MSc Cyber Security at Cardiff: Two Courses, Fees and NCSC Status
Cardiff offers two one-year cybersecurity master’s courses that sound alike but differ in who they suit and what they cost. Both appear on the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) list as fully certified. This guide sets out what Cardiff and the NCSC publish, and where we had to rely on a listing site.
The two courses side by side
| MSc Cyber Security | MSc Cyber Security and Technology | |
|---|---|---|
| Length and start | 1 year full time; September 2027 start listed | 1 year full time; starts 27 September 2027 |
| NCSC status (list reviewed 7 September 2026) | Fully certified, expiry 1 September 2027 | Fully certified, expiry 30 September 2028 |
| Entry | A 2:2 honours degree in a relevant subject such as computer science or computing, or an equivalent | A 2:2 in a relevant subject such as computing, IT or software engineering, plus evidence of programming proficiency and a relevant project, which professional experience with an employer reference can also meet |
| International fee and deposit | £33,200 a year and a £2,500 deposit, from a course-listing site that quotes Cardiff | £33,950 for 2027 entry and a £3,000 deposit, from Cardiff’s own page |
| What it is | A general cybersecurity master’s | Developed with PwC and supported by Cardiff Capital Region City Deal funding |
Which one, in our reading
The Cyber Security and Technology course asks for proof of programming, so it is more technical at entry. The standard MSc names computer science or computing as the relevant subjects. If your degree is in another field, Cardiff also lists an MSc AI + Cyber Security, marked as a conversion course, with six 20-credit taught modules and a 60-credit project. We have not read its entry requirements or international fee, so check its page.
Fees and the deposit
Fees and deposits change each year. The only figures we read on Cardiff’s own pages for 2027 entry are for Cyber Security and Technology. For the standard MSc, confirm the fee and deposit on Cardiff’s course page before you budget.
Visa funds
Cardiff is outside London, so the lower living-cost figure applies: £1,171 a month for up to nine months on GOV.UK today, rising to £1,203 for applications from 30 November 2026 under Statement of Changes HC 584, as reported by immigration law firms. Use our calculator, and compare Cardiff with other courses in our guide to cheaper NCSC-certified universities.
Correction, November 2026
An earlier version of this guide said you should check the NCSC status of the standard MSc. The NCSC list shows both Cardiff courses as fully certified, so that caution is no longer needed. It also mentioned GREAT Scholarships and a discount for Cardiff graduates, which we could not confirm on the pages we read, so those statements were removed.
What we could not confirm
We have not read Cardiff’s own page for the standard MSc, so its fee and deposit come from a listing site. We also do not give a module list for either course.
Sources and checks
- Cardiff University, Cyber Security and Technology (MSc), read on 5 November 2026
- Cardiff University, AI + Cyber Security (MSc), read on 5 November 2026
- Hotcourses Abroad, Cyber Security (MSc) at Cardiff (a listing site quoting Cardiff’s text), read on 5 November 2026
- National Cyber Security Centre, NCSC-certified degrees (reviewed 7 September 2026), read on 5 November 2026
- GOV.UK, Student visa: money you need and Richmond Chambers, commentary on HC 584
Figures checked: November 2026. This is general information, not admissions or immigration advice, so confirm fees, requirements and certification on Cardiff’s pages.