Master in Chemistry at University of Calabria

Detailed entry requirements

UniCal's Chemistry master has limited places. Non-EU applicants living abroad need a foreign bachelor's that gives access to master's study and that the department council recognises as equivalent to the Italian entry degrees, basic knowledge of maths, physics and chemistry, English at B2, a positive CV review and a remote oral exam. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]

Degree requirement

You need a university degree obtained abroad that is valid for admission to master's study in Italy. [1][2]

The degree regulations admit graduates in chemical sciences (class L-27), pharmaceutical chemistry and technology (LM-13) or the former five-year degrees in chemistry or industrial chemistry, and holders of a foreign qualification that the department council recognises as equivalent. You also need basic knowledge of mathematics, physics and chemistry. [2]

As a benchmark, other Italian graduates need a three-year degree with at least 60 CFU in the basic or core subjects of the chemistry bachelor's class, in one or more of these areas: [2]

• Chemistry (CHIM/01 to 12).
• Biochemistry and molecular biology (BIO/10 to 12).
• Materials science and chemical engineering (ING-IND/21 to 27).
• Physics (FIS/01 to 08).
• Computer science (INF/01).
• Mathematics (MAT/01 to 09).

For non-EU applicants, places are ranked on how closely your foreign degree matches the Chemistry programme and on your CV. [2]

What this means for your transcript

Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit: one CFU stands for 25 hours of student work, and the committee looks at the subjects you studied, not just your total. [2] As a guide, based on the rule above:

• Usually a fit: a B.Sc. in Chemistry, including Honours degrees, or a B.Sc. with chemistry as a main subject alongside physics or maths.
• Check carefully: a B.Tech or B.E. in Chemical Engineering, a B.Pharm, or a B.Sc. in Biochemistry, Physics or Materials Science. These can show the maths, physics and chemistry basics, but the committee ranks how closely your degree matches chemistry.
• Often short: a BCA, B.Com, BBA or BA, or a life-science B.Sc. with little chemistry, which rarely shows the chemistry and physics basics the rule asks for.

The application lets you upload the syllabus of all your courses, so the committee can see what each course covered. [1]

English

English at CEFR level B2 or higher, written and spoken, including the technical vocabulary of chemistry. The degree regulations allow a self-declaration or a test set in the admission call, and the 2026/27 non-EU call checks English in an online interview. You can upload an English certificate if you have one, but no specific test or score is listed. [1][2]

Selection

A departmental committee assesses your preparation from your CV and qualifications, then holds a remote oral exam in English on the relevant subject areas, your cultural background and your English. The oral exam is mandatory for admission. [1]

• Who is invited: at least twice as many candidates as places, chosen on the CV and qualifications. [1]
• What counts: your exam average, your final degree mark if you have graduated, and any further university qualifications or courses relevant to chemistry. [2]
• Rankings: two merit rankings are drawn up, one for scholarship places and one for places without a scholarship. In a tie, the younger candidate ranks higher. [1]

Under the degree regulations, a CV score of 18/30 or more makes a candidate eligible, a score of at least 12/30 but below 18/30 leads to an interview, and a score below 12/30 means the candidate is not admitted. [2]

Places and scholarships in 2026/27

The 2026/27 call offered 30 places to non-EU applicants living abroad: 9 with a scholarship and 21 without. [1]

• Scholarship places: for applicants whose household income is below €26,500 if independent or €41,500 for a two-person family. For a family of three or more, the income limit is €54,000. Winners show this with an ISEE parificato by 30 October 2026. Students from particularly poor countries use a certificate from the Italian mission instead.
• Places without a scholarship: for applicants whose household income is above those limits.
• What the scholarship covers: the enrolment fee, free accommodation, campus canteen meals and pocket money of about €3,600.
• Keeping it: winners who earn fewer than 20 ECTS by 30 November 2027 must repay what they received, and renewal for 2027/28 needs at least 30 ECTS by 10 August 2027.

2026/27 deadlines

Applications closed at 11:59 pm Italian time on 30 March 2026. The deadline for conditional enrolment was 10 June 2026, later extended to 17 June 2026, and places left vacant were reallocated by 16 July 2026, with enrolment by 31 July 2026. Enrolment is finalised in person at UniCal's Welcome Office, by 30 October 2026 for this intake. [1][4]

UniCal expects to publish the 2027/28 call around January 2027. [5]

Documents and non-EU steps

You apply on UniCal's Esse3 portal, choosing the call for extra-EU students, for one master's degree only. You can upload the first page of your passport, your CV, your bachelor's degree, your transcript of records, the syllabus of all your courses and any English certificate. [1]

Scholarship winners receive UniCal's acceptance letter through the Universitaly portal. After enrolment you hand in your foreign degree with an official Italian translation, legalised or with an Apostille, plus a declaration of value or CIMEA certificates of comparability and verification, by 28 February 2027 for the 2026/27 intake. [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.

1. University of Calabria, Internationalisation Area. Unicaladmission call for applications for non-EU students residing abroad, two-year master's degree programmes, academic year 2026/27, with the How to apply guide. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
2. University of Calabria, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies. Teaching regulations of the Master's degree in Chemistry (LM-54), in force from the 2026/27 cohort, with the 2026/27 study plans (in Italian). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
3. University of Calabria. Chemistry master's degree programme page, 2026/27 educational offer. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
4. University of Calabria. Rector's decree reallocating scholarship places for non-EU master's applicants, academic year 2026/27 (in Italian). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
5. University of Calabria, Unicaladmission page for international students, academic years 2026/27 and 2027/28. Reviewed 8 October 2026.

What bachelor's degree do I need for UniCal's Chemistry master?

A foreign university degree valid for master's study in Italy that the department council recognises as equivalent to an Italian chemistry degree (class L-27) or similar, with basic knowledge of maths, physics and chemistry. The committee ranks how closely your degree matches the programme. [2]

Is there an entrance exam?

No written test. A committee reviews your CV and qualifications, and at least twice as many candidates as places are invited to a remote oral exam in English, which is mandatory for admission. [1]

What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?

English at B2, written and spoken. The 2026/27 call checks it in an online interview. You can upload an English certificate if you have one, but no specific test or score is listed, so we check which proof your file should include. [1][2]

When is the deadline for non-EU students?

For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad had until 11:59 pm Italian time on 30 March 2026. UniCal expects to publish the 2027/28 call around January 2027. [1][5]

How many places and scholarships are there?

For 2026/27, 30 places for non-EU applicants living abroad: 9 with a scholarship covering the enrolment fee, free accommodation, canteen meals and about €3,600 pocket money, and 21 without a scholarship. [1]

I have a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering or a B.Pharm. Can I apply?

Possibly, but check carefully. These degrees usually cover maths, physics and chemistry basics, but the committee ranks how closely your degree matches chemistry. As a benchmark, Italian graduates from other classes need 60 credits in chemistry, physics, maths and related subjects. [2]

What are the two curricula?

Chemistry of Environment, Health and Local Resources, focused on advanced analysis, mass spectrometry and computational methods, and Chemistry of Sustainable Materials, focused on catalysis, nanomaterials, energy materials and diffraction methods. Both share a first-year core of advanced chemistry. [2]

What careers does the Chemistry master lead to?

Graduates work as chemists running analysis, quality-control and health laboratories, develop new molecules and materials for sectors such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, textiles and paints, or go on to a PhD. A dual degree with the University of Coimbra is also available. [2]

Can someone handle my whole application to Chemistry at UniCal?

Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against UniCal's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the regional 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 Chemistry?

A recognised Indian bachelor's with chemistry as a main subject, such as a B.Sc. in Chemistry, can fit if the committee finds it close to the programme and it shows maths and physics basics. You also need English at B2. The steps are the Esse3 application, the CV review, the remote oral exam 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 Chemistry are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: the Esse3 application, the CV and qualifications review, the remote oral exam 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 Chemistry are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: the Esse3 application, the CV and qualifications review, the remote oral exam 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 Chemistry 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: the Esse3 application, the CV and qualifications review, the remote oral exam 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.