Bachelor in Biotech Engineering for Health at University of Siena

Detailed entry requirements

Siena's Biotech Engineering for Health bachelor asks for a school-leaving qualification recognised for university entry, English at B2 or above and the CISIA CEnT-S test with at least 8 points, plus an online interview with at least 15 of 30 points for non-EU applicants, within a limited number of places. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]

School-leaving requirement

You need an upper secondary school diploma or a foreign qualification recognised as valid for admission to Italian universities. The call sets no minimum school grade and no required school subjects. [1]

For 2026/27, these applicants could take part: [1]

• Applicants of any citizenship who already hold the qualification.
• Applicants of any citizenship attending a recognised pre-academic course needed to meet the minimum requirements for Italian universities.
• EU and equivalent applicants who expected to complete their qualification by 18 September 2026, including final-year school students.

What this means for your school results

Your rank comes from the CEnT-S, which covers mathematics, reasoning on texts and data, physics, biology and chemistry, and for non-EU applicants also from an interview on motivation and basic STEM skills. As a guide, based on the rules above:

• Usually a fit: a completed Class 12 or Higher Secondary certificate, or A levels, in a science stream with maths (PCM or PCMB), already issued when you apply.
• Check carefully: a PCB stream without maths, or results that will only be issued after the first-round deadline, since the 2026/27 call listed final-year students only among EU and equivalent applicants.
• Often short: Commerce or Arts streams without maths or science, since you need at least 8 CEnT-S points to be eligible and a score below 16 brings a first-year catch-up requirement.

English

You need English at CEFR level B2 or above, shown by a recognised certificate from the university's list. [1]

• Exemptions: citizens of countries that use English as their reference language, applicants who pass the English interview run by Siena's University Language Centre (CLA), and students on recognised pre-academic or university courses that require B2 English.
• Without a certificate: applicants who are not exempt are called to a compulsory online interview on their English, and for non-EU applicants the selection interview also checks it.
• Scores: the call does not list specific IELTS or TOEFL scores.

Selection for non-EU applicants

Non-EU applicants are ranked on a total score that adds a CEnT-S score to an interview score. [1]

• CEnT-S: the CISIA CEnT-S is compulsory and no other test is accepted. You can sit it at home (@CASA) or at a member university (@UNI), and Siena also runs reserved sessions on request. Only tests taken from 1 January 2025 count, and your best score before the application deadline is used.
• Test score: 1 point for a correct answer, 0 for a blank and minus 0.25 for a wrong answer, from minus 13.75 to 55. You need at least 8 to be eligible.
• Interview: an online interview on your motivation and basic STEM skills, scored from 0 to 30, with at least 15 needed. Candidates are invited in order of test score until there are twice as many eligible candidates as places, and the rest are excluded. Missing the interview means exclusion.
• Ties: decided in favour of the younger candidate, then by the maths, reasoning, biology, chemistry and physics section scores in that order.
• Catch-up requirement (OFA): a test score below 16 brings an OFA that you must clear within the first year.

Places in 2026/27

The 2026/27 call offered 80 first-year places: 38 for EU and equivalent applicants, 30 for non-EU applicants and 12 for students who completed Siena's Foundation Course in Engineering and Science. [1]

Of the 30 non-EU places, 25 were in the first selection (NC1) and 5 in the second (NC2), plus any places left over from the first. The second selection was only for non-EU applicants who do not need a study visa. [1]

2026/27 deadlines

For 2026/27, the non-EU dates were: [1]

• First selection (NC1), the round for visa applicants: applications until 30 April 2026, with results from 18 May 2026.
• Offers: five days to accept, and 14 days from the offer to complete the Universitaly visa procedure if you need a visa.
• Ranking moves: weekly until 31 July 2026.
• Enrolment for NC1 winners: by 3 November 2026.
• Second selection (NC2), only for non-EU applicants without a visa need: 1 May to 18 September 2026, with results from 25 September 2026.

The 2027/28 call sets the new dates. [1]

Documents and non-EU steps

The online application asks for: [1]

• a passport or EU identity card
• a CV, in any format, with the Europass format recommended
• your official school transcript, stamped and signed by the issuing school, in Italian or English or with a certified translation
• a B2 English certificate, if you have one
• proof of your CEnT-S test, and any extra documents needed for a foreign qualification

You can update your documents until the selection deadline. [1]

Before enrolling online, students with a foreign qualification need clearance (nulla osta) from Siena's Admission Office at least five days before enrolment closes, and we handle that request for eligible students. Enrolment stays provisional until the university has checked all documents and the validity of the qualification. [1]

Sources and verification

Checked by the ApplyAZ admissions team against the university's official documents listed below. Entry rules can change with each new call, and we re-check them before every application.

1. University of Siena, Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics. Call for admission to the Bachelor's degree in Biotech Engineering for Health (interclass L-2 Biotechnology and L-8 Information Engineering), academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
2. University of Siena, Biotech Engineering for Health programme page (language, credits, degree classes, department and career outlets). Reviewed 8 October 2026.

What school qualification do I need for Biotech Engineering for Health at Siena?

An upper secondary school diploma or a foreign qualification recognised for admission to Italian universities, plus English at B2. You upload an official transcript, stamped and signed, in Italian or English or with a certified translation. The call sets no minimum grade. [1]

Which entrance test do I need?

The CISIA CEnT-S, taken at home or at a member university from 1 January 2025. No other test is accepted. You need at least 8 points, and non-EU applicants also need at least 15 of 30 in an online interview. [1]

What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?

English at B2 or above, shown by a recognised certificate. Citizens of English-speaking countries and applicants who pass Siena's language centre interview are exempt. The call does not list band scores, so we check which proof of B2 fits your file. [1]

When is the deadline for non-EU students?

For 2026/27, applicants who need a visa had until 30 April 2026 for the first selection, with results from 18 May 2026. The later round, until 18 September, was only for non-EU applicants without a visa need. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]

How many places are there for non-EU students?

For 2026/27 there were 30 non-EU places out of 80: 25 in the first selection for visa applicants and 5 in the second, plus any places left over. The 2027/28 figures will appear in the next call. [1]

Can I apply while I am still in Class 12?

For 2026/27, the call listed final-year school students only among EU and equivalent applicants. Non-EU applicants could apply once they held their school qualification, or while attending a recognised pre-academic course. [1]

I studied Commerce or PCB without maths. Can I apply?

The call sets no required school subjects, but the CEnT-S tests maths, reasoning, physics, biology and chemistry. You need at least 8 points to be eligible, a score below 16 brings a first-year catch-up requirement, and the interview checks basic STEM skills. [1]

What can I do after graduating?

The university lists technical roles as engineers or biotechnologists in ICT, biotechnology, biomedical engineering, pharmaceuticals and research centres. After the Italian state exam and registration as a junior engineer or junior biologist, you can also work independently or start a venture. [2]

Can someone handle my whole application to Biotech Engineering for Health at Siena?

Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your school results against Siena's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the DSU Toscana scholarship application at the right time and in the right format, and prepares your visa file, for eligible students. Start by checking your eligibility.

I'm applying from India. What is the route into Biotech Engineering for Health?

A completed Class 12 or Higher Secondary certificate recognised for university entry can meet the school rule, and English must be at B2. Your rank comes from the CISIA CEnT-S plus an online interview, with at least 8 test points and 15 of 30 interview points. The steps are the CEnT-S, the online application by the first-round deadline and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1] Indian students apply for the type D study visa at the Italian embassy or consulate that covers their state, such as New Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru.

Is the route different from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?

No. The academic rules for Biotech Engineering for Health are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: the CEnT-S test, the online application and interview, offer acceptance and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for their country of residence. Read our guide for students in Dhaka.

I live in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman or Bahrain. Where do I apply for the visa?

At the Italian embassy or consulate responsible for the country where you legally live, after Universitaly pre-enrolment. The academic rules for Biotech Engineering for Health are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: the CEnT-S test, the online application and interview, offer acceptance and Universitaly pre-enrolment. Read our guides for Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.

I studied or live in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. What is the route?

The academic rules for Biotech Engineering for Health are the same whatever your nationality, and your school results are assessed like any other foreign qualification. Non-EU applicants who live abroad follow the same route: the CEnT-S test, the online application and interview, offer acceptance and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for where they live. Read our guides for students in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.