MSc Information Security at UCL: 2027/28 Fees and NCSC Condition
UCL’s MSc Information Security is one of the most expensive certified courses in this series, and its National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) certification is conditional: it depends on one optional module. Here is what UCL and the NCSC publish for September 2027 entry.
The key facts
| Item | What UCL or the NCSC publishes |
|---|---|
| Length and place | 1 calendar year full time, in Bloomsbury, London; starts September 2027 |
| International fee, 2027/28 | £44,400 for the year (UK students: £21,500). The 2026/27 international fee was £42,700 |
| Deposit | UCL says overseas offer holders are charged a fee deposit of 10% of the first-year fee |
| NCSC status | UCL says the MSc has full NCSC certification, but to be eligible you must take the optional module Information Security Management (COMP0059) and meet the award requirements. The NCSC list, reviewed 7 September 2026, shows an expiry date of 30 September 2027 |
| Entry | At least an upper second-class UK bachelor’s degree, or an equivalent overseas qualification, in computer science, electrical engineering or mathematics, as listed on UCAS; relevant work experience may also be considered |
| English | UCL lists English language Level 2 for this course; check UCL’s English requirements page for the test scores |
| Applications | UCL says no late applications will be considered because of competition, and that you can apply for a maximum of two graduate courses in a cycle |
The certification condition
The certificate is not automatic with enrolment. UCL says you must choose COMP0059 as an optional module and meet the course’s award requirements. If you want the NCSC certificate, plan your options around it from the start. The NCSC list shows an expiry date of 30 September 2027, so for September 2027 entry ask UCL whether the certification is being renewed.
Visa funds in London
London uses the higher living-cost figure: £1,529 a month for up to nine months on GOV.UK today, rising to £1,570 for applications from 30 November 2026 under Statement of Changes HC 584, as reported by immigration law firms. As arithmetic on those figures, nine months is £13,761 now and £14,130 after the change, on top of tuition. Use our calculator.
Who it suits, in our reading
This is a high-fee course for applicants with a computer science, engineering or mathematics degree who specifically want the certified module and a London base. If cost is the main constraint, our guide to cheaper NCSC-certified universities lists alternatives.
Correction, November 2026
An earlier version of this guide described UCL and its computer science department using university rankings, said international fees were in the region of £37,500, said the deposit is typically 2.5% of the first-year fee, quoted IELTS scores, and made a claim about the concentration of employers in central London. We could not support the ranking and employer statements, the fee and deposit were out of date or wrong against UCL’s pages, and the IELTS scores could not be confirmed, so all of these were replaced or removed.
What we could not confirm
We have not read UCL’s English-language page, so we give no test scores, and we found no independent graduate outcome figures.
Sources and checks
- UCL, Information Security MSc (2027/28 entry), read on 5 November 2026
- UCL, Information Security MSc, 2026/27 page, read on 5 November 2026
- UCAS, Information Security course listing (entry requirement), 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, entry and certification on UCL’s pages.