Master in Forest Sciences at University of Padua
Two-year English-taught forestry master (LM-73-R) at Padua's Legnaro campus, with paths in forest and land management or forest conservation and governance, field work and a double degree pathway with Canadian universities. No entrance test; English at B2.
Master
2 years
Padua
English
University of Padua
Forest Sciences is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-73-R) taught in English by the University of Padua at its Legnaro campus. Entry needs a bachelor's of at least three years with a background in ecological, silvicultural, economic and technical subjects, plus English at B2, and there is no entrance test. Regional scholarship winners are exempt from fees, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Padua's Forest Sciences master asks for a bachelor's degree of at least three years with a background in ecological, silvicultural, economic and technical subjects, an adequate final mark (at least 90/110 for Italian degrees) and English at B2. There is no entrance test. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and subject requirement
You need a bachelor's degree or equivalent from at least three years of university study, with basic skills in ecological, silvicultural, economic and technical areas linked to natural resource management, production processes and land conservation. [2]
For applicants with an Italian degree, the 2026/27 notice sets the rule in detail: [1]
- Either a degree in biological sciences, spatial and environmental planning, agricultural and forestry sciences, or environmental and nature sciences (classes L-13, L-21, L-25 or L-32, or the older classes 7, 12, 20 or 27).
- Or a degree in any class with at least 24 CFU, including at least 6 in each of four groups: agricultural economics or agricultural law (AGR/01, IUS/03); crop production, tree growing, horticulture, plant genetics, entomology, plant pathology, agricultural chemistry or animal science (AGR/02, 03, 04, 07, 11, 12, 13, 17 and 19); forest management, silviculture and wood technology (AGR/05 and 06); and agricultural and forest hydraulics, agricultural mechanics, rural land planning, topography or earth sciences (AGR/08, 09 and 10, ICAR/06, GEO/02 to 07).
With a foreign degree, the academic committee reviews your transcript for the basic skills above. [2]
What this means for your transcript
As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Sc. in Forestry, a B.Sc. in Agriculture or Horticulture, or a B.Sc. in Environmental Science with courses in ecology, silviculture or forest management, and land or resource economics.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Botany, Zoology or Life Sciences, or a B.Tech or B.E. in Agricultural or Civil Engineering, may cover ecology or land engineering but can lack silviculture and economics.
- Often short: a BCA, B.Com, BBA or BA usually lacks the ecological, silvicultural and technical background.
The committee judges the subjects on your transcript, so course titles and syllabi matter more than the name of the degree.
Selection and final mark
There is no entrance test. Forest Sciences is open access with requirements: the academic committee assesses your degree, your final graduation mark or the average of your grades, and your background in the required areas. [2]
For Italian qualifications the minimum is 90/110. If your grades cannot be converted directly, the committee reviews your overall academic record, and Padua publishes country-specific entry and grade rules that we check for your file. [1][2]
English
English at B2 or higher. [1][2]
With a foreign qualification, you show it with a certificate from the university's accepted list, which sets the scores. The certificate must be valid, and one without an expiry date must have been obtained within two years before 15 September 2026, when the 2027/28 international selection opened. You can submit it after applying, but no later than 31 July 2027. [3]
The university also publishes a list of exemptions, and we check whether your file qualifies. [3]
2027/28 application calls
- Call One: 15 September to 15 November 2026 (11:59 pm CET).
- 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 the programme only once per academic year, and the application fee is €60. Studies begin on 1 October 2027. [2]
Documents and non-EU steps
- You upload your entry qualification documents in English or Italian. If your university cannot issue a suitable transcript, official translations and verified copies of the originals are needed.
- No legalised documents are needed at the application stage.
- If admitted, you accept your place by paying a non-refundable €208 deposit.
- On arrival you bring your original qualification documents and submit translated or legalised copies of your previous qualifications.
These steps come from the 2027/28 admission page. [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 Padua, School of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine. Admission notice for open-access master's degree programmes with requirements, including the Forest Sciences course sheet, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Forest Sciences admission page for international applicants, academic year 2027/28. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. English language requirement for international applicants, 2027/28 selection. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Tuition fees, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Padua International Excellence Scholarship Programme, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Forest Sciences programme page (degree class, language, campus and double degree pathway). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Forest Sciences is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree in class LM-73-R (forestry and environmental sciences and technologies), taught entirely in English at the Legnaro campus near Padua.
It belongs to the School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, and its secretariat is at the Department of Territory and Agro-Forestry Systems. Admission is open, subject to requirements.
The programme gives a comprehensive, innovative and international view of forest and natural resource management: how ecosystems function and how to look after forests sustainably as environmental pressures grow.
It is designed for bachelor's graduates in forestry, agriculture, biological or environmental studies who want to work in forest management, conservation or policy.
What you will study
You choose one of two paths. Forest and Land Management focuses on the technical side of managing, preserving and enhancing forest resources, with attention to mountain and Mediterranean environments.
Forest Conservation and Governance takes a technical and economic approach to overseeing forests and ecosystems. Topics named by the department include:
- Ecosystem functioning and sustainable forest stewardship
- Sustainable management, conservation and integrated use of forests and natural resources
- Mountain and Mediterranean forest environments
- Governance of forests and natural ecosystems
- Climate change, deforestation and biodiversity conservation
- Field activities and site visits
How the programme is taught
Teaching mixes lectures, e-learning sessions, seminars and laboratory work, and a significant share of lectures is given over to field activities and site visits; the department's field pages show trips to the Dolomites, Cansiglio and Rosolina.
Exams combine final tests with coursework done alone or in groups.
The degree takes part in three Erasmus Mundus consortia for double master's degrees (GLOFOR, SUFONAMA and MEDfOR) and in TRANSFOR-M, a dual degree that lets you earn the Padua master's and a master's from the University of Alberta, the University of British Columbia or Lakehead University within two years.
Career paths
The university describes graduates as planners, designers, managers and supervisors in sustainable and responsible forest management, working for public and private institutions and for governmental and non-governmental organisations in Italy and abroad. Fields it lists include:
- Management and protection of natural and semi-natural habitats
- Land management and protection
- Landscape management
- Use and valorisation of forest resources and ecosystem services
- Research and doctoral studies
Fees and scholarships
Non-EU students whose family lives and earns abroad pay a fixed fee that is not recalculated by income. [4]
For 2026/27 this fixed fee was €2,990 a year in the scientific fee group, or €996.66 for citizens of a country on the ministry's list of particularly poor countries. [4]
Regional scholarship winners are exempt from the fee, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. Applicants with a foreign degree who live outside Italy and apply on time are also considered automatically for the Padua International Excellence Scholarship, worth €8,000 gross a year plus a fee exemption and mainly awarded to first-call candidates. [5]
How to apply from outside the EU
There is no entrance test: the committee looks at your bachelor's degree, its final mark or grade average, and your background in ecological, silvicultural, economic and technical subjects.
Non-EU candidates living abroad apply on apply.unipd.it in Call One (15 September to 15 November 2026) or Call Two (1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027), paying a €60 fee; Call Three is only for applicants already in Italy or from the EU.
After admission you pay a €208 deposit, we complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, and you apply for a type D study visa. Classes start on 1 October 2027.
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 online application on the university portal 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 Forest Sciences at Padua?
A bachelor's of at least three years with basic skills in ecological, silvicultural, economic and technical areas. For Italian degrees the notice asks for a forestry, agricultural, biological or environmental class, or 24 credits across four set subject groups, plus at least 90/110. [1][2]
Is there an entrance test?
No. Forest Sciences is open access with requirements. The academic committee assesses your degree, your final mark or grade average and your background in ecological, silvicultural, economic and technical subjects. [2]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at B2 or higher. International applicants show it with a certificate from Padua's accepted list, and one without an expiry date must be no more than two years old at 15 September 2026. We check which test and score your file can use. [2][3]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2027/28, non-EU applicants living abroad apply online in Call One, 15 September to 15 November 2026, or Call Two, 1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027. You can apply only once per academic year, and studies begin on 1 October 2027. [2]
I have a B.Sc. in Agriculture or Botany. Can I apply?
A B.Sc. in Agriculture or Forestry usually covers the ecological, silvicultural and technical background the committee looks for. A Botany or Life Sciences degree can fit on ecology but may be short on silviculture or economics, so we check your transcript first. [1][2]
How much are the fees?
Non-EU students whose family lives abroad pay a fixed fee: for 2026/27 it was €2,990 a year, or €996.66 for citizens of countries on the ministry's list of particularly poor countries. Regional scholarship winners are exempt from the fee. [4]
Can I earn a double degree?
Yes. Padua runs an international double degree pathway with the University of Alberta, the University of British Columbia and Lakehead University in Canada, which lets you earn both degrees within two years. [6]
Can someone handle my whole application to Forest Sciences 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 Forest Sciences?
An Indian bachelor's of at least three years, such as a B.Sc. in Forestry, Agriculture or Environmental Science, can fit if it gives you a background in ecology, silviculture, economics and technical land management, and you need English at B2. The steps are the online application on the university portal, the acceptance deposit after admission and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [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 Forest Sciences are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application on the university portal, the acceptance deposit 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 Forest Sciences are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application on the university portal, the acceptance deposit and Universitaly pre-enrolment. Read our guides for Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.
I'm applying from the UK, US, Canada, Singapore or Malaysia. Is anything different?
The academic rules are identical. Non-EU applicants who live abroad, including citizens of these countries, follow the same route: online application on the university portal, the acceptance deposit and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa. Read our guides for London, New York, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
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