Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust PhD Level: Postgraduate research Subject: Computing and Informatics Year of entry: 2026 Study options Full-time PhD | 3 years | Start date: multiple dates Key facts School School of Informatics College College of Science and Engineering Programme website Programme website PhD by Distance Not available School location Central Area Apply now 19 to 21 November 2025: Postgraduate Virtual Open Days Join us live to explore postgraduate taught and research study at Edinburgh and gain key insights before you apply. Register now Overview About the degree programme The increasing reliance of systems and services on information technology in the public, private and third sector has significantly raised the impact of cyber attacks in the last two decades.This PhD programme in Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust is a response to the growing need for highly specialized research and training in these topics. Cyber security and resiliency is a complex problem that requires designing and understanding underlying technologies but also how business processes, cost, usability, trust and the law play a role for effective technology deployment.The aim of this PhD programme is to provide students with research training in specialised topics of security, privacy and trust, helping produce the next generation of world-leading experts of the field. ReputationThe University of Edinburgh consistently ranks top 30 globally for Computer Science.The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 ranked our School 1st in the UK for research power in Computer Science and Informatics. This means you will learn from experts at the forefront of their fields, undertaking cutting-edge research in a wide range of areas.EnvironmentYou will be part of a large, vibrant department with around 1,750 students across undergraduate, masters and research programmes and 150 academic staff.You will study in the heart of Edinburgh city centre, regularly voted as one of the most desirable places to live in the world, and one of the UK’s fastest-growing tech hubs. Studying my PhD has been incredibly rewarding, both academically and personally. At the end of my first year, with the support of my colleagues and supervisors, I had the opportunity to present my paper at IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy in San Francisco. This experience not only broadened my perspective but also enabled me to connect with researchers from around the world. The community here is welcoming, brilliant, and forward-thinking. The faculty are deeply committed to helping students achieve their research and career goals, making this a truly empowering environment for educational and professional growth. Piao Lawrence 3rd Year Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust PhD student Applying How to apply Before applying, make sure you identify either an advertised project or a supervisor. This is a prerequisite, and we are unlikely to consider applications submitted speculatively with neither of these elements.Finding a supervisorProject-related studentshipsYou must submit an application through the EUCLID application portal and provide the required information and documentation.We only progress complete applications to the academic selection stage.FAQs for postgraduate research applicants When to apply Applications are now open and can be submitted all year round. To be considered for School of Informatics funding, you must apply by one of the following deadlines:RoundApplication deadlinePlaces awarded124 November 2025by 30 April 20262TBC by 30 April 2026Submit your completed application at least three months before your desired entry date. If you need an ATAS certificate, you must submit your application at least six months before your desired entry date. Application fee There is no fee to apply to this programme. What you need to apply As part of your online application, you will need to provide: a personal statementrelevant knowledge/training skillsthe name of a proposed supervisorYou will also need to upload the following documents:a Curriculum Vitae (CV)a research proposal (three to five pages long, unless a specific project provides different guidelines)degree certificates and official transcripts for all completed and in-progress degrees (plus certified translations if academic documents are not issued in English)contact details for two academic references Apply Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for. Select programme - Select a programme -PhD Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust (3 years) After you apply The Informatics Graduate School receives a lot of applications, and you will need to be proactive in keeping up to date with the progress of your application. Checking your application statusOnce your application is submitted, you will receive your login credentials to access your Applicant Hub on the email address you indicated as your 'Correspondence' email. This can happen either immediately after you submit your application, or at any point up to 5 working days afterwards. You must log in to create your account and check whether any documents are missing (and read any notes from the admissions team).Decisions (rejection or offer) will be sent through your Applicant Hub only.Additionally, you may be required to complete a Fee Status Questionnaire, which will be accessible through your Applicant Hub. Post online application helpFee Status questionnaire Academic Technology Approval Scheme If you need to apply for a student visa, you may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme clearance certificate in order to study this programme. Academic Technology Approval Scheme Funding, fees and costs Funding Most PhD students in Informatics receive full scholarships to cover their tuition fees and living costs.Others may use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:scholarshipsborrowing moneytaking out a loanfamily supportpersonal savingsincome from workemployer sponsorshipExplore sources of funding for postgraduate study Featured fundingSchool of Informatics scholarships for research studentsResearch scholarships for international studentsSome University and School scholarships require separate applications through the Scholarships portal. Search for other funding opportunities You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.Postgraduate funding opportunities Tuition fees Tuition fees by award and duration Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year. Full-time PhD Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust (3 years) tuition fees Graduate discount If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.Find out how to receive your graduate discount Costs Accommodation and living costs You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.We estimate that you might spend £1,167 to £2,330 per month if you are a single student.Living costs include:foodutility billstravel, clothes, books and stationeryrecreational costs (for example, TV subscriptions and social events)Living costsAccommodation costs depend on where you live while studying and the type of accommodation you choose.University postgraduate accommodation options and costs Entry requirements These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026. Qualifications A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in computer science, mathematics, linguistics, or a related discipline. A Masters degree or equivalent, in information security, cyber security or a closely related discipline is recommended. International qualifications To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list. Where you studied - Select a country or region -AfghanistanAlbaniaAngolaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCôte d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDemocratic Republic of CongoDenmarkDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFinlandFranceGabonThe GambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGuatemalaGuineaHaitiHondurasHong Kong-SAR ChinaHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKorea, Republic ofKuwaitLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLithuaniaLuxembourgMacau-SAR ChinaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMauritiusMexicoMoldovaMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNepalNetherlands, TheNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPacific IslandsPakistanPalestinian TerritoriesPanamaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTajikistanTaiwanTanzaniaThailandTogoTrinidad and TobagoTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States of AmericaUruguayUzbekistanVenezuelaVietnamWest Indies and CaribbeanZambiaZimbabweMy country or region is not listed English language requirements You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:an English language testa degree that was taught and assessed in Englishcertain professional qualifications English language tests we accept We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher: IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements. TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements. C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component. Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components. Oxford ELLT: total 7 with at least 6 in each component. Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 145 with at least 135 in each component. How old your English language tests can be Tests no more than two years oldThe following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:IELTS AcademicTOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)Trinity ISEOxford ELLTOxford Test of English AdvancedTests no more than three and a half years oldAll other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality. Degrees taught and assessed in English We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.UKVI list of majority English speaking countriesWe also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).Approved universities in non-MESCHow old your degree can beIf you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country. Find out more about our English language requirements Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.English language requirements Programme details Research profile The University of Edinburgh has been recognised as a UK Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research. This is based on the amount and quality of its research output, as well as its level of PhD training. Our research community Within the School of Informatics, the Security, Privacy and Trust Group includes academic staff who lead research in a range of technical and socio-technical areas of cyber security. Staff also supervise PhD students on this programme.Security, Privacy and Trust Group Programme structure The PhD in Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust trains you as a researcher and allows you to develop advanced techniques and in-depth knowledge in a specialist area. You will develop an all-round knowledge of your discipline and a broad range of transferable skills.You will carry out independent research, resulting in an original contribution to knowledge in your chosen area, working under the guidance of your supervisors.The prescribed period of study is 36 months if studying full-time, or between 48 and 72 months if studying part-time.Year 1 of PhD studies is probationary. Your supervisor will identify your training needs, if any, and invite you to attend lectures relevant to your research topic. These lectures may be selected from those offered to MSc students or may be specialist courses and seminars organised by the School's various research groupings.Towards the end of Year 1, you will be expected to submit a thesis proposal which:identifies a specific research topicreviews the relevant literatureoutlines a plan of research to address the topicdescribes progress made so farProgress during your PhD is assessed by annual reviews, which formally determine whether you can progress with your PhD. You will be required to complete and pass a PhD annual review at the end of each year of study, and we expect you to submit your thesis at the end of Year 3. Following thesis submission, you will be required to attend an oral examination (or viva) which will be conducted by an external and internal examiner. Find out the aims and structure for each year of study on this programme. Full-time PhD Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust (3 years) (2025-2026) We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative. Work placements and internships Many postgraduate research students in the School of Informatics undertake at least one optional internship during their PhD, gaining important transferable skills while working with companies, public or third sector organisations.The School of Informatics maintains a range of connections to potential employers in the cyber security and other sectors. Work placements or internships are considered a valuable aspect of research training as they expose students to an applied research culture, and can provide valuable contacts for future job searches. Support You will carry out your research under the guidance of a primary supervisor and at least one other secondary or co-supervisor. You will be expected to attend seminars and meetings of relevant research groups and may also attend lectures that are relevant to your research topic. Periodic reviews of your progress will be conducted to assist with research planning.A programme of transferable skills courses will be offered, which facilitates broader professional development in a wide range of topics, from writing and presentation skills to entrepreneurship and career strategies. Facilities The award-winning Informatics Forum is an international research facility for computing and related areas. It houses more than 400 research staff and students, providing office, meeting and social spaces.Among other research facilities, the Forum also contains:several robotics labsan instrumented multimedia roomeye-tracking and motion capture systemsa full recording studioIts spectacular atrium plays host to many events, from industry showcases and student hackathons to major research conferences.Nearby teaching facilities include computer and teaching labs with more than 250 machines, 24-hour access to IT facilities for students and comprehensive support provided by dedicated computing staff.There are further specific facilities to support aspects of cyber security research, including an Internet of Things Lab and a Network Security Lab. The Blockchain Technology Lab is a research lab supporting investigations into distributed ledger technology.Among our wider entrepreneurial initiatives is Informatics Ventures, set up to support globally ambitious software companies in Scotland and nurture a technology cluster to rival Boston, Pittsburgh, Kyoto and Silicon Valley. Careers Career opportunities There is high demand for security and privacy experts in industry, academia and the public sector. Commercially, there is also a large variety of opportunities in both small and large companies.Previous PhD graduates associated with the Security and Privacy Group have gone on to employment in industry with companies including:ION GeophysicalIntelDisney ResearchAmazonRicohSamsungNASAGoogleMicrosoftBBCFacebook6point6AimBrainFiveAIDeutsche BankStudents have also gone on to be employed within academia, at institutions, including:UCLPlymouthTU DelftUniversity of OxfordUniversity of BristolUniversity of OldenburgUniversity of AucklandUniversity of BirminghamUniversity of SurreyUniversity of MunichCambridge UniversityQueen’s University BelfastTsinghua UniversityLancaster University Careers Service Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. With the Careers Service, you can: access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengthstry different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you developget help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobsattend careers events and practice interviewsget information and advice to help you make informed decisions Visit the Careers Service website Life at Edinburgh What our students say Being part of the PhD programme, I’ve had the freedom to explore topics I like, ask challenging questions, and feel supported while figuring things out. The people here are not only academically brilliant but also very approachable and kind. I am really enjoying the variety of opportunities the programme offers, the knowledge I’m gaining, and the people I have met. Edinburgh is full of energy and character, and for me, it feels like the right place to grow, both personally and academically. Elia Nikolaou 2nd Year Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust PhD Student Studying at the School of Informatics has provided me with a supportive environment to collaborate with others and pursue meaningful research. Beyond my own project, I have benefitted from a wealth of opportunities, including peer learning through seminars and reading groups, teaching and supervision experience, participation in world-class conferences and engagement in cross-disciplinary discussions. And when I need to decompress and socialise with fellow students, there’s always a board-game night on! Christina Ovezik 3rd Year Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust PhD Student Hear from Informatics students and staff as they share their experiences of studying on Central Campus. Hear from Informatics students and staff as they share their experiences of the School community. Accommodation We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single postgraduate taught students from outside the UK and new, single postgraduate research (typically PhD) students who:apply for accommodation by 31 July in the year when you start your programmeaccept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 Julystudy at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in SeptemberUniversity accommodation websiteAccommodation guarantee criteriaWe also offer accommodation options for couples and families.Accommodation for couples and familiesIf you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place Societies and clubs Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.SocietiesSport Clubs The city of Edinburgh Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life. Find out more about living in Edinburgh Hear from Informatics students and staff as they share their experiences of living in Edinburgh. Exercise, leisure and support facilities Outside of your studies, we offer a range of facilities that you might find useful day-to-day, including:sport and exercise facilitiesUniversity cafes and cateringEdinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) venues and shopsa multi-faith chaplaincy for all faiths and nonea University nursery (based at King’s Buildings campus) Health and wellbeing support You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.The support services we offer include: a student counselling service a health centre (doctor's surgery) support if you're living in University accommodation dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustmentsHealth and wellbeing support services Disability and Learning Support Contact General enquiries IGS Admissions AdministratorSchool of Informatics Graduate SchoolOffice 3.42, Informatics ForumCentral CampusEdinburghEH8 9AB Email phd-admissions@inf.ed.ac.uk Phone:+44 (0)131 651 5635
