Overview

Founded in 1990, EPCC is one of the leading supercomputing centres in Europe and a major provider of training in high performance computing. EPCC’s expertise includes advanced research, technology transfer, commercial consultancy and the provision of supercomputing and data services to academia and business.

EPCC hosts an exceptional collection of high-performance and novel computing facilities including, on behalf of UKRI, 'ARCHER2', the UK’s Tier-1 research supercomputer. Other systems include the Arm-based 'Fulhame' system as part of the Catalyst UK programme and the heterogeneous (CPU/GPU) 'Cirrus' system, a national Tier-2 HPC service. EPCC will also host, as part of the Edinburgh International Data Facility (EIDF), host the first European deployment of a Cerebras CS-1 High Performance AI Computer.

ARCHER2
Fulhame
Cirrus
EIDF

EPCC has a team of experienced researchers with a wealth of expertise in the latest technologies. We have active research interests in various and varied areas including:

Computational modelling, including computational fluid dynamics
Programming models and software for future HPC systems
Performance characterisation and benchmarking
HPC at the Exascale level
Big Data and Data Science at scale
Software Sustainability
Quantum Computing for HPC
FPGAs and novel hardware

Our software specialists have an impressive portfolio of projects, including many industrial applications. We work at the forefront of the field, for example through our leadership of the UK’s Software Sustainability Institute, ensuring that today’s new software continues to be improved and supported in the future.

At any time EPCC may be working on dozens or more nationally and/or internationally significant projects often in collaboration with academia, industry, or both. For up to date examples please visit our website.

Career opportunities

Graduates from the EPCC - High Performance Computing, Computational & Data Science, Software Engineering programme at The University of Edinburgh have found rewarding employment across an immensely wide range of areas including:

EPCC and University of Edinburgh
Other Major Supercomputing Centres in the US and Europe
Defence industry
Medical Imaging sector
Gaming industry

Programme Structure

You carry out your research within EPCC under the guidance of a supervisory team.

You will be expected to attend seminars and meetings of relevant research groups and may also attend lectures that are relevant to your research topic. You may also be encouraged to contribute to EPCC's seminar series.

Periodic reviews of your progress will be conducted to assist with research planning.

A programme of transferable skills courses facilitates broader professional development in a wide range of topics, from writing and presentation skills to entrepreneurship and career strategies. With the support of your supervisor, you will conduct an annual Training Needs Assessment, during which you will agree and plan your schedule of complementary training.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 36 months
Part-time
- 72 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2025-09-09 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-06-09 00:00:00
Starting 2026-01-06 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-10-06 00:00:00
Starting 2026-05-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-02-01 00:00:00

Language

English

IELTS

6.5

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TOEFL^® IBT

92

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Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Data Science & Big Data Software Engineering View 31 other PhDs in Data Science & Big Data in United Kingdom

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Academic requirements

GPA

Upper Second Class

Pass _{(recommended)}

English requirements

IELTS

6.5

Free IELTS Mock Tests!

TOEFL^® IBT

92

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Other requirements

General requirements

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a subject relevant to your project, typically one of: computational science (physics, biology, chemistry), cognitive science, artificial intelligence, computer science, mathematics, informatics, data science, engineering, or geosciences.

We may also consider a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in fields such as linguistics, philosophy, or psychology if a relevant project is available.

You should be a competent to strong programmer in a language (or languages) relevant to your chosen project, typically at least one of C, C++, Java, Fortran, or Python. Individual projects may contain specific requirements relating to their topic.

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Get your student insurance now

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at The University of Edinburgh and/or in United Kingdom, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees

International

31500 GBP/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 31500 GBP per year during 36 months.
National

4786 GBP/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 4786 GBP per year during 36 months.

Living costs for Edinburgh

725 - 1167 GBP /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for EPCC - High Performance Computing, Computational & Data Science, Software Engineering.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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