NCSC-Certified Cybersecurity Masters in the UK: What the List Shows
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) publishes a list of certified degrees, and it is the only reliable way to check whether a course carries certification. This guide shows what the list said when we read it on 5 November 2026 for the master’s courses we have covered, and four things the label does not tell you.
What the NCSC says certification means
The NCSC awards certification at two levels, full and provisional, and says that a degree that does not appear on its list does not have certification. It also notes that for some listed degrees the certification applies to a specific pathway through the degree. The list we read was reviewed by the NCSC on 7 September 2026.
A selection from the list
| University | Certified course | Status | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|
| York | MSc Cyber Security | Fully certified (pathway note applies) | 30 Sep 2027 |
| Cardiff | MSc Cyber Security | Fully certified | 1 Sep 2027 |
| Cardiff | MSc Cyber Security and Technology | Fully certified | 30 Sep 2028 |
| Kent | MSc Cyber Security, and the version with Industrial Placement | Fully certified | 30 Sep 2027 |
| Lancaster | MSc Cyber Security (on campus) | Fully certified | 2027 |
| UCL | MSc Information Security | Fully certified, conditional on one optional module | 30 Sep 2027 |
| Edinburgh | MSc Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust | Fully certified, conditional on a 100-credit combination | 2029 |
| Southampton | MSc Cyber Security | Fully certified | 30 Sep 2028 |
| Surrey | MSc Cyber Security | Fully certified | 1 Apr 2027 |
| Warwick | MSc Cyber Security Engineering; MSc Cyber Security Management | Fully certified | 30 Sep 2027; 25 Oct 2027 |
| Royal Holloway | MSc Information and Cyber Security with a Year in Industry (campus) | Fully certified | 30 Sep 2027 |
| Manchester | MSc Advanced Computer Science (not an MSc titled Cyber Security) | Fully certified | 30 Sep 2027 |
| Queen’s Belfast | MSc Applied Cyber Security, and the version with Professional Internship | Fully certified | 30 Sep 2027 |
| UWE Bristol | MSc Cyber Security | Fully certified | 30 Sep 2027 |
| Bristol | MSc Cyber Security (Infrastructures Security) | Provisionally certified | 30 Sep 2027 |
This is a selection, not the whole list, so a course missing here may still be certified. Check the NCSC list itself.
Four things the label does not tell you
- Conditions. UCL says you must take the optional module COMP0059 and meet the award requirements. Edinburgh says you must choose 100 credits from specific combinations. Certification can depend on your own course choices, not just the degree title.
- Expiry dates. Certification lasts for a limited period. Many entries expire on 30 September 2027, and Surrey’s expires on 1 April 2027, before a September 2027 start. Ask the university whether renewal is under way for your intake.
- Names that change. Royal Holloway’s course is now called Information and Cyber Security, and the NCSC lists the Year in Industry campus version rather than the one-year campus course under that name.
- Course groups. Manchester’s certified degree is MSc Advanced Computer Science, and the NCSC list does not say whether the Cyber Security programme is covered.
How to check a course before you apply
- Find the exact course title on the NCSC list and note the status and expiry date.
- Read the university’s own course page for conditions, such as a required module.
- Ask admissions in writing whether certification will apply to your intake year.
- Keep the reply with your application records.
Our guides to individual courses
- York, Kent, Cardiff and Lancaster
- Royal Holloway, Surrey and UCL
- Edinburgh, Southampton, Warwick and Manchester
Correction, November 2026
An earlier version of this guide said that full certification is what most government and defence-adjacent employers look for, and described the certification levels in more detail than we could support. We could not support the employer statement from the NCSC, so it was removed, and the list above replaces the earlier selection.
What we could not confirm
We could not re-open the NCSC list while writing this version, so the table comes from our reading of it on 5 November 2026. We have not checked whether employers prefer certified degrees, and we give no view on that.
Sources and checks
- National Cyber Security Centre, NCSC-certified degrees (reviewed by the NCSC on 7 September 2026), read on 5 November 2026
- UCL, Information Security MSc, read on 5 November 2026
- University of Edinburgh, Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust MSc, read on 5 November 2026
- University of York, MSc Cyber Security and University of Kent, Cyber Security with Placement, read on 5 November 2026
Figures checked: November 2026. This is general information, not admissions advice. Always confirm certification on the NCSC list and with the university.