Cybersecurity sits at the center of USF's most deliberate recent academic bet: in 2025, the university launched the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Computing, consolidating and expanding its computing programs under a single college with a name built around AI and security specifically. USF is a Carnegie R1 "very high research activity" institution with nearly 50,000 students, and its MS in Cybersecurity now runs inside a college explicitly positioned to compete for students who might otherwise default to a bigger-name computing program elsewhere. For international applicants, the appeal is straightforward — a genuine research university, a fast-growing and well-resourced department, and a field (cybersecurity) with some of the strongest OPT and STEM-OPT outcomes available to international graduates in the US.
This guide covers exactly what it takes to get into USF's MS in Cybersecurity — acceptance rate realities, real costs, requirements, English-test rules, and what the program leads to.
Acceptance Rate
USF does not publish a program-level acceptance rate for the MS in Cybersecurity, and it's worth being direct about why: USF's graduate admissions are run in a decentralized way, with acceptance rates varying meaningfully by college and department rather than following one university-wide figure.
- USF undergraduate acceptance rate is approximately 43% — useful context for USF's overall selectivity, but not a substitute for a graduate, department-specific figure.
- USF graduate acceptance rate (university-wide) is not published as a single number; USF's own guidance explicitly warns applicants against treating any online-cited "graduate acceptance rate" as reliable, since it varies enormously program to program.
- Cybersecurity, as a newly consolidated flagship offering of the 2025-launched Bellini College, is likely to draw a growing and increasingly competitive applicant pool as the college builds its reputation, though there's no published data yet to quantify that trend.
Bottom line: there is no honest single number to cite for MS Cybersecurity specifically. Treat USF as a genuinely accessible research university relative to elite private programs, while expecting the Bellini College's newer, higher-profile programs to become more selective over time as enrollment demand catches up to the college's 2025 launch.
Fees and Cost of Attendance
USF's MS in Cybersecurity is billed at USF's standard international graduate rate:
| Cost Item | Amount (USD/year) |
|---|---|
| Tuition (international graduate rate) | $16,591 |
| Estimated living expenses | $14,000 |
| Total estimated cost of attendance | $30,591 |
Over the full two-year MS, this puts total sticker-price cost at roughly $61,000 before any funding — a genuinely affordable figure relative to most private US master's programs in computing or security, and USF's application fee is $30.
Admission Requirements
USF's graduate admission runs through a standard application process, with the important caveat that requirements can vary by specific program within the Bellini College:
- Graduate application via USF's admissions portal
- Official transcripts showing a completed bachelor's degree with a B average (3.0/4.0 GPA) or equivalent
- Statement of purpose / personal statement
- Letters of recommendation (number varies by program)
- Resume/CV
- English proficiency test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, Duolingo, or Cambridge English) unless exempt
- GRE: not required university-wide for USF graduate admission (USF's published minimum reference score, where submitted, sits around Verbal 153), though individual programs can set their own policy — confirm directly with the Bellini College before applying
USF's graduate intakes run on a rolling, program-specific basis, generally opening applications between January and July for a Fall start, and September to November for Spring. Because Bellini College is a newly formed college, applicants should confirm current deadlines directly on the college's own admissions page rather than relying on university-wide date ranges.
How to Get Into USF's MS in Cybersecurity
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Treat the Bellini College's 2025 launch as a signal, not a formality. A newly consolidated college built explicitly around AI, cybersecurity, and computing suggests real institutional investment — a strong statement of purpose that references the program's specific security tracks or faculty research will read as more serious than a generic "I want to study cybersecurity" pitch.
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Build a transcript and resume that show hands-on technical depth, not just coursework. Certifications (Security+, CySA+, OSCP-track work), relevant internships, or applied projects (network defense labs, CTF competitions) carry real weight in a security-specific application.
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Confirm program-specific GRE policy before assuming it's optional. USF's general graduate policy doesn't require the GRE, but Bellini College programs can set their own standard — check the current Cybersecurity program page directly rather than assuming the university-wide default applies.
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Get recommendation letters from people who can speak to technical or research ability, ideally a professor or manager who directly supervised security-relevant or systems-level technical work.
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Apply early in your target program's window. Because Bellini College programs run on rolling, program-specific deadlines rather than one fixed date, submitting a complete file early avoids losing a preferred intake to capacity constraints as the college's newer programs grow in popularity.
English Proficiency Requirement (IELTS/TOEFL)
USF's graduate English-proficiency policy applies to the MS in Cybersecurity:
| Test | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 overall | 7.0 |
| TOEFL iBT | 79 (before Jan 21, 2026); scaled minimum of 4.5 on the redesigned test from that date | 90 |
| PTE Academic | 53 | — |
| Duolingo English Test | 110 | — |
Scores must be within two years of your intended entry term. Waivers apply for applicants who complete equivalent freshman/sophomore composition courses (ENC 101 and ENC 102) with a B or higher at a US regionally accredited institution; Cambridge FCE/B2 First (176), C1 Advanced (180), and C2 Proficiency (200) are also accepted. Note that this graduate policy is materially different from USF's unusual undergraduate rule (which doesn't accept IELTS/TOEFL at all) — graduate applicants, including Cybersecurity applicants, follow the standard test-based path described here. USF does not publicly advertise a formal conditional-admission or English-bridge pathway at the graduate level, so plan to meet the minimum directly. For general USF admissions context, see the University of South Florida guide.
Career Outcomes
USF does not publish a program-level employment rate or starting salary for MS Cybersecurity graduates specifically, but USF's broader graduate outcomes and regional employer base give a useful proxy:
- USF's graduate-level top recruiters include Moffitt Cancer Center, Raymond James, Deloitte, Duke Energy, USAA, and MITRE — MITRE in particular is a nationally significant employer in cybersecurity and federal systems security, making it a genuinely relevant name for this specific program rather than a generic university-wide statistic.
- Cybersecurity remains one of the strongest OPT and STEM-OPT fields for international graduates nationally, given the discipline's inherent STEM classification and persistent US employer demand.
- USF's Tampa Bay location places graduates near a real concentration of defense contractors, financial-services firms (Raymond James, USAA), and healthcare systems (Moffitt Cancer Center) that all maintain substantial cybersecurity hiring needs.
Because the Bellini College is new, expect USF's cybersecurity-specific outcomes reporting to mature over the next few admissions cycles — the program's current strength is best evidenced by the regional employer base and the university's R1 research standing rather than a long track record of published program-level statistics.
FAQ
Does USF publish an acceptance rate for the MS in Cybersecurity? No. USF does not release a program-level acceptance rate for Cybersecurity, and its graduate acceptance rate is not published as a single university-wide figure since it varies significantly by program. The undergraduate rate (~43%) is a general USF-selectivity reference point only.
Is the GRE required for USF's MS in Cybersecurity? Not required university-wide, but confirm directly with the Bellini College, since individual graduate programs can set their own testing policy independent of the general USF rule.
What IELTS or TOEFL score do I need for USF's MS in Cybersecurity? The standard USF graduate minimum applies: IELTS 6.5 overall or TOEFL iBT 79 (before January 21, 2026), with PTE Academic 53 and Duolingo 110 also accepted. Scores must be within two years of your intended entry term.
How much does USF's MS in Cybersecurity cost? Tuition is $16,591/year for international students, with total estimated cost of attendance around $30,591/year — roughly $61,000 for the full two-year program before any funding.
What is the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Computing? It's USF's 2025-launched college consolidating its AI, cybersecurity, and computing programs, including the MS in Cybersecurity, signaling a deliberate institutional push into these fields with strong OPT and STEM-OPT relevance for international graduates.
Does USF offer funding for Cybersecurity master's students? USF's general graduate funding comes primarily through departmental teaching and research assistantships, which typically include a stipend and full or partial tuition remission; these are competitive and awarded by the department rather than guaranteed university-wide.