Key information
Duration: 1 year full time or 2 years part time
Institution code: R72
Campus: Egham
UK fees*: £5,006
International/EU fees**: £29,700
The course
Computer Science (MSc by Research)
Computer Science is a broad and ever-expanding discipline, providing ample scope for students seeking to carry out original scientific research. Study Computer Science by Research at Royal Holloway, University of London and you’ll select from one of six research disciplines in order to take your first steps towards a scientific research-based career.
You’ll study in a department renowned for the quality of its research. Placed within the top 25% of Computer Science departments nationally for research quality, 95% of our research is assessed as world-leading and internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF, 2021).
You’ll specialise in one of our research areas as you work towards your own unique individual project, studying under the guidance of an expert in your chosen field.
Strong graduates with a Computer Science background and students with professional experience will gain advanced, research-specific skills and academic knowledge to take forward into further study or their graduate careers. You’ll become a part of a lively research culture and a highly supportive staff network.
The Royal Holloway Department of Computer Science benefits from close proximity to the M4 corridor – also known as ‘England’s Silicon Valley’ – providing students with excellent networking, placement and collaboration opportunities. Follow your passion for Computer Science and graduate with a bright future in research.
- Select from six research disciplines, each led by our expert academics.
- Benefit from strong industry ties, with close proximity to ‘England’s Silicon Valley’.
- Graduate with a Master's degree by research offering excellent graduate employability prospects.
We sometimes make changes to our courses to improve your experience. If this happens, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
Teaching & assessment
The Computer Science Masters by Research is assessed on the chosen research project/dissertation worth 180 credits, the centrepiece of the course, consisting of a sizeable structured piece of individual research in an area associated with one of the six research disciplines – algorithms and complexity, artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, distributed and global computing, machine learning, software language engineering and type theory. This is submitted within 52 weeks of the start date.
You will also take a mandatory taught course worth 20 credits which has teaching/labs over an 11-week term (either Autumn or Spring). This is assessed by coursework and examination in May and must be passed in order to qualify for the MSc award. Optional taught course(s) may also be attended as extra-curricular (includes examination and credits) or audit mode (attend informally, no assessment or credits).
Entry requirements
2:2
International & EU requirements
Bachelor degree from the American University of Armenia or a Specialist diploma with 80% or a GPA of 3.5 overall.
Bachelor degree (Honours) with a 2:2 or a Bachelor degree (Ordinary) with a Pass with 58% overall.
Bachelor degree or Fachhochschuldiplom/Diplom (FH) with a Grade 3.9 overall.
Bachelor degree (Bakalavr) or Specialist Diploma with 3.5 out of 5 or 70% overall.
4 year Bachelor degree from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) with a First Class Division or a Masters Degree following a 3 or 4 year degree.
Bachelor degree with grade 12 overall or the Licentiaat or Licence and other two cycle diplomas with grade 12 overall.
Diploma Visokog Obrazovanja Diploma Visokog Obrazovanja / Diplomirani with Grade 8
Bakalavar or Diploma of Completed Higher Education with a Grade 4 out 6 overall.
4 year Bachelor degree with 62%, a GPA 2.5 out of 4, Grade 6 out of 12 or grade C+ overall OR 3 year Bachelor degree with 73%, a GPA of 3.1 out of 4, Grade 8 out of 12 or grade B overall, depending on the grading scheme.
4 year Bachelors degree with an overall 70% to 75% or GPA of 2.8 to 3.0 out of 4.0 depending on the institution.
3 out of 5 overall in the Baccalaureus Prvostupnik or Visoko Obrazovanja/Level VII/1 (second level degree obtained on completion of 4-6 year course).
Overall 6.5 out of 10 or a GPA of 2.85 out of 4 in a Bachelor degree from a public university, Ptychion (from University of Cyprus) or Bachelor degree awarded by a private institution (the programme must be accredited by the Ministry of Education and Culture).
Bakalar with dobre (good), score of 2 or Grade C overall.
7 from 13 points grading system or 4 from 7 points grading system in a Bachelor degree, Candidatus Philosophiae or Professionbachelor.
University bachelors degree with a GPA of 2.4 overall or 65% overall
75%, 2.5 or C overall in a Bakalaurusekraad/Diploma, Magister or Magistrikraad
GPA of 1 where marks are in 1 - 3 system or GPA of 2.3 where marks are in 1 - 5 system in a Kandidaattii/Kandidat or Maisteri/Magister
Licence awarded from 2009 with grade 12 or Maitrise (pre-Bologna) with grade 11
Grade 3 overall in a Bachelor, Fachhochschuldiplom or Magister Artium
Bachelor degree with a Second Class Lower Division overall.
6 out of 10 overall in a Diploma from the Faculties of Engineering and Agriculture or a Ptychion (Bachelor degree) awarded by an AEI.
Bachelors degree degree with a Second Class Honours, Lower Division.
Egyetemi Oklevel /Foiskola Oklevel/ Alapfokozat with 3 out of 5 overall.
Baccalaurreatus with grade 6.5 out of 10 overall or Kandidatsprof / Cadidatus Mag with 6 out of 10 overall.
Bachelor degree with 55% to 60% overall or a CGPA of 5.5 to 6 out of 10 overall depending on the institution.
Bachelor degree or Diploma IV with overall GPA of 2.8.
Bachelor Degree/Professional Doctorate with 13 out of 20 overall.
Bachelor’s degree (four years) with 70% overall.
Bachelors degree with at least 75% overall depending on the mark scheme.
Diploma di Laurea or Licenza di Accademia di Belle Arti with 84 out of 110 overall.
Bachelor degree (Gakushi) with a B overall, dependent on the mark scheme.
Bakalavr or Specialist Diploma with 3.5 out of 5, 70% or 3.0 out of 4.33 overall.
Bachelor degree with a Second Class Honours (lower division) overall.
Bachelor degree with B or a GPA of 3.0 overall.
Bakalaura Diploms or Professional Bakalaura Diploms with Grade 6 overal.
Dipl Ing (FH) or Dipl Arch (FH) from Liechtenstein Technical College with a Grade 4 overall.
7 out of 10 overall in a Bakalauras or Specialist Diploma.
Bachelor degree, Diplome d?Ingenieur Industriel or Dipl?me d'?tudes Sup?rieures Sp?cialis?es with 40 out of 60 or 14 out of 20 (Bien) overall.
Bachelor degree with Class 2 Division ii, B or 2.8 out of 4.0 overall.
Honours degree with a Second Class (Lower Division) overall.
Bachelor degree or Doctoraal with Grade 6.0 out of 10 overall.
Bachelor degree Honours or Ordinary with an overall Grade C+ or Grade 3 out of 9 points grading system.
Bachelor degree with a Second Class Honours, Lower Division or overall GPA of 2.5 out of 5.
Visoko Obrazovanja with 7 out of 10 overall.
Overall 6.5 out of 10 or a GPA of 2.85 out of 4 in a Bachelor degree from a public university, Ptychion (from University of Cyprus) or Bachelor degree awarded by a private institution (the programme must be accredited by the Ministry of Education and Culture).
Bachelor degree, Candidatus Magisterii, Sivilingeni-r (siv. ing.) (Engineering degree ) or Sivil?konom (siv. ?k.) (Economics degree) Grade D or 2.6 to 3.2.
Bachelor degree with an overall GPA of 2.6.
4 year Bachelor degree or combined bachelors degree and Master degree for the duration of 4 years with 58% - 65% or a CGPA of 2.8 - 3.2 overall depending on your institution.
Licencjat, Inzynier or Bachelor with grade 3.71 overall.
Diploma de Estudos Superiores Especializadoswith grade 14 overall or Licenciado with grade 13 overall.
Bachelor degree with an overall GPA of 3.0 overall.
Diploma de Licenta, Diploma Inginer or Diploma de Arhitect with 7.0 out of 10 overall.
Bakalavr Bachelor degree or Specialist Diploma with 3.5 out of 5 or 70% overall.
Bachelor degree with 70%, 3.0 out of 5.0 or 2.8 out of 4.0 overall.
Diplom Visokog Obrazovanja (second-level degree obtained on completion of a four to six-year course) with 7.5 out of 10 overall.
Bachelor degree (from a public university) with a Class II (lower) overall.
Bakalar or Magister / Inzinier with vel'mi dobre (very good) or Grade 2 overall.
Diplomirani / Diplomirani Inzenir from Visoko izobrazevanje, University Diploma or Visoko Obrazovanja (until 1999) with 7 out of 10 (8 for Visoko Obrazovanja) overall.
Bachelor (Honours), Bachelor or Professional Bachelor degree with 60% or Second Class Lower Division.
Bachelor (Haksa) degree with 3.0 out of 4.5, 2.9 out of 4.3 or 2.8 out of 4.0.
Licenciado, Titulo de Ingeniero or Titulo de Arquitecto with 6 out of 10.
Bachelor degree from National University or Private University with 68% to 73% or GPA 2.8 to 3.0 depending on your institution.
Bachelor degree with a 2nd Class Honours (Lower) overall.
Bachelor degree GPA 2.6 to 2.8 depending on your institution.
Bachelor degree GPA 2.6 to 2.8 depending on your institution.
Bachelor degree (post 2007) or Specialist Diploma (after 1991) with a Grade 3, 9 out of 12 or 4 out of 5 overall.
Bachelor degree with 80%, a GPA of 2.8 out of 4, C+ or Good overall.
Bachelor degree with a GPA of 2.6 overall.
Kandidatexamen with at least a Pass (godkand) overall.
Bachelor degree or Bang tot nghiep dai hoc with 6.5 out of 10.
English language requirements
All Postgraduate Research degrees (i.e. PhD and Masters by Research) require:
- IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 7.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5.
- Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 69. No other subscore lower than 51.
- Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
- TOEFL iBT: 88 overall, with Reading 18 Listening 17 Speaking 20 Writing 26.
- Duolingo: 120 overall, 135 in Literacy, 135 in Production and no sub-score below 100.
Your future career
Computer Science by Research at Royal Holloway, University of London has been designed for students to take their first steps towards an academic career, further postgraduate study or a role in a research-focussed organisation.
You’ll gain valuable research skills and broaden your academic knowledge, making you a strong candidate for PhD study as well as an attractive prospect for employers in a variety of fields. Our recent alumni have gone on to enjoy rewarding careers in organisations such as British Aerospace, Microsoft, Amazon, and American Express.
- Strong industry ties help to provide placement and networking opportunities with some of the country’s leading institutions.
- Our on-site Careers and Employability Service will provide you with support and careers guidance throughout your studies
Fees, funding & scholarships
Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £5,006
EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £29,700
Other essential costs***: There are no single associated costs greater than £50 per item on this course
How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, grants, scholarships and bursaries.
* and ** These tuition fees apply to students starting their course on a full-time basis in the academic year 2026/27. Students studying on the standard part-time course structure over two years are charged 50% of the full-time applicable fee for each study year.
Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase all postgraduate tuition fees annually. For further information, see fees and funding.
** These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2026/27 academic year, and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included.
We adopt the minimum fee level recommended by the UK Research Councils for the Home tuition fee. Each year, the fee level is adjusted in line with inflation (currently, the measure used is the Treasury GDP deflator). Fees displayed here are therefore subject to change and are usually confirmed in the spring of the year of entry. For more information on the Research Council Indicative Fee please see the UKRI website.
