A Merit master's or a 2:1 Bachelor's
UCL lists a UK master's with Merit, or an upper second-class UK Bachelor's, in a relevant discipline, or an overseas equivalent.
Doctoral · UCL Computer Science
UCL Computer Science PhD: a Merit master's or a 2:1, two supervisors and four years
The UCL Computer Science PhD takes a UK master's with Merit or an upper second-class Bachelor's in a relevant discipline, with work experience also taken into account, and runs four calendar years full time. You are assigned a first and a second supervisor, work within a research group and apply on a rolling basis at least three months before your start date. For a computer science graduate, the decision is whether your degree route meets that standard and which research group you would join. This guide sets out what UCL says for 2027/28 entry, marks Avandy's judgment separately and ends with next steps.
Official information · last verified for 2027-28 entry
What UCL asks for in UCL Computer Science PhD
Taken from the UCL Computer Science MPhil/PhD course page (2027/28 entry), supplied as full text in the Central evidence handoff and read on 1 November 2026. The page describes 2027-28 entry. For a 2028-29 start, applied for in 2027-28, every requirement below is last verified for the previous cycle and may change; UCL's requirements, dates and funding for 2028-29 are awaiting publication, and none is stated here.
Four calendar years full time
UCL gives the full-time duration as 4 calendar years.
Two supervisors
Students are assigned a first and a second supervisor.
Rolling applications
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but should be submitted at least three months before the preferred start date.
Work experience counts
Work experience may also be taken into account.
Official sources
Read on 1 November 2026 on the UCL Computer Science MPhil/PhD course page (2027/28 entry), supplied as full text in the Central evidence handoff, which describes 2027-28 entry. Imperial's deadline, fee and funding tables, scholarship pages, the department's research pages and the University's application guidance were not used and are not stated. No deadline, fee, funding amount or place number is stated.
The decision
Does your degree route and plan fit what UCL lists?
This guide concerns only the UCL research degree. The reading below is Avandy's judgment (heuristic), built from what the course page says.
It fits if
you hold a relevant Master's with Merit or an upper second Bachelor's and can name a research area among UCL's groups.
Think again if
you cannot yet name a topic or a group. UCL assigns two supervisors to guide a research project you will have to propose.
Check the page
UCL's course page is the source; module and fee details change by cycle and are not stated here.
How the application is read
What UCL says about entry and applying
UCL accepts applications on a rolling basis and asks for them at least three months before the start date. Entry is a UK Master's with Merit, or an upper second-class UK Bachelor's, in a relevant discipline, with work experience also taken into account. UCL gives the English language level as Level 1, and an offer may bring an ATAS requirement for some visa routes. You are then assigned a first and a second supervisor who guide your research project.
How the degree runs
Structure and working pattern
UCL describes a four-calendar-year PhD in which students work within leading research groups on challenging problems in computer science, with first and second supervisors. UCL says many students have had research results published and recognised at leading international conferences. This is the 2027/28 page and may change.
Avandy's judgment
Where an application can go wrong
These points are Avandy's heuristic reading of the page. They are not UCL rules and carry no probability.
Choosing the degree before the group
UCL organises the work around research groups; know which one fits your topic.
Leaving timing to the end
UCL asks for applications at least three months before the start date.
Forgetting the visa step
UCL says ATAS clearance may be required and is confirmed only on an offer.
Assuming a Master's is required
UCL lists a Bachelor's route and says work experience may be considered.
Next steps
A sensible order of work
The order is Avandy's suggestion, built from the page's own steps.
Check your degree route
Compare your degrees with the stated entry requirement.
Define the research question
Write down the computer science question you want to pursue.
Find a supervisor or group
Read the department's research pages and identify who could supervise.
Plan the application
Read UCL's application guidance for the cycle you apply in.
Planning for 2028-29 entry
Planning for 2028-29 entry: what carries over and what awaits publication
UCL's course page describes entry in 2027-28. A start in 2028-29 means applying in the 2027-28 cycle, under rules UCL has not yet published. Each item below is either last verified for 2027-28 entry, which means UCL published it for the previous cycle and it may change, or awaiting publication for 2028-29 entry.
The structure of the route and the application
The entry standard, the application items and the research-degree structure are described on Imperial's pages for the 2027-28 cycle. Imperial has not published the following cycle.
Deadlines, places, funding and fees
This guide states none of them. Imperial publishes them per cycle; read them again when they show 2028-29.
What to do now
Check your degree route against UCL's entry requirement, define your computer science research question and identify a supervisor.
Support
Independent support with the research statement and fit
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with University College London or any of its departments, and it has no relationship with any member of staff. Support sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant and a PhD-level Academic Mentor help the applicant test a research idea against the department's published research areas and plan their own statement. Support here is limited to testing a research idea against the department's published research themes and planning the applicant's own statements; it does not extend to contacting staff on the applicant's behalf. Avandy does not write or submit any part of an application, cannot arrange a supervisor and promises no outcome or funding.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
What does the UCL Computer Science PhD ask for?
The entry requirement is a UK master's with Merit, or an upper second-class UK Bachelor's, in a relevant discipline, or an equivalent overseas qualification.
How is the degree structured?
UCL describes the Computer Science PhD as a rigorous four-year degree in which students engage in research within leading research groups.
Does UCL state a deadline here?
This guide states no deadline, fee or funding, because UCL publishes them per cycle. Check the course page for the cycle you apply in.
Does the degree include funding?
This guide did not use UCL's fees and funding section and states no funding.
Students and families
Talk to us about the UCL Computer Science PhD
Tell us about your degrees, your research experience, the research question you want to pursue and the supervisors or groups you have in mind. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to develop the research statement.