Overview

Research in Computer Science and Informatics from Cardiff University is all about going beyond current knowledge and technologies to build the computing systems of the future. Technologies we now take for granted, like the web, smartphones, and databases, are all products of past research in computer science and informatics. So what will the future bring?

Key Facts

Researchers here at Cardiff are currently working on new developments in areas like computer graphics, data mining, and ‘intelligent’ mobile systems.

We hope that our research will enable new kinds of computing applications, products and systems to help people in areas like healthcare, the environment, security and business.

Conducting research in computer science and informatics is exciting and challenging and we offer you the opportunity to work alongside our research staff who are leaders in their areas of expertise.

They publish widely, edit and review for international journals, act as external examiners both within the UK and internationally, provide consultancy and secure research funding.

Career prospects

This postgraduate research programme will prepare you for a career as a leading academic or in an industrial research and development role. Successful graduates will be able to demonstrate to employers both a deep understanding and broad knowledge concerning contemporary computer science from a research and development perspective.

Examples of career pathways include: Software Developer, Lecturer, Web Developer, Software Engineer, Software Architect, Technical Consultant, IT Specialist, and Support Analyst.

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Programme Structure

Courses include:

Research in the school is organised into three Research Groups. Each one is led by a distinguished professor and is made up of academic staff, research assistants, and research students.

Over the course of their studies, research students will normally publish a number of papers and attend conferences that will help them work towards their thesis. To be successful, these papers will contain new ideas and research results that will go beyond current knowledge in computer science and informatics.
Research students attend a programme of seminars given by invited speakers, as well as seminars given by specialist research group members. Each year students attend training events which develop their skills by presenting posters and talks on their own project.

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Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 36 months
Part-time
- 60 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-10-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-07-01 00:00:00
Starting 2027-01-05 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-05 00:00:00
Starting 2027-04-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-01 00:00:00
Starting 2027-07-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-04-01 00:00:00

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

90

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IELTS

6.5

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Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Cardiff, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Information Technology (IT) Computer Sciences Data Science & Big Data View 30 other PhDs in Data Science & Big Data in United Kingdom

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Academic requirements

GPA

Upper Second Class

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

90

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

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AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

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98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Your research proposal should be no longer than 2000 word and should include the following. Please note that proposals longer than 2000 words will be rejected at the initial application stage.

a summary of your chosen research area, which briefly describes the state-of-the-art and lists the shortcomings and questions that your study will address
an outline of the methods and techniques that you propose applying
the name of a prospective supervisor, and a description of how your proposal relates to their research interest and expertise
a list of references that you have cited in the above

In addition, you can also upload an example of previous work, such as a journal or conference paper that you have contributed to, or a chapter of a dissertation from your MSc or undergraduate degree.

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Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

26700 GBP / year

≈ 26700 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

5006 GBP / year

≈ 5006 GBP / year

Additional Details

Part-time tuition fees: £2,503

Living costs

Cardiff

United Kingdom

628 - 1066 GBP / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Check for any work restrictions

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Computer Science and Informatics.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Key Facts

Career prospects

Get more details

Programme Structure

Check out the full curriculum

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

Explore more key information

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Make sure you meet all requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Additional Details

Living costs

Cardiff

Funding

Check for any work restrictions

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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