Program Overview

Cryptographic Primitives for Symmetric Cryptography

Qualification(s) available: PhD

Entry Requirements

• Minimum 2:1 honours degree
• Students are expected to have obtained, or about to graduate with at least a BSc 2:1 (or international equivalent) in Computer Science or Mathematics.

Entry Requirements for International Students

The University uses the following criteria to determine the equivalent qualifications for international students:

• Afghanistan: Masters, 95%
• Albania: Diplomë e Nivelit të Pare, 9.5
• Algeria: Licence, 16
• Argentina: Licenciatura, 8.5
• Armenia: Bakalavri Kochum, 90% or 3.9
• Australia: Honours degree, First Class, 80%
• Austria: Degree, A (or 1.5) mit Auszeichnungbestanden
• Azerbaijan: Bakalavr Diplomu, 4.5 or 90%
• Bahamas: Degree from University of the West Indies, 1st (GPA 3.6)
• Bahrain: GPA 4.0 scale, 3.5
• Bangladesh: 4 Year Bachelor of Science in Engineering, 1st (70%) / 3.5
• Barbados: University of the West Indies, 1st (GPA 3.6)
• Belarus: Specialist Diploma, 9
• Belgium: Bachelor degree, 80% or 17
• Belize: Degree from University of the West Indies, 1st (GPA 3.6)
• Benin: Maitrise, 18
• Bermuda: Degree from University of the West Indies, 1st (GPA 3.6)
• Bolivia: Licenciado, 4.5
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Diplom Visokog Obrazovanja, 10
• Botswana: Master's degree, A or 80%
• Brazil: Brazil, 4 yr Bacharel or Licenciado, 8.5
• Brunei: Brunei, First
• Bulgaria: 5 yr Diploma za Zavarsheno Visshe Obrazovanie, 6
• Burundi: Masters or Diplôme d'Études Approfondies, 18
• Cambodia: Masters, 80% or B+ or 3.5
• Cameroon: Bachelor degree or Diplome d'Etudes Superiures, 1st / 3.6 or 15/Tres Bien
• Canada: GPA 4.0/Percentage, 3.7/85%
• Chile: Grado de Licenciado, 6
• China: Shanghai Rank Top 250, 83%
• Colombia: Licenciado, 4.5
• Costa Rica: Licenciado, 9
• Croatia: Baccalaureus, 4.5
• Cuba: 4-year Titulo de Licenciado, 5
• Cyprus: Cyprus, 8.5
• Czech Republic: Bakalár, 1
• Denmark: 5 year Candidatus, 12
• Dominican Republic: 4 year Licenciado, 3.8
• Ecuador: Título de Licenciado, 8.5 / 85%
• Egypt: Egypt, 3.5
• El Salvador: 5 year Licenciado, 8.5, 85%
• Estonia: Bakalaureusekraad, 5 or 91% or A
• Ethiopia: Masters, A / GPA 4.0
• Finland: Kandidaattii, 3 (out of 3) or 4.5 (out of 5)
• France: Licence, 14
• Georgia: 4-year degree, 5 (95%)
• Germany: German Bachelor, 1.5
• Ghana: Ghana, First
• Greece: Universities, 8.5
• Grenada: Degree from University of West Indies, 1st, 70% (GPA 3.6)
• Guatemala: Liceniado, 90% (public university) / 95% (private university)
• Guyana: Master's, GPA 4
• Honduras: Título de Licenciado, GPA 5 or 90%
• Hong Kong: 1st or 3.5/4
• Hungary: Alapfokozt, 4.5
• Iceland: Baccalaurreatus degree, 8.5
• India: Institutions listed on the National Institutional Ranking Framework, 65% (First)
• Indonesia: Sarjana I, 3.3
• Iran: Iran, 17
• Iraq: Iraq, 80%
• Ireland: Republic of Ireland, First (70%)
• Israel: 3 yr Bachelor Degree, 90%
• Italy: Diploma di Laurea, 109/110
• Ivory Coast: Diplome d'Etude Approfondies, 16
• Jamaica: For degrees studied at The University of West Indies, 1st (GPA 3.6)
• Japan: Gakushi, 85% or A or 3.5
• Jordan: GPA 4.0 scale, 3.5
• Kazakhstan: GPA 5.0/percentage scale, 4.5 or 90%
• Kenya: Kenya, First / 70% / A
• Kosovo: Kosovo, 10
• Kuwait: GPA 4.0 scale, 3.6
• Latvia: Latvia, 9
• Lebanon: American, 90% (3.5)
• Liberia: Master's, 4.0 or 90%
• Libya: BSc Engineering, 85 (3.6)
• Lithuania: Lithuania, 9
• Luxembourg: Luxembourg, 18 (excellent)
• Macau: Macau, 1st or GPA 3.7
• Macedonia: Magistar, 10
• Malawi: Master's, MSc 75%
• Malaysia: Classification, First Class
• Malta: Malta, 1st (80%)
• Mauritius: Mauritius, 1st or 70%
• Mexico: Licenciatura, 8.5
• Moldova: Diploma de Licenţă, 9
• Mongolia: Диплом Специалиста, 90% or 3.5
• Montenegro: Diploma of Completed Undergraduate Studies, 10 (or 5.0)
• Morocco: Diplôme d'Ingénieur d'État, 16
• Mozambique: Mestrado, 16
• Myanmar (Burma): 2 year Master's degree, 5 or 85%
• Namibia: 4-year Bachelor Honours, 80% or A
• Nepal: 4 -year professional degree, 80% or 3.7 GPA
• Netherlands: Netherlands, 8
• New Zealand: 4 Year Honours degree, First (7.0)
• Nicaragua: Licenciatura, 90%
• Nigeria: 7 point Scale, 6
• Norway: Norway, A / 1.8
• Oman: GPA 4.0 scale, 3.5
• Pakistan: 4 Year degree, A- or GPA 3.7
• Palestine: Bachelor (4-years), (85%) 3.5
• Panama: 4 Year Licenciado, 91 (A)
• Papua New Guinea: Bachelor (Honours) Degree, 1st
• Paraguay: 4 Year Título de Licenciado, 4.5 (85%)
• Peru: 4 Year Título de Licenciado, 14
• Philippines: Degree from prestigious state universities, Summa Cum Laude 4.0 / 96% / 1.0
• Poland: Bachelor Degree, 5
• Portugal: Diplom de Estudos Superiores Especializados, 18
• Qatar: GPA 4.0 scale, 3.5
• Romania: Diploma de Licenta, 9
• Russia: Bakalavr, 4.5
• Rwanda: 4 year bachelor (Hons) degree, 1st, 16/20 (80%)
• Saudi Arabia: GPA 4.0 scale, 3.5
• Senegal: Maitrise, 16/20 or Tres Bien
• Serbia: Diplomirani, 9
• Sierra Leone: Honours degree or masters, 1st (70%)
• Singapore: Bachelor (Hons), First
• Slovakia: Bakalár, 1.5 or B
• Slovenia: University Diplom, 9
• South Africa: Bachelor (Honours) or B Tech, 1st or 75%
• South Korea: GPA out of 4.5, 3.8 / B+
• Spain: Licenciado, 8.5
• Sri Lanka: 4 year Professional degree, 90%, GPA 3.70
• Sudan: 4 year degree, 1st, 70%, B+
• Sweden: Kandidatexamen, Overall grade of VG with a minimum of 120 credits at VG
• Switzerland: Bachelor Degree, 10 / 5.5 / 1
• Syria: State universities, 80%
• Taiwan: Category 1 (4 year degree), 80%
• Tajikistan: Диплом специалиста, 5
• Tanzania: Tanzania, 1st
• Thailand: GPA 4.0 scale, 3.5
• Trinidad and Tobago: For degrees studied at The University of West Indies, 1st or GPA 3.6
• Tunisia: Licence, 16 (tres bien)
• Turkey: Lisans Diplomasi, 3.5
• Turkmenistan: 4 Yr Bakalavr, 5
• Uganda: Uganda, 1st or 4.4
• Ukraine: Dyplom Magistra, 4.5
• United Arab Emirates: GPA 4.0 scale, 3.5
• United States of America: GPA 4.0 scale, 3.5
• Uruguay: Licenciado, 9
• Uzbekistan: Majistr Diplomi, 90% or GPA 4.5
• Venezuela: Licenciado, 18/20 or 8/9
• Vietnam: 10-point scale, 8.0
• Zambia: Master's, A or 4.0 or 80%
• Zimbabwe: 3/4 year degree, 1st or 75%

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees for Entry

• UK fee: £5,006 Full-time degree per annum
• International fee: £28,600 Full-time degree per annum

Fees for the academic year apply to projects starting in October 2025, January 2026, April 2026 and July 2026.

Project Details

Encrypting data is essential for ensuring the security of our electronic communications. The ciphers in current use are built from smaller components, one of them being a cryptographic Boolean function. Such functions must satisfy several properties in order to withstand cryptographic attacks: high non-linearity, high algebraic degree, low differential uniformity etc. This project will look mostly at differential uniformity as well as generalisations of this parameter. It aims to answer questions like: What are the optimal values that can be achieved for these parameters? How many optimal functions are there? How to construct such functions? How to test if proposed or existing functions (from currently existing ciphers) are optimal or close to optimal from this point is view? These results will feed into the design and analysis of future ciphers.

Your main supervisor will be Dr Ana Salagean, who has a long track record of research in the area of mathematical aspects of cryptography. The work will involve weekly meetings and opportunities to present the work in the Department and at international conferences and workshops. The PhD student will be free to develop their research in new directions, according to their own interests, as the work progresses. While the total working hours are expected to be similar to a full-time job, there is flexibility on when and where the work is done.

94% of Loughborough’s research impact is rated world-leading or internationally excellent. REF 2021

Supervisors

• Primary supervisor: Ana Salagean

English Language Requirements

Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website.