Master in Cognitive Forensic Sciences at Sapienza University of Rome
Two-year English-taught LM-55 master's at Sapienza in Rome joining psychology, criminal law, neuroscience, criminology and forensic genetics and chemistry. Entry needs 40 credits in one listed field, English at B2 and a statistics and methods assessment.
Master
2 years
Rome
English
Sapienza University of Rome
Cognitive Forensic Sciences is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-55) taught in English at Sapienza University of Rome. Entry needs a three-year bachelor's with at least 40 ECTS in one field such as psychology, law, maths, biology or medicine, plus English at B2 and a check of your statistics and research methods. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Sapienza's Cognitive Forensic Sciences master asks for a three-year bachelor's degree or recognised foreign equivalent with at least 40 ECTS in one listed field, English at B2, a positive eligibility check and an assessment of your knowledge of basic statistics and research methodology, with up to two recommendation letters. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
The 40-credit rule
You need a three-year bachelor's degree or university diploma, or a qualification obtained abroad that is recognised as suitable and equivalent. Because the programme is multidisciplinary, your degree must also include at least 40 ECTS in one of these fields: [1]
- Psychology (former sectors M-PSI/01 to 08)
- Mathematics or physics (former sectors MAT/01 to 09 and FIS/01, 03, 07 and 08)
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Medicine
- Law, together with sociology, cultural sociology and sociology of law (former sectors SPS/07, 08 and 12)
The 40 credits must sit within one of these fields, not be spread across several. [1]
What this means for your transcript
Credits on a foreign transcript are not always the same unit as ECTS, and Sapienza looks at the subjects of your exams, not just your total. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a BA or B.Sc. in Psychology, a three-year LL.B., or a B.Sc. in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry or Biology, where one subject clearly reaches 40 credits.
- Check carefully: a BA with psychology or sociology as one of two or three main subjects, a B.Sc. split across several sciences, or a B.Tech, B.E. or BCA, where the maths and physics credits may not reach 40.
- Often short: a B.Com, BBA or a BA in a subject outside the list, which rarely holds 40 credits in one listed field.
If you do not meet the entry requirements, missing credits can be made up by passing single examinations, under Sapienza's single-examination rules. [1]
English
English at CEFR level B2 or higher. The call leaves the method of assessing English to the course regulations and does not list specific certificates or test scores. [1]
Eligibility check and personal knowledge assessment
The eligibility check is requested on Sapienza's Infostud system (code 33583). If you meet the entry requirements, Sapienza then assesses your knowledge and understanding of basic statistics and basic research methodology, following the course regulations. [1]
- You submit up to two letters of recommendation from lecturers who know you from your university studies.
- The selection committee may hold an oral interview, which can take place remotely.
The call does not describe a written entrance test. Enrolment opens only after Sapienza confirms by email that both checks were successful. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
Eligibility checks opened on 2 July 2026. Non-EU applicants living abroad who need a student visa had one date: 15 September 2026. Other applicants could choose 15 October, 17 November or 17 December 2026, and 14 January 2027 was reserved for those who already hold, or are about to obtain, a Sapienza degree. [1]
Applicants still finishing a degree could apply if they graduate by 19 December 2026 (other Italian or international universities) or 23 January 2027 (Sapienza). [1] The 2027/28 call sets the next dates.
Non-EU applicants living abroad
Non-EU citizens living abroad who apply for a student visa must hold a pre-acceptance letter. [1] For 2026/27, Sapienza's international route had these steps: [2]
- Online pre-selection on the MoveIN platform for the pre-acceptance letter, then Infostud registration to download it.
- The Universitaly study-visa request by 30 June 2026.
- Booking the eligibility check on Infostud between 2 July and 15 September 2026.
- Sending enrolment documents to the International Students' Office, then paying the first fee instalment.
For enrolment, holders of a foreign degree provide the original degree certificate and transcript with sworn translations into Italian or English, plus a CIMEA statement of comparability and verification or a declaration of value from the Italian diplomatic mission. A Diploma Supplement can replace the declaration of value if it contains all the information needed and is legalised or apostilled. [2]
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.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology. Admission procedure with assessment of entry requirements and personal knowledge, Master's degree programme in Cognitive Forensic Sciences (LM-55), academic year 2026-2027, Infostud code 33583. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Sapienza University of Rome, International Students' Office. Admission and enrolment procedures for international students, academic year 2026-2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Cognitive Forensic Sciences study plan, 2026-2027 cohort. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Cognitive Forensic Sciences programme page (degree class, language, duration, faculty and department). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Cognitive Forensic Sciences is a two-year master's degree in class LM-55 (cognitive sciences), worth 120 ECTS and taught in English by the Department of Psychology in Sapienza's Faculty of Medicine and Psychology in Rome, with teaching in person. [1][4]
The degree offers advanced, multidisciplinary training that blends psychology, law, philosophy, neuroscience, research methods and technology, all applied to forensic and legal settings. Its starting point is that technical and scientific advances can make it harder to analyse different sources of evidence together. The aim is to train professionals who bring an interdisciplinary view to understanding a criminal event as a whole. It suits graduates in psychology, law, biology, medicine or the quantitative sciences.
What you will study
There is one curriculum. The first year pairs cognitive psychology with criminal law and procedure; the second year adds forensic psychopathology, neuropsychology and laboratory sciences. Units in the 2026/27 study plan include: [3]
- Forensic Decision-Making: Epistemology and Professional Ethics
- Fundamental Criminal Law
- Criminal Procedural Law and International Criminal Law
- Memory, Eyewitness Testimony and Emotion Psychology
- Criminology and Victimology
- Mathematical Models for Criminal Analysis
- Forensic Neuropsychology and Research Methods
- Forensic Genetics and Lab, and Forensic Chemistry
How the programme is taught
Electives in the second year include Psychology of Deviance and Cognition and Emotion in Forensic Science. The first year includes 3 ECTS of job training and guidance, and the degree ends with a 12 ECTS thesis. [3] Graduates can go on to specialisation schools or a PhD, in Italy or abroad.
Career paths
The university describes the graduate as an expert in cognitive forensic sciences, who studies crime from several angles and supports the analysis and assessment of cases. Tasks include evaluating evidence and the risk of judicial error, supporting investigators and lawyers, designing prevention programmes and analysing criminological data. Graduates may work independently or as employees in:
- Criminal proceedings, supporting lawyers or magistrates
- Prisons and supervisory courts
- Juvenile courts
- Local authorities and crime prevention projects
- Victim support services and public security initiatives
Fees and scholarships
The eligibility check is requested through Sapienza's Infostud system using code 33583. [1] Sapienza sets tuition by family income (ISEE). The regional scholarship body for Rome is DiSCo Lazio, and its scholarship winners also get a tuition waiver, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. The region decides scholarship awards.
How to apply from outside the EU
Admission is open, with a check of your entry requirements and then of your personal knowledge. The committee looks at your credits, your grasp of basic statistics and research methodology, and up to two recommendation letters from lecturers, and may hold an oral interview, which can be remote. For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad who needed a student visa had one date to request the eligibility check: 15 September 2026. [1]
First, though, non-EU applicants living abroad who need a student visa must hold a pre-acceptance letter, obtained through online pre-selection on MoveIN. [1][2] For 2026/27, the Universitaly study-visa request was due by 30 June 2026, before the eligibility check. For enrolment, Sapienza asks for your degree certificate and transcript with sworn translations, plus a CIMEA statement or a declaration of value, or a legalised Diploma Supplement. [2] The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published.
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 Sapienza's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your MoveIN pre-selection, Universitaly pre-enrolment and eligibility check request.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your DiSCo Lazio 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 Sapienza's Cognitive Forensic Sciences master?
A three-year bachelor's or recognised foreign equivalent with at least 40 ECTS in one of these fields: psychology, mathematics or physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, or law with related sociology. The 40 credits must sit within a single field. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
The call does not describe a written test. After the eligibility check, Sapienza assesses your knowledge of basic statistics and research methodology, reads up to two recommendation letters from lecturers and may hold an oral interview, which can be remote. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2 or higher. The 2026/27 call leaves the method of assessment to the course regulations and does not list specific test scores, so we check which proof of B2 your file can use. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad who needed a student visa submitted the Universitaly request by 30 June 2026 and had one date to request the eligibility check: 15 September 2026. The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published. [1][2]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes, if you graduate in time. For 2026/27, applicants finishing a degree at another Italian or international university had to graduate by 19 December 2026. [1]
I have a BA in Psychology or an LL.B. Can I apply?
Possibly. Psychology and law are both listed fields, so the question is whether your transcript reaches 40 credits in one of them. A BA with psychology as one of several subjects needs a closer look, and missing credits can be made up through single examinations. [1]
Is the whole programme taught in English?
Yes. Sapienza lists the programme as taught in English, and every unit in the 2026/27 study plan, including the law courses and the 12-credit thesis, is marked as taught in English. [3][4]
What do graduates do?
The university lists work supporting lawyers and magistrates in criminal proceedings, in prisons and supervisory courts, juvenile courts, local authorities, crime prevention projects and victim support services. Graduates can also continue to a PhD.
Can someone handle my whole application to Cognitive Forensic Sciences at Sapienza?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Sapienza's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the DiSCo Lazio 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 Cognitive Forensic Sciences?
A recognised three-year Indian bachelor's, such as a BA or B.Sc. in Psychology, an LL.B., or a B.Sc. in Maths, Physics, Chemistry or Biology, can meet the rule if one listed field reaches 40 credits, and you also need English at B2. The steps are MoveIN pre-selection for a pre-acceptance letter, Universitaly pre-enrolment and the eligibility check. [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 Cognitive Forensic Sciences are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: MoveIN pre-selection and pre-acceptance letter, Universitaly pre-enrolment, then the eligibility check and personal knowledge assessment, 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 Cognitive Forensic Sciences are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: MoveIN pre-selection and pre-acceptance letter, Universitaly pre-enrolment, then the eligibility check and personal knowledge assessment. 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 Cognitive Forensic Sciences 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: MoveIN pre-selection and pre-acceptance letter, Universitaly pre-enrolment, then the eligibility check and personal knowledge assessment, 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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