Bachelor in Genomics at University of Bologna
Three-year English-taught bachelor at the University of Bologna that joins genetics and molecular biology with programming, biostatistics and bioinformatics, with 60 places, a 6 ECTS internship and SAT-based entry for non-EU applicants.
Bachelor
3 years
Bologna
English
University of Bologna
Genomics is a three-year, 180 ECTS bachelor's degree (class L-2-R) taught entirely in English at the University of Bologna. Non-EU applicants living abroad need a school diploma after at least 12 years of schooling and an SAT score of at least 600 out of 1600, which also covers the B2 English rule. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Bologna's Genomics bachelor has 60 places. Non-EU applicants living abroad need a school diploma after at least 12 years of schooling, an SAT score of at least 600 out of 1600 in the first intake, and English at B2, which a valid SAT covers. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
School-leaving requirement
You need a foreign school diploma awarded after at least 12 years of schooling that gives access to university in the country that issued it, under the Italian ministry's rules for 2026/27. [1]
- No minimum grade: the call sets no minimum school mark. Non-EU applicants abroad are ranked on their SAT score.
- Expected skills: the programme expects fundamentals of mathematics, logic and sciences, plus English at B2. [2]
- Not yet finished school: you can apply before you receive your diploma, but for 2026/27 it had to be obtained by 31 December 2026, or the enrolment was no longer valid. [1]
What this means for your school results
As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a Class 12 certificate (CBSE, ISC or a state board) after 12 years of schooling, a Higher Secondary Certificate from Pakistan or Bangladesh, or Sri Lankan GCE A levels, where they give access to university at home.
- Check carefully: a Class 12 without mathematics. The call lists no required subjects, but the course expects basic maths and the SAT includes a maths section, which is also the tie-breaker.
- Often short: a school record with fewer than 12 years of schooling in total, such as Class 10, SSC, Matric or O levels on their own.
We check your school documents against the 12-year rule before you apply. [1][2]
English
English at CEFR level B2 or higher is required. If you apply in the first intake with a valid SAT, you do not need a separate English certificate. In other intakes, candidates upload an accepted certificate issued from 1 January 2022, and an International Baccalaureate, American High School Diploma or GCE obtained in English also meets the rule. [1]
Selection
Non-EU citizens living abroad can apply only in the first intake, and only with the SAT. [1]
- Minimum score: 600 out of 1600, from an SAT taken on or after 1 January 2025.
- Score report: College Board must send the result electronically to code 6993. No other method is accepted.
- Ranking: based on your most recent SAT. Ties go to the higher SAT Maths score, then the younger candidate.
- Later intakes: the second and extraordinary intakes use the TOLC-I, in Italian, with a minimum of 12 out of 50, and are open only to Italian, EU and equivalent candidates.
Applicants with low scores are given additional learning requirements (OFA), to be completed by 31 March 2028. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
These dates come from the 2026/27 call. The next call sets the new dates. [1]
- First intake registration: 22 January to 25 May 2026 (1 pm Italian time). SAT results had to reach the university by 25 May 2026.
- Results: 5 June 2026, with enrolment from 5 to 11 June 2026.
- Places left over: confirmation from 5 to 11 June, results on 15 June and enrolment from 16 to 22 June 2026.
- Final steps: school diploma by 31 December 2026, and enrolment finalised before 26 February 2027.
Documents and non-EU steps
You apply on Studenti Online with a copy of your valid passport showing its expiry date. [1]
- Universitaly: after admission, you complete pre-enrolment on Universitaly for the Italian embassy or consulate, within the ministry's deadlines, and apply for a study visa.
- School documents: uploaded before 26 February 2027, with the originals shown to the International Student Administration Office once you are in Italy. They are translated, legalised and authenticated where required. [1][2]
- Residence permit: until it is issued, your enrolment is conditional, and you upload a copy of the permit or of the request.
- Under 18: at enrolment, your parents sign a consent form from the university website.
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.
- University of Bologna. Call for applications, first-cycle degree programme in Genomics (class L-2), academic year 2026/2027 (English translation of the admission call, Rep. 368/2026 of 20 January 2026). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Bologna, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology. Genomics programme pages: overview, professional profiles and how to enrol, academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Bologna. Genomics course structure diagram for students enrolled in academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Bologna. Tuition fees and exemptions, and reduced fixed fee for citizens of particularly poor, developing or non-OECD countries, academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Genomics is a three-year bachelor's degree in class L-2-R (biotechnologies), delivered entirely in English in Bologna by the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT). It is worth 180 ECTS and has restricted access, with 60 places in total for 2026/27. [1][2]
The programme trains biotechnology and life sciences graduates who can apply mathematics, statistics and computing to the structural and functional analysis of genomes. Students build a base in genetics and molecular biology alongside programming, biostatistics and computational simulation, plus a grounding in bioethics. [2] It suits students with a strong interest in both biology and coding.
What you will study
The first year covers the scientific foundations, the second year moves into genomes, bioinformatics and algorithms, and the third year adds data science, 12 ECTS of electives and a 3 ECTS final examination. Units in the 2026/27 study plan include: [3]
- Biological Informational Molecules
- Programming and Advanced Programming
- Genomes I and Genomes II
- Bioinformatics
- Statistical Methods for Genomics
- Algorithms and Data Structures in Biology
- 3D Genomics
- Ethics, Law and AI
How the programme is taught
The degree combines lectures with many practical activities in an international environment. In the third year students complete a 6 ECTS curricular internship in university or external facilities, in Italy or abroad, and they can spend a period abroad through Erasmus+ or the Overseas programme. [2][3]
Career paths
The official professional profiles describe four roles for graduates, who can also continue to master's degrees in molecular or pharmaceutical biotechnology, molecular and cellular biology or bioinformatics: [2]
- Bioinformatics technician, in IT, biotech and pharmaceutical firms, diagnostic and research centres, the public health service and legal consulting
- Computational biotechnologist, building models and simulations in biotech, pharmaceutical and environmental organisations
- Systems biotechnologist, in data processing centres, environmental agencies, universities and research centres
- Genomics data manager, running laboratory datasets in biotech firms, diagnostic centres and hospitals
Fees and scholarships
Tuition depends on your family's income and assets. Fees have a fixed part and a variable part. For 2026/27 a family ISEE of €27,000 or less removes the variable part entirely, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. Non-EU students with income abroad submit their documents through ER.GO, which also awards the regional scholarship. As an alternative, citizens of non-OECD countries can choose a reduced flat fee, with a lower rate for particularly poor countries. [4]
How to apply from outside the EU
Non-EU citizens living abroad can apply only in the first intake and only with the SAT. For 2026/27 that intake ran from 22 January to 25 May 2026, with 12 places reserved for this group, results on 5 June and enrolment from 5 to 11 June 2026. We apply on Studenti Online, and you ask College Board to send your SAT score to code 6993. [1] The 2027/28 call sets the new dates, and we watch for it on the programme's admission page.
After admission we complete the Universitaly pre-enrolment, and you apply for a type D study visa at the Italian consulate. Your school diploma must be obtained by 31 December 2026 for that intake, and your qualification documents uploaded before 26 February 2027. [1]
How ApplyAZ helps
ApplyAZ is an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities. We can include this programme in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes that fit your profile, so your plan never rests on a single application.
For eligible students who start with us, a named person owns each stage, from A to Z:
- We check your school results against Bologna's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your Studenti Online application, SAT score report and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ER.GO Emilia-Romagna scholarship application at the right time and in the right format.
- We prepare your visa file.
With operations in all 20 Italian regions, we follow each region's scholarship rules and deadlines as they change. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa, so no one can promise an outcome. You pay in milestones, and every service you pay for is either delivered or its fee is refunded (terms apply).
Programmes at Italian public universities can be tuition-free for eligible students. Check if you are eligible and book a one-to-one consultation session with one of our Italy experts, or see how ApplyAZ works.
Questions and answers
What school results do I need for the Genomics bachelor at Bologna?
A school diploma after at least 12 years of schooling that gives access to university in your country. The call sets no minimum school grade, as non-EU applicants abroad are ranked on their SAT score. [1]
Is there an entrance test?
Yes. Non-EU applicants living abroad take the SAT and need at least 600 out of 1600, from a test taken on or after 1 January 2025, with the score sent by College Board to code 6993. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2 or higher. If you apply in the first intake with a valid SAT, you do not need a separate English certificate, so the SAT route works without IELTS. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, the first intake, the only one open to non-EU applicants abroad, ran from 22 January to 25 May 2026, with SAT scores due by the same date and results on 5 June 2026. The 2027/28 call sets the new dates. [1]
Can I apply before I finish school?
Yes. For 2026/27 you could apply before receiving your diploma, as long as you obtained it by 31 December 2026. Otherwise the enrolment was no longer valid. [1]
I took Class 12 with biology but no maths. Can I apply?
Possibly. The call lists no required school subjects, so the 12-year rule and your SAT score decide. The programme expects basic maths, logic and science, and the SAT maths score breaks ties, so we check your profile first. [1][2]
How many places are there?
For 2026/27 there were 60 places. The first intake reserved 12 for non-EU citizens living abroad and 24 for Italian, EU and equivalent applicants, and unfilled non-EU places passed to those applicants. [1]
How are fees set?
Fees follow family income. For 2026/27 a family indicator of €27,000 or less removes the variable part, so the programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. Citizens of non-OECD countries with income only abroad can choose a reduced flat fee instead. [4]
Can someone handle my whole application to Genomics at Bologna?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your school results against Bologna's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ER.GO Emilia-Romagna 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 Genomics?
Your Class 12 certificate must complete at least 12 years of schooling and give access to university in India. Bologna sets no minimum school grade: non-EU applicants abroad are ranked on the SAT, with at least 600 out of 1600, and a valid SAT also covers the English rule. The steps are a Studenti Online application in the first intake, the SAT score report 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 Genomics are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: a Studenti Online application in the first intake, an SAT score of at least 600 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 Genomics are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: a Studenti Online application in the first intake, an SAT score of at least 600 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 Genomics 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: a Studenti Online application in the first intake, an SAT score of at least 600 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.
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