Tuition & Financial Aid
Financial Information
Our longstanding history of success — of our academic and research programs, our student games, our faculty, and our alumni — demonstrates the value of our program.
We've been doing this far longer, and better, than our competitors, and the testimonials of our alumni and of industry confirm that a ETC education outperforms the rest.
By studying with us, you get to reap the benefits of 20+ years of a uniquely collaborative curriculum, industry relationships and partnerships, faculty with hundreds of title credits and awards to their names, cutting-edge facilities, and the assurance that whatever you make here will be yours to keep – the intellectual property rights always belong to our students, not to the ETC.
As we recognize the ETC is a significant investment, our Student Services staff is here to support you as you assess your financial options and to help make the process as seamless as possible. Learn more about how financial aid works for CMU graduate programs on the Student Financial Services website.
2025–2026 Tuition & Fees
| Category | Total Cost for Academic Year |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $59,400 |
| Student Activities Fee | $244 |
| Living Expenses - Housing | $13,680 |
| Living Expenses - Food | $8,032 |
| Books and Supplies | $2,212 |
| Health Insurance | $3,258 |
| Personal and Miscellaneous | $3,800 |
| Travel Allowance | $1,628 |
| Transportation Fee | $282 |
| Technology Fee | $480 |
| Estimated Loan Fees* | $1,500 |
| Total Cost of Attendance | $94,516 |
*For students who borrow federal loans.
Last updated June 1, 2025. Most recent tuition and fees are available on the Student Financial Services website.
Financial Aid
The ETC offers a limited number of merit scholarships outside of the ETC Fellowship Fund. All students who apply to the ETC will automatically be considered for these scholarships through the regular application process and recipients are notified when they are admitted.
On average, these scholarships are valued at $10,000 a year and are initially granted for one year of study; they may be renewed for a second year based on academic performance.
The ETC Fellowship Fund is sponsored by Schell Games with the goal of promoting inclusive excellence at the ETC. Founder and CEO of Schell Games, Jesse Schell, is a Distinguished Professor of the Practice at the ETC and has been part of the faculty since 2002.
It’s preferred that the Fund support students who are of under-privileged socioeconomic status; who are from underrepresented geographic areas; who grew up in single-parent households; and/or who were first in their families to attend college.
The recipient will receive a full tuition scholarship for the first year of study, and the award will be renewed for the second year of study if the student remains in good academic standing.
Admitted students interested in applying for this Fellowship must complete an additional application. Please contact Rebecca Lombardi with questions.
There are many organizations that offer scholarships outside of what the ETC can offer. You can find a more comprehensive list of opportunities on the CMU Fellowships and Scholarships website, but below is a list of scholarships that some of our students have applied for and received in the past:
- AAUW International Fellowship - fellowship for female international students pursuing full-time study or research in the United States
- Native Forward Graduate Fund - funding opportunities for students with tribal citizenship
- Great Minds in STEM - fellowship opportunities for graduate students with Hispanic heritage, or individuals who have demonstrated significant service in underserved communities
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund - scholarship program to assist students of Hispanic heritage in obtaining higher education, including graduate students
- International Peace Scholarship Fund - scholarship for international female students pursuing graduate study in the United States
- National GEM Consortium - fellowships for individuals from underrepresented communities pursuing graduate study in applied science and engineering
- Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans - fellowships for immigrants and children of immigrants pursuing graduate study
- IELTS USA Andrea Scott International Graduate Scholarship - scholarship for international students admitted to pursue graduate study at a US university