Invest In Your Future
By enrolling in our graduate-level programs, you'll be investing in your professional growth to broaden the scope of your career. We know this is a significant investment. Not just for you, but for your family as well.
Fellowship Opportunities
All students who submit their application by the priority deadline will receive a partial fellowship to help offset the cost of tuition. If admitted to the program, the amount of your award will be communicated with your admissions letter.
Students who submit after the priority deadline may be eligible for any remaining fellowships that are still available. But we highly encourage you to apply by the priority deadline if you are interested in a fellowship award.
In addition, Carnegie Mellon alumni are eligible for a fellowship to the Graduate Certificate in AI Engineering Fundamentals worth up to 20% of tuition. Indicate your alumni status within the application to be eligible.
So, what is the investment per course?
Below is a tuition breakdown for the AI Engineering Fundamentals and the Advanced AI Models for Engineering certificates during the 2025/2026 academic year:
Graduate Certificate in AI Engineering Fundamentals
| Semester | Course | Units | Investment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fall 2025 |
Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence for Engineers |
12 units |
$8,484 |
|
Spring 2026 |
Introduction to Deep Learning |
12 units |
$8,484 |
|
Total Investment |
$16,968 |
||
Graduate Certificate in Advanced AI Models for Engineering
| Semester | Course | Units | Investment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
A |
Advanced AI Models for Engineering |
12 units |
$8,484 |
|
B |
Generative AI with Applications |
12 units |
$8,484 |
|
Total Investment |
$16,968 |
||
Additional Fees & Notes
- For each certificate, a technology fee of approximately $245 will be assessed each semester (subject to change).
- The rates above are for the 2025/2026 academic year only. If the certificates are not completed within that time frame, tuition may increase slightly for the following academic year.
Monthly Payment Plan
CMU provides a monthly payment option, managed by Nelnet Campus Commerce, designed to help students spread out tuition payments into manageable monthly installments. This plan also offers the ease of online enrollment. Should you be admitted and choose to join us, we recommend registering for this plan early to fully benefit from the range of payment options available.
Payment Plan in Action
Meet John - he plans to start the program in the Fall and was awarded a $1,000 fellowship per course. Here's an example of what his tuition breakdown could look like with a payment plan:
| FALL | |
|
Description |
Tuition or Fee |
|
Course: ML & AI for Engineers |
$8,484 |
|
Less Fellowship |
-$1,000 |
|
Technology Fee |
$245 |
|
Payment Plan Enrollment Fee |
$45 |
|
Remaining Tuition & Fees Due |
$7,774 |
|
20% Down Payment - Due Aug. 20 |
$1,554.80 |
|
Payment #1 - Due Sept. 1 |
$1,554.80 |
|
Payment #2 - Due Oct. 1 |
$1,554.80 |
|
Payment #3 - Due Nov. 1 |
$1,554.80 |
|
Payment #4 - Due Dec. 1 |
$1,554.80 |
By taking advantage of the monthly payment plan option, Jake can break tuition into smaller installments that he can pay throughout the semester.
Please note: Nelnet payment plans do not carry over from one semester to the next. Therefore, students must re-enroll and establish a new payment plan at the beginning of each semester.
Financial Aid & Private Loans
Students pursuing a graduate certificate are not eligible to receive federal financial aid. However, private loans are a viable alternative to consider with competitive interest rates and borrower benefits. See FastChoice, a free loan comparison service to easily research options.
Employer Tuition Reimbursement
Using your company tuition reimbursement benefit can help to significantly offset the cost of tuition, especially if you start in the fall and your tuition plan restarts every calendar year.
Tuition Benefits in Action
Meet Jordan - she plans to start the program in the Fall and was awarded a $1,000 fellowship per course. Her company provides $5,000 in tuition reimbursement per calendar year. Here's an example of what her tuition breakdown could look like for the whole program with tuition reimbursement benefits:
| FALL | |
|
Description |
Tuition or Fee |
|
Course: ML & AI for Engineers |
$8,484 |
|
Less Fellowship |
-$1,000 |
|
Technology Fee |
$245 |
|
Tuition Reimbursement |
-$5,000 |
|
Remaining Tuition & Fees Due |
$2,729 |
| SPRING | |
|
Description |
Tuition or Fee |
|
Course: Intro to Deep Learning |
$8,484 |
|
Less Fellowship |
-$1,000 |
|
Technology Fee |
$245 |
|
Tuition Reimbursement |
-$5,000 |
|
Remaining Tuition & Fees Due |
$2,729 |
As you can see, Jordan is maximizing her tuition reimbursement across two calendar years, resulting in a personal contribution of $5,458. She can also use the payment plan to spread the cost out even further.
Make a Case To Your Employer
If your employer is hesitant about supporting the program, be sure to highlight the value and benefits of completing an online certificate at Carnegie Mellon. You can share that our program:
- Consists of two transcripted, credit-bearing courses (not just continuing education units) taught by full-time Carnegie Mellon professors.
- Will equip you with fundamental skills in AI, machine learning, and deep neural networks from expert faculty at one of the top-ranked engineering programs in the world, renowned for their work in engineering, AI and machine learning.
- Will prepare you for the next wave of innovation in engineering. When you complete the certificates, you’ll be ready to implement AI techniques in your job right from the get-go.
- Are delivered completely online, which means you can take classes on your own time while maintaining your normal work schedule.
Not sure how to approach your employer? Need specific documents to proceed with enrollment? Contact a Program Specialist for assistance. If this is the next step in your professional journey, we’re here to help you realize your dreams.
CMU Employee Tuition Reimbursement
GI Bill Funding
We currently provide GI Bill funding for the AI Engineering Fundamentals online graduate certificate only.* Carnegie Mellon University provides services to veterans and their dependents who are eligible for Veterans Education Benefits under the Montgomery G.I. Bill®, Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program. Please note, our online graduate certificates are not currently eligible for the Yellow Ribbon program.
The process starts with an application directly to Veterans Affairs and once approved, you will provide your Certificate of Eligibility to the Carnegie Mellon Veterans Affairs Coordinator. Contact Information and additional details about the process can be found here.
Students eligible for GI Bill funding may receive scholarship awards prior to full GI Bill funding confirmation. Scholarship awards will be adjusted to reflect GI Bill funding and cannot exceed the cost of tuition/fees.
*We are actively working on approval for the Advanced AI Models for Engineering certificate and will continue to update this website with our progress.