Cybersecurity (MSc) Saarland University

The Master’s programme in cybersecurity will prepare students for careers in both research and industry. Students can choose their specialisation from areas such as cryptography, privacy, software security, systems and networks, formal methods, or legal aspects of cybersecurity. These specialisations are directly influenced by state-of-the-art research at CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security. Students can continue to pursue related topics in computer science.

This programme is equally suited for students who completed a Bachelor’s degree in computer science, cybersecurity, or a similar area. A Bachelor's in cybersecurity is not mandatory. The programme is designed to have a duration of four semesters, and you can start your studies in any winter or summer semester.

Students are free to choose courses according to their preferences. They have to earn credit points from certain categories. There is no fixed timetable for courses, but you can have a look at our sample schedules and modules on our programme website:

• https://cysec.uni-saarland.de/master/cybersecurity/#example-schedules-1
• https://cysec.uni-saarland.de/master/cybersecurity/#example-schedules-2

• CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security
• Max Planck Institute for Informatics
• Max Planck Institute for Software Systems
• German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI)
• Center for Bioinformatics

Internships are possible, but they are not compulsory.

For the winter semester:

Early deadline: Applicants who apply by 15 November for the following winter semester are expected to receive a letter of admission by mid-February.

Regular deadline: 15 May. A decision can be expected in August.

For the summer semester:

Early deadline: Applicants who apply by 15 May for the following summer semester are expected to receive a letter of admission by mid-July.

Regular deadline: 15 November. A decision can be expected in January.

If you want to study cybersecurity, you do not necessarily need a Bachelor's degree in cybersecurity. The Master's programme is aimed at students with a Bachelor's degree in either cybersecurity or computer science. Have a look at our course description to check out our special track for students without prior experience in IT security. Students have to apply via the online application system at Saarland University.

• Bachelor's degree in cybersecurity, computer science, or a related subject
• Proficiency in English (level C1)
• Programming skills

Saarland University’s programmes are state-funded, so there are no tuition fees for Bachelor's and consecutive Master's degree courses. Students have to pay an administrative fee of 412.30 EUR per semester. This includes a pass for free public transportation throughout Germany, accident, theft and public liability insurance coverage, and access to university facilities. This entitles students to eat at the university canteens at reduced prices.

There are no tuition fees, and the cost of living in this smaller city, with its vibrant cultural scene, is moderate. With an average amount of 1,000 EUR per month (housing and insurances included), you can easily get by.

Work as a student helper or tutor: CISPA as well as other institutions on campus offer part-time employment in research or part-time positions for teaching assistants. Check out the Welcome Center's guide with general information on working in Germany: https://www.uni-saarland.de/en/global/welcome-center/living-working.

More information on how to finance your stay can be found here:
https://www.uni-saarland.de/en/global/welcome-center/preparing/financing.html.

The International Office provides support in finding accommodation. You can choose between student accommodation or private housing in the city centre, for example. For more information on accommodation in Saarbrücken, see: https://www.uni-saarland.de/en/global/welcome-center/accommodation.html.

Saarland University is home to several top research centres that have a direct influence on the departments of informatics, engineering, and life sciences. This gives this medium-sized university a strong and research-driven reputation.

Located in the south-west of Germany, very close to the French border, Saarland University is a campus university offering an extensive range of courses and international state-of-the-art research. International students receive excellent supervision and can enjoy a comprehensive range of sports, culture, and leisure activities while studying at the university, which is surrounded by forest. 

The Department of Computer Science is among the best computer science departments in Germany (CHE ranking). CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security is the world's highest ranking research institute for cybersecurity, which attests to its high scientific standards and the broad range of topics investigated in CISPA's cutting-edge research. This all feeds into the curriculum of the degree programmes in cybersecurity at Saarland University, ensuring that seminars and lectures will cover the very latest research topics.

Working and studying with an international focus and transcending boundaries is a hallmark of Saarland University – whether these are geographical borders, cultural boundaries, barriers between academic disciplines, or outdated divisions between academia, economic, and cultural life.

As the state capital, Saarbrücken is the regional centre of the Saarland, and it is situated in the heart of Europe.The city has approximately 180,000 inhabitants and is strongly influenced by its proximity to France and the chequered history of a French-German border town. The university, trade fair, and conference city is set amidst vast woods. It enchants visitors with its French charm, which is reflected in the narrow alleys at the foot of the castle and in the pedestrian zone at the St. Johanner market square.

Saarbrücken has a lot to offer tourists and business people alike: the French flair, the picturesque old part of the city, an extraordinary cultural life, a high quality of life, and a diversity of culture and nature – but above all, its warm and open people.

• https://www.saarbruecken.de/en
• https://www.visitsaarland.co.uk/