Master in Advanced Biotechnology at University of Cagliari
Two-year English-taught master at the University of Cagliari on drug discovery, omics sciences, nanomaterials and the manufacturing of biotech medicines, with a 15 ECTS internship and an experimental thesis.
Master
2 years
Cagliari
English
University of Cagliari
Advanced Biotechnology is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-9) taught in English at the University of Cagliari. Entry needs a bachelor's in biotechnology, biology or pharmacy, or another degree with 18 credits in maths, chemistry and physics and 18 in biology, plus English at B2 and an admission interview. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Cagliari's Advanced Biotechnology master asks for a three-year bachelor's in biotechnology, biological sciences or pharmaceutical sciences, or another degree with 18 credits in maths, chemistry and physics and 18 in biological subjects, plus English at B2 and a positive individual interview with the admission committee. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit requirements
You need a three-year bachelor's degree in one of these Italian classes, or a foreign qualification recognised as suitable: [1][2]
- L-2 Biotechnology
- L-13 Biological sciences
- L-29 Pharmaceutical sciences and technologies
With a degree in another class, you must already hold these credits when you enrol: [1][2]
- At least 18 CFU in mathematics, chemistry and physics (sectors CHIM, FIS and MAT).
- At least 18 CFU in biological subjects: biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, microbiology and pharmacology (sectors BIO/10, BIO/11, BIO/13, BIO/14, BIO/18, BIO/19 or MED/07).
For degrees taken abroad, the committee looks at the type of exams you passed, your marks in those exams and the type of final thesis or exam. [3]
What this means for your transcript
Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit, and the committee looks at your subjects, not just your total. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Sc. or B.Tech in Biotechnology, a B.Sc. in Microbiology, Biochemistry or Life Sciences with maths, chemistry and physics papers, or a B.Pharm, when the transcript shows both 18-credit blocks.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Zoology, Botany or Chemistry often covers one block well but can fall short on biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, microbiology or pharmacology, or on maths and physics.
- Often short: a B.Tech in a non-biological engineering field, a BCA, B.Com, BBA or BA usually lacks the 18 credits in biological subjects.
In 2024/25, graduates missing curricular requirements could take single courses to earn them by February 2025, before enrolling. All requirements must be met before enrolment. [1]
English
An English language certificate at CEFR level B2 or higher. Without one, you can sit a B2 placement test at the university language centre (CLA) before the admission interview. The sources do not list specific test scores. [2][3]
Admission interview
There is no written test, and access is open. A committee assesses your personal preparation in an individual oral interview with a pass or fail judgment. If it finds your preparation adequate, it issues the clearance to enrol. Foreign candidates can take the interview remotely on an online platform. [1][3]
2024/25 dates and places
These rules come from the 2024/25 guide. In 2024/25, online registration for the personal preparation check ran from May to the end of August, and 4 places were reserved for foreign students living abroad. The next call sets the new dates and quota. [1]
Applicants still finishing a bachelor's could enrol conditionally if they expected to graduate by November 2024 for full-time study, or by February 2025 for part-time study. [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.
- University of Cagliari. Student guide to master's degrees, academic year 2024/25, section on the Master's degree in Advanced Biotechnology (class LM-9): admission requirements, places and study plan. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Cagliari, Advanced Biotechnology programme page (curricular requirements, English requirement and 2026 cohort study plan). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Cagliari, Advanced Biotechnology degree course website, admission and interview page, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Advanced Biotechnology is a two-year master's degree in class LM-9 (medical, veterinary and pharmaceutical biotechnology), taught entirely in English by the Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy of the University of Cagliari.
It is worth 120 ECTS and has open access, with a check of your background and preparation. Teaching takes place at the Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, the university's science and medicine campus on the edge of Cagliari.
The degree gives graduates advanced, multidisciplinary tools to design, develop and apply new biotechnological processes for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic sectors, and for innovative materials and nanotechnology.
It suits graduates in biotechnology, biology or pharmaceutical sciences who want to work on how new medicines are discovered, tested and made.
What you will study
The first year covers drug discovery and development, fermentation biotechnology, green chemistry, preclinical testing, the cell biology of cancer and tissue regeneration, and nanomaterials.
The second year moves to omics sciences, computer-aided drug design, the manufacturing and formulation of biotech medicines, bioethics and clinical trials. Compulsory units in the 2026/27 study plan include:
- Basic Principles of Drug Discovery and Development
- Cellular and Molecular Bases of Cancer and Tissue Regeneration
- Advanced Methods for Drug Screening in Infectious Diseases
- Biotechnology of Fermentations and Biochemical Methods
- Nanomaterials Applied to Biotechnological and Diagnostics Compounds
- Omics Sciences
- Structural Bioinformatics and CADD
- Manufacturing of Biotechnological Medicines
How the programme is taught
There are eleven compulsory units, all in English, and you add 12 ECTS of units of your own choice.
The second year includes a 15 ECTS internship and ends with an 11 ECTS thesis, which must be experimental, written in English and defended in public.
Students who do not speak Italian can count up to 3 ECTS of Italian language study towards the degree.
Career paths
The university describes two professional profiles. The pharmaceutical biotechnologist can direct biotech and pharmaceutical laboratories and coordinate development programmes for biopharmaceuticals and vaccines. The senior pharmaceutical biologist can join section A of the Italian register of biologists after the state exam. Sectors listed include:
- Universities and public or private research institutes
- Pharmaceutical, cosmetic and nutraceutical industries
- Diagnostic devices, scientific instruments and bioengineering
- The national health service and European healthcare bodies
- Drug surveillance and regulatory agencies
- Biopharmaceutical consulting firms
Fees and scholarships
Tuition at Cagliari depends on family income and assets, measured by the ISEE.
For 2026/27, first-year students with an ISEE up to €24,335.11 pay no annual contribution, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Non-EU students obtain an ISEE parificato from a CAF by 31 December 2026, or pay the top band. Winners and eligible applicants of the ERSU Cagliari regional scholarship are exempt.
How to apply from outside the EU
For this degree, a committee checks your curricular requirements and holds an individual oral interview, which foreign candidates can take remotely. For degrees taken abroad, it looks at the type of exams you passed, your marks and your final thesis. [3]
From 2026/27 the university processes enrolment through its UNICA DREAM APPLY portal, and places for non-EU applicants who need a visa are limited.
Alongside the university application we complete the Universitaly pre-enrolment, which the consulate uses for the type D study visa.
In 2024/25, registration for the admission interview ran from May to the end of August, and 4 places were reserved for foreign students living abroad. The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. [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 transcript against Cagliari's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your registration for the admission interview and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ERSU Cagliari 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 bachelor's degree do I need for Advanced Biotechnology at Cagliari?
A three-year bachelor's in biotechnology, biological sciences or pharmaceutical sciences, or a recognised foreign equivalent. With another degree, you need at least 18 credits in maths, chemistry and physics and 18 in biological subjects such as biochemistry, genetics and microbiology. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
No written test. Access is open, and a committee checks your requirements and holds an individual oral interview on your preparation. Foreign candidates can take the interview remotely on an online platform. [1][3]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2 or higher, shown by a language certificate. The sources do not list specific test scores. Without a certificate, you can sit a B2 placement test at the university language centre before the interview. We check which proof your file can use. [2][3]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
These rules come from the 2024/25 guide. That year, registration for the admission interview ran from May to the end of August, with 4 places for foreign students living abroad. The next call sets the new dates. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
In 2024/25, students still finishing a bachelor's could enrol conditionally if they expected to graduate by November 2024 for full-time study. The credits the entry rule asks for must already be on your record when you enrol. [1]
I have a B.Sc. in Zoology or Chemistry. Can I apply?
Possibly. Outside biotechnology, biology and pharmacy degrees, you need 18 credits in maths, chemistry and physics and 18 in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, microbiology or pharmacology. Zoology or Chemistry graduates often meet one block but can fall short on the other. [1]
What jobs can graduates do?
The university lists roles in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, nutraceutical and diagnostic companies, research institutes, the health service and regulatory agencies. After the state exam, graduates can register as senior biologists in section A of the register. [1]
Can someone handle my whole application to Advanced Biotechnology at Cagliari?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Cagliari's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ERSU Cagliari 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 Advanced Biotechnology?
A recognised Indian bachelor's in biotechnology, life sciences or pharmacy can meet the degree rule if your transcript shows 18 credits in maths, chemistry and physics and 18 in biological subjects, and you also need English at B2. The steps are online registration for the admission interview, which foreign candidates can take remotely, then Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1][3] 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 Advanced Biotechnology are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online registration for the admission interview, the interview itself 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 Advanced Biotechnology are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online registration for the admission interview, the interview itself 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 Advanced Biotechnology are the same whatever your nationality, and your degree is assessed like any other foreign qualification. Non-EU applicants who live abroad follow the same route: online registration for the admission interview, the interview itself 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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