Master in Biochemistry at Sapienza University of Rome
Two-year English-taught LM-9 master's at Sapienza University of Rome in biochemistry, macromolecules, cellular biochemistry and biotechnology, with dedicated teaching labs and an experimental thesis. Limited places; entry needs a biology or biotech degree, English at B2 and an oral test.
Master
2 years
Rome
English
Sapienza University of Rome
Biochemistry is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-9) taught in English at Sapienza University of Rome. Entry is limited and needs a bachelor's in biological sciences or biotechnology, or 72 credits in set subjects, English at B2 and a ranking place from your degree mark and an oral test. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Sapienza's Biochemistry master has limited places. It asks for a bachelor's in biological sciences or biotechnology, or a degree with 72 credits in set subjects, English at B2 and a place in a ranking based on your degree mark, extra qualifications and an oral test. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree requirement
You need one of the following: [1]
- An Italian bachelor's in class L-2 Biotechnology or L-13 Biological Sciences, or the equivalent older classes.
- A bachelor's in another class with at least 72 CFU, spread as follows: 18 CFU in chemistry (CHIM/01, 02, 03, 06 and 08); 18 CFU in physics and mathematics (FIS and MAT); 6 CFU in biochemistry (BIO/10); 6 CFU in biology or medical sectors (BIO/01 to BIO/12, BIO/18, BIO/19, MED/04 and MED/07); and 24 CFU in chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology, computer science (INF/01) or set medical and psychology sectors (MED/04, MED/07, MED/42, MED/44, MED/46 and M-PSI/02).
- A foreign first-level degree of at least three years in the biological sciences or biotechnology, with a basic background in mathematics and physics. The programme is also open to three-year degrees in chemistry or physics if you have a background in biological subjects such as cell biology, biochemistry and molecular biology.
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants who need a visa had to meet these requirements by 13 July 2026, and other applicants by 3 September 2026. [1]
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 three-year B.Sc. in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Life Sciences, Zoology or Botany that includes mathematics and physics, or a B.Tech in Biotechnology.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Chemistry or Physics, which qualifies only with cell biology, biochemistry and molecular biology on the transcript; a B.Pharm; or a biology degree with no mathematics or physics papers.
- Often short: a B.Sc. in Mathematics, a B.Tech or B.E. outside biotechnology, or a BCA, B.Com or BBA, which lack the biological background the rule asks for.
For foreign degrees, the call strongly recommends attaching a list of the main topics covered in each course, so the committee can match your subjects. [1]
English
English at CEFR level B2 or higher, shown by a certificate from a recognised certifying body and sent as a scan with your application. The call does not list specific tests or scores. If you have no certificate, your English is checked during the oral test, and if you do not pass that check you are left out of the ranking. [1]
Selection: qualifications and oral test
Places are limited and awarded by a ranking out of 80 points: [1]
- Degree mark, up to 30 points: 110 with honours earns 30; 109 to 110 earns 28; 107 to 108 earns 26; 105 to 106 earns 24; 103 to 104 earns 22; 101 to 102 earns 20; 100 earns 18; 97 to 99 earns 12; 94 to 96 earns 8; 91 to 93 earns 4; and 90 or below earns 2. The committee converts foreign marks to the 110 scale case by case.
- If you have not graduated yet, up to 25 points for your exam average instead.
- Extra qualifications, up to 20 points: a second-level university master (a postgraduate course) in biological, biotechnological, pharmaceutical or chemical subjects earns 20, a first-level one 10 and a postgraduate improvement course in a related subject 5.
- Oral test, up to 30 points: on your previous studies, your bachelor's thesis topic and your motivation. Up to 25 points reward how clearly you present your study experience and up to 5 your interest and motivation.
Ties go first to the candidate who graduated on time, then by graduation date, then to the younger candidate. If the oral cannot be held in person, it runs as an online interview. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
Non-EU applicants living abroad who need a student visa: [1]
- 15 May 2026: MoveIn pre-selection.
- 30 June 2026: Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- 16 June to 13 July 2026: Infostud registration and the application.
- 20 July 2026: oral test, with the list of candidates admitted to it published by 16 July.
- 28 July 2026: ranking published.
- 1 to 22 September 2026: payment of the first fee instalment to enrol.
EU applicants and non-EU applicants already resident in Italy had until 3 September 2026 to apply, with the oral on 10 September and payment from 18 to 22 September 2026. These were the 2026/27 dates. The next call sets the 2027/28 dates. [1]
Application documents and non-EU steps
The application is sent by email with: [1]
- The application form (the spreadsheet version for foreign qualifications), filled in, plus a signed scan.
- A scan of your identity document.
- The Infostud selection receipt (code 14228).
- A scan of your B2 English certificate.
- For foreign degrees, a strongly recommended list of the main topics covered in each course.
Non-EU applicants living abroad must first complete MoveIn pre-selection and Universitaly pre-enrolment, and download the pre-acceptance letter before the Infostud deadline of 13 July 2026. Pre-acceptance gives no right to a visa or a place: you still need a place in the ranking. Incomplete or late applications are excluded. [1]
To enrol, holders of foreign qualifications send the documents Sapienza lists for two-year master's degrees to its international students' office and pay the first instalment by the deadline. The office can ask for more documents or refuse admission if the requirements are not met. [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.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine and Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences. Call for admission to the limited-access interfaculty Master's degree programme in Biochemistry (LM-9), taught in English, academic year 2026-2027, Rector's Decree No. 1128/2026. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Biochemistry programme page, presentation, career outcomes and study plan for the 2026/2027 cohort (degree class, duration, faculties, department, language and teaching mode). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Biochemistry is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-9) taught in English at Sapienza University of Rome. It is an interfaculty programme of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine and the Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, run by the Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli", with teaching in person in Rome. [1][2]
Sapienza describes it as the first and only Italian degree programme devoted specifically to biochemistry within the biological and biotechnological disciplines. It trains biochemists who work at the interface between biology and chemistry, with in-depth theory and practical training in dedicated teaching laboratories. Entry is limited: for 2026/27 there were 43 places for EU and equivalent applicants and 7 for non-EU applicants living abroad. [1][2]
What you will study
The 2026 study plan has a single curriculum. First-year units include: [2]
- Cellular Biochemistry (9 CFU)
- Structure and Function of Macromolecules (9 CFU)
- Biochemical Methodologies, covering protein purification and molecular biology techniques (9 CFU)
- Physiopathology and Pharmacology (9 CFU)
- Bioorganic Chemistry (6 CFU)
- Computational Biochemistry (6 CFU)
- Microorganism and Plant Biochemistry (6 CFU)
- Biochemical Biotechnologies (6 CFU)
In the second year, students take Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies and Ethical and Regulatory Aspects of Scientific Research, choose among options such as Biophysical Chemistry, Enzyme Kinetics, Nanotechnologies, Medicinal Chemistry, Biochemical and Molecular Diagnostics and Nutritional Biochemistry, and add 12 free-choice credits. [2]
How the programme is taught
Teaching is in person in Rome and mixes lectures, laboratory work and group and individual projects, with seminars by specialists from other public and private institutions. The second year includes a 15-credit laboratory placement and a 10-credit final examination. The thesis must be experimental and can be carried out in university laboratories, research bodies or companies, including abroad. [2]
Career paths
Sapienza points graduates to research and development, production and marketing roles in the pharmaceutical, biomedical, biotechnology and agri-food industries, as well as public and private health services, regulatory and consultancy work, clinical trial monitoring (after the training the law requires), and intellectual property and technology transfer. Graduates can continue to a PhD and can sit the Italian state exam to register as a biologist. [2]
Fees and scholarships
Sapienza sets tuition by family income (ISEE). Students who declare income earned abroad and cannot provide an ISEE pay a fixed-rate fee that depends on their country of origin. [1] The regional scholarship body for Rome is DiSCo Lazio, and its scholarship winners also get a tuition waiver, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. The region decides scholarship awards.
How to apply from outside the EU
Non-EU applicants living abroad who need a student visa compete for 7 reserved places. For 2026/27 they had to pass MoveIn pre-selection by 15 May 2026, complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by 30 June 2026, then register on Infostud and send the application with its documents by 13 July 2026. Pre-acceptance gives no right to a visa or to a place. [1]
The oral test for this group took place on 20 July 2026 and the ranking was due by 28 July 2026. Successful candidates enrolled by paying the first fee instalment between 1 and 22 September 2026. The 2027/28 calendar is 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 Sapienza's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your MoveIn pre-selection, Universitaly pre-enrolment and selection application with its documents.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your DiSCo Lazio 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 Sapienza's Biochemistry master?
A bachelor's in biological sciences or biotechnology, or another degree with 72 credits across chemistry, physics and maths, biochemistry and biology. Foreign degrees need at least three years in biology or biotechnology with basic maths and physics; chemistry and physics graduates qualify with a biology background. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
No written test. Places are ranked out of 80: up to 30 points for your degree mark, up to 20 for extra qualifications and up to 30 for an oral test on your studies, bachelor's thesis and motivation. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2, shown by a certificate from a recognised certifying body. The 2026/27 call names no specific test or score. Without a certificate, your English is checked at the oral test, and failing that check keeps you out of the ranking. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad had to pass MoveIn pre-selection by 15 May 2026, finish Universitaly pre-enrolment by 30 June 2026 and apply on Infostud by 13 July 2026. The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published. [1]
How many places are there for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, 7 places were reserved for non-EU applicants living abroad who need a student visa, and 43 for EU and equivalent applicants. Places the non-EU group does not fill pass to the other group. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
The 2026/27 call lets students finishing an Italian degree apply with at least 132 credits if they graduate by 18 December 2026. Non-EU applicants who need a visa had to meet the entry requirements by 13 July 2026, so we check your graduation date against the call. [1]
I have a B.Sc. in Chemistry or a B.Pharm. Can I apply?
Possibly. The call opens the programme to chemistry and physics graduates who also have a background in cell biology, biochemistry and molecular biology. For a B.Pharm, we check whether your transcript fits the biology or biotechnology area with the maths and physics the rule asks for. [1]
What jobs do Biochemistry graduates do?
Sapienza points to research and development, production and marketing roles in pharmaceutical, biomedical, biotech and agri-food industries, plus health services, regulatory and consultancy work, clinical trial monitoring and PhD study. Graduates can sit the Italian state exam to register as biologists. [2]
Can someone handle my whole application to Biochemistry at Sapienza?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Sapienza's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the DiSCo Lazio 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 Biochemistry?
A three-year Indian B.Sc. in a life science such as Biochemistry, Biotechnology or Microbiology, or a B.Tech in Biotechnology, can meet the rule if it includes basic maths and physics, and you need English at B2. The steps are MoveIn pre-selection, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the Infostud application and an oral test. [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 Biochemistry are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: MoveIn pre-selection, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the selection application and an oral test, 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 Biochemistry are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: MoveIn pre-selection, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the selection application and an oral test. 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 Biochemistry 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: MoveIn pre-selection, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the selection application and an oral test, 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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