Master in Global Change Ecology and Sustainability at University of Trieste
Two-year LM-6 master's at the University of Trieste, taught in Italian and English, on how organisms and ecosystems respond to global change, with conservation, monitoring and sustainability policy units and a 30 credit internship.
Master
2 years
Trieste
Multiple
University of Trieste
Global Change Ecology and Sustainability is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-6) taught in Italian and English at the University of Trieste. Entry needs a bachelor's in biology or environmental sciences, or set credits in maths, chemistry and biology, plus English at B1. Visa applicants also need Italian at B2 or a CISIA Italian L2 score of at least 50/72.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Trieste's Global Change Ecology and Sustainability master asks for a bachelor's in biology or environmental and natural sciences, or another degree with set credits in maths and physics, chemistry and biology, plus English at B1. Visa applicants also need Italian at B2. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit rule
You are directly eligible with a three-year bachelor's in Biology (class L-13) or in Environmental and Natural Sciences and Technologies (class L-32), an equivalent qualification, or a foreign qualification recognised as suitable. [1]
Holders of other degrees need at least: [1]
- 12 CFU in physics, maths, statistics or computer science (sectors MAT/01 to MAT/09, FIS/01 to FIS/08, INF/01, SECS-S/01 and 02)
- 12 CFU in chemistry or biochemistry (sectors CHIM/01 to CHIM/12 and BIO/10)
- 28 CFU in biology, agriculture or veterinary subjects (BIO, AGR and VET sectors), of which at least 18 in BIO/01 to BIO/07, AGR/02 to AGR/07, AGR/11, AGR/12, AGR/14, VET/01 or VET/02
What this means for your transcript
As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Sc. in Botany, Zoology, Life Sciences, Biology or Environmental Science, which sits closest to classes L-13 and L-32.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Agriculture, Forestry, Biotechnology, Microbiology or Chemistry. You need 28 credits in biology, agriculture or veterinary subjects, with at least 18 in the listed sectors, plus 12 in maths or physics and 12 in chemistry.
- Often short: a BCA, B.Com, BBA, BA or a B.Tech in computing or mechanical fields usually lacks the 28 credits in biological subjects and the 12 in chemistry.
If your record has gaps, the committee can ask you to make up missing knowledge through single exams before you enrol. [1]
Grade threshold and curriculum review
Access is automatic if you meet the curricular rules and graduated with a final grade of at least 99/110. In all other cases, the teaching members of the committee review your record individually, and the review may include an interview, which can be held online. The regulation sets the threshold on the Italian 110 scale and does not give a conversion for foreign grades. [1]
English and Italian
English in writing and speaking at CEFR level B1 or higher is checked as part of your personal preparation. It can be shown through your academic record, a suitable certificate or an attestation recognised by the university, and is considered met for citizens of countries where English is an official language. Otherwise, the university runs a test. [1]
Teaching combines Italian and English, so visa applicants also need Italian: a B2 certificate from Roma Tre University, the University for Foreigners of Siena, Perugia or Reggio Calabria, or the Dante Alighieri Society, or a CISIA Italian L2 test score of at least 50/72. [3][4]
2026/27 dates
The university's application portal lists the 2026/27 application periods as closed, with lessons from 21 September 2026. Deadlines on the portal depend on your applicant category, and the 2027/28 intakes are not yet listed. [3]
Non-EU applicants living abroad
Visa applicants apply on the university's application portal with legalised or apostilled documents, accepted in English or Italian. [3] Only after a positive assessment do they complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, then enrol within the enrolment deadlines. [4]
Places for visa applicants are capped: the university's quota page lists 8 places for this programme, 2 of them reserved for the Marco Polo programme. [4]
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 Trieste, Department of Life Sciences. Course regulations for the Master's degree in Global Change Ecology and Sustainability (LM-6), academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Trieste, Department of Life Sciences. Study plan for the Master's degree in Global Change Ecology and Sustainability (LM-6), 2026/27 cohort. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Trieste. Global Change Ecology and Sustainability course page on the university's international application portal, 2025/26 and 2026/27 intakes. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Trieste, International students. Pre-enrolment steps for visa applicants, language proficiency verification and visa applicant quotas (undated). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Trieste, Department of Life Sciences. Orientation presentation for the Master's degree in Global Change Ecology and Sustainability (undated). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Global Change Ecology and Sustainability (Ecologia e sostenibilità dei cambiamenti globali) is a two-year, 120 CFU master's degree in class LM-6 (biology), run by the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Trieste. [1] Teaching combines Italian and English: the study plan states that units with English titles are taught in English, and several units, including a compulsory one, carry Italian titles. [2][3]
The degree studies how organisms, communities and ecosystems respond to global change, and how to propose solutions for sustainable development, including the economic and social assessment of those impacts. It trains professionals to manage natural resources, production systems and energy use sustainably. [1]
What you will study
The 2026/27 study plan has a single curriculum. In the first year you take: [2]
- Impatti dei cambiamenti globali sugli organismi viventi (impacts of global change on living organisms, 12 CFU), with plant and animal modules
- Economics of Natural Resources (6 CFU)
- Global and Regional Climate Change (6 CFU)
- One biogeography unit: Phytogeography or Zoogeography (6 CFU)
- Three conservation and ecosystem management units (18 CFU), chosen from marine ecosystems, animal diversity, plant diversity and inland waters
- One policy, economy and society unit: Sustainability and Ecosocial Changes, Biodiversity Data Science or Environmental Psychology (6 CFU)
In the second year you choose two methods units from Biomonitoring for Environmental Change Detection, Environmental Statistics and Modelling, and Remote Sensing of Environmental Changes, plus one unit from Environmental and Business Law, Economics of Ecosystem Services, and Geography of Global Changes and Sustainable Cities. Free-choice exams complete the plan. [2]
Internship and thesis
The second year centres on a 30 CFU internship and a 6 CFU final exam. The thesis must be empirical, built on data you collect and analyse during the internship under a supervisor, and can be written in Italian or English. You apply for the thesis internship at least eight months before graduating. [1][2]
The department's orientation presentation also points to Erasmus study and traineeship options. [5]
How the programme is taught
Teaching includes lectures, exercises, laboratory work and field activities, and periods at other universities or organisations under agreements. Each lecturer sets any attendance requirements for their unit. Exams can be written, oral or practical, and can be taken in Italian or English. [1][2]
Career paths
The university lists roles such as: [3]
- expert in the management and conservation of the natural environment
- environmental consultant
- biological laboratory technician or manager
- environmental researcher and science communicator
Fees and scholarships
Eligible students can apply for the regional DSU scholarship in Friuli Venezia Giulia, and the region decides awards. DSU scholarship winners at Italian public universities are exempt from tuition, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
Non-EU applicants living abroad apply on the university's application portal, complete Universitaly pre-enrolment only after a positive assessment, and then enrol. Visa applicants must also show Italian at B2 or pass the CISIA Italian L2 test with at least 50/72. [3][4]
Places for visa applicants are limited: the university's quota page lists 8 places for this programme, 2 of them reserved for the Marco Polo programme. If no places are left for visa applicants, you cannot enrol. [4]
For 2026/27, the application periods on the portal have closed and lessons started on 21 September 2026. The 2027/28 intakes are not yet listed, so the new dates are pending. [3]
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 Trieste'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's portal and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your regional 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 Trieste's Global Change Ecology and Sustainability master?
A bachelor's in Biology (L-13) or Environmental and Natural Sciences (L-32), or a recognised foreign equivalent. Other degrees need 12 credits in maths, physics, statistics or computing, 12 in chemistry and 28 in biology, agriculture or veterinary subjects. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
No written entrance exam. Access is automatic with the curricular requirements and a final grade of at least 99/110. Otherwise the committee reviews your record individually and may hold an interview, which can be online. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at B1 in writing and speaking. It can be shown through your academic record, a recognised certificate or attestation, and counts as met for citizens of countries where English is an official language. Otherwise the university tests you. No IELTS score is set. [1]
Do I need Italian for this programme?
Yes, if you need a visa. Teaching combines Italian and English, and visa applicants need a B2 Italian certificate from a listed body or a CISIA Italian L2 score of at least 50/72. [3][4]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, the application periods on the university's portal have closed and lessons started on 21 September 2026. Deadlines depend on your applicant category, and the 2027/28 intakes are not yet listed. [3]
I have a B.Sc. in Agriculture or Biotechnology. Can I apply?
Possibly. You need 28 credits in biology, agriculture or veterinary subjects, with at least 18 in the listed sectors, plus 12 in maths, physics, statistics or computing and 12 in chemistry or biochemistry. The committee can ask you to make up gaps through single exams before enrolment. [1]
Does the programme include an internship?
Yes. The second year includes a 30 credit internship, during which you collect and analyse data for an empirical thesis, plus a 6 credit final exam. The thesis can be written in Italian or English. [1][2]
Can someone handle my whole application to Global Change Ecology and Sustainability at Trieste?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Trieste's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the regional 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 Global Change Ecology and Sustainability?
A three-year Indian B.Sc. in Botany, Zoology, Life Sciences or Environmental Science sits closest to the biology classes. Other degrees need 12 credits in maths or physics, 12 in chemistry and 28 in biological subjects. You need English at B1 and, as a visa applicant, Italian at B2. The steps are the online application, curriculum assessment and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1][3] 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 Global Change Ecology and Sustainability are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application, curriculum assessment, Italian B2 proof 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 Global Change Ecology and Sustainability are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application, curriculum assessment, Italian B2 proof 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 Global Change Ecology and Sustainability 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, curriculum assessment, Italian B2 proof 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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