Master in Health and Physical Activity at University of Rome Foro Italico
Two-year English-taught LM-67 European master at Foro Italico in Rome on exercise for health, prevention and rehabilitation, with second-year internships at partner universities in Oslo, Vienna, Odense and Cologne. Entry needs a sport science degree or 28 subject credits, a test and interview, and English at B2 to C1.
Master
2 years
Rome
English
University of Rome Foro Italico
Health and Physical Activity is a two-year, 120 ECTS European master's degree (class LM-67) taught in English at the University of Rome Foro Italico, with a first year in Rome and second-year internships at partner universities. Entry needs a three-year sport science bachelor's, or another degree with 28 set credits, plus English at B2 to C1. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Foro Italico's European master in Health and Physical Activity asks for a bachelor's of at least three years (180 ECTS), either in sport science or with at least 28 credits in biomedical, movement science and psycho-social subjects, plus English at B2 to C1. Places go by a ranking out of 60 points. These rules come from the 2025/26 call. Reviewed 9 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit rule
You need a bachelor's degree of at least three years (180 ECTS) from a European university, or an equivalent non-European degree, in sport science or another field. [1]
Sport science graduates meet the minimum requirements and still go through the selection. [2] Graduates in other fields need at least 28 ECTS, and the call sets these minimums: [1][2]
- 12 ECTS in biomedical subjects.
- 12 ECTS in physical education, sport and movement sciences or kinesiology, with a focus on adapted and preventive physical activity.
- 4 ECTS in psychological, pedagogical or sociological subjects.
You must hold these credits by enrolment or complete them through specific study activities, and a commission checks them. In 2025/26 that check ran until 19 December 2025. Degrees outside sport science are reviewed by the European Master Board, and certified professional experience can be recognised as credits. [1]
If your education system does not follow the three-cycle structure, you need 15 years of education, including three at university and 180 ECTS in a related field, and you are admitted only if places remain after the ranking. [2]
What this means for your transcript
Foro Italico checks your subjects against the three credit areas and also scores your degree type in the ranking. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a three-year B.Sc. in Sports Science, Physical Education or Exercise Science, or a BPES. Sport science degrees score the full 20 points for degree type. [1]
- Check carefully: a BPT (physiotherapy), a B.Sc. in Nursing or another health science degree. These usually cover the biomedical credits, but you also need 12 credits in physical education or movement science, and health science degrees score 5 to 10 of the 20 points. [1]
- Often short: a B.Com, BBA, BCA, B.Tech or a BA without psychology or sociology. These rarely reach the biomedical and movement science credits, and other degrees score 3 points. [1]
English
The call asks for English at B2 to C1, assessed during the interview. It does not require a specific certificate or score, but an internationally recognised certificate at C1 or above adds up to 1 point to your ranking. Teaching and assessment are in English, and foreign candidates do not take an Italian language test. [1]
Selection and ranking
Candidates from countries outside the partner consortium are assessed in Rome. The 2025/26 ranking was out of 60 points: [1]
- Degree type, up to 20: sport science 20, Italian ISEF diploma 18, health science class L/SNT2 10, other health science degree 6, health science university diploma 5, other degree 3.
- Average exam mark, up to 10: from 10 points at 28.75 out of 30 or above to 0 below 23.75. Marks on other scales are converted using the CIMEA database and Erasmus+ tables.
- Online basic knowledge test, up to 10: movement, biomedical, psycho-pedagogical and sociological sciences.
- Interview, up to 15: motivation, course topics and internationalisation, your background and experience, and English.
- Other qualifications, up to 5: such as a PhD, a further master's or degree, BLS, RSPP or ECDL certificates, or a C1 English certificate.
No minimum score was set, but missing the test or interview removed you from the ranking. Ties went to the younger candidate. The 2025/26 call offered 38 places, with 16 reserved for students from partner universities and 5 for non-EU citizens living outside Italy. [1]
Deadlines in the 2025/26 call
These dates come from the 2025/26 call. The next call sets the 2027/28 dates. [1]
- Application and €60 selection fee: by 17 July 2025 at 12:00 noon (Central European Summer Time).
- Online basic knowledge test: 21 July 2025.
- Interviews: 23 and 24 July 2025, online for candidates not living in a partner country.
- Provisional ranking: 28 July 2025.
Applicants still finishing their bachelor's could apply if they had at least 155 ECTS when applying and graduated by 30 November 2025. Their enrolment stayed provisional until the degree was confirmed. [1][2]
Documents and non-EU steps
Applicants from outside the consortium apply online through the university's student portal and upload every document as a PDF, including the mandatory Annex B form. Not paying the €60 selection fee means exclusion. [1]
With a degree from outside the European Higher Education Area, you upload: [1]
- your degree certificate listing all exams, translated into Italian and authenticated;
- either a declaration from the Italian consulate that your degree is valid for admission, or a CIMEA comparability and verification certificate;
- the signed Annex A form with a copy of your ID;
- your average, minimum and maximum marks if your grades are not out of 30.
Some of these documents can follow within four months of enrolment. Non-EU applicants living abroad also follow the ministry procedures for international students, including Universitaly pre-enrolment. [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.
- University of Rome Foro Italico. Open competition for admission to the European Master of Science in Health and Physical Activity (LM67-I), academic year 2025/26. Reviewed 9 October 2026.
- University of Rome Foro Italico. European Master of Science in Health and Physical Activity programme page (class LM67R-INT), undated. Reviewed 9 October 2026.
About the programme
The European Master of Science in Health and Physical Activity is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-67) run by the Department of Exercise, Human and Health Sciences at the University of Rome Foro Italico, Italy's state university for sport and movement sciences. Foro Italico has coordinated it since 2002 with the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences in Oslo, the University of Vienna, the University of Southern Denmark in Odense and the German Sport University Cologne.
Teaching is entirely in English. Graduates receive a joint European certificate together with the Italian Laurea Magistrale in Attività Fisica e Salute. It suits sport science graduates, and graduates of related fields with enough biomedical and movement science credits, who want to work with exercise for health, prevention and rehabilitation rather than competitive performance.
What you will study
The first year is a common path in Rome built around four 15 ECTS teaching modules, with lecturers drawn from universities across Europe. The second year combines two internship areas and a 30 ECTS thesis. Units in the current plan include:
- Biomedical challenges and considerations in health and exercise
- Lifelong healthy habits: promoting physical activity from childhood to adulthood
- Enhancing well-being through movement therapy and physical activity for adult and special populations
- Integrated research methodology in sport sciences
- Second-year areas: children, adults, elderly, musculoskeletal disorders, movement therapy in orthopaedic rehabilitation, and psycho-pedagogic aspects of preventive physical activity
- Specialist units such as exercise therapy in cardiac patients, digital health with wearable devices, and exercise prescription for people with diabetes
How the programme is taught
Three first-year modules run in Rome in autumn and winter; the fourth takes place in Rome in spring or at a partner university. Second-year internships run from spring to autumn at the partners: Odense (children and elderly), Vienna (adults), Cologne (sport therapy), Oslo (psychology) and Rome (orthopaedic rehabilitation). Students need to earn at least 15 ECTS at two different partner universities.
Attendance of at least 90% per module is required. Teaching mixes lectures, seminars, practical sessions, lab work and student presentations, supported by online resources, and a compulsory English academic writing course runs mostly online. Single modules are also open to qualified students at €800 each.
Career paths
The university describes roles in public and private settings that design, run and manage physical activity for fitness, wellbeing and the prevention of chronic disease. Listed profiles include:
- Advanced fitness instructor or personal trainer, and specialist instructor in health-oriented exercise
- Public health promoter
- Manager of fitness and health activities for young people, older adults, functional re-education and special populations
- Specialist in the education and training of people with disabilities
Fees and scholarships
These fee rules come from the 2025/26 call. Students admitted through the Rome office pay a first instalment of €156, the €140 Lazio regional tax plus €16 stamp duty, then two equal instalments of a yearly contribution set by family income (ISEE). In 2025/26 the first-year contribution was nothing with an ISEE up to €23,000, rising to €1,987.65 above €50,000. Students from partner universities pay a fixed €1,600 a year, and the two best from each partner, up to ten in all, pay only the regional tax and stamp duty if they meet the credit targets. Lazio DiSCo scholarship applicants pay only the first instalment while awaiting results, so the degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
Applicants from outside the partner countries apply to the Rome office and, at the same time, through the Esse3 admission portal, attaching the foreign degree form and CV. Selection covers your degree, average mark, a basic knowledge test, an interview and English. These rules come from the 2025/26 call, which offered 38 places, 5 of them reserved for non-EU citizens living outside Italy. In 2025/26 the deadline was 17 July 2025 at 12:00 noon, with the online test on 21 July and interviews on 23 and 24 July. Non-EU applicants also pre-enrol on Universitaly and then apply for a type D study visa. The next call sets the 2027/28 dates.
Compare related master's programmes
If you are exploring sport and health, compare the curriculum and entry requirements on these programme pages before choosing your shortlist.
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 Foro Italico's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your online application, selection documents and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- 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 Foro Italico's Health and Physical Activity master?
A degree of at least three years (180 ECTS). Sport science graduates meet the minimum rules. Other graduates need at least 12 ECTS in biomedical subjects, 12 in physical education or movement science and 4 in psychology, pedagogy or sociology. [1][2]
Is there an entrance test?
Yes. The 2025/26 call ranked candidates out of 60: degree type up to 20, average mark up to 10, an online basic knowledge test up to 10, an interview up to 15 and other qualifications up to 5. No minimum score was set. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at B2 to C1, assessed in the interview. The 2025/26 call did not require a specific certificate or IELTS score, but an internationally recognised certificate at C1 or above added up to 1 point. Foreign candidates do not take an Italian test. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
These dates come from the 2025/26 call: applications and the €60 fee closed on 17 July 2025 at noon, the online test ran on 21 July and interviews on 23 and 24 July. Five places were reserved for non-EU citizens living abroad. The next call sets the 2027/28 dates. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. Under the 2025/26 call you could apply with at least 155 ECTS if you graduated by 30 November 2025. Enrolment stayed provisional until the degree was confirmed. [1][2]
I have a BPT or a B.Sc. in Nursing. Can I apply?
Possibly. Health science degrees usually cover the 12 biomedical credits, but you also need 12 in physical education or movement science and 4 in psychology, pedagogy or sociology. They score 5 to 10 of the 20 degree points, against 20 for sport science. [1]
Where will I study?
The first year is in Rome at Foro Italico, with the fourth module in Rome or at a partner. Second-year internships run at partner universities in Odense, Vienna, Cologne and Oslo, with orthopaedic rehabilitation in Rome. [2]
How much does it cost?
Students admitted through Rome pay €156 at enrolment, then a contribution set by family income (ISEE). In 2025/26 the first-year contribution was nothing with an ISEE up to €23,000, rising to €1,987.65 above €50,000, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students. [1]
Can someone handle my whole application to Health and Physical Activity at Foro Italico?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Foro Italico'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 Health and Physical Activity?
A recognised three-year Indian bachelor's can qualify. A B.Sc. in Sports Science or Physical Education, or a BPES, fits most directly. Other degrees, such as a BPT or B.Sc. in Nursing, need 12 biomedical, 12 movement science and 4 psychology, pedagogy or sociology credits. English at B2 to C1 is checked at the interview. The steps are the online application, test and interview, and 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 Health and Physical Activity are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application, basic knowledge test, interview 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 Health and Physical Activity are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application, basic knowledge test, interview 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, basic knowledge test, interview 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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