Master in Evolutionary Biology at University of Padua
Two-year English-taught LM-6-R master's at the University of Padua on evolution, biodiversity and conservation, linking animal, plant and ecological biology with genetics, statistics and bioinformatics, with nine months of thesis research. Entry needs a biology-related bachelor's and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Padua
English
University of Padua
Evolutionary Biology is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-6-R) taught in English at the University of Padua. Entry needs at least a three-year bachelor's in biology or a related field with proven skills in maths, physics and biology, plus English at B2. Regional scholarship winners are exempt from fees, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Padua's Evolutionary Biology master asks for at least a three-year bachelor's in biology or a related field with proven skills in mathematics, physics and biology, the subject credits and minimum grade set by the Department of Biology, a degree that meets the university's country rules, and English at B2. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and subject credits
You need a bachelor's diploma or equivalent: a minimum three-year undergraduate degree in biology or a related field, with proven skills in mathematics, physics and biology. [1]
The Department of Biology's admission rules count you as meeting the curricular requirements if you hold an Italian degree in Biological Sciences, Environmental and Nature Sciences or Biotechnology (classes L-13, L-32 or L-2), or, as the alternative, 50 CFU across set subject areas. [4] The department's table asks for 50 CFU in total and gives these figures for each area: [5]
- Maths, physics, computing and chemistry: 6 CFU (sectors MATH, PHYS, INFO-01/A, CHEM-02/A, CHEM-03/A and CHEM-05/A, formerly MAT, FIS, INF/01 and CHIM/02, 03 and 06).
- Botany, zoology and ecology: 12 CFU (sectors BIOS-01/A, 01/B, 01/C, 03/A, 04/A and 05/A, formerly BIO/01 to 03 and BIO/05 to 07).
- Biomolecular subjects: 6 CFU (sectors BIOS-02/A, 07/A, 08/A, 14/A and 15/A, formerly BIO/04, BIO/10, BIO/11, BIO/18 and BIO/19).
- Further biomolecular subjects: 6 CFU (sectors BIOS-06/A and MEDS-24/B, formerly BIO/09 and MED/42).
The department also expects adequate preparation in mathematics, physics, general, organic and physical chemistry, informatics, cell biology and genetics, ecology, and the morphology and physiology of animals and plants. [3]
Minimum grade and country rules
The Department of Biology sets a minimum bachelor's grade of 90 out of 110. [3][4] Its pages do not say how this minimum converts for foreign grades, so we check your grade against it and against your country's rule.
The university's 2027/28 country list sets these master's entry titles and minimum grades: [6]
- 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 Honours bachelor's, a 4 or 5-year professional bachelor's, or a 2-year pass bachelor's plus a 2-year master's (or the listed LL.B. and B.Ed. combinations). 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.
- Nepal: a 3, 4 or 5-year bachelor's. Minimum GPA 3.0/4.0 or 65/100.
The list is a reference, and the university's Admissions and Welcome Unit makes the final decision on each qualification. [6]
What this means for your transcript
As a guide, based on the rules above:
- Usually a fit: an Honours B.Sc. in Zoology, Botany, Biology or Life Sciences, or a three-year B.Sc. in these subjects followed by an M.Sc., with courses in botany, zoology and ecology, biochemistry or genetics, and physiology, plus some maths, physics, chemistry or computing, and a grade above your country's minimum.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. or B.Tech in Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or Environmental Science, where your transcript must also show the 12 credits in botany, zoology and ecology. A three-year pass or general Indian B.Sc. also needs a postgraduate bachelor's or at least a one-year master's to meet the country rule.
- Often short: a B.Pharm, a B.Sc. in Chemistry, Physics or Computer Science, a BCA, B.Com, BBA or BA, which rarely cover botany, zoology, ecology and the biomolecular subjects.
English
English at CEFR level B2 or higher. [1] The Department of Biology specifies B2 in the receptive skills, reading and listening. [3][4] 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, LanguageCert B2 Communicator and Duolingo English Test 115. [7]
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 submit one after applying, up to 31 July 2027. [7]
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. [7]
Selection
The portal lists no entrance test, and the programme has open admission with requirements. [1][2] The Admissions and Welcome Unit first checks your application, then an Academic Committee evaluates it. For programmes without a cap on places, the outcome is sent through the application platform. [8] The portal does not publish a scoring scale. [1]
2027/28 deadlines
For 2027/28 there are three calls. Non-EU applicants living outside Italy can use the first two: [1]
- Call One: 15 September to 15 November 2026
- Call Two: 1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027
- Call Three: 1 April to 1 June 2027, only for EU students and non-EU students living in Italy
You can apply to a programme only once per academic year. [1] You can apply before you graduate, but you must complete your degree by 31 July 2027. [6] Studies start on 1 October 2027. [1]
Documents and non-EU steps
You apply on the university's application platform. For master's programmes the platform asks for: [1][8]
- A CV and a motivation letter in English.
- Your transcript of records.
- Your bachelor's degree certificate, or an enrolment or provisional certificate if you have not graduated yet.
- Your passport.
- Your English certificate, if you already have it.
Documents must be in English or Italian, or come with official translations. No legalised documents are needed at application, and the Admissions and Welcome Unit may ask for a CIMEA statement of comparability if it needs to verify your degree. [1][8]
If admitted, you accept your place within the deadline. Non-EU citizens living outside Italy complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by 15 July and apply for a type D study visa. At enrolment you submit your degree and transcript translated into English or Italian and legalised or apostilled, or a CIMEA certificate of verification instead. [1][8]
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. Evolutionary Biology course page: entry qualification, language requirement, fees, programme structure and application calls, academic year 2027/28. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Evolutionary Biology programme page: degree class, school, access type, language and career opportunities, updated September 2026. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua, Department of Biology. Master's degree in Evolutionary Biology: presentation, knowledge required for admission, career opportunities and final examination, updated 31 August 2026. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua, Department of Biology. How to enrol: admission requirements for the master's degrees in Evolutionary Biology and Marine Biology, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua, Department of Biology. Table of the 50 credits by scientific-disciplinary sector required for admission, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua, Global Engagement Office. Specific entry requirements for qualifications awarded by non-Italian education systems, with the deadline to graduate, updated 15 September 2026 and valid for academic year 2027/28. 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, Global Engagement Office. Study in English: how to apply and how to enrol with a foreign qualification, academic year 2027/28. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Call for contributions and exemptions, with the fixed fee for non-EU students, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Evolutionary Biology is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree in class LM-6-R (Biology), offered by the School of Science and the Department of Biology in Padua. [1][2]
Admission is open with requirements, and since 2024/25 the whole degree has been taught in English. It completes the biological training begun in a three-year biology degree. [2][3]
The programme focuses on evolutionary mechanisms and dynamics and trains specialists in biodiversity and its protection, with advanced preparation in reproductive strategies and in the relationships between organisms and their environment. [1][3]
Teaching integrates animal, plant and ecological knowledge with physiology, molecular genetics, statistics and bioinformatics. [2] It is aimed at graduates in biology or a related field with proven skills in mathematics, physics and biology. [1]
What you will study
The first year builds methods and core theory, from molecular tools and statistics to behaviour and physiology. The 2027/28 entry on the admissions portal lists these first-year units: [1]
- Molecular Methods and Bioinformatics
- Ethology
- Functional Morphology
- Applied Statistics for Evolutionary Biology
- Comparative Physiology
- Plant Ecophysiology
- Molecular Phylogeny
- Theory of Evolution, Biogeography and Phylogeography
The second year turns to applied and specialist topics: Conservation and Evolution, Philosophy of Biological Sciences, Biological Responses to Climate Change, Behavioural Genetics, Molecular Anthropology, Methods and Applications in Evolutionary Population Genomics, and an English unit on productive skills at B2 level. [1]
How the programme is taught
About two thirds of your second-year workload goes to the thesis. The final examination is based on nine months of research in a university laboratory or at a public or private body, in Italy or abroad, that has an agreement with the university. You learn experimental methods and data analysis, write an original thesis and then defend it. [3]
Career paths
Graduates can work as biologists or take roles in industry, commerce and public administration linked to environmental protection and management, education and environmental impact assessment. [2] The Department of Biology lists: [3]
- Public and private research institutes
- Bodies that manage and conserve biodiversity
- Environmental impact assessment firms and biological analysis laboratories
- Nature reserves, national parks, museums, bioparks and botanical gardens
- Environmental NGOs
- Cosmetic, pharmaceutical and agrifood companies
The degree is also a route into doctoral study in Italy or abroad. After passing the state exam, graduates can join section A of the professional register of biologists. [3]
Fees and scholarships
Evolutionary Biology sits in fee Group B with the other School of Science degrees. [9]
Non-EU students whose household lives abroad pay a fixed annual fee for 2026/27, with a reduced rate for citizens of a country on the ministry's list of particularly poor countries. [9]
Students who are eligible in the regional scholarship ranking are exempt from the fee, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. For 2026/27 the university also offered up to 100 fee exemptions to the most deserving international students on English-taught programmes, with no separate application. [9]
How to apply from outside the EU
Before you apply, we check that your transcript shows mathematics, physics, chemistry, informatics and the core areas of biology, and that your grade meets the department's minimum and your country's rule. [3][6]
We submit your application on the university's application portal. We upload your CV and motivation letter in English, your transcript, your degree certificate or a provisional certificate, your passport and your English certificate. Legalised documents are not needed to apply. [1][8]
For 2027/28, non-EU applicants living outside Italy can use Call One, 15 September to 15 November 2026, or Call Two, 1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027. [1]
After admission you accept your place, we complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by 15 July, and you apply for a type D study visa. At enrolment your degree and transcript must be translated into English or Italian and legalised or apostilled, or covered by a CIMEA certificate of verification. [1][8] Studies start on 1 October 2027. [1]
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 Evolutionary Biology at Padua?
At least a three-year bachelor's in biology or a related field, with proven skills in maths, physics and biology. Outside the listed Italian degree classes, the Department of Biology asks for 50 credits across maths, physics, chemistry, computing, botany, zoology, ecology and biomolecular subjects, plus a minimum grade of 90/110. [1][3][4][5]
Is there an entrance exam?
No entrance test is listed. The programme has open admission with requirements: the Admissions and Welcome Unit checks your file, then an Academic Committee evaluates it. [1][2][8]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2. For 2027/28 Padua 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. Degrees from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are not on the exemption list. [1][7]
When is the 2027/28 deadline for non-EU students?
Non-EU applicants living outside Italy can apply in Call One, 15 September to 15 November 2026, or Call Two, 1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027. Call Three is only for EU students and non-EU students living in Italy. Studies start on 1 October 2027. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. You can apply with an enrolment or provisional certificate, as long as you complete your degree by 31 July 2027. An official certificate showing you completed your studies by then can stand in for the final degree. [6][8]
I have a B.Sc. in Zoology or a B.Tech in Biotechnology. Can I apply?
Possibly. A zoology or botany B.Sc. often covers the 12 credits in botany, zoology and ecology, but must also show maths, physics, chemistry or computing and biomolecular credits. A biotechnology B.Tech often covers the biomolecular areas but can fall short on botany, zoology and ecology. India's country rule also needs an Honours or four-year professional degree, or a pass degree plus a postgraduate degree. [5][6]
Is Evolutionary Biology fully taught in English?
Yes. Since 2024/25 the whole degree has been taught in English in Padua. The second year also includes an English unit on productive skills at B2 level. [1][3]
What jobs do graduates do?
The department lists research institutes, bodies that manage and conserve biodiversity, environmental impact assessment, biological and environmental laboratories, parks, museums and botanical gardens, environmental NGOs and cosmetic, pharmaceutical or agrifood companies. Graduates can also start a PhD. [3]
Can someone handle my whole application to Evolutionary Biology 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 Evolutionary Biology?
Padua's 2027/28 country list covers Indian 3 or 4-year Honours bachelor's degrees, professional bachelor's degrees of 4 years or more, and 3-year pass degrees followed by a postgraduate degree, with at least 70/100 or 7.0/10. Your degree should be in biology or a related field, and you need English at B2. The steps are the online application, place acceptance and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1][6] 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 Evolutionary Biology 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, 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 Evolutionary Biology are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application in Call One or Call Two, 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 Evolutionary Biology 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, 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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