Upgrad Data Science Review 2026: Is It Worth Buying?

Last updated: 13 October 2026 (full refresh; every program re-checked on upGrad’s US site that day). Reviewed by Josh Hutcheson, OnlineCourseing editor. See our review methodology.

upGrad runs no affiliate program we belong to, so links to upgrad.com earn us nothing. Some links to other providers, and to upGrad listings on KnowledgeHut (an upGrad company), are affiliate links: if you enroll through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change our verdict.

upGrad sells three data science programs today: a 6-month certificate and a 12-month diploma from IIIT Bangalore, and an 18-month master’s degree from Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). On upGrad’s US site they cost USD 1,999, USD 4,999 and USD 9,500. This review covers what each one teaches, who can enroll, what learners report, and when a cheaper course does the same job.

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OCTOBER 2026 STATUS CHECK

See upGrad’s data science programs →

Introduction About upGrad And Their Data Science Courses

upGrad is an Indian online education company, founded in 2015, that sells university-branded programs. The university designs or approves the curriculum and awards the credential. upGrad runs the platform, admissions, student support and career services, and handles payment. Its US site states plainly that upGrad does not grant credit: credits are granted by the institution that offers the diploma or degree.

That split matters when you read reviews. Praise usually goes to the content and to named program coordinators. Complaints usually concern what happens around the content: placement support, deferrals and refunds. Both are upGrad’s responsibility, not the university’s.

Which upGrad data science program fits you

Before you speak to an enrollment counselor, decide which row describes you. Counselors are paid to enroll, and several learners on Trustpilot say the promises made before payment did not match the support after it.

Prerequisites Required to Enroll in Upgrad’s Data Science

All three current programs use the same basic rule: a bachelor’s or master’s degree in any discipline with at least 50% aggregate marks or an equivalent CGPA. None requires coding experience. That is the published bar; in practice, admissions shortlists from your application and you reserve a seat by paying a caution amount.

• Executive PG Certificate (6 months): bachelor’s in any discipline, 50% marks. upGrad asks for about 12 to 15 hours of study a week.
• Executive Diploma (12 months): same degree rule. Beginners get a complimentary 3-month math and programming bootcamp before the core starts.
• LJMU MSc (18 months): bachelor’s degree with 50% marks. A complimentary Python programming bootcamp is included.

The marks rule is the one that catches people. One Trustpilot reviewer (August 2026) says they paid a seat reservation of 10,000 rupees before their academic documents were checked, were then told they did not meet the criteria, and did not get the money back. If your marks are close to 50%, ask admissions to confirm eligibility in writing before you pay anything.

How much math and coding do you really need?

You can start with none, but the programs move quickly. The diploma’s first course covers probability, linear algebra and calculus before machine learning. If you have not studied math since school, take a free statistics or Python course first; it will make the paid program far less stressful.

Upgrad’s Masters Of Science On Data Science

The degree is a Master of Science in Data Science from Liverpool John Moores University in the UK. Per upGrad, the first 12 months are taught with IIIT Bangalore and the final 6 months with LJMU, and you finish with an Executive Diploma from IIIT Bangalore along the way. upGrad’s own disclaimer says it is not a dual, joint or twinning degree: the master’s is LJMU’s alone.

upGrad lists recognition by the Institute of Analytics (IOA) and WES on its program pages. If you need the degree for a specific employer, visa or further study, check recognition with that body directly; upGrad’s word is not the final authority.

Masters Of Science On Data Science Cost

upGrad’s US site lists the full 18-month program at USD 9,500 (13 October 2026), up from the $7,499 we recorded in 2021. An optional one-week visit to the LJMU campus costs an extra USD 2,000. In India the fee is set in rupees: one Reddit poster in July 2026 put the total at about 5 lakh rupees, or roughly 24,000 rupees a month on EMI.

Check the LJMU master’s on upGrad →

What it Has to Offer

• A common core of about 25 weeks, then a choice of two specializations with the same time commitment.
• upGrad advertises 12+ capstones, 60+ case studies and 100+ programming and GenAI tools across the program.
• Weekly live sessions with faculty and industry experts, fortnightly group mentorship, and 1:1 coaching.
• Projects built on Indian consumer datasets (upGrad names Namma Yatri ride data and Blinkit purchase data).

Who the master’s suits

It suits a working professional who needs a degree for a reason a certificate cannot satisfy: an employer rule, a pay band, or further study. For a career switch on skills alone, the price is hard to justify. A Reddit commenter on the LJMU program put it bluntly: most of the content exists free from fast.ai, DeepLearning.AI, Coursera and Hugging Face, and you pay mainly for branding and structure. That is a fair summary of the trade.

upGrad’s Executive Diploma in Data Science & AI (IIIT Bangalore)

This is the program upGrad used to call the Executive PG Program in Data Science. It is now an Executive Diploma in Data Science and AI awarded by IIIT Bangalore. After a common core, you pick one of two 16-week specializations, Data Analysis or Data Engineering, and finish with a capstone tailored to that track.

Pricing of the Executive Diploma in Data Science & AI

upGrad’s US site lists it as a 12-month online diploma at USD 4,999 (13 October 2026), the same price we recorded in 2021. Beginners can take the complimentary 3-month math and programming bootcamp first, and upGrad lists one free deferral.

Check the IIIT Bangalore diploma on upGrad →

What it Has to Offer

• Core: advanced math and programming, Python, SQL, statistics, machine learning, and deep learning and NLP fundamentals.
• Data Analysis track: SVMs, Naive Bayes, feature engineering, time series, recommendation systems, explainable AI, Power BI with Copilot, Tableau, machine learning with PySpark, and GenAI and LLM frameworks such as LangChain.
• Data Engineering track: Hadoop, Hive and data ingestion tools, cloud SQL and NoSQL databases, cloud data warehouses (Redshift, BigQuery, Synapse), ETL and ELT pipelines, and pipeline automation on AWS, GCP and Azure.
• Capstone: one project in your chosen domain, plus portfolio work for GitHub and Kaggle.

The 2021 version offered more tracks, including Deep Learning and Natural Language Processing. upGrad no longer lists those as separate specializations.

Executive Post Graduate Certificate in Data Science & AI (IIIT Bangalore)

Course Highlights

This is the shortest route to an IIIT Bangalore credential in data science. It replaced the Advanced Certificate Program in Data Science that this page reviewed in 2021. upGrad lists 300+ hours of learning, 25+ case studies and projects, 20+ live sessions, and a complimentary Python bootcamp.

Thoughts on Course Pricing and Duration

upGrad’s US site lists it at 6 months and USD 1,999 (13 October 2026), with about 12 to 15 hours of study a week and a next start date of 15 November 2026. A certificate is not a degree, so weigh it against the diploma and the master’s if the credential is what matters to your next employer.

Check the IIIT Bangalore certificate on upGrad →

What it Has to Offer

• Python programming, basic and advanced SQL, statistics and exploratory data analysis.
• Basic and advanced machine learning algorithms, plus the GenAI topics upGrad has added to the 2026 page.
• Weekly live doubt-clearing sessions alongside recorded lectures.
• A post graduate certificate from IIIT Bangalore on completion.

Master of Science in Data Science (Chandigarh University)

This section reviewed upGrad’s 2021 listing for Chandigarh University’s online MSc in Data Science. It was not in upGrad’s catalog when we checked on 9 October 2026, and upGrad’s US pages did not mention it on 13 October. Chandigarh University now sells the degree through its own CU Online site: on 9 October the listed fee was INR 1,46,668, or INR 1,10,001 after an early-bird scholarship (INR 27,500 a semester).

It is a 2-year, 4-semester online degree that CU Online describes as UGC-entitled, and Chandigarh University holds an A+ grade from India’s National Assessment and Accreditation Council. Because upGrad no longer sells it, upGrad’s support and career services do not apply; judge it as a CU Online product.

Professional Certificate Program in Data Science for Business Decision Making

This section reviewed upGrad’s 2021 listing of IIM Kozhikode’s data science program for managers. upGrad no longer lists it, and IIM Kozhikode’s December 2024 brochure for its Data Science for Business Decisions program names Jaro Education, not upGrad, for career services. In 2021 upGrad charged $2,999 for the 8-month program.

What upGrad offers with IIM Kozhikode now

On 13 October 2026 upGrad’s US site listed a different IIM Kozhikode program: the Professional Certificate Programme in AI for Business Professionals, marketed as Strategic AI for Business Leaders. It runs 6 months, costs USD 2,500 (or USD 383 a month), includes a 2-day campus immersion at IIM Kozhikode, and asks for a bachelor’s degree plus 3 years of work experience. The next start date listed was 31 December 2026. It teaches managers to use AI in business decisions without coding; it is not a data science program.

What upGrad Learners Say in 2026

We read the 60 newest rated reviews on upGrad’s Trustpilot profile (8 July to 12 October 2026; the profile showed 683 reviews and a 3.7 TrustScore on 13 October) and five Reddit threads about upGrad’s data science and AI programs. The split was 33 five-star, 8 four-star, 4 three-star, 2 two-star and 13 one-star reviews.

Read the five-star reviews with care: many are one-line notes that thank a named staff member, which is a common sign of reviews requested at the end of a support call. The one-star reviews are longer and more specific. On Reddit, a March 2026 thread in r/Indian_Academia asked whether the IIT and IIIT branding is mostly marketing and whether 3 to 4 lakh rupees is worth it; a 2023 master’s graduate credited the foundations and job portal. A May 2026 review of a related IIIT Bangalore AI program said faculty involvement was minimal and live sessions were weak.

One more pattern worth knowing: Reddit threads about upGrad attract replies offering a private referral code by direct message. upGrad does run a referral scheme (its US site advertises up to USD 500 off for the person referred), so a code can be real, but treat unsolicited DM offers as sales, not advice.

Refunds, Deferrals and the Seat Deposit

Read this before you pay anything. upGrad’s FAQ on its US data science pages says you can claim a refund at any time before the program start date by submitting the refund form in the My Application section of your profile. Once the program starts, no refund applies, even if you never completed payment or joined your batch.

• Seat reservation: you reserve a place by paying a caution amount after receiving an offer. Ask whether it is refundable if your documents fail verification.
• Deferral: the diploma lists one free deferral. Other programs charge for deferral or limit when you can request it, so ask before you pay.
• Written promises: if a counselor promises placement support, a deferral or a specialization change, ask for it by email. Several 2026 complaints turn on verbal promises.

Can I Get A Job With Upgrad’s Data Science Course

You can, but the course alone will not get you the job. upGrad sells career services with its programs: mock interviews, resume and LinkedIn feedback, 1:1 coaching and access to its job portal. None of the data science programs guarantees a placement, and placement support is the most common subject of one-star reviews.

The market itself is healthy. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics put the median annual wage for data scientists at $120,230 in May 2025 and projects employment to grow 35 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 24,800 openings a year. Entry-level roles are still competitive, and hiring managers look at projects first: a capstone you can explain in an interview will do more for you than the certificate.

• Job assistance: access to upGrad’s job portal and hiring opportunities; ask which companies actually hired from your program last year.
• Interview preparation: mock interviews with industry practitioners.
• Resume feedback: reviews of your resume and LinkedIn profile.
• Career coaching: 1:1 high-performance coaching, listed on the master’s.

If you are changing careers without a degree, read our guide to becoming a data scientist without a degree and our look at whether data science is a good career before you spend lakhs on a program.

Some Benefits of Upgrad’s Data Science Courses

• A university credential (IIIT Bangalore or LJMU) on a schedule built for working professionals.
• Live sessions, deadlines and a coordinator, which help people who do not finish self-paced courses.
• Free beginner bootcamps in math and Python before the core content starts.
• Projects built on real Indian business datasets, useful for a portfolio aimed at Indian employers.

The drawbacks to weigh

• Price: the certificate and diploma cost several times more than equivalent Coursera or Udacity programs.
• No refund after the start date, and deferrals are limited.
• Placement support that many learners say fell short of what was promised.
• The university brand does a lot of the selling, while learners report limited direct faculty involvement on some programs.

upGrad vs Cheaper Data Science Options

If the credential is not the point, these cover the same core skills for much less. Prices and details checked on each provider’s page on 13 October 2026.

The IBM certificate is rated 4.6 across 151,273 course reviews on Coursera and needs no prior experience. Udacity’s Data Scientist Nanodegree is rated 4.8 from 814 reviews but is labeled advanced. For more choices, see our best data science courses, our IBM Data Science certificate review, the Udacity Data Analyst Nanodegree review and our list of online master’s degrees in data science.

See the IBM Data Science certificate →

Conclusion

upGrad’s data science programs are a reasonable choice if you need a university credential and the structure of live classes and deadlines. The LJMU master’s is the strongest product here: a UK degree for USD 9,500. The IIIT Bangalore certificate and diploma are harder to justify on price, because the same skills are available for much less.

Whichever program you choose, get the fee, the start date, the refund terms and any placement promises in writing before you pay a seat deposit. If you mostly want the skills, start with a cheaper course and come back to upGrad only if you need the credential. We also review upGrad’s product management certificate, its full stack development program and the withdrawn upGrad Deakin MBA. For machine learning, deep learning and Python study, see our machine learning courses, deep learning courses and Python courses.

upGrad data science FAQ

Is the upGrad data science course worth it?

It depends on which program and what you need the credential for. The LJMU master’s (USD 9,500 on upGrad’s US site) is a real UK degree at a fraction of on-campus cost, which is its main case. The 6-month certificate (USD 1,999) and 12-month diploma (USD 4,999) teach material you can learn for far less on Coursera or Udacity; you pay mainly for IIIT Bangalore’s name, live sessions, deadlines and career services. If you only want the skills, cheaper options win. If you need a university credential and structure, upGrad is a reasonable route, provided you read the refund terms before paying.

How much does upGrad’s data science course cost?

On upGrad’s US site on 13 October 2026: USD 1,999 for the 6-month Executive Post Graduate Certificate in Data Science and AI (IIIT Bangalore), USD 4,999 for the 12-month Executive Diploma in Data Science and AI (IIIT Bangalore), and USD 9,500 for the 18-month Master of Science in Data Science from Liverpool John Moores University, plus an optional USD 2,000 campus week. Indian learners pay in rupees; one Reddit poster in July 2026 put the LJMU master’s at about 5 lakh rupees.

Is the upGrad LJMU master’s degree a real degree?

Yes. The degree is awarded by Liverpool John Moores University, a UK public university. Per upGrad, the first 12 months are taught with IIIT Bangalore and the last 6 months with LJMU, and upGrad states it is not a dual, joint or twinning degree. upGrad itself grants no credit: its site says credits are granted by the institution that awards the qualification.

Do I need coding experience for upGrad’s data science programs?

No. All three current programs accept a bachelor’s degree in any discipline with at least 50% marks (or equivalent CGPA), and each includes a free programming bootcamp for beginners. You still need to put in 12 to 15 hours a week, and learners on Trustpilot say the pace is tight for people with no technical background.

Does upGrad guarantee a job after the data science course?

No. upGrad sells career support (mock interviews, resume feedback, a job portal and coaching), but none of its data science programs guarantees placement. Several one-star Trustpilot reviews from July to October 2026 say placement support did not match what the enrollment counselor described, so ask admissions to put the exact services in writing.

Can I get a refund from upGrad?

upGrad’s FAQ on its data science pages says you can claim a refund any time before the program start date through the My Application section of your profile, and that no refund applies once the program has started. Read the full policy for your program, including any caution money or processing fee, before you pay a seat deposit.

What is the difference between upGrad’s certificate, diploma and master’s?

Length, depth and credential. The certificate is 6 months and covers Python, SQL, statistics and core machine learning. The diploma is 12 months and adds a specialization (Data Analysis or Data Engineering) and a capstone. The master’s is 18 months and ends in an LJMU MSc, which is the only one of the three that is an academic degree.

Does upGrad offer an IIM Kozhikode program?

Not the old Data Science for Business Decision Making program, which upGrad no longer lists. On 13 October 2026 upGrad’s US site listed IIM Kozhikode’s Professional Certificate Programme in AI for Business Professionals (marketed as Strategic AI for Business Leaders): 6 months, USD 2,500 or USD 383 a month, a 2-day campus immersion, and a bachelor’s degree plus 3 years of work experience required.

Is data science still a good career in 2026?

The demand data is still strong. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics put the median data scientist wage at $120,230 in May 2025 and projects 35 percent employment growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 24,800 openings a year. Entry-level hiring is more competitive than those numbers suggest, so a portfolio of real projects matters more than any certificate.