Master in Food Health and Environment at University of Eastern Piedmont
Two-year English-taught LM-6 master's at the University of Eastern Piedmont in Vercelli, linking nutrition, food chemistry, microbiology, genomics and the environmental side of food production. Entry needs biology credits and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Vercelli
English
University of Eastern Piedmont
Food Health and Environment is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-6) taught in English at the University of Eastern Piedmont in Vercelli. Entry needs a biology or biotechnology bachelor's, or another degree with 40 credits in biology and 20 in maths, computing, physics or chemistry, plus English at B2. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
UPO's Food Health and Environment master asks for a bachelor's degree in class L-13 Biological Sciences or L-2 Biotechnology, or another Italian or foreign degree with at least 40 credits in biology and 20 in maths, computing, physics or chemistry, plus English at B2 and a review by the Didactic Committee. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree requirement
These rules come from the 2022/23 course regulations, and the 2026/27 programme page states the same rule. [1][2]
- Admitted directly: graduates in class L-13 Biological Sciences (DM 270/2004), the older Class 12 (DM 509/1999) or class L-2 Biotechnology, from UPO or another Italian university.
- Other Italian or foreign degrees: admitted after the Didactic Committee checks that you hold at least 40 CFU in biological subjects (sectors BIO/01 to BIO/19 and MED/42) and at least 20 CFU in maths, computer science, physics or chemistry (sectors MAT/01 to MAT/09, INF/01, FIS/01 to FIS/08, CHIM/01, CHIM/02, CHIM/03 and CHIM/06).
The regulations add that these credits must rest on a solid grounding in the core subjects. [1]
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 your subjects, not just your total. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Sc. in Biology, Zoology, Botany, Microbiology, Biotechnology or Life Sciences with chemistry and some maths, physics or computing.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Biochemistry, Food Science or Nutrition, a B.Pharm or a B.Tech in Biotechnology. These are often strong in chemistry but need 40 credits in the biology sectors.
- Often short: a B.Tech or B.E. in engineering, a BCA, B.Com, BBA or BA, which usually lack the 40 biology credits.
If your background has gaps, the committee can set additional courses that you complete before enrolment. [1]
English
Teaching is entirely in English, so you need English at B2 or an equivalent level. The 2022/23 regulations judge this level against the language skills gained in your previous degree. [1]
The 2026/27 programme page mentions official certificates such as IELTS or TOEFL but does not list minimum scores. Without a certificate, your English is checked at an interview with the Teaching Commission. [2]
Selection
There is no written entrance test and no cap on student numbers. [1] The Didactic Committee first checks your credits, then assesses your preparation at an interview. For applicants with a foreign degree, the committee reviews the file and sends eligible candidates a letter of eligibility for enrolment, and other candidates face an oral verification. [1][2]
2026/27 deadlines
For 2026/27, international applicants applied between 25 February and 4 June 2026 through UPO's online application form. The university set this closing date because of high application volume, and postal applications were not accepted. The next call sets the 2027/28 dates. [2]
Documents and non-EU steps
The 2026/27 programme page asks for: [2]
- Your first-cycle degree (EQF level 6) with a CIMEA statement or a declaration of value
- A legalised translation of the degree, if available
- Your transcript of records
- An English certificate at B2 or higher, or the interview
At the application stage you can upload your diploma, transcript, course programmes, CV and personal statement. Originals of legalised, apostilled or CIMEA-verified documents are presented on arrival in Italy. [2]
After a positive pre-evaluation and an acceptance letter, non-EU applicants who need a visa complete Universitaly pre-enrolment. UPO completes final enrolment only after it has verified your qualification and documents. [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.
- University of Eastern Piedmont, Department of Science and Technological Innovation. Course regulations, Master's degree in Food Health and Environment (LM-6), academic year 2022/23. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Eastern Piedmont, Department of Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition. Food Health and Environment programme page, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Eastern Piedmont, Student information. Fees and taxes: first instalment, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Food Health and Environment is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-6 Biology) taught entirely in English at the University of Eastern Piedmont (UPO). Teaching takes place on the Vercelli campus, and the programme page for 2026/27 is published by the Department of Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition (DISSTE). [2]
The course is strongly interdisciplinary. It draws on UPO departments in science, health sciences, translational medicine and economics to train biologists in food and health, with the skills to judge how food production affects the environment. You study food chemistry and processing, food biochemistry and physiology, and systems biology methods, and you look at nutrition in healthy people, in disease and in prevention. [1]
What you will study
The study plan has no separate curricula and totals 120 CFU. In the 2022/23 plan, the first year (62 CFU) includes: [1]
- Biochemical and Clinical Nutrition (10 CFU)
- Ecology and Toxicology (10 CFU)
- Food Law and Business (9 CFU)
- Pathophysiology and Immunobiology: from Environment to Nutrition (8 CFU)
- Eating Disorders from a Clinical and Sociological Point of View (7 CFU)
- Plant Biotechnology (6 CFU)
- Free-choice units (9 CFU), further language skills (1 CFU) and skills for job placement (2 CFU)
The second year (58 CFU) includes: [1]
- Bioinformatics, Genomics and Genetics Applied to Environment and Food Interaction with Human Health (12 CFU)
- Microbiology, general and medical microbiology in nutrition (10 CFU)
- Food Chemistry, Basic Principles of Food Technology and Biotechnology (8 CFU)
- Impact of Diet on Human Health (8 CFU)
- Final thesis (20 CFU)
Unit names and credits can change by cohort, and UPO publishes each year's course programmes on its online syllabus. [2]
How the programme is taught
Teaching combines lectures, classroom and laboratory exercises, guided visits and individual projects supported by tutors. The year runs in two semesters, October to January and March to June. You must attend at least 50% of lectures and 75% of teaching laboratory activities to sit each exam. A part-time plan over three or four years is also possible. [1]
Students exposed to chemical or biological risks complete a laboratory safety training path. [2] The thesis is a substantial piece of experimental research carried out in UPO laboratories or another qualified public or private laboratory, or within an international mobility project. It is written in English, runs to at least 50 pages and is discussed in English before a committee. [1][2]
Careers
Graduates work in analysis and quality control (biological, microbiological and clinical chemistry) for public bodies and food companies, in nutrition alongside doctors in the public or private health sector, as consultants or freelancers in food and nutrition, in research, and in science communication. After passing the state exam, they can join Section A of the Italian professional register of biologists. [1][2]
Fees and scholarships
UPO links its fee bands to family income (ISEE), and students without an ISEE pay the highest band. Programmes can be tuition-free for eligible students. [3]
The regional scholarship body for Vercelli is EDISU Piemonte. First-year students who are found eligible for an EDISU grant can ask for the first instalment to be refunded, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. The region decides scholarship awards. [3]
How to apply from outside the EU
Applicants with a foreign degree apply through UPO's online application form and upload their degree, transcript and course programmes. The Didactic Committee reviews each file, and applicants who meet the rules receive an acceptance letter. Non-EU applicants who need a visa then complete Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1][2]
For 2026/27, the application window ran from 25 February to 4 June 2026, and postal applications were not accepted. Final enrolment is completed only after UPO has verified your foreign qualification and documents, even once the visa is issued. The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. [2]
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 UPO's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your online application, pre-evaluation and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your EDISU Piemonte 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 UPO's Food Health and Environment master?
A degree in class L-13 Biological Sciences or L-2 Biotechnology qualifies directly. Other Italian or foreign degrees need at least 40 CFU in biology and 20 CFU in maths, computing, physics or chemistry, checked by the Didactic Committee. [1][2]
Is there an entrance exam?
No written test, and numbers are not capped. The Didactic Committee checks your credits and then assesses your preparation at an interview. If your background has gaps, it can set additional courses before enrolment. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at B2 or equivalent. Official certificates such as IELTS or TOEFL can show this, but no minimum scores are listed. Without a certificate, your English is checked at an interview, and we check which proof your file can use. [2]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, international applicants applied between 25 February and 4 June 2026 through UPO's online form, and postal applications were not accepted. The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. [2]
I have a B.Sc. in Food Science or a B.Tech in Biotechnology. Can I still apply?
Possibly. These degrees are outside the directly admitted classes, so the committee checks for 40 credits in biology sectors and 20 in maths, computing, physics or chemistry. Food Science degrees are often strong in chemistry but can fall short on biology credits. [1]
Is the whole programme taught in English?
Yes. All lectures are held in English. The thesis is also written in English, runs to at least 50 pages and is discussed in English before a committee. [1][2]
What jobs can graduates do?
Graduates work in analysis and quality control for food companies and public bodies, in nutrition within the health sector, as food and nutrition consultants, in research and in science communication. After the state exam they can join Section A of the biologists' register. [1][2]
Can someone handle my whole application to Food Health and Environment at UPO?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against UPO's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the EDISU Piemonte 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 Food Health and Environment?
A three-year Indian B.Sc. in Biology, Zoology, Botany, Microbiology or Biotechnology can meet the rule if it holds 40 credits in biology and 20 in maths, computing, physics or chemistry, and you also need English at B2. The steps are the online application with your transcript and course programmes, the committee review and acceptance letter, then 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 Food Health and Environment are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application, pre-evaluation, acceptance letter 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 Food Health and Environment are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application, pre-evaluation, acceptance letter 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 Food Health and Environment 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, pre-evaluation, acceptance letter 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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