Master in Genetics and Molecular Biology at Sapienza University of Rome
Two-year LM-6 master at Sapienza University of Rome with an English curriculum in genetics and molecular biology: gene expression, human genetics, proteins, stem cells and computational biology. Limited places, ranked on grades and credits, with English at B2.
Master
2 years
Rome
Multiple
Sapienza University of Rome
Genetics and Molecular Biology is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-6) at Sapienza University of Rome, with one curriculum taught in English and one in Italian. Entry needs a biotechnology or biology degree, or 90 ECTS in set science subjects, plus English at B2. Places are limited and ranked on grades and credits. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Sapienza's Genetics and Molecular Biology master has limited places. It asks for a degree in biotechnology or biological sciences, or a three-year degree with at least 90 ECTS in set science subjects, English at B2, and a place in a ranking based on your grades and credits, with an interview unless you are exempt. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree requirement
You need one of the following: [1]
- A degree in biotechnology or biological sciences: Italian classes L-2 or L-13, or the older classes 1 or 12.
- Any other three-year degree with at least 90 ECTS in physics (FIS/01 to FIS/08), mathematics (MAT/01 to MAT/09), chemistry (CHIM/01 to CHIM/03 and CHIM/06), biology (BIO/01 to BIO/12, BIO/16, BIO/18 and BIO/19) or the medical sectors MED/04 and MED/42.
For foreign qualifications, the committee judges whether your curriculum is equivalent to these requirements and can weigh similarities between subject areas. You apply with the syllabuses of the exams you have taken. [1]
What this means for your transcript
As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Sc. in Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Zoology or Botany, where most units are in biology and chemistry.
- Check carefully: a B.Tech in Biotechnology, a B.Pharm, or a B.Sc. in Chemistry or in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Physics, maths and chemistry credits count towards the 90 ECTS, but engineering, pharmaceutical chemistry or pharmacology units may not, and the interview covers core biology.
- Often short: a B.Tech or B.E. in a non-biological branch, a BCA, a B.Com, a BBA or a BA.
English
Both curricula require English at CEFR level B2. You can show it with an English exam of at least 4 ECTS in your bachelor's, or with one of these certificates: Cambridge First (FCE), Advanced (CAE) or Proficiency (CPE), IELTS Academic 5.5, TOEFL iBT 72, PTE General Level 3 or PTE Academic 42. Without either, you take an English test. For non-EU visa applicants, the requirement applies if English is not your native language. [1]
Selection and interview
Places are limited. The ranking, in hundredths, adds the weighted average of your exam marks to a score for the total ECTS you have earned. [1]
A committee also checks your preparation through an interview in molecular and cellular biology, genetics and biochemistry. You are exempt if you hold, or are finishing, an Italian L-2 or L-13 type degree (or an Italian degree with the 90 ECTS split as 12 in physics and maths, 12 in chemistry, 24 in basic biology and 42 in core biology) and your weighted average is above 24 out of 30. For foreign qualifications, the committee can review your syllabuses and final marks and hold supplementary interviews, which can be online. [1]
You can apply to at most two LM-6 master's selections at the faculty. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
For non-EU applicants living abroad who needed a student visa, the 2026/27 call set these dates: [1]
- MoveIn pre-selection by 15 May 2026.
- Universitaly pre-enrolment by 30 June 2026.
- Infostud registration and the selection application from 16 June to 16 July 2026.
- Interviews on 24 July 2026 and the ranking by 31 July 2026.
- Enrolment fees from 1 to 30 September 2026.
EU and equivalent applicants applied by 3 September 2026, with interviews on 16 and 17 September and the ranking by 24 September 2026. Replacement lists were scheduled from 8 October 2026. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]
Applying before you graduate
For 2026/27 you could apply if you would graduate by 19 December 2026 and, when applying, already had at least 156 ECTS, including any work placement credits, with at least 90 in the subject areas above. If you win a place, you file a provisional application to keep it. [1]
Documents and non-EU steps
The application needs a scan of your identity document, your English certificate if your degree has no 4 ECTS English exam, the Infostud payment receipt and, for a foreign qualification, the syllabuses of your exams. [1]
Non-EU applicants living abroad who choose the English curriculum need a pre-acceptance letter from Sapienza's MoveIn pre-selection and Universitaly pre-enrolment before they apply. The pre-acceptance letter does not by itself give a visa or a place: you still need to pass the selection. Those who choose the Italian curriculum do not need a pre-acceptance letter but need Italian at B2. [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.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences. Call for applications for the restricted-access Master's degree programme in Genetics and Molecular Biology (LM-6), academic year 2026-2027, Rector's Decree No. 1134/2026. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Genetics and Molecular Biology programme page (degree class, teaching languages, duration and department). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Genetics and Molecular Biology (Genetica e Biologia Molecolare in Italian) is a two-year master's degree in class LM-6, Biology, worth 120 ECTS. It is run by the Department of Biology and Biotechnologies Charles Darwin in Sapienza's Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, in person in Rome. There are two curricula, one in Italian and one in English, Genetics and Molecular Biology in lingua inglese, and access is restricted by a comparative selection. [1][2]
The course starts from the idea that genetics and molecular biology have merged into the central theme of modern biology. It uses them to dissect the genetic and molecular bases of processes such as development and cell differentiation in animal and plant systems, and to understand how faulty genes relate to human disease. It suits graduates in biology or biotechnology heading for research.
What you will study
In the 2026/27 English curriculum, the first year has compulsory units in Gene Expression Regulation of Eukaryotes (12 ECTS), Structure, Biosynthesis and Analysis of Proteins, and Human Genetics. You then choose from optional groups, all with units taught in English, such as:
- Cell Cycle or Intracellular Trafficking
- Molecular Oncology or Molecular and Cellular Physiology
- Molecular Biology of Stem Cells, Molecular Methods and Methods in Human Genetics
- Genome Evolution and High-Resolution RNA Biology
- Computational Methods in Biology, and Programming and Machine Learning for Biological Data
- Pharmacology in Drug Discovery and Biochemical Biotechnologies
The degree aims to build advanced knowledge of how nucleic acids and proteins are regulated, of model organisms, and of the genetic and molecular skills used to diagnose and treat genetic diseases.
How the programme is taught
The final thesis carries 39 ECTS and is given particular weight: it is an original experimental project, supported by seminars and regular reviews with a supervisor. The second year also includes 3 ECTS of training activities and seminars. Both curricula are valid for an Italian-French double degree.
Career paths
The course catalogue prepares graduates to work as biologists in:
- Biomedical, genetic, food, toxicology, microbiology and forensic analysis laboratories
- The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry
- Public and private healthcare
- Basic and applied research, and science communication
Graduates can also continue to a PhD or a specialised postgraduate master, and the English curriculum is aimed at jobs abroad as well as in Italy.
Fees and scholarships
Sapienza sets tuition by family income (ISEE), with a separate rule for students whose family income is earned abroad. [1] 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
This degree has its own call for applications. For 2026/27 it offered 115 places for EU and equivalent candidates and 5 for non-EU applicants who need a student visa, one of them reserved for the Marco Polo programme. Unused non-EU places pass to EU and equivalent candidates. [1]
That year, visa applicants first passed pre-selection on Sapienza's MoveIn platform by 15 May 2026 and completed Universitaly pre-enrolment by 30 June. They then registered on Infostud and applied between 16 June and 16 July 2026. Interviews, which can be online, were on 24 July and the ranking was due by 31 July. You state your preferred curriculum on the form and confirm it later in your study plan. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [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 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 selection application.
- 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 Genetics and Molecular Biology master?
A degree in biotechnology or biological sciences (Italian classes L-2 or L-13), or any three-year degree with at least 90 ECTS in physics, maths, chemistry, biology and two medical sectors. For foreign degrees, the committee judges whether your curriculum is equivalent. [1]
Is there an entrance exam or interview?
There is no written test. Candidates are ranked on their weighted average plus a score for credits earned. Graduates of Italian L-2 or L-13 type degrees with an average above 24 out of 30 skip the interview, and foreign degree holders can be interviewed in molecular and cellular biology, genetics and biochemistry, possibly online. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at B2 for both curricula. Accepted proof includes IELTS Academic 5.5, TOEFL iBT 72, Cambridge First, PTE Academic 42, or an English exam of at least 4 ECTS in your bachelor's. Without one, you take an English test. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, visa applicants had to pass MoveIn pre-selection by 15 May 2026, complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by 30 June and apply to the selection by 16 July 2026. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]
How many places are there for non-EU students?
For 2026/27 the call offered 5 places for non-EU applicants who need a student visa, one reserved for the Marco Polo programme, alongside 115 places for EU and equivalent candidates. Unused non-EU places pass to the other group. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. For 2026/27 you could apply if you would graduate by 19 December 2026 and already had at least 156 ECTS, including 90 in the required subject areas, when you applied. [1]
I have a B.Pharm or a B.Tech in Biotechnology. Can I apply?
Possibly. Credits in physics, maths, chemistry and biology count towards the 90 ECTS rule, but pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacology or engineering units may not, so we check your transcript against the listed sectors. Foreign degree holders can also be interviewed on core biology. [1]
What careers does the degree lead to?
Work as a biologist in biomedical, genetic, food, toxicology, microbiology and forensic laboratories, in biotech and pharmaceutical companies, in healthcare or in research and science communication, or a PhD.
Can someone handle my whole application to Genetics and Molecular Biology 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 Genetics and Molecular Biology?
A recognised three-year Indian bachelor's in biotechnology, life sciences, microbiology or biochemistry, or another degree with at least 90 ECTS in physics, maths, chemistry and biology, can meet the rule, and you need English at B2. The steps are MoveIn pre-selection for a pre-acceptance letter, Universitaly pre-enrolment and the selection application. [1] 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 Genetics and Molecular Biology are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: MoveIn pre-selection for a pre-acceptance letter, Universitaly pre-enrolment and the comparative selection, 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 Genetics and Molecular Biology are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: MoveIn pre-selection for a pre-acceptance letter, Universitaly pre-enrolment and the comparative selection. 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 Genetics and Molecular 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: MoveIn pre-selection for a pre-acceptance letter, Universitaly pre-enrolment and the comparative selection, 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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