Master in Marine Biology at Polytechnic University of Marche
Two-year English-taught LM-6 master's at Marche Polytechnic University in Ancona on marine ecology, conservation, fisheries and ecological restoration, with field practice at sea. Entry needs a suitable three-year degree, measured against 60 biology and science credits, and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Ancona
English
Polytechnic University of Marche
Marine Biology is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-6) taught in English at Marche Polytechnic University in Ancona. Entry needs a bachelor's of at least three years that the Admission Committee finds suitable, measured against 60 credits in biology, ecology and basic sciences, plus English at B2. Fees depend on citizenship and family income, and it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Univpm's Marine Biology master needs a bachelor's degree of at least three years that the Admission Committee finds suitable, with your subjects measured against a 60-credit rule in biology, ecology and basic sciences, an individual assessment of your preparation and English at B2. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit requirements
You need a bachelor's degree or university diploma of at least three years, or a foreign qualification recognised as equivalent. [2] The department's admission criteria accept any one of three routes: [1]
- An Italian degree in a listed class: biotechnology, biological sciences, agricultural and forestry sciences, food sciences, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, environmental and nature sciences or animal production sciences (classes L-2, L-13, L-25, L-26, L-27, L-29, L-32 and L-38), or a listed master's class such as LM-6, LM-60 or LM-75.
- A foreign qualification that the Admission Committee judges suitable, with your preparation assessed individually.
- At least 60 ECTS across three subject groups: 12 to 36 ECTS in botany, zoology and ecology (BIO/01, 02, 03, 05 and 07); 12 to 36 ECTS in plant physiology, comparative anatomy and cytology, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and microbiology (BIO/04, 06, 09, 10, 11, 18 and 19); and 6 to 30 ECTS in mathematics, statistics, physics or chemistry (MAT/05, MAT/06, FIS/02, FIS/07, CHIM/03 and CHIM/06).
For Italian graduates in a listed class, a final mark of at least 90/110 counts as adequate preparation. Below that, the Admission Committee runs an individual check. [1]
What this means for your transcript
One ECTS credit stands for 25 hours of student work at Univpm, and the committee 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 or Life Sciences that also includes chemistry, physics or maths.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Biotechnology, Microbiology or Biochemistry, which may lack the 12 ECTS in botany, zoology or ecology; or a B.Sc. in Environmental Science or a B.F.Sc. in Fisheries Science, which may lack the 12 ECTS in physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics or microbiology.
- Often short: a B.Tech, BCA, B.Com, BBA or BA, which rarely include either biology group.
We map your transcript against all three groups before you apply.
English
The master's is taught entirely in English, and you need English at CEFR level B2. [1][2] You can show it with a recognised language certificate, as a native speaker, with a bachelor's of at least three years taught in English, or by passing a qualifying test. [1] Univpm's international FAQ adds that native speakers and students who studied entirely in English are usually, but not always, exempt from a certificate. [4]
Personal preparation interview
There is no selective entrance test. The Admission Committee assesses personal preparation individually, through an online interview on Zoom or Teams, and you attend the first available session after you apply. In the 2025/26 criteria, interview sessions ran from September 2025 to March 2026. [1]
Deadlines
For 2026/27, Univpm's pre-evaluation rounds for all international students ran from 16 December 2025 to 30 January 2026, from 1 March to 30 April 2026 and from 8 to 30 June 2026. A fourth round, from 1 to 31 July 2026, was open to students from listed countries, including India and Sri Lanka. Enrolment opened in mid-July 2026. [3]
In the 2025/26 criteria, the conditional enrolment application that gives access to an interview was due by 5 November 2025, with a late fee after that date. [1] The 2027/28 rounds are not yet published, and the next criteria set the new dates.
Documents and non-EU steps
You request a pre-evaluation on Univpm's portal; one application covers up to two programmes. If the result is positive, we complete Universitaly pre-enrolment and you apply for a study visa. [3]
Your diploma and transcript must be legalised by the Italian mission in your country or carry an apostille, or you can use a CIMEA Statement of Verification instead. Applicants from countries outside the Lisbon Convention also need a declaration of value or a CIMEA Statement of Comparability. Documents not in Italian or English need an official translation into one of them. [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.
- Marche Polytechnic University, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences. Admission criteria for the Master's degree in Marine Biology, academic year 2026/27 (Italian version; the English version is labelled 2025/26). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Marche Polytechnic University, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences. Academic regulations for the Master's degree in Marine Biology (class LM-6 R), student cohort 2025/26. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Marche Polytechnic University. International admissions, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Marche Polytechnic University. International students FAQ on fees, English proficiency and documents, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Marche Polytechnic University, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences. Master's degree in Marine Biology programme page, 2024/25 cohort. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Marine Biology is a two-year laurea magistrale in class LM-6 (biology), worth 120 ECTS and run by the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences of Marche Polytechnic University in Ancona. [2] Set up in 2003/04, it has been taught entirely in English since 2025/26, and its classes bring together students from Italy and more than 30 other countries.
The course trains experts in managing marine environments and conserving marine biodiversity and biological resources. You learn to assess, monitor and recover marine species and habitats, including ecological restoration of degraded areas to support the Blue Growth sector. It suits graduates in biology or related sciences who want to work at sea as well as in the lab.
What you will study
The plan covers marine biology and ecology at molecular, cellular, population and ecosystem level, together with sustainable resource management, environmental law and marine policy. You also pick two to four electives from a list of eleven, worth 12 ECTS in total. Units listed by the university include:
- Marine Biology and Marine Ecology
- Physical, chemical and biological oceanography
- Marine genomics and marine conservation biology
- Marine Protected Areas design and management
- Marine GIS and spatial planning, and quantitative methods in marine science
- Fishery biology, reproductive biology of marine vertebrates and aquaculture
- Field practice in sampling and census of marine algae, seagrasses and animals, and in marine monitoring
- Electives in marine ecosystem restoration, from seagrasses and algal forests to hard bottoms and tropical reefs
How the programme is taught
Laboratory and field work are the core of the course. You sample coastal waters, can take part in scientific scuba diving and study trips to protected areas, some abroad, and process data with software such as R and GIS. Univpm is a partner in IMBRSea, the Erasmus Mundus International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources, and several English-taught units are shared with it. Units with purely theoretical content are also offered online.
Career paths
After the state exam, graduates can register in section A of Italy's National Register of Biologists. The course page points to work in:
- National and international marine research institutes
- Bodies in charge of environmental management and protection
- Fishery and aquaculture companies
- Oil and gas and marine renewable energy companies
- Marine and maritime business and environmental consulting
- Service companies in the marine sector, including diving and environmental tourism
Further study options include a PhD in Marine Biology and Ecology.
Fees and scholarships
Univpm's international FAQ sets reduced fees for non-EU citizens of non-OECD countries who hold a study visa, kept in later years if you earn the required credits by 10 August. Non-EU citizens of OECD countries can have fees set by an ISEE parificato. [4] Regional grants come from ERDIS Marche, so the master's can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
You need a bachelor's degree of at least three years that meets the course's curricular requirements. [1][2] We first apply for a pre-evaluation on Univpm's portal (one application covers up to two programmes); the Admission Committee then assesses your preparation individually. [1][3] In 2026/27 the rounds open to all international students ran from 16 December 2025 to 30 June 2026, and a fourth round from 1 to 31 July 2026 was open to listed countries, including India and Sri Lanka. [3]
Once you are accepted, we complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, and you apply for a type D study visa. The 2027/28 rounds have not been announced. [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 Univpm's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your pre-evaluation request and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ERDIS Marche 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 Marine Biology at Univpm?
A bachelor's of at least three years. With a foreign degree, the Admission Committee decides whether it is suitable. The yardstick is 60 ECTS across three groups: botany, zoology and ecology; physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and microbiology; and maths, physics or chemistry. [1][2]
Is the Marine Biology master taught in English?
Yes. The course regulations say the master's is taught entirely in English, and the department says this applies from 2025/26. You need English at B2. [2][5]
Is there an entrance test?
No selective test. The Admission Committee assesses your personal preparation individually in an online interview on Zoom or Teams. Italian graduates in a listed degree class with at least 90/110 meet this requirement without the check. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2. You can prove it with a recognised certificate, as a native speaker, with a three-year bachelor's taught in English, or by passing Univpm's qualifying test. The criteria do not list IELTS scores, so we check which proof your file can use. [1][4]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, the pre-evaluation rounds for all international students ran from 16 December 2025 to 30 June 2026, and a July 2026 round was open to listed countries, including India and Sri Lanka. The 2027/28 rounds are not yet published. [3]
I have a B.Sc. in Biotechnology or Zoology. Can I apply?
Possibly. You need at least 12 ECTS in botany, zoology or ecology, at least 12 in physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics or microbiology, at least 6 in maths, physics or chemistry, and 60 in total. Biotechnology degrees can be light on ecology and zoology, so we check them course by course. [1]
Does the course include work at sea?
Yes. Field practice covers sampling and census of marine algae, seagrasses and animals and marine monitoring, with coastal sampling, scientific diving options and study trips to protected areas.
Where do graduates work?
In marine research institutes, environmental agencies, fishery and aquaculture firms, marine energy companies, consulting and marine service businesses. After the state exam they can join section A of the National Register of Biologists.
Can someone handle my whole application to Marine Biology at Univpm?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Univpm's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ERDIS Marche 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?
A recognised Indian bachelor's of at least three years, such as a B.Sc. in Zoology, Botany, Biology or Biotechnology, can fit if your subjects meet the 60-credit rule across biology, ecology and basic sciences. You also need English at B2. The steps are the pre-evaluation, an individual check of your preparation 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 are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online pre-evaluation, the department's assessment of your preparation 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 are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online pre-evaluation, the department's assessment of your preparation 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 Marine 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: online pre-evaluation, the department's assessment of your preparation 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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