Master in Biodiversity, Conservation and Environmental Quality at University of Siena
Two-year English-taught LM-6 biology master's at the University of Siena that trains environmental biologists in biodiversity, conservation, habitat monitoring and environmental quality, with an internship and a 27 ECTS thesis. Entry needs a strong biology base and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Siena
English
University of Siena
Biodiversity, Conservation and Environmental Quality is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-6) taught in English at the University of Siena. Entry needs a three-year bachelor's with a strong biology base, assessed case by case for foreign degrees, English at B2 and a check of your preparation in basic biology. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Siena's Biodiversity, Conservation and Environmental Quality master asks for a three-year bachelor's degree with a strong biology base, assessed case by case for foreign degrees, English at B2 and a check of your preparation in basic biology, which can mean a test or interview in English. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit requirements
You need a three-year bachelor's degree or another suitable qualification obtained abroad, together with the right curricular background and adequate personal preparation. [1]
Italian degrees in classes L-13 (Biological Sciences), L-32 (Science and Technology for the Environment and Nature) or L-2 (Biotechnology) meet the curricular requirements. A degree in another class qualifies only with both of these: [1]
- Credits: at least 66 credits in basic biology (BIO/01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 10, 11, 18 and 19), 12 credits in basic chemistry (CHIM/01, 02, 03 and 06) and 15 credits in maths, physics or computing (MAT/01 to 09, FIS/01 to 08 and INF/01).
- Grade: a final degree mark of at least 100/110.
For degrees from foreign universities, the committee assesses your curriculum case by case, looking at how well the subjects you studied match the foundations this programme builds on. [1]
What this means for your transcript
As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Sc. in Botany, Zoology, Biology, Life Sciences, Microbiology, Biotechnology or Environmental Science, which normally carries a large block of biology plus some chemistry.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Agriculture, Forestry, Chemistry or Biochemistry, or a B.Tech in Biotechnology. These often cover the chemistry and maths blocks, but the biology total needs checking against the 66-credit benchmark.
- Often short: a B.Tech or B.E. in other engineering branches, a BCA, B.Com, BBA or BA, which rarely reach 66 credits of biology.
We map your transcript against the biology, chemistry and maths blocks before you apply.
English and Italian
You need a certificate of English at CEFR level B2. [1] Siena accepts certificates from its approved list and does not publish minimum scores. Citizens of countries on its exemption list, such as the UK, US, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, are exempt, and applicants whose previous degree was taught in English may be exempt with an official certificate or letter confirming it. The committee decides exemptions and may call you for a remote interview. Siena also offers an online English interview for €30, with limited availability, for B2-level candidates without a recognised certificate. [3]
International students also have a check of basic Italian. If you do not have this level, you attend a specific course as part of the programme's additional training activities. [1]
Check of your preparation
The check of your personal preparation is compulsory and takes the form of a test or an interview in English. It covers basic biology: how living organisms are organised at morphological, functional and structural level; heredity, reproduction and development in plants and animals; and biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Sessions run from September. [1]
Under the department's rules, Italian graduates with a final mark below 95/110, and students still finishing a degree in the listed classes with at least 120 credits, sit the test. For each applicant, the committee decides whether admission is direct or depends on the test. [1][2]
2026/27 deadlines
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants who needed a study visa had a single window, which closed on 6 May 2026, with no summer intake. Siena says applications for 2027/28 open in November 2026. [3]
Documents and non-EU steps
Non-EU applicants apply on Siena's online admissions portal. Each evaluation of a foreign qualification costs a non-refundable €49.90, and you can submit up to three applications. [3][4]
The application asks for a passport, a CV, an official transcript stamped and signed by your university (or a Diploma Supplement where your country takes part in that scheme) and your English certificate. Documents not in Italian or English need certified translations. Final-year students can apply with a provisional certificate, and legalised copies of your qualifications are needed only after admission. [3]
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 Siena, Department of Life Sciences. Curricular requirements for admission and verification of personal preparation, Master's degree in Biodiversity, Conservation and Environmental Quality, undated (linked from the 2026/27 enrolment page). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Siena, Biodiversity, Conservation and Environmental Quality programme website: home page and first-year enrolment page, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Siena, international admissions portal: admission calendar for master's degree programmes, documents required, admission fees and English proficiency pages, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Siena. Regulation on student contributions, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Biodiversity, Conservation and Environmental Quality (BCEQ) is a two-year laurea magistrale in class LM-6 (biology), worth 120 ECTS and taught entirely in English. It is run by the Department of Life Sciences, with teaching at the San Miniato science campus on via Aldo Moro and at via Pier Andrea Mattioli in Siena.
The programme trains environmental biologists with expertise in biodiversity, nature conservation and the assessment of environmental quality. It suits graduates in biology, natural sciences or biotechnology who want to work in field research, monitoring or protected-area management.
What you will study
The first year is mostly compulsory and combines ecology, taxonomy and data skills. Course units in the 2026/27 study plan include:
- Conservation Biology
- Plant Diversity
- Biodiversity and Conservation of Fungi
- Molecular Applied Zoology
- Habitat Conservation and Monitoring
- Environmental Quality and Management, and Applied Ecology and Environmental Management
- Introduction to Biological Data Analysis and Bioinformatics
- Biodiversity and Pharmaceuticals
Students add 12 ECTS of electives in the first year and choose further related and free-choice units in the second.
How the programme is taught
The second year is built around practical and research work: a 6 ECTS internship, 3 ECTS of work-related skills and a final thesis worth 27 ECTS, alongside 24 ECTS of elective courses.
Career paths
The department lists these professional roles for graduates:
- freelance biologist
- researcher or manager in universities and public or private research institutes
- specialist in international, national and regional environmental and biodiversity conservation bodies
- roles in museums, parks, protected areas and nature reserves
- work in biological, environmental and quality-control laboratories
- teaching in schools, after the required courses or competitive exams
Fees and scholarships
The University of Siena uses the Italian ISEE to set fees and does not accept an ISEE parificato. For 2026/27, students with no valid ISEE pay the top band multiplied by a coefficient linked to their country, with a €500 minimum, which means €500 plus regional tax and stamp duty for students from countries like India. [4] DSU Toscana winners and eligible students are fully exempt, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
Non-EU applicants use the apply.unisi.it portal, upload their transcript, CV, passport and English certificate, and pay a non-refundable €49.90 for each programme (2026/27), with up to three applications. [3][4] The committee assesses foreign degrees case by case and decides whether you are admitted directly or must pass a test or interview in English on basic biology. [1][2]
For 2026/27, applicants who needed a visa had a single window that closed on 6 May 2026, with no summer intake. Admitted students then complete Universitaly pre-enrolment for the visa. Siena says applications for 2027/28 open in November 2026. [3]
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 Siena's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your online application on Siena's admissions portal and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your DSU Toscana 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 Siena's Biodiversity, Conservation and Environmental Quality master?
A three-year bachelor's with a strong biology base. Italian degrees in biological sciences, environmental and natural sciences or biotechnology qualify; other degrees need 66 biology credits, 12 in chemistry, 15 in maths, physics or computing and a mark of at least 100/110. Foreign degrees are assessed case by case. [1]
Is there an entrance test?
Your personal preparation is checked through a test or interview in English on basic biology, heredity and development, and biodiversity and ecosystems, with sessions from September. The committee decides whether you are admitted directly or must take it. [1][2]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
You need English at B2. Siena accepts certificates from its approved list and publishes no minimum scores. Applicants whose previous degree was taught in English may be exempt with an official letter, and the university offers a limited online English interview for €30. [1][3]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants who needed a study visa had a single window that closed on 6 May 2026, with no summer intake. Siena says applications for 2027/28 open in November 2026, and we prepare your file before then. [3]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. Final-year students can apply with a provisional certificate. Under the department's rules, students finishing a degree in the listed Italian classes with at least 120 credits can sit the test and are admitted conditionally if they graduate before enrolment closes. [1][3]
I have a B.Sc. in Botany, Zoology or Microbiology. Can I apply?
These degrees often fit, as they usually carry a large biology block. Foreign degrees are assessed case by case, so we map your transcript against the benchmark of 66 biology credits, 12 chemistry credits and 15 maths, physics or computing credits first. [1]
Do I need to know Italian?
Teaching is entirely in English, but international students have a check of basic Italian. If you do not have that level, you attend a specific Italian course as part of the programme's additional training activities. [1][2]
Does the programme include practical work?
Yes. The second year is built around practical and research work: a 6 ECTS internship, 3 ECTS of work-related skills and a final thesis worth 27 ECTS, alongside elective courses.
Can someone handle my whole application to Biodiversity, Conservation and Environmental Quality at Siena?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript 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 Biodiversity, Conservation and Environmental Quality?
A recognised Indian bachelor's with a strong biology base, such as a B.Sc. in Botany, Zoology, Biology or Biotechnology, can meet the rule, which Siena assesses case by case for foreign degrees. You need English at B2 and may face a test or interview on basic biology. The steps are the online application, the committee's assessment 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 Biodiversity, Conservation and Environmental Quality are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application on apply.unisi.it, the committee's assessment 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 Biodiversity, Conservation and Environmental Quality are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application on apply.unisi.it, the committee's assessment and Universitaly pre-enrolment. Read our guides for Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.
I'm applying from the UK, US, Canada, Singapore or Malaysia. Is anything different?
The academic rules are identical. Non-EU applicants who live abroad, including citizens of these countries, follow the same route: online application on apply.unisi.it, the committee's assessment and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa. Read our guides for London, New York, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
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