Master in Biotechnologies for Food Science at University of Padua
English curriculum of Padua's food biotechnology master at Agripolis, Legnaro: genomics, bioinformatics, protein analysis and food toxicology, with a food safety or plant resilience path and a thesis of at least six months. Entry needs a three-year life science degree and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Padua
Multiple
University of Padua
Biotechnologies for Food Science is the English-taught curriculum of a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-9-R) at the University of Padua's Agripolis campus in Legnaro. Entry needs a bachelor's of at least three years with skills in biology, biochemistry, chemistry and statistics, a grade that meets your country's minimum, and English at B2. There is no entrance test. Regional scholarship winners are exempt from fees, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Padua's Biotechnologies for Food Science master asks for a bachelor's degree of at least three years, or a foreign equivalent, with proven skills in biology, biochemistry, statistics, chemistry and biotechnology, a grade that meets your country's minimum, and English at B2. There is no entrance test: the programme has open admission with requirements, and you apply in one of the 2027/28 calls. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and subject requirements
You need an undergraduate degree of at least three years, or an equivalent qualification, with proven skills in biology, biochemistry, statistics and chemistry, and in biotechnology for the production of goods and services and its ethical rules. [1] The School describes this as a bachelor's degree in a field consistent with the course objectives, with a basic background in chemistry, statistics, biology and biochemistry. [6]
For holders of Italian degrees, the School's 2026/27 notice asks for a degree in class L-2 (biotechnology) or L-13 (biological sciences). [3]
Country rules and minimum grades
The university's 2027/28 country list sets these master's entry titles and minimum grades: [2]
- India: a 3 or 4-year Honours bachelor's, a professional bachelor's of 4, 5 or 5.5 years, or a 3-year pass or general bachelor's plus a postgraduate bachelor's or at least a 1-year master's. Minimum GPA 70/100, 7.0/10, 5.6/8 or 2.8/4.
- Pakistan: a 3-year bachelor's (Honours), a 4 or 5-year professional bachelor's, or a 2-year pass bachelor's plus a 2-year master's. Minimum GPA 3.3/4.0.
- Bangladesh: a 4-year Honours bachelor's or a 4 or 5-year professional bachelor's. Minimum GPA 3.3/4.0.
- Sri Lanka: a 4-year bachelor's or a Special Degree. Minimum GPA 3.0/4.0.
- United Kingdom: a Bachelor Honours Degree.
The list is a reference, and the university's Admissions and Welcome Unit makes the final decision on each qualification. You must complete your degree by 31 July 2027. [2]
What this means for your transcript
As a guide, based on the rules above:
- Usually a fit: an Honours B.Sc. in Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Microbiology or Life Sciences, or a four-year B.Tech in Biotechnology, with chemistry and statistics on the transcript and a grade above your country's minimum.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. or B.Tech in Food Science or Food Technology, a B.Sc. in Agriculture or a B.Pharm, where the fit depends on how much biochemistry, molecular biology and statistics your transcript shows. A three-year pass or general Indian B.Sc. also needs a postgraduate qualification to meet the 2027/28 country rule.
- Often short: a B.Com, BBA, BA or BCA, or a B.Tech in computer science, mechanical or civil engineering, which do not show the biology, biochemistry and chemistry skills the programme asks for.
English
English at CEFR level B2 or higher for the English curriculum. [1][3] For 2027/28 the university's accepted B2 scores include IELTS Academic or General Training 6.0, TOEFL iBT 86 for tests taken until 20 January 2026 or 4.5 for tests taken from 21 January 2026, PTE Academic 65, Cambridge B2 First 173, Trinity ISE II, Oxford Test of English 126 and Duolingo English Test 115. [4]
Certificates must still be valid or, where they have no expiry date, be no more than two years old on 15 September 2026. You can upload one after applying, up to 31 July 2027. [4]
You are exempt if you are a native speaker from a listed English-speaking country, or completed your qualification entirely in English in one of those countries or in the EU or Schengen area. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are not on that list. [4]
Selection
There is no entrance test. The programme has open admission with requirements. [7] The Admissions and Welcome Unit checks your application, and an Academic Committee then evaluates it. The unit may also ask for a CIMEA Statement of Comparability of your bachelor's degree. [5] During the assessment, the selection committee may invite you to an online interview. [1]
2027/28 deadlines
Non-EU applicants living abroad can apply in Call One, from 15 September to 15 November 2026, or Call Two, from 1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027. Call Three, from 1 April to 1 June 2027, is only for EU citizens and non-EU citizens living in Italy. You can apply to a degree programme only once per academic year, and classes start on 1 October 2027. [1]
You can apply before graduating, but you must complete your degree by 31 July 2027. [2]
Documents and non-EU steps
The application needs a CV and a motivation letter in English, your transcript of records, your degree certificate or, if you have not yet graduated, an enrolment or provisional certificate, your passport and your English certificate. [5] Documents must be in English or Italian, or come with official translations, and no legalised documents are needed at this stage. [1]
- If admitted, you accept your place on the portal. [1][5]
- Non-EU citizens living outside Italy complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by 15 July and apply for a type D study visa. [5]
- At enrolment, your degree and transcript must be translated into Italian or English and legalised or apostilled, or covered by a CIMEA certificate instead of legalisation. [5]
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 Padua, international application portal. Master's degree in Biotechnologies for Food Science: entry qualification, language requirement, fees, programme structure and application calls, academic year 2027/28. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua, Global Engagement Office. Entry title requirements and specific entry requirements for qualifications awarded by non-Italian education systems, updated 15 September 2026 and valid for academic year 2027/28. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua, School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. Call for admission to open-access master's degrees with requirements, candidates with an Italian qualification, course sheet for Biotechnologies for Food Science, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua, Global Engagement Office. Language requirement for admission to degree programmes, with the list of accepted English certificates and exemptions, academic year 2027/28. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Study in English: how to apply and how to enrol with a foreign qualification, with the 2027/28 application calls. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua, School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. Biotechnologies for Food Science course outline and admission pages, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Biotechnologies for Food Science programme page (degree class, school, languages, location and access type), undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Tuition fees for international students, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Scholarships and fee waivers for international students, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Biotechnologies for Food Science is the English curriculum of the master's degree Biotecnologie per l'alimentazione (class LM-9-R), offered by the School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine with the Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science. It lasts two years and 120 ECTS, has open admission with requirements and is taught at Agripolis, the university's agriculture and veterinary campus in Legnaro, near Padua. The same degree has a second curriculum taught in Italian. [1][7]
The curriculum asks how to produce healthier and safer food with a field-to-fork approach. Theory is combined with hands-on DNA, RNA and protein analysis and bioinformatics lab sessions. It suits graduates in biotechnology, biology, food science or related fields who want a laboratory-based career in the agri-food sector.
What you will study
After a shared base, the second year splits into two paths: Food Safety and Food Hygiene, on microbiota, food safety and foodborne illness, or Plant Resilience and Product Quality, on biotechnology for plant production, crop quality and the nutritional value of food. Course units listed for the English curriculum include: [1]
- Genetics and Molecular Biology of Agrifood Products, or Agrifood Microbiology
- Applied Food Biotechnology
- Advanced Technologies for the Agrifood Sector
- Applied Bioinformatics and Genomics
- Advanced Protein Analysis
- Traceability of Agrifood Products
- AgriFood Legislation and Regulation
- Food Toxicology and Toxicogenomics
How the programme is taught
About a third of the degree, 40 ECTS out of 120, is laboratory work. [6] Teaching uses team-based and problem-based learning, with groups solving case studies on safety, production and the agri-food supply chain.
The degree ends with an experimental thesis of at least six months dedicated to one research project. You can carry it out in University of Padua laboratories, in agri-food companies, in public or private research institutes, or abroad through Erasmus+ and similar programmes.
Career paths
According to the university, graduates work in private and public research centres, in public bodies dealing with animal health and food safety, and across the private agri-food sector, from crop and animal production to food processing and large retail chains. The School lists these fields: [1][6]
- Research and development
- Quality control and quality management
- Food safety, food risk analysis and prevention
- Traceability and regulatory compliance
- Product and process development
- Doctoral research in food biotechnology
Fees and scholarships
Because the degree sits in the School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (Group B), non-EU students whose family lives outside Italy pay a fixed fee, reduced for students from countries on the ministry's list of particularly poor countries. [8] Winners of the Veneto regional scholarship, called by the university with ESU Padova providing housing and meals, are exempt from the fee, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. Padua also offers merit scholarships and 100 full tuition fee waivers for students enrolling in degrees taught entirely in English. [9] See the fees page.
How to apply from outside the EU
We select the English curriculum on apply.unipd.it and upload your transcript, CV, motivation letter and English certificate; the committee may add an online interview. No legalised documents are needed yet. Non-EU applicants living abroad can apply for 2027/28 from 15 September to 15 November 2026 or from 1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027, and can apply only once per academic year. [1]
Once admitted, you accept the place, we complete the Universitaly pre-enrolment by 15 July, and you request a type D study visa. [1][5] At enrolment you present your degree and transcript translated into Italian or English and legalised or apostilled, or a CIMEA certificate instead of legalisation, and you must have graduated by 31 July 2027. Classes start on 1 October 2027. [1][2][5]
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 Padua's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your application on the university portal, place acceptance and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your University of Padua DSU 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 Biotechnologies for Food Science at Padua?
A degree of at least three years, or a foreign equivalent, with proven skills in biology, biochemistry, statistics and chemistry, and in biotechnology and its ethical rules. Your degree must also meet the university's entry title and minimum grade rules for your country. [1][2]
Is there an entrance exam?
No. The programme has open admission with requirements, so there is no written test. Your transcript, CV, motivation letter and English certificate are assessed, and the selection committee may invite you to an online interview. [1][5][7]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2. For 2027/28 the university accepts IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 86 (or 4.5 for tests from 21 January 2026), PTE Academic 65, Cambridge B2 First 173, Duolingo 115 and other listed tests. A degree taught in English in India or Pakistan is not on the exemption list. [1][4]
When is the 2027/28 deadline for non-EU students?
Non-EU applicants living abroad can apply in Call One, from 15 September to 15 November 2026, or Call Two, from 1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027. You can apply only once per year, and classes start on 1 October 2027. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. You can apply with an enrolment or provisional certificate while finishing your bachelor's, but you must complete your degree by 31 July 2027 to enrol for 2027/28. You can also upload your English certificate after applying, up to 31 July 2027. [2][4][5]
What grade do I need?
The 2027/28 country list sets minimums of 70/100, 7.0/10, 5.6/8 or 2.8/4 for India, a GPA of 3.3/4.0 for Pakistan and Bangladesh, and 3.0/4.0 for Sri Lanka. [2]
I have a B.Sc. in Food Technology or a B.Pharm. Can I apply?
Possibly. The rule asks for proven skills in biology, biochemistry, statistics, chemistry and biotechnology rather than a named degree, so we check your transcript for those subjects. A three-year Indian B.Sc. must be Honours, or be followed by a postgraduate qualification, to meet the country rule. [1][2]
How much of the degree is lab work?
About a third: 40 of the 120 credits are laboratory activities, with hands-on DNA, RNA and protein analysis and bioinformatics. The degree ends with an experimental thesis of at least six months, done in Padua laboratories, companies, research institutes or abroad. [1][6]
Can someone handle my whole application to Biotechnologies for Food Science at Padua?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Padua's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the University of Padua DSU 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 Biotechnologies for Food Science?
Padua's 2027/28 country list covers Indian 3 or 4-year Honours bachelor's degrees and professional bachelor's degrees of 4 years or more, with a minimum of 70/100 or 7.0/10. Your degree should show skills in biology, biochemistry, chemistry and statistics, and you need English at B2. The steps are the online application, place acceptance and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1][2] 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 Biotechnologies for Food Science are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application in Call One or Call Two, admission decision, place acceptance 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 Biotechnologies for Food Science are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application in Call One or Call Two, admission decision, place acceptance 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 Biotechnologies for Food Science 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 application in Call One or Call Two, admission decision, place acceptance 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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