Master in Marine Biology and Aquaculture at University of Naples Federico II
Two-year English-taught LM-6 master's at Federico II in Naples with Marine Biology or Aquaculture and Management of Marine Resources curricula, covering marine ecology, fisheries, fish pathology and scientific diving. Entry needs biology credits and B2 English.
Master
2 years
Naples
English
University of Naples Federico II
Marine Biology and Aquaculture is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-6) taught in English at the University of Naples Federico II, with Marine Biology and Aquaculture curricula. Entry needs a biology bachelor's or set credits in biology, chemistry, maths and physics, plus English at B2, and a 90/110 grade waives the preparation check. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Federico II's Marine Biology and Aquaculture master asks for a three-year degree with the knowledge of an Italian biology bachelor's (class L-13), or set credits in biology, chemistry, maths and physics, English at B2 and a check of your preparation, waived with a degree grade of 90/110 or more. These rules come from the degree structure amended for 2021/22, the regulations in force since 2024/25 and the current programme page. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit rule
You need a bachelor's degree or three-year university diploma, or a qualification obtained abroad that is recognised as suitable. You must show the knowledge of an Italian three-year biology degree (class L-13). [1][2]
Graduates of other classes need at least: [1]
- 18 CFU in botany, zoology, comparative anatomy and cytology, or ecology (BIO/01 to BIO/03, BIO/05, BIO/06, BIO/07)
- 6 CFU in plant physiology, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics or microbiology (BIO/04, BIO/09, BIO/10, BIO/11, BIO/18, BIO/19)
- 6 CFU in chemistry (CHIM/01 to CHIM/06)
- 12 CFU in mathematics or physics (MAT/01 to MAT/09, FIS/01 to FIS/08)
What this means for your transcript
Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit: one CFU stands for 25 hours of student work, and the commission looks at your subjects, not just your total. [2] As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Sc. in Zoology, Botany, Biology, Life Sciences or Marine Biology with chemistry and some maths or physics.
- Check carefully: a B.F.Sc. (fisheries science) or a B.Sc. in Microbiology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry or Environmental Science, which may cover the molecular block but fall short of 18 credits in botany, zoology or ecology, or of 12 credits in maths or physics.
- Often short: a B.Sc. in Chemistry, a B.Tech or B.E., a BCA, B.Com, BBA or BA, which rarely include the biology blocks.
English
The course is taught in English and you need B2. [1][2] If you hold a B2 certificate, you submit it to the student office. Without one, your English is checked by interview or test, with a method the coordination commission sets each time. [3]
The documents do not list specific tests or minimum scores. [2][3]
Preparation check
There is no entrance test. A check of your personal preparation is compulsory, only applicants who meet the curricular requirements can take it, and the coordination commission sets the method each year. [2]
The programme page says graduates with a bachelor's grade of at least 90/110 are exempt from it. [3] Below 90/110, a commission appointed by the coordination commission reviews your previous studies and biology exam marks and may hold an oral interview, which it can waive for candidates with particularly strong records. [5]
2026/27 deadlines
The course documents set no application dates. For 2026/27, the programme page gave non-EU applicants a Universitaly deadline of 15 June 2026. [3] Federico II's guide for non-EU students living abroad also set 30 November 2026 for submitting the visa application and 31 January 2027 for completing enrolment. [4] Enrolment usually runs from 1 September to 31 October. [5] The next notice sets the 2027/28 dates.
Documents and non-EU steps
Foreign applicants start with the course's own admission step and send the coordinator: [3]
- bachelor's diploma
- transcript of records with detailed course descriptions and exams
- passport copy
- updated CV
- English certificate, when available or needed
- other relevant documents
The coordinator then issues a pre-acceptance letter, used for enrolment and for the visa request. Non-EU students pre-enrol through Universitaly, and you choose your curriculum at enrolment. [3]
For master's degrees, Federico II asks you to upload on Universitaly your transcript, degree certificate, detailed course descriptions, the pre-acceptance letter and a declaration of value or CIMEA statements of comparability and verification. Pre-enrolment alone does not grant admission. You complete enrolment at the student office in Naples, and you need an Italian tax code. [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 Naples Federico II, Department of Biology. Degree programme structure (ordinamento didattico), Master's degree in Marine Biology and Aquaculture (class LM-6), as amended for academic year 2021/2022 and published with the 2025/2026 programme documents. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Naples Federico II, Polytechnic and Basic Sciences School, Department of Biology. Didactic regulations, Master's degree in Marine Biology and Aquaculture (class LM-6), in force from academic year 2024/2025. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Naples Federico II, Department of Biology. Marine Biology and Aquaculture programme page (admission, English, non-EU steps and 2026/2027 Universitaly deadline). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Naples Federico II. Information for non-EU students with residency abroad: admission to degree programmes, academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Naples Federico II, orientation portal. Marine Biology and Aquaculture programme page, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Marine Biology and Aquaculture is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-6, biology) worth 120 ECTS and taught in English.
It is based in the Department of Biology of the University of Naples Federico II, within the Polytechnic and Basic Sciences School, with the coordinator's office at the Monte Sant'Angelo complex on via Cinthia in Naples.
The course trains marine biologists who can plan and run the management of marine ecosystems, including marine protected areas, and the conservation of living resources used by fishing and aquaculture.
It suits biology graduates, and science graduates with enough biology, who want to work on the sea, its biodiversity and its food production.
What you will study
You pick one of two curricula when you enrol: Marine Biology, or Aquaculture and Management of Marine Resources.
Teaching covers biodiversity from microbes to animals, the physics and chemistry of the sea, and the health, feeding and rearing of farmed species. Course units taught in 2025/26 include:
- Marine Ecology and Fishery Ecology
- Physical and Chemical Oceanography and Marine Geology
- Marine Plant, Animal and Microbial Biodiversity, and Algal Biology
- Marine Genomics and Biochemical Adaptation to the Marine Environment
- Pathology of Teleosts, and Disease and Diagnostics of Molluscs and Crustaceans
- Rearing Techniques of Aquatic Species, and Nutrition Physiology and Animal Welfare in Aquaculture
- Management of Marine Resources and Hygiene of Aquatic Productions
- Scientific Diving
How the programme is taught
The department highlights links with international networks such as the European Marine Biological Resource Centre, the European Marine Biological Laboratories, the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience in Florida and the Marine Biological Laboratory in the USA.
International students can earn up to 3 credits through an internship and a further 3 credits by learning Italian.
Internship credits can also be earned abroad through Erasmus+, and the degree ends with a final exam presented before a committee.
Career paths
Graduates can sit the Italian State Exam to register as professional biologists.
Depending on the curriculum, the university points to research and innovation roles in public and private companies, environmental agencies and marine protected areas, or to running aquaculture sites and reducing their environmental impact.
- research on the protection and management of marine resources
- coastal area and marine protected area management, and recovery of polluted sites
- environmental consultancy and ecosystem services
- aquaculture production, animal welfare and impact assessment
- science communication and teaching
Fees and scholarships
Federico II sets each student's contribution from the ISEE for university study, and the 2026/27 fee simulator adds a regional tax of €130, €151 or €173 depending on ISEE, paid in three instalments from November.
Families abroad present an ISEE universitario parificato. ADISURC, the Campania DSU body, awarded 2026/27 grants below an ISEE of €25,500, so this degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
The first step is the course's own admission step: we email your bachelor's diploma, transcript, passport, CV and English certificate to the coordinator. If your background fits, the coordinator issues a pre-acceptance letter to use for enrolment and your visa. [3]
We then pre-enrol you on Universitaly, choosing Federico II, this degree and your consulate.
For 2026/27, the Universitaly deadline was 15 June 2026, visa applications had to be submitted by 30 November 2026 and enrolment completed by 31 January 2027. Federico II asked for a declaration of value or CIMEA statements of comparability and verification. The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. [3][4]
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 Federico II's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your admission check with the coordinator, pre-acceptance letter request and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ADISURC Campania 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 Federico II's Marine Biology and Aquaculture master?
A three-year degree giving the knowledge of an Italian biology bachelor's (class L-13), or another degree with at least 18 CFU in botany, zoology, anatomy or ecology, 6 in physiology, biochemistry, genetics or microbiology, 6 in chemistry and 12 in maths or physics. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
No entrance test. A bachelor's grade of 90/110 or more exempts you from the preparation check. Below that, a commission reviews your previous studies and biology exam marks and may hold an oral interview. [3][5]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at B2. If you have a B2 certificate, you submit it; without one, your English is checked by interview or test. The documents do not name specific tests or scores, so we check which certificate your file can use. [2][3]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, the Universitaly deadline for non-EU applicants was 15 June 2026, and visa applications had to be submitted by 30 November 2026. The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. [3][4]
My grade is below 90/110. Can I still apply?
Yes. The 90/110 grade only exempts you from the preparation check. Below it, a commission reviews your previous studies and biology exam marks and may invite you to an oral interview, which it can waive for particularly strong records. [3][5]
I have a B.Sc. in Microbiology or Biotechnology. Can I apply?
Possibly, but check carefully. You need 18 credits in botany, zoology, anatomy or ecology, 6 in physiology, biochemistry, genetics or microbiology, 6 in chemistry and 12 in maths or physics. Microbiology and biotechnology degrees often cover the molecular block but can fall short on botany, zoology and ecology. [1]
Which curricula can I choose?
Two: Marine Biology, or Aquaculture and Management of Marine Resources. You choose one when you enrol, and the first semester is common to both. [2][3]
Is Marine Biology and Aquaculture taught in English?
Yes. The regulations state that the course is taught in English, and the final paper is written in English. International students can also earn 3 credits by learning Italian. [2]
Can someone handle my whole application to Marine Biology and Aquaculture at Federico II?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Federico II's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ADISURC Campania 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 Marine Biology and Aquaculture?
A recognised three-year Indian B.Sc. in Zoology, Botany, Biology or Life Sciences can meet the degree rule if it includes at least 18 credits in botany, zoology or ecology, plus some physiology or biochemistry, chemistry and maths or physics. You also need English at B2. The steps are the course's admission check, a pre-acceptance letter 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 Marine Biology and Aquaculture are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: admission check with the coordinator, a pre-acceptance letter 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 Marine Biology and Aquaculture are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: admission check with the coordinator, a pre-acceptance letter 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: admission check with the coordinator, a pre-acceptance letter and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa. Read our guides for London, New York, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
More English-taught programmes at this university
Other public universities in this city
They began right where you are
