University of Manchester PhD Scholarship in Computer Science (Fully Funded) 2026

This is a fully funded project which focuses on Analysing Demand Manipulation Attacks via Electric Vehicle Charging. The project will investigate this by analysing, modelling and evaluating physical-layer and communication-level attack vectors on EV charging. It will compare naive strategies with more advanced approaches.

Using hardware-in-the-loop experiments, grid simulations and empirical data from charging deployments, the project will assess the impact of attack techniques. Based on the findings, it will develop detection, prevention and recovery mechanisms to enhance grid resilience. The expected outcome is actionable mitigation strategies and recommendations for operators, manufacturers and standardisation bodies, ultimately contributing to more secure and stable EV charging ecosystems.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Application Documents
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineMarch 13, 2026
• Study LevelPhD
• SponsorUniversity of Manchester
• City to studyManchester
• School to studyUniversity of Manchester
• Course to studyComputer Science
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

The funding covers tuition fees and provides a tax-free stipend based on the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26).

Requirements

• Applicants should have, or expect to achieve
  • at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s (or international equivalent) in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related discipline, ideally with a focus on Cyber Security.
  • A solid foundation in programming (C, C++ or Python) together with familiarity with computer networks will be beneficial.

Application Documents

After you have applied you will be asked to upload the following supporting documents:

• Final Transcript and certificates of all awarded university level qualifications
• Interim Transcript of any university level qualifications in progress
• CV
• Supporting statement: A one or two page statement outlining your motivation to pursue postgraduate research and why you want to undertake postgraduate research at Manchester, any relevant research or work experience, the key findings of your previous research experience, and techniques and skills you’ve developed. (This is mandatory for all applicants and the application will be put on hold without it).
• Contact details for two referees (please make sure that the contact email you provide is an official university/work email address as we may need to verify the reference)
• English Language certificate (if applicable)

Application Deadline

How To Apply

University of Manchester strongly recommend that you contact the supervisors Dr Sebastian Kohler,  Dr M Mustafa for this project before you apply.

Please include details of your current level of study, academic background and any relevant experience and include a paragraph about your motivation to study this PhD project.

• Apply online through our website: https://uom.link/pgr-apply-2425
• When applying, you’ll need to specify the full name of this project, the name of your supervisor, if you already having funding or if you wish to be considered for available funding through the university, details of your previous study, and names and contact details of two referees.
• Your application will not be processed without all of the required documents submitted at the time of application, and we cannot accept responsibility for late or missed deadlines. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

If you have any questions about making an application, please contact University of Manchester admissions team by emailing [email protected].

For more details, visit University of Manchester Scholarship webpage