Master in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies at University of Pavia
Two-year English-taught LM-9-R master's at the University of Pavia: a shared first year on cell technologies, genetics and the roots of disease, then a Medical or a Pharmaceutical track. Entry needs a life-science degree, a 94/110 average and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Pavia
English
University of Pavia
Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-9-R) taught in English by the University of Pavia's Department of Molecular Medicine. Entry needs a bachelor's in biotechnology, biology, pharmacy or medicine with set science credits, a grade average of at least 94/110 and English at B2. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Pavia's Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies master asks for a bachelor's in biotechnology, biological sciences, pharmacy or medicine, or a recognised foreign equivalent, with at least 10 credits in maths, physics, chemistry, computing or statistics and 20 in biology and biotechnology, a grade average of at least 94/110, English at B2 and a positive pre-evaluation by the admission commission. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit requirements
You need a bachelor's degree, or a qualification obtained abroad, in one of these Italian degree classes or their equivalent: biotechnology (L-2), biological sciences (L-13), pharmacy and industrial pharmacy (LM-13, including chemistry and pharmaceutical technologies) or medicine and surgery (LM-41). [1]
Graduates with a foreign degree must pass a pre-evaluation of their curricular requirements. For degrees obtained abroad, the 2026/27 regulations ask for: [1]
- At least 10 CFU in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science and statistics.
- At least 20 CFU in biology and biotechnology.
- A cumulative grade point average of at least 94/110, converted into the Italian marking system.
What this means for your transcript
Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit: one CFU stands for about 25 hours of student work, and the commission looks at your subjects, not just your total. [1] As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Sc. or B.Tech in Biotechnology, a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences, Microbiology or Biochemistry, a B.Pharm or an MBBS, as long as your average converts to at least 94/110.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Chemistry, or a general B.Sc. combining chemistry with zoology or botany. These usually cover the first block but need 20 credits in biology and biotechnology.
- Often short: engineering degrees outside biotechnology, a BCA or a B.Com, which rarely include 20 credits in biology and biotechnology. Any degree whose average converts below 94/110 also falls short, whatever the subject.
English
You need an English language certificate at CEFR level B2 or higher. The regulations do not list specific tests or scores. [1]
- You are exempt if your degree came from a course taught fully in English.
- You are exempt if English is your mother tongue.
Pre-evaluation and interview
The regulations do not set a written entrance test. A commission of three to ten University of Pavia professors checks the documents you submit, verifies your curricular requirements and emails you the outcome of the pre-evaluation. If it considers it necessary, it invites you to an evaluation interview. [1] Pavia notes that its open-access master's degrees usually include an interview. [2]
2026/27 application windows
For 2026/27, Pavia ran five application windows for open-access master's degrees. [2]
- Non-EU applicants living abroad: 12 to 20 November 2025 and 12 to 20 January 2026, then 10 to 18 March 2026 and 5 to 11 June 2026 only if places were left.
- EU citizens and non-EU citizens living in Italy: all five windows, including 1 to 8 September 2026.
The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. [2]
Students about to graduate can apply if they hold at least 95% of their credits when they submit the pre-evaluation request. They enrol under condition and must graduate by 31 March. [1]
Documents and application
Applications go through Pavia's online application portal. You upload an identity document and your bachelor's diploma, issued in English, Spanish or French or officially translated into Italian. [2]
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 Pavia, Department of Molecular Medicine and Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. Course regulations, Master's degree in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies (LM-9), entering class 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Pavia. How to apply to master's degree programmes, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies is a two-year master's degree in class LM-9-R, medical, veterinary and pharmaceutical biotechnology, offered by the Department of Molecular Medicine and coordinated by the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Pavia. [1] It is taught in English on campus in Pavia, is worth 120 ECTS and has non-restricted access, with a limited quota of seats for non-EU applicants who need a visa.
The programme prepares graduates to design and run analysis and research in biomedical and pharmaceutical biotechnology: stem cells, the genetic basis of disease, engineered proteins and RNA technology, biochemical diagnostics and biomarkers, and both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical therapies. It suits biotechnology, biology and pharmacy graduates who are aiming at laboratory research or the biopharmaceutical industry.
What you will study
The first year is common to all students. It moves from cell technologies and genetic foundations to the three-part course The Roots of Disease, which covers infectious, metabolic, cancer and degenerative mechanisms. In the second year you choose the Medical track, on disease mechanisms, vaccines, biological drugs and gene and cell therapies, or the Pharmaceutical track, on the design, development and analysis of biotechnological drugs. Units in the 2026/27 study plan include:
- Genetic Foundations
- Chemical and Biochemical Foundations
- The Roots of Disease I to III
- Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design (Pharmaceutical track)
- Industrial Bioprocesses for Drug Productions (Pharmaceutical track)
- Nanobiotechnology (Pharmaceutical track)
- Non Pharmaceutical Therapies II: Cell Technologies and Cell Therapy (Medical track)
- From Bench to Bedside (Medical track)
Electives range from bioinformatics and protein design to medical devices, molecular haematology and forensic genetics.
How the programme is taught
The dissertation is worth 18 ECTS and is an experimental thesis, written and defended in English. [1] Thesis lab work can take place in University of Pavia laboratories, in external Italian labs such as Policlinico San Matteo, IGM-CNR or Fondazione Mondino, or abroad through Erasmus, always with a Pavia faculty member as main supervisor.
The second year also includes 75 hours of practical activities (3 ECTS) at the university or in a public or private company. Students with a foreign degree and no Italian B1 certificate take the 3 ECTS course Italian Language for Foreign Students instead. The degree does not offer a double degree.
Career paths
According to the course site, graduates can carry out research and production in biotechnology, from engineered proteins, RNA technology and stem cells to diagnostics, biopharmaceutical design and quality control, as well as business, management and marketing of biotechnological products and patents. Typical employers include:
- Universities and public or private research institutes
- Hospital laboratories
- Pharmaceutical companies, in research and development or industrial production
- Biotechnology companies
- Biotechnology service centres
Fees and scholarships
For 2026/27, non-EU students without family financial documents pay a flat rate set by citizenship, and bracket 1 covers countries like India, Bangladesh and Nigeria. Otherwise the fee follows an equivalent ISEE: with an ISEE of €32,000 or less, students are exempt from the all-inclusive fee, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. Only this route lets you apply to EDiSU Pavia for a scholarship.
How to apply from outside the EU
Demand from non-EU applicants is high here: in June 2026 the university announced that no visa seats were left on this degree for 2026/27, so aim for the first call of the year. We apply on apply.unipv.eu with your passport, a transcript listing exams, marks and credits, and an English certificate. For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad could apply from 12 to 20 November 2025 and from 12 to 20 January 2026, and in the March and June 2026 windows only if places were left. The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published. [2]
If you are admitted, we file the Universitaly pre-enrolment, and you apply for a type D study visa, which the consulate decides, then present a legalised, apostilled or CIMEA-verified degree at enrolment.
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 Pavia's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your online application, degree pre-evaluation file 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 Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies at Pavia?
A bachelor's in biotechnology, biological sciences, pharmacy or medicine, or a foreign equivalent. Foreign degrees also need at least 10 credits in maths, physics, chemistry, computing or statistics, 20 in biology and biotechnology, and a grade average of at least 94/110. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
The regulations do not set a written test. A commission of Pavia professors pre-evaluates foreign degrees, checks your documents and emails you the result. It may invite you to an evaluation interview on your preparation and English. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
You need an English certificate at CEFR B2 or higher. The regulations do not name specific tests or scores, so we check which certificate your file can use. You are exempt if your degree was taught fully in English or English is your mother tongue. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad could apply from 12 to 20 November 2025 or 12 to 20 January 2026, and in the March and June 2026 windows only if places were left. The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. [2]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes, if you hold at least 95% of your credits when you submit the pre-evaluation request. You then enrol under condition and must graduate by 31 March. [1]
I have a B.Sc. in Chemistry or Zoology. Can I still apply?
Possibly. The commission checks your subjects, not just your degree title. You need at least 10 credits in maths, physics, chemistry, computing or statistics and 20 in biology and biotechnology, plus an average of at least 94/110. A Chemistry degree can fall short on biology credits. [1]
What is the difference between the two tracks?
Both share the first year. The Medical track then covers immunotherapy, viruses and vaccines, gene and cell therapy and clinical research, while the Pharmaceutical track covers medicinal chemistry, nanobiotechnology, formulation and the production and analysis of biotechnological drugs. [1]
Can someone handle my whole application to Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies at Pavia?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Pavia'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 Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies?
A recognised Indian bachelor's in biotechnology, life sciences, microbiology, pharmacy or medicine can fit if it includes at least 10 credits in maths, physics, chemistry, computing or statistics and 20 in biology and biotechnology, with an average of at least 94/110 on the Italian scale. You also need English at B2. The steps are the online application, the commission's pre-evaluation and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1] 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 Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application, pre-evaluation of your degree by the admission commission 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 Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application, pre-evaluation of your degree by the admission commission 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 Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies 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, pre-evaluation of your degree by the admission commission 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.
More English-taught programmes at this university
Other public universities in this city
They began right where you are
