Master in Business Administration and Sustainability at University of Bologna
Two-year English-taught management master at the University of Bologna's Forlì campus, with curricula in Business Administration and Sustainable Food System Management, restricted access and a double degree option.
Master
2 years
Bologna
English
University of Bologna
Business Administration and Sustainability is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-77 R) taught entirely in English by the University of Bologna, based at the Forlì campus. Students choose Business Administration or Sustainable Food System Management. Places are limited, and tuition follows family income or a reduced flat fee for non-OECD citizens.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Business Administration and Sustainability requires a suitable first-cycle qualification, the specified curricular background and B2 English. For 2026/27 it has restricted admission through academic-document selection. Some supporting tests and certificates are optional; the eligibility requirements are compulsory.
Degree-class and subject-credit routes
- The listed Italian degree classes are L-14, L-15, L-16, L-18, L-20, L-25, L-26, L-33, L-36 and L-GASTR, with a suitability assessment for foreign qualifications.
- A different academic background requires at least 48 CFU in the specified business, economics, legal and mathematics/statistics fields, including at least 30 CFU in business subjects.
- Business fields include SECS-P/07-11, SECS-P/13 and AGR/01. Economics includes SECS-P/01-06, SECS-P/12 and M-GGR/02. The regulation separately lists the eligible IUS legal fields and SECS-S, MAT/06, MAT/09 and INF/01 quantitative fields.
- The total-credit threshold and the business-subgroup threshold must both be satisfied. A general business degree title or a total of 48 unrelated university credits is not sufficient.
English and Italian provisions
- B2 English is required. The 2026/27 procedure allows the specified language evidence or the university OOPT route. Uploading a certificate is described as optional because the alternative language-assessment route exists; English competence itself is compulsory.
- The programme’s standing rules include Italian B2. Foreign students without that level must include learning activities aimed at attaining it. This is a study-plan provision, not a condition for applying.
Selection and supporting evidence
- The 2026/27 call provides 75 places: 50 for EU/equivalent applicants and 25 for non-EU applicants living abroad. It uses academic-document assessment, with at least 35/100 required for adequate personal preparation.
- Meeting that threshold does not by itself secure a place. Ranking, applicant category, curricular suitability and language compliance remain relevant.
- GRE, GMAT and GMAT Focus evidence are optional supporting documents under the call, not universal mandatory entrance tests. Evidence of relevant study abroad, internships or professional experience can also be supplied where applicable.
Academic documents and application procedure
- The Courses Taken table is mandatory, and we complete it with you. For a foreign qualification, provide the degree and transcript with marks, credits and grading information, plus a Diploma Supplement where available. A pending graduate supplies the recorded examination list.
- We follow the call’s separate document routes for Bologna, other Italian university and foreign careers. For this selection application, translations into English or Italian may be prepared by the candidate where the call permits; later enrolment recognition checks are a separate stage.
- The application needs valid identity evidence and any applicable residence-permit or accommodation documents. Non-EU equivalent-status applicants must document their applicable status as required.
- Admission is through a selection call. Under its conditions, an application can carry over to a subsequent intake. The 2026/27 application timetable has passed, and the next call sets the new dates.
Sources and verification
- University of Bologna. Business Administration and Sustainability: programme enrolment, curricular requirements and language provisions. 2026/27 guidance; reviewed 6 October 2026.
- University of Bologna. Business Administration and Sustainability: Call for Applications, selection and application-document sections. 2026/27 admission call; reviewed 6 October 2026.
About the programme
Business Administration and Sustainability is a two-year laurea magistrale in class LM-77 R, Management, run by the Department of Management (DiSA). The degree page lists Forlì and Bologna as places of teaching, and the department lists it under the Forlì campus. It is worth 120 ECTS, is delivered entirely in English and has restricted access. Marcello Russo is the degree programme director.
Its stated aim is to build advanced managerial skills to lead businesses and organisations towards strategic and sustainability goals at a global level, under the heading "driving sustainable innovation". It also works on transferable skills: adapting to change, communicating effectively, solving problems and collaborating. It suits graduates who want a management career with sustainability at its core.
What you will study
Students choose one of two curricula, both listed in the 2026/27 fee table and on the degree page:
- Business Administration
- Sustainable Food System Management
Both curricula share the degree's focus on strategy and sustainability in management. The course units, credits and teaching periods for each curriculum and intake are published in the course structure diagram on the degree website; we check the 2027/28 version before you apply.
How the programme is taught
The degree is part of the University of Bologna's international offer, with a double or multiple degree option in which selected students also earn a degree from a partner university. The partner institutions and the selection rules for that option are set out on the degree website.
Career paths
The university frames the degree around leading businesses and organisations towards strategic and sustainability goals at a global level, which points to managerial roles where sustainability is part of strategy. Graduates can also apply for PhD programmes. The job placement office and the Towards the job market service list internships and vacancies for students and recent graduates.
Fees and scholarships
Fees for both curricula follow family income (ISEE), so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. Families with income only abroad declare it through ER.GO, the regional body that also awards scholarships.
How to apply from outside the EU
This is a restricted-access degree, so its admission notice sets the requirements, the selection criteria, the application windows and a quota of places reserved for non-EU citizens living abroad. We apply for admission on Studenti Online within the window.
If you are admitted, we complete the Universitaly pre-enrolment; its validation by the university lets the consulate process your study visa, and no validations are made during the August closure. Then enrol and pay the first instalment, present your original documents at the Forlì campus office and request a residence permit within eight days of arriving.
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 Bologna's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your selection application on Studenti Online and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ER.GO Emilia-Romagna 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 does the alternative credit route require?
At least 48 CFU in designated fields, including at least 30 CFU in business subjects.
Is English B2 compulsory?
Yes. A certificate or a permitted alternative assessment route can establish it.
Are GRE or GMAT compulsory?
No. The reviewed call lists them as optional supporting evidence.
What is the preparation assessment threshold?
At least 35/100 in the published academic-document assessment. Ranking still determines admission.
What academic form is mandatory?
The Courses Taken table, together with the documents required for your academic-career category.
Is there a selection application?
Yes. Admission is through a selection call, and under its conditions an application can carry over to a subsequent intake.
Can someone handle my whole application to Business Administration and Sustainability at Bologna?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Bologna's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ER.GO Emilia-Romagna 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 Business Administration and Sustainability?
A three-year Indian bachelor's, such as a B.Com or BBA, is assessed for suitability. Outside the listed degree classes, it needs at least 48 credits in business, economics, law and maths or statistics, with at least 30 in business subjects. You also need B2 English and at least 35/100 in the academic-document assessment. The steps are the Studenti Online application, selection 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 Business Administration and Sustainability are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: Studenti Online selection application, academic-document 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 Business Administration and Sustainability are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: Studenti Online selection application, academic-document assessment 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 Business Administration and Sustainability 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: Studenti Online selection application, academic-document assessment 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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