phd computer science university of manchester

PhDs in Science and Engineering

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HELLO TOMORROW

Dual-award phds.

Fully-funded PhD projects that allow you to take your research global.

A Manchester PhD could change your tomorrow.

This is the place where the atom was split, graphene was discovered and AI was born. It could be your home too.

Whether you're interested in a CDT, an MPhil, a PhD, Eng D or MSc by Research, this page will take you through the process of becoming a Manchester postgraduate researcher, from finding your research passion, to knowing how it’ll be funded.

Right, let’s start your tomorrow.

Choose your own path

Join a global institution where you can choose between full or part time projects, develop transferable skills, accelerate your career and forge the future you want.

Innovate and create

Our postgraduate researchers work at the cutting-edge of research, making important breakthroughs, big and small, as we build a better future together.

A different place

Enjoy life in a multicultural city, that people who think differently are proud to call home, and feel you belong as part of our diverse research community.

World leading facilities

We’re home to some of the best facilities in the world, from the biggest electrical infrastructure test facility in UK academia, to the only in-land wave tank in the UK.

Discover your tomorrow

Get ready for a life changing experience like no other.

Ours is a diverse community, with talented researchers from different countries, cultures, backgrounds and beliefs, where everyone is welcome. That's why we've got flexible pathways to support you, whatever your background or career stage. Hear from current postgraduate researchers and discover more about PhD life at Manchester.

Getting started

Is postgraduate research at manchester for you.

At Manchester we actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds, and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.

We're looking for postgraduate researchers that not only meet our entry requirements but also possess key attributes and characteristics which we think make an excellent Manchester researcher.

Before you start your journey, use our eligibility checker to discover whether you've got what it takes to become a postgraduate researcher in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Manchester.

Check your eligibility

Join our newsletter

Sign-up to our newsletter and receive monthly updates and tips on applying for postgraduate research in the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

• Find out about the latest featured and live projects
• Be the first to hear about newly launched funding opportunities and events
• Listen to advice and tips from currently postgraduate researchers and our support teams
• And much more

Choose your research area

What inspires you.

Your tomorrow should be built on your research passion. Start your PhD journey by finding the research project that best suits you.

Browse across our  nine Departments and research areas ,  innovative Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) , and international joint and dual awards . Alternatively, head straight to  our project search  to find all of our live advertised projects, or to our  supervisor search  to start by finding a suitable supervisor.

Browse by department and research theme

Already know which area you want to research?

Learn more about the research themes and vast range of expertise in each of our nine Departments, and browse live projects for each area:

• Chemical Engineering - including catalysis and porous materials; process integration; and sustainable industrial systems.
• Chemistry - including biotechnology; inorganic, materials, organic, physical, and theoretical chemistry disciplines.
• Computer Science - including computer systems engineering; data engineering; and software systems engineering.
• Earth and Environmental Sciences - including atmospheric sciences; ecology and evolution; palaeontology; and planetary science.
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering - including specialist programme options in electrical and electronic engineering.
• Materials - including biomaterials; fashion management and marketing; metallurgy and corrosion; nanomaterials; and textiles and apparel.
• Mathematics - including applied maths; financial maths; mathematical logic; probability; pure mathematics; and statistics.
• Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering - including environmental engineering; management of projects, and nuclear engineering.
• Physics and Astronomy - including accelerator, nuclear and particle physics; astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology; condensed matter, atomic and biological physics; theoretical physics.

Browse all live projects

Want to search projects across the Faculty of Science and Engineering?

Simply head over to our project search to browse live projects from across the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and find a project you're passionate about.

Search live projects

Centres for Doctoral Training

Want to combine research with practical training and collaborate across research areas and institions?

Find out more about our Centres for Doctoral Training which offer fully funded PhDs in a range of research areas including advanced biomedical materials, graphene, integrated catalysis, and nuclear energy.

Explore doctoral training

Dual and joint awards

Want to carry out some of your research in a different country?

Discover more about our dual and joint award partnerships with prestigious universities across the world, and opportunities to research in both Manchester and Australia, China, Japan, or India.

Browse joint and dual awards

Found a project you're passionate about and ready to apply? Get started with your application right here.

Find a supervisor

Where to start.

Getting in touch with a potential supervisor for your project is a crucial part of your PhD journey.

• Tell you more about a project and the team you could work with.
• Nominate you for one of our funding scholarships.
• Sponsor your proposed research idea.
• Support you at every stage of your research journey.

Search for researchers by name or area of research

Found a supervisor and spoken to them about supporting you and your application for postgraduate research? Get started with your application right here.

Fund your research

Find the funding you need.

There are lots of ways you can secure funding for your postgraduate research.

Depending on the project you're applying for and when you're applying, there are a range of options available to you:

• Funded projects - when browsing projects filter your search by 'Funding Status' and check the 'Funding' section to see whether the project itself is already funded.
• University, Faculty and Department funding - if the project you're interested in isn't funded, use our funding database below to browse scholarships and awards which you may be eligible to apply for, or speak to our admissions team or your supervisor about other potential sources of funding.
• Self-funded or government sponsored projects - if you're self-funded or government funded then we'll need to see proof of funds or a letter from your sponsor when you apply.

Search our funding database

Additional funding support.

Funded projects and scholarships aren’t the only ways you can fund your postgraduate research.

• Postgraduate loans – you might qualify for a non-means tested loan from the UK Government. Paid directly to you, these re-payable loans contribute towards the cost of your study.
• Funding for students with disabilities – talk to our Disability Support Office about the external sources of financial support that might be available.
• Work while you study – our schools and faculties offer additional opportunities to supplement your income, including tutoring and graduate teaching assistant roles.

Thought about how you'd like to fund your postgraduate research and all set to apply? Get started with your application right here.

Meet our researchers

Hello charlotte.

"I really love just walking around Manchester; there’s something for everyone here."

Hear how Charlotte balances her research, teaching and life in a city she calls home.

Meet Charlotte

Hello Toufic

"Life as a postgraduate researcher varies."

Toufic tells us about the ups and downs of his research and how he's taking advantage of the industry links at the University.

Meet Toufic

"Manchester really stood out for me because there are so many world leading projects going on here."

Jie tells us about her research and the opportunities she's discovering.

Why Manchester?

Your future starts here.

A brilliant campus, at the heart of the UK's most liveable city.

Discover our campus

Explore the city

What's next?

Progress your application.

So, you've found a research area to focus on, and a supervisor to support you. You also know how you want to fund your project. But what's next?

1. Check the specific entry requirements and tuition fees for your programme in our  course profile section .

2. Read our short guide to what you'll need to start your application.

3. Make sure you have all of your information to hand before you start the form. Use our application checklist to tick off everything you need.

4. Complete our online application form

Your application checklist

Start your new tomorrow.

Not long to go now...the final step is your application.

Before you apply, remember that your application is more likely to be successful if you have already made contact with potential supervisors , to find out if they are able to offer supervision in your area of interest.

Apply for an advertised project or CDT

You won’t need to submit a research proposal, you'll just need the relevant project title and supervisor(s).

Apply for your own research project

You’ll need to submit your research proposal and the name of the supervisor/s you have identified as part of your application.

Got a question? We're here to help!

Not sure where to start or got a question about applying, funding or something else?

Chat to our friendly application team today

PGR Handbooks 2022/23

• PhD handbook 2022/23 [ PDF ] [ HTML ] [ EPUB ]
• Resources & VLEs
• Study & curriculum
• Student support
• Teaching assistants
• Technical Support

• Student intranet /
• Staff intranet

Department of Computer Science

Postgraduate study at a world ranking university

From the pioneering ‘Baby’ computer to the world-renowned work of Alan Turing, computer science at Manchester has changed the world.

The University of Manchester's Department of Computer Science is one of the oldest and most established in the UK, with five decades of pioneering developments in the field of computing.

We continue to be leaders in the field, with research and industrial collaborations informing the development of our taught master's courses.

Join us as a postgraduate and we'll provide you with the skills to stand out in today's competitive employment market. Our size and research strengths enable us to offer a combination of breadth, depth, and flexibility within our courses that is difficult to find elsewhere.

Course finder

Taught master's courses

Why Manchester?

• Ranked in the top 5% in the UK for "research quality" in the most recent Research Excellence Framework, which also confirmed that we offer the best environment in the UK for computer science and informatics research (REF 2014)
• Our pioneering research includes new brain-like computer architectures, low-power chip design, medical imaging techniques and new technologies to exploit the power of the web
• Offers incredible computing heritage - a number of the world's first computing machines were produced by researchers in the Department, and the first-ever stored-program computer was created at Manchester

Excellence in teaching

Lectures and seminars will be supported by practical exercises that impart skills as well as knowledge. These skills are augmented through an MSc project that enables you to put into practice the techniques you have been taught throughout the course.

You can expect:

• High-quality, innovative research that is centred around solving real-world challenges
• Opportunities to showcase your own research and to network and contribute to international conferences and journals
• Access to specialist equipment and first-rate facilities, including robotics

Ensuring the highest-quality student experience

Our priority is you and ensuring that you are supported at every step in your journey with us. In spite of the challenges facing us all, Manchester is here for you. In partnership, we will navigate the major challenges facing us to ensure your experience over the next year ensures the brightest possible future.

Our facilities

As a postgraduate student you'll benefit from our Department's outstanding research facilities.

Get in touch to find out what a Master’s with us will offer.

How to apply

Find out everything you need to know about applying for a taught master’s course at the University.

Fees and funding

Explore the funding options available to you as a taught master’s student in the Department.

• Department of Computer Science
• Faculty of Science and Engineering
• School of Engineering
• 1 - 50 out of 237 results
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Fatima Abacha

Person: Doctor of Philosophy

Manith Adikari

Alaa Alahmadi

• Human Computer Systems - Honorary Research Fellow

Person: Academic

Mohannad Aldughaim

Seham Alghamdi

Nour Alhariqi

Areej Alhassan

Nura Aljaafari

Alaa Al Jamea

Salem AlJanah

• Systems and Software Security - Honorary Research Fellow

Abdullah Khalid A AlMasaud

Eman Alqahtani

Fai Alsaykhan

Ashwaq Alsuhaymi

Hadeel Altameemi

Mauricio Alvarez

• Information Management - Senior Lecturer in Machine Learning

Sophia Ananiadou

• Natural Language Processing and Text Mining - Chair in Computer Science

Andreas Andronikakis

Georgios Angelopoulos

Person: No Award - Postgraduate

Terri Attwood, BSc, PhD

• Computer Science Teaching - Emeritus Professor

Bardia Babaei

Finn Bacall

• Information Management - Senior Research Software Engineer

Person: Technical

Thomas Baldwin-McDonald

Richard Banach

• Systems and Software Security - Senior Lecturer

Mohammed Basheikh

Naji Bassil

Tharindu Batawala Acharige

Riza Theresa Batista-Navarro

• Natural Language Processing and Text Mining - Senior Lecturer in Text Mining

Talgar Bayan

Sean Bechhofer

• Computer Science Teaching - Reader

Diana Benjumea Hernandez

Davide Bertozzi

• Advanced Processor Technology - Reader in Advanced Processor Technology

Ahmad Bilal

Hizal Hanis Bin Hashim

Stewart Blakeway

• Computer Science Teaching - Lecturer (Teaching Focused)

Andrew Brass, BSc, PhD

• Human Computer Systems - Professor of Bioinformatics
• Division of Informatics, Imaging & Data Sciences (L5) - Professor of Bioinformatics

Gavin Brown

• Machine Learning and Robotics - Professor of Computer Science

Angelo Cangelosi

• Machine Learning and Robotics - Professor of Machine Learning & Robotics

Thomas Carroll

• Computer Science Teaching - Lecturer (TF) in Computer Science

Barry Cheetham

• Computer Science Teaching - Honorary Senior Lecturer

Jiaoyan Chen

• Department of Computer Science - Lecturer in Data Intensive Systems

• Machine Learning and Robotics - Senior Lecturer in Machine Learning & Perception

Zhongyan Chen

Kelvin Chung

Sarah Clinch

• Human Computer Systems - Senior Lecturer in Computer Science

Emily Collins

• Department of Computer Science - Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw Fellow

Lucas Cordeiro

• Systems and Software Security - Reader in Prog Analysis/Cyber Security

Satya Prakash Dash

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

Attend an open day

Download our course brochure

MSc Advanced Computer Science / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

• View full page

We operate a selective staged admissions process. We give preference to students with the strongest grades from high-ranking institutions.

Successful applicants typically hold a First-class honours degree (70% average) from a UK university, or the overseas equivalent, in a Computer Science degree with a minimum of 50% Computer Science content.

We require that all applicants have a strong background in Computer Science reflected, for example, in solid programming and software development skills

We accept a range of qualifications, and welcome applications from overseas applicants. A typical successful offer-holder will evidence:

• China:  a minimum of 87% in a 4-year bachelor's degree from a well ranked institution.
• India: a minimum of 65% (First Class with Distinction) in a BSc Eng, BEng or BTech degree, depending on the institution.

For further information on international entry requirements, please contact  [email protected]

Full entry requirements

As the entry requirements are the same across all Advanced Computer Science programmes, we ask that applicants place only one application for their preferred pathway . Those who receive an offer will be able to switch between Advanced Computer Science programmes up until the start date of the course.

When applying for a specific pathway applicants must select Advanced Computer Science on the application portal to be presented with the optional pathways.

As there is high demand for this course we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Please see below for the staged admissions schedule.

Apply online

Find out how this course aligns to the UN Sustainable Development Goals , including learning which relates to:

Goal 4: Quality education

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth, goal 9: industry, innovation and infrastructure, goal 17: partnerships for the goals, course options, course overview.

• Take your computer science understanding to the next level at Manchester, home to the first university department of Computer Science
• Choose from a broad range of expansive units, including core topics and branching out across Manchester's various interdisciplinary research strengths
• Tailor your route by choosing the route that best suit your interests

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

• MSc (full-time) UK students (per annum): £14,500 International, including EU, students (per annum): £36,000

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

We offer a number of postgraduate taught scholarships and awards to outstanding UK and international students each year.

The University of Manchester is committed to widening participation in master's study, and allocates £300,000 in funding each year. Our Manchester Master's Bursaries are aimed at widening access to master's courses by removing barriers to postgraduate education for students from underrepresented groups.

For more information, see the Department of Computer Science  Fees and funding page or visit the University of Manchester funding for master's courses website for more information.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the world's call to action on the most pressing challenges facing humanity. At The University of Manchester, we address the SDGs through our research and particularly in partnership with our students.

Led by our innovative research, our teaching ensures that all our graduates are empowered, inspired and equipped to address the key socio-political and environmental challenges facing the world.

To illustrate how our teaching will empower you as a change maker, we've highlighted the key SDGs that our courses address.

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

Contact details

The School of Engineering creates a world of possibilities for students pursuing skills and understanding. Through dynamic research and teaching we develop engineering solutions that make a difference to society in an ethical and sustainable way.  Science-based engineering is at the heart of what we do, and through collaboration we support the engineers and scientists of tomorrow to become technically strong, analytically innovative and creative. Find out more about Science and Engineering at Manchester .

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

• Computer Science

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .

PhD and MPhil research degrees for entry in 2024

The University of Manchester offers postgraduate research degrees across a range of biological, medical and health science disciplines.

Search for your subject below to see if we offer a PhD/MPhil degree in your area of interest. Most of our PhDs are available to study as an MPhil. See individual listings for more information.

Once you've found a postgraduate research degree in your area of interest, search our live project listings to find a postgraduate research project you're passionate about or browse our list of funded programmes .

Alternatively, if you already have funding and want to propose your own project, you can search for a supervisor  using our Research Explorer.

Application deadlines

You must submit your application for a postgraduate research programme before the relevant deadline to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these deadlines have passed.

• January entry: 15 October (of the year prior entry)
• April entry: 15 January (year of entry)
• September entry: 15 June (year of entry)

Some of our  funded programmes  have specific deadlines which may be different to those above.

•  Distance learning
•  Full-time
•  Part-time

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