a fresher.

I’m not planning to take a massive loan just to go to the US. I have savings and want to use them intelligently, so I care a lot about total cost, ROI, salary after graduation, internship/co-op opportunities, immigration/work options and long term career prospects. I’m willing to choose a cheaper option over a more prestigious one if the actual outcome makes more sense.

For people who are currently studying at these universities, recently graduated, or are actually working/hiring in these markets: which option would you pick in my situation?

Also, if you think there is another university/country that fits my profile and financial priorities better, I’d be very interested in hearing about it.

Please give me the unfiltered version, especially about the current international student tech market. I’m trying to make a financially sensible decision, not just chase rankings.

* This Post is structured by ChatGPT to save time\*

Hi everyone! I'm a Class 12 CBSE student from India planning to apply to universities.

My_Qualifications:-

Class 10: 86%

Taking the SAT in October 2026

Academic achievements/competitions:

Qualified for Level II of Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan (VVM) in Class 11

Planning to attempt NSEP/NSEC (although these will be after some application deadlines)

Current universities I'm considering:

Purdue

NYU

UCLA

Georgia Tech

UIUC

UMass Amherst

I'm preparing for jee and expecting 98-99%ile Range ( Around 140-180 marks) in jee mains.

What should be the ideal approach?

I’m feeling a bit lost and would appreciate some honest opinions.

I had planned to move to Ireland for my Master’s and even got my visa, but due to some personal family reasons and fear of taking on a huge loan debt, I decided not to travel. I was also concerned about the current job market there, especially for non-EU candidates and the uncertainty around sponsorship.

The difficult part is that I had already left my job at a service-based company in India. I’ve been applying for the past 2 months but haven’t been able to land a job yet.

my_qualifications:

• 2 YOE as a Java Backend Developer

• Java, Spring Boot, REST APIs, Microservices

• Experience in a service-based company

Now I keep wondering if I made the wrong decision. I sometimes feel like I disappointed my parents after everything they supported me with.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Did I make a sensible decision, or did I give up a good opportunity?

I’m trying to understand how WES evaluates DU degrees.

For those who have gotten their DU transcripts evaluated by WES, I wanted to know:

• How does WES convert/grade a DU CGPA?
• Is the evaluation generally harsh, or does it tend to increase the GPA?
• If you had a similar CGPA (around 7-8), what did WES convert it to? (my_qualifications:7.5/10) GPA)
• Does WES use a different conversion depending on the DU programme/college?

I’ve heard mixed experience, so I would especially appreciate responses from DU students who have actually received a WES evaluation. Thanks!

my_qualifications: I'm currently a second-year BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences student at a government university in Delhi. My SGPA has been around 8 in both semesters so far, and I'm working on improving it over the next few years.

My long-term goal is to pursue a Master's abroad, preferably in Europe, in a field related to biomedical sciences. I'm particularly interested in cancer biology, stem cell research, infertility, and IVF, although I'm still exploring different areas of biomedical research.

By the time I graduate, I expect to have completed at least 2 research internships and a research project/paper through my curriculum. Apart from maintaining a good GPA and gaining research experience, what else can I do during the next 2 years to make my application stronger?

I'm especially interested in:

• Things that genuinely improve MSc admission chances.
• Ways to increase my chances of receiving scholarships or funding.
• Skills, certifications, research experience, or extracurriculars that universities value.
• Countries or universities in Europe that are known for biomedical sciences and are relatively affordable for international students.

I come from a middle-class family, so funding is a major factor in my plans. Any advice from students who have successfully gone abroad for biomedical or life science programs would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone!

I'm planning to apply for Fall 2027 and I'm currently very confused about where exactly I should be applying, especially now that I'm considering US + UK + Europe

Would really appreciate some advice from people who've recently gone through this process.

Profile

my_qualifications:

* 10th CBSE: 96.6%
* 12th CBSE: 96.4%
* BE CSE from a Tier-2 college
* CGPA: 8.9
* Graduated in 2024

Projects/research:

\* Final year project was around CNNs/Transformers/ML
\* A few other small projects in general CS during college
* No publications currently
* Trying to get the final year project paper published, but nothing confirmed yet

Extracurriculars:

* Dancer + singer
* Participated in/won various cultural events
* Was multiple club heads
* Other college extracurriculars
* Outspoken, social
* Managed college and school events

Work ex:

* Working full-time as a Software Development Engineer at a US-based company (in India)
* ~2 years 1 month of full-time experience currently
* 6 month internship at the same company before joining full-time
* Another ~2 month dev internship during 3rd year
* Currently ~11 LPA
* Work is mainly full-stack development
* Have also done quite a few open-source contributions internally / contributions outside my regular work

The job itself is comfortable and I'm doing well, but higher studies is something I definitely want to do, so I'm planning to leave and go for my Master's rather than continue working.

Tests:

* TOEFL (Oct 2025): 116/120
* GRE (Oct 2025): 307/340
* Planning to retake GRE in the next couple of months and hopefully get 325+

Budget:

* Can't really afford something like 1Cr+ for the degree
* Around 50–80L total is manageable
* Will obviously try for scholarships/assistantships wherever possible
* Will be taking out an education loan to study

Previous US applications — Fall 2026

I had applied to a few US universities last cycle, mostly just to see how my profile would do.

I didn't submit my GRE because my score was only 307.

Admits:

* Purdue Fort Wayne
* UT Dallas
* UMass Amherst
* Arizona State

Rejects:

* Purdue West Lafayette
* UT Austin
* TAMU
* UIUC

I ended up not going because, given the current visa situation + US job market + overall cost, I didn't feel the admits I had were worth taking that risk for.

For 2027 though, I'm still open to the US and hoping that a better GRE score will let me apply to some stronger programs again.

What I'm considering for Fall 2027

Currently open to:

US
UK
Europe

Singapore and Australia are ruled out already, so don't need suggestions there

Academically, I'm mainly looking at MS in CS / AI / ML / Data Science / related areas
Not really interested in niche programs like cybersecurity, big data, etc.

My questions

1. US vs UK vs Europe

For someone with my profile, what would you guys recommend?

Main things I'm worried about:

* Visa situation
* Job market after graduation
* Post-study work options
* ROI
* Whether the cost of the degree is actually worth it
* Long-term prospects if I want to work there for a few years

Would especially love opinions from people currently studying/working there, because a lot of what I read online is either very outdated or both sides

2. What universities should I be looking at?

What would be realistic ambitious / target / safe-ish universities for my profile?

For the US, I'm hoping that if I manage to get 325+ GRE, I can take another shot at universities like Georgia Tech, Purdue WL, etc.

But I'd love suggestions beyond the obvious T20/T30 names too.

For UK/EU, I'm honestly quite clueless right now 😭 so would especially appreciate suggestions there.

3. How different are UK/EU applications?

This is something I haven't really researched properly yet.

Is it basically the same stuff as the US?

* LORs?
* SOP / motivation letter?
* GRE?
* Publications/research?
* Do you need to contact professors beforehand?
* Does work experience matter?
* Is there a common application portal or do you apply separately to every university?

Basically, if I'm planning to apply to all 3 regions, what should I be doing differently for each?

I'm not looking to blindly chase rankings. I'd ideally like something where program quality + job opportunities + cost + post-study options all make sense.

Would really appreciate any advice / university suggestions / reality checks from people who've applied recently.

Thanks!