Master in International Cybersecurity and Cyberintelligence at University of Padua

Detailed entry requirements

International Cybersecurity and Cyberintelligence is the Arqus joint master’s programme delivered by Padua, Vilnius, Granada and Minho. It has its own consortium application and selection process. The current selection webpage publishes a 2027 timetable; the older 2026-2028 calls are identified separately. Sources were reviewed on 6 October 2026.

Bachelor’s degree and the three ways to demonstrate technology competence

The first selection stage requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent worth 180 ECTS, accredited technology competence and English at least B2. Professional experience can demonstrate technology competence but does not replace the bachelor’s-degree condition. [1]

• An IT-related degree, for example computer science, computer engineering, information systems, telecommunications, informatics or software engineering; or [1]
• At least two years of professional experience in IT; or [1]
• The equivalent of three years of training in IT topics, supported by the relevant certificates. If your degree is not IT-related, the technology-competence evidence is mandatory. [1]

Pending qualifications and authenticated academic records

Students in the final year of a Bologna-framework degree can provide a signed undertaking to supply the diploma before the registration deadline. The standing procedure says students obtaining a Bologna-framework degree in Europe can participate in both calls and must submit final transcripts by 5 September at the latest. It separately describes mid-May as the deadline for authenticated/verified records and the equivalency application for non-EU applicants who have not completed their studies. We confirm the applicable deadline for your offer and applicant category. These are consortium procedures rather than Padua’s general 31 July rule. [1]

Formal academic transcripts are required. Draft transcript documents are explicitly not valid. Degrees from non-EU countries must be verified and authenticated in due course. [1]

English B2 evidence under the consortium’s own policy

The consortium accepts one of the following: a bachelor’s degree taught in English, an affidavit of being a native English speaker, or official accreditation of English B2 under the accepted language-certificate framework referenced by the University of Granada. This is the joint programme’s policy; the narrower country-based English-medium waiver rules used by ordinary Padua courses do not replace it. [1]

The consortium page does not print a universal IELTS or TOEFL score in its admission checklist. We match your certificate to its referenced framework and submit the exact evidence requested in the Arqus application. [1]

Complete application checklist

• Completed application form, passport or identity-card copy, bachelor’s diploma or the specifically permitted pending-degree undertaking, and a formal transcript. [1]
• Certificates documenting IT education/training or accredited work experience, mandatory where the degree is not IT-related. [1]
• English-language evidence, two recommendation letters from a university or employer, motivation letter and CV. [1]
• A document of no more than three pages summarising previous work or a technology project, and a video CV presenting strengths and motivation for the programme. The public checklist does not specify a universal video duration. [1]
• Every applicable mandatory item is due by the application deadline. The selection webpage states that incomplete mandatory documentation leads to rejection. [1]

Selection and the interview

A committee drawn from the four universities first evaluates academic merits, CV and motivation. Applicants meeting the first-stage criteria are ranked using academic record, English proficiency and sector experience; selected applicants are then interviewed. Interview criteria are communication skills, technology expertise, motivation, ability to work in a group and academic achievements. The 2026 call also describes practical questions that can assess technical knowledge. No fixed interview length or universal numerical GPA cutoff is printed in the reviewed selection guidance. [1, 4]

Applicants passing selection in the first call have admission preference. Successful candidates receive registration instructions from Granada, the coordinating university. A reserve list can fill vacancies within that academic year; it does not carry over to a later year. [1, 2]

Latest published timetable and applicant categories

• The current selection page gives the 2027 first call as 12 January to 4 March 2027, with notification on 19 March. The second call is 5 April to 7 May 2027, with notification on 28 May. Registration is indicated for June/July and programme start for 24 September 2027. The page also says the application platform opens once final deadlines are announced, so we check the active call before submission. [1]
• The first call is the route for most non-European applicants. The second is primarily for EU/EEA applicants and also admits nationals of countries exempt from a visa for short Schengen stays. A short-stay exemption is an application-category rule here; the consortium’s separate study and mobility instructions still apply. [1, 2]
• The older 2026-2028 first call closed on 6 March 2026 after an extension, and its second call closed on 8 May 2026. Those dates have passed and are not presented as the next intake’s deadlines. [4, 5]

Application, registration and compulsory mobility

Applications go through the Arqus application platform. This route differs from the ordinary application route used by many standalone Padua programmes. [1, 4, 5]

The programme includes compulsory international mobility across the partner universities. Enrolled students belong to all four institutions. Non-EU students need to follow the consortium’s country-specific study-visa and residence instructions for their route through Italy, Lithuania, Spain and Portugal; the consortium notes that the sequence can vary by nationality and regulations. [2, 3]

Sources and verification

1. Arqus European University Alliance, MICAC: Application Process & Selection, current webpage with 2027 timetable; reviewed 6 October 2026. Publication date is not stated.
2. Arqus European University Alliance, MICAC: Admission of selected students, standing webpage; reviewed 6 October 2026.
3. Arqus European University Alliance, Master’s Programme in International Cybersecurity and Cyberintelligence, programme overview; reviewed 6 October 2026.
4. Arqus European University Alliance, MICAC 2026-2028: first call, published 19 January 2026, subsequently extended to 6 March 2026.
5. Arqus European University Alliance, MICAC 2026-2028: second call, published 6 April 2026.

Must my bachelor's degree be in IT?

No. You need a bachelor's degree or equivalent worth 180 ECTS. An IT-related degree is one route to technology competence. The others are at least two years of IT work experience or the equivalent of three years of IT training, supported by certificates. [1]

I have a BCA, B.Tech or B.Com. Can I apply?

A BCA, or a B.Tech in computer science, IT or a related field, is usually a fit with the IT-related degree route. A B.Com or another non-IT degree needs separate evidence of two years of IT work or the equivalent of three years of IT training. The degree must be worth 180 ECTS or equivalent. [1]

What English evidence is accepted?

English at B2. The consortium accepts a bachelor's degree taught in English, an affidavit that you are a native English speaker, or official B2 accreditation under the certificate framework referenced by the University of Granada. Its checklist prints no universal IELTS or TOEFL score, so we match your certificate to that framework. [1]

Is there an interview?

Yes, for selected applicants after the first-stage assessment. Criteria include communication, technology expertise, motivation, ability to work in a group and academic achievements, and practical technical questions may be included. [1][4]

What is the deadline for non-EU students?

The current selection page gives the 2027 first call, the main route for non-European applicants, as 12 January to 4 March 2027, with notification on 19 March. The second call, 5 April to 7 May 2027, is mainly for EU/EEA applicants. Final deadlines are announced when the platform opens, and we track the active call. [1]

Are recommendation letters and a video required?

Yes. The checklist asks for two recommendation letters from a university or employer, a video CV, a motivation letter, a CV and a summary of previous work or a technology project of no more than three pages, alongside academic and language records. [1]

Can I apply before I graduate?

Students in the final year of a Bologna-framework degree can sign an undertaking to supply the diploma before registration. For non-EU applicants who have not finished their studies, the procedure describes mid-May as the deadline for authenticated records and the equivalency application. We confirm the deadline for your applicant category. [1]

Where do I apply?

Applications go through the Arqus application platform. Most non-European applicants apply in the first call, because second-call eligibility is restricted. [1][4][5]

Can someone handle my whole application to Cybersecurity and Cyberintelligence 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 Cybersecurity and Cyberintelligence?

You need a bachelor's degree or equivalent worth 180 ECTS, technology competence shown by an IT-related degree, two years of IT work or three years of IT training, and English at B2 [1]. As a non-European applicant you normally apply in the first call [1]. The steps are an Arqus application, a committee review and an interview for shortlisted applicants, then registration instructions from Granada [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 Cybersecurity and Cyberintelligence are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: an Arqus consortium application, a committee review and an interview for shortlisted applicants, 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 Cybersecurity and Cyberintelligence are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: an Arqus consortium application, a committee review and an interview for shortlisted applicants. 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 Cybersecurity and Cyberintelligence 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: an Arqus consortium application, a committee review and an interview for shortlisted applicants, 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.