Master in Bionics Engineering at University of Pisa
Two-year English-taught LM-21 master's in Pisa, run by the University of Pisa with Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, with Biorobotics and Neural Engineering curricula and 15 places for non-EU applicants.
Master
2 years
Pisa
English
University of Pisa
Bionics Engineering is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-21, Biomedical Engineering) taught in English in Pisa, run jointly by the University of Pisa and Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna. Entry is limited to 30 students a year, 15 of them non-EU, and it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
The Master in Bionics Engineering is offered jointly by the University of Pisa and Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna. Eligibility requires a suitable degree, the appropriate academic background and English, followed by document evaluation and an interview. The requirements and dated deadlines below refer specifically to the 2026/27 admission call, Rector's Decree 986/2025. The next call sets the dates for later intakes. [1]
Qualifying degree routes
The call accepts a first-cycle or second-cycle qualification in bioengineering or biomedical engineering. It also provides a route for Italian qualifications in other disciplines where the stated subject-credit conditions are met. Foreign applicants need a first degree awarded after at least three years of study in a corresponding field; the examination board assesses its equivalence for this selection. [1, Article 2]
Subject-credit requirements for other disciplines
For the other-discipline route specified in Article 2, the call sets the following credit groups. These describe the subject content of the previous studies, rather than the credits to be earned during the master's programme. [1, Article 2]
- At least 42 ECTS in mathematics, physics and chemistry: the listed sectors include MAT/02, MAT/03, MAT/05, MAT/06, MAT/07, MAT/08, MAT/09, FIS/01, FIS/02, FIS/03, FIS/07, CHIM/03 and CHIM/07.
- At least 12 ECTS in electronic/information bioengineering or industrial bioengineering, represented by ING-INF/06 and ING-IND/34.
- At least 12 ECTS in the listed electronics, information processing, systems/control and mechanical-engineering sectors: ING-INF/01, ING-INF/05, ING-INF/04, ING-IND/13, ING-IND/14 and ING-IND/15.
- At least 24 ECTS in the sectors characterising information engineering (L-8) and industrial engineering (L-9).
Missing credits and foreign-degree assessment
Applicants who partly satisfy the subject requirements may be assigned additional examinations if selected. However, a curricular deficit of 40 ECTS or more makes the applicant ineligible under the call. The board determines foreign-degree equivalence and any academic deficits for the purposes of this competition. A foreign degree or a recognition document does not automatically establish admission eligibility. [1, Article 2]
English requirement and certificates
Applicants need English at least at CEFR B2. The selection committee checks English during the interview. In the application checklist, an English certificate is explicitly optional if available; the proficiency requirement itself remains mandatory. So English at B2 is required for everyone, while a certificate such as IELTS is not compulsory. [1, Articles 2, 3 and 5]
Documents to submit
The call requires the academic evidence needed for the qualification review and a professional presentation of the applicant's background. Documents are submitted in the formats and filename pattern specified in the call. [1, Articles 3 and 4]
- A complete CV in English, covering education and relevant professional or academic experience.
- The degree certificate, where already awarded, translated if it is not in English or Italian.
- An academic transcript with courses, grades, credits or equivalent units, and examination dates, in English or Italian, with the certification described in the call.
- An English summary of the bachelor's thesis or ongoing thesis, no longer than five pages. Where the bachelor's degree has no thesis, a summary of relevant projects or educational activities may be used as described in the call.
- A copy of a valid passport or other international identity document.
- An English-language certificate and other supporting material, where available; these are listed as optional attachments.
Selection scores and interview
The selection has a maximum of 100 points: 70 for the CV and other qualifications, and 30 for the interview. At least 49/70 in the qualifications assessment is needed to reach the interview. At least 21/30 in the interview is needed to enter the final ranking, with a minimum overall score of 70/100. Passing these thresholds establishes eligibility for ranked admission; places then follow the final ranking. [1, Article 5]
The interview is held by video conference in English. It checks the applicant's background against the topics in Annex 1 and their English. Applicants must show the identity document used in the application. Missing the assigned interview slot results in exclusion from the final ranking. [1, Article 5]
Graduating applicants and the 2026/27 deadlines
For non-EU applicants who had not yet graduated, the 2026/27 call required the degree and adequate supporting documents by 24 July 2026. For EU applicants, the corresponding deadline was 15 December 2026. These are degree-completion conditions, separate from the application deadlines. [1, Article 2]
The call's application deadlines were 16 February 2026 at 11:00 CEST for the non-EU session and 27 July 2026 at 11:00 CEST for the EU session. Both have passed, and the next call sets the 2027/28 dates. [1, Articles 3 and 4]
Completeness of the application
An incomplete application is not valid, and the call does not accept additions after its deadline. The online process must produce the confirmation email and candidate identification code. We check this confirmation, the accuracy of the declared CGPA and degree information, and the legibility of all academic attachments before submission. [1, Articles 3 and 4]
Sources and verification
- Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna and University of Pisa. Master's Degree Program in Bionics Engineering (LM-21), Call for Applications, academic year 2026/27, Rector's Decree 986/2025, Articles 2-5 and Annex 1. Official English-language call reviewed 6 October 2026.
About the programme
Bionics Engineering is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-21, Biomedical Engineering) worth 120 ECTS and taught in English in Pisa. It is offered jointly by the University of Pisa and Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, and managed by UniPi's Department of Information Engineering together with Sant'Anna's BioRobotics Institute. The course started in September 2015.
Bionics brings together advanced robotics and bioengineering with life sciences such as medicine and neuroscience, to create biomimetic machines, neuroprostheses and patient-centred healthcare and assistive technologies. Entry is limited to 30 students a year, so it suits engineering graduates with strong maths, physics and bioengineering foundations who want a research-oriented degree.
What you will study
After a shared first-year core you follow one of two curricula: Biorobotics, focused on robotic models of humans and animals and robots for surgery and rehabilitation, or Neural Engineering, focused on neuroprostheses, sensory systems and robots that interact with people. Units in the 2026/27 plan include:
- Analysis of Bionic and Robotic Systems and Bioinspired Computational Methods (12 ECTS each)
- Neuroanatomy and Cognitive Neuroscience, and Statistical Signal Processing
- Bioinspired and Soft Robotics, or Applied Brain Science
- Wearable Robotics, Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies, and Advanced Interventional and Therapeutic Technologies (Biorobotics)
- Neural Prostheses, Bionic Senses, Neural Signal Processing and Measurement Techniques, and Human-Computer Interaction and Affective Computing (Neural Engineering)
- Electives such as Neuromorphic Engineering and Advanced Materials for Bionics
- Lab training (3 ECTS) and a final dissertation (15 ECTS)
Career paths
The University of Pisa describes three main outlets for graduates:
- Industrial design and development of neuroprosthetic and biorobotic platforms
- Public and private healthcare
- Research institutions working on biorobotics and neural engineering
The programme also aims to help graduates turn scientific insights into market opportunities, and the research focus is a natural base for a PhD.
Fees and scholarships
Admitted students enrol through the University of Pisa, whose 2026/27 rules set a maximum of €2,900 a year for students whose family lives abroad. Non-EU students fall automatically into a lower band by their country's World Bank income group (€290, €580 or €1,160) or can apply for an ISEEU parificato calculation. DSU Toscana scholarships include a fee exemption, so the degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
Selection is run by Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna on its online portal, through an assessment of qualifications followed by an interview, with 15 places reserved for non-EU candidates living abroad. For 2026/27 the non-EU deadline was 16 February 2026 at 11:00 CEST, and final-year students could apply if they graduated by July 2026.
Once you are admitted, we pre-enrol you on Universitaly, and you apply for a type D study visa and complete enrolment with the University of Pisa. The 2027/28 call is not out yet.
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 Pisa's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your Sant'Anna online application 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
Can I apply without a biomedical-engineering degree?
The call provides an other-discipline route with specified subject credits. Foreign qualifications are assessed for equivalence by the examination board. A similar degree title alone does not establish eligibility. [1]
How many subject credits are required?
The specified route requires at least 42 ECTS in mathematics, physics and chemistry, 12 in bioengineering, 12 in the listed computing/control/mechanics sectors and 24 in information or industrial engineering sectors. [1]
Can missing credits be made up?
The board may assign additional examinations for a partial deficit. A deficit of 40 ECTS or more makes the applicant ineligible under the 2026/27 call. [1]
Is an IELTS certificate compulsory?
English at B2 is compulsory and checked during the interview. The call lists an English certificate as an optional attachment if available, rather than requiring IELTS from every applicant. [1]
What selection scores must I achieve?
At least 49/70 in the qualifications assessment to reach the interview, at least 21/30 in the interview and at least 70/100 overall to qualify for the final ranking. Places remain subject to ranking. [1]
What if my bachelor's degree has no thesis?
The call allows an English summary of relevant projects or educational activities where there is no bachelor's thesis. The summary must follow the call's instructions and stay within five pages. [1]
Can someone handle my whole application to Bionics Engineering at Pisa?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Pisa'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 Bionics Engineering?
An Indian degree of at least three years in a corresponding field, such as a B.Tech or B.E. in biomedical engineering, is assessed for equivalence by the examination board, and a subject deficit of 40 ECTS or more makes you ineligible [1]. English at B2 is checked in the interview, and a certificate is optional [1]. The steps are the Sant'Anna online application, a qualifications review and video interview, then Universitaly pre-enrolment. 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 Bionics Engineering are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: the Sant'Anna online application, a qualifications review and interview, 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 Bionics Engineering are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: the Sant'Anna online application, a qualifications review and interview, 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: the Sant'Anna online application, a qualifications review and interview, and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa. Read our guides for London, New York, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
More English-taught programmes at this university
Other public universities in this city
They began right where you are
