Master in Medical Biotechnologies at University of Padua

Detailed entry requirements

Medical Biotechnologies requires academic eligibility, English B2 and selection for limited places. The latest programme listing announces 2027/28, while the most recent detailed calls are for 2026/27. Applicant categories have different selection methods and deadlines, identified below. Sources were reviewed on 6 October 2026.

Relevant degree and biomedical subject preparation

The latest foreign-qualification listing accepts a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in biotechnology, biology, chemistry, a technical health profession, medicine and surgery, or certified skills in physiology, biochemistry, applied biology, pharmacology, human anatomy, histology, general pathology, microbiology/clinical microbiology, and experimental/applied physics. The 2026 foreign-degree calls specify a minimum three-year undergraduate award and assess preparation in these disciplinary areas. [1, 10, 11]

This is a limited-access programme. Eligible applicants compete through a ranking list; a suitable degree and English B2 do not on their own secure a place. The current 2027/28 listing displays 10 places for non-EU applicants abroad but labels the detailed 2027/28 calls as not yet published. We check the final cycle-specific selection rules when those calls appear. [1]

Foreign qualifications: recognition and country-specific grades

A relevant degree and the programme’s subject preparation are required together with recognition of the qualification. The Admissions and Welcome Unit decides whether your foreign award permits entry to this master’s programme. Its country table is reference guidance rather than an exhaustive list: applicants whose country is absent may still apply. The university evaluates the qualification, its level, length and grade; meeting a listed minimum does not itself constitute an admission offer. [2, 3]

Examples below use the Master’s degree column of the table updated on 15 September 2026 for 2027/28. They are requirements for the education system that awarded your qualification, rather than a single percentage applying to every applicant. [3]

• India: a three- or four-year Honours bachelor’s degree; a four-, five- or five-and-a-half-year professional bachelor’s degree; or a three-year Pass/General bachelor’s degree plus a postgraduate bachelor’s degree or at least a one-year master’s degree. The listed minimums are 70/100, 7.0/10, 5.6/8 or 2.8/4, according to the grading scale. [3]
• Pakistan: accepted routes include a two-year Bachelor (Pass) plus a two-year master’s degree; a two-year Bachelor (Pass) plus an LL.B.; a Bachelor (Pass) plus Bachelor of Education route of three years in total; a three-year Honours bachelor’s degree; or a four- or five-year professional bachelor’s degree. Minimum GPA: 3.3/4. [3]
• Bangladesh: a four-year Honours bachelor’s degree or a four- or five-year professional bachelor’s degree, with minimum GPA 3.3/4. [3]
• Iran: a four- or five-year bachelor’s degree, or a two-year associate degree followed by a two-year discontinuous bachelor’s degree, with minimum GPA 15/20. [3]
• China: a bachelor’s degree certificate following a four-year undergraduate programme together with the graduation certificate and the specified CSSD verifications. The listed minimums are 75/100, 3.0/5 or 2.8/4. [3]
• Nigeria: at least a four-year bachelor’s degree, or a two-year Higher National Diploma plus the last two years of a bachelor’s degree, with minimum GPA 3.5/5. [3]
• Egypt: a four- or five-year BA, BSc or Licence, with minimum GPA 75/100 or 3.0/4. Other countries and qualification combinations are assessed under their own table entries and university recognition procedures. [2, 3]

English B2: accepted certificates and exemptions for foreign-degree applicants

The programme is taught in English and requires at least CEFR B2. For applicants using a foreign qualification, the current central policy allows the language certificate to be supplied after the application, but no later than 31 July 2027 for completion of enrolment. Certificates must be valid under the issuing body’s rules; where there is no expiry date, they must have been obtained within the two years preceding the opening of selection on 15 September 2026. [1, 4]

The current official B2 certificate list gives the following scores and qualifications. Higher-level certificates must meet the university’s corresponding C1 threshold where that level is relied upon. [5]

• IELTS Academic or General Training: 6.0. The university includes IELTS Home based tests and accepts one-skill retakes. [5]
• TOEFL iBT or Home Edition: 86 for tests taken up to 20 January 2026, or 4.5 on the new scale for tests taken from 21 January 2026. MyBest scores are accepted. [5]
• Cambridge B2 First: 173; Trinity ISE II; Oxford Test of English: 126; PTE Academic: 65; Pearson International Certificate: Level 3 Upper Intermediate; Duolingo English Test: 115. [5]
• Also listed: Gatehouse GA Level 1 ESOL International Classic B2; British Council Aptis ESOL General or Advanced with overall CEFR B2; and LanguageCert ESOL or Academic B2 Communicator covering four skills. Remote or online versions are accepted where the official list specifies them. [5]
• A certificate exemption applies to native English speakers from the university’s specified countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom and United States. [6]
• An entirely English-medium entry or higher qualification can support exemption if the awarding institution is in one of those listed countries, an EU country or a Schengen country. An English-medium degree from any country is not a blanket exemption under this foreign-qualification policy. [6]
• The list also exempts specified entry qualifications completed entirely in English: IBDP, European Baccalaureate, GCE or IGCE, and a High School Diploma accompanied by three US Advanced Placements with scores from 3 to 5. We supply evidence for the exact exemption claimed. An Italian language certificate is not required when applying to this English-taught programme. [6, 7]

Application documents and pending graduation

The application needs colour scans in PDF format: an English CV, an English motivation letter, your academic transcript, your qualifying degree award, a passport or an eligible identity document, and language evidence when required. Applicants who have not yet graduated may use an official enrolment or provisional certificate at application stage. For the 2027/28 foreign-qualification route, the study cycle must be completed by 31 July 2027; an official completion certificate may evidence that completion while the final diploma is being issued. [2, 7]

English or Italian translations of the transcript and degree documents are added when necessary. No legalised documents are required at initial application stage. A residence permit is also required for non-EU applicants residing in Italy. We include any further programme-specific documents requested in your application checklist. The public listing does not establish a universal requirement for two recommendation letters or a fixed interview duration. [1, 7]

We use one applicant account and submit every required field and attachment. The central guidance permits applications to up to two programmes; the course listing allows only one application to the same programme in an academic year. Initial administrative checks are followed by an Academic Committee evaluation, so satisfying minimum requirements still requires a positive assessment. [1, 7]

Latest announced intake: 2027/28, detailed calls pending

The programme listing announces a non-EU application window of 7 January to 7 March 2027. For EU/equated applicants it states summer 2027, with the precise dates still to be determined. It identifies the programme as limited access and says the call governs the selection and ranking. The general three-call calendar for open-access master’s programmes does not apply to this course. [1]

The country table and language policy currently linked from the listing are already updated for 2027/28. The detailed selection calls reviewed below are for 2026/27, so their test dates, deadlines and test specifications are not confirmed for 2027/28. [1, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11]

After an offer: acceptance and final enrolment

An offered place is accepted by the deadline in the offer. Final enrolment requires the original qualifying degree and transcript, translated into Italian or English and authenticated through the applicable procedure. The transcript should identify examinations, grades and, where possible, credits and the course syllabus. CIMEA comparability may be requested if the Admissions and Welcome Unit needs further qualification verification. [1, 7, 8]

Authentication normally uses legalisation or an apostille; the university also describes CIMEA Verification as an alternative and lists treaty-based exceptions. These are final-enrolment requirements, distinct from the initial application. Non-EU students residing abroad additionally complete Universitaly pre-enrolment and the study-visa process. We follow the intake-specific instructions and offer deadlines. The standing enrolment webpage contains older cycle references, so its unqualified calendar dates are not presented here as confirmed 2027/28 deadlines. [8]

Most recent detailed non-EU-abroad call: 2026/27

The 2026/27 non-EU-abroad selection had 10 places, with applications from 7 January to 7 March 2026. It ranked applicants by relevance of their degree and completed examinations to the required preparation, and final GPA or average examination grade at application. The younger candidate takes priority in a tie. Only credits already obtained when applying are considered; the commission may request an online competency interview. This route does not prescribe the on-site 40-question test used for the other category. [10]

The required uploads were passport, transcript with examinations, grades and grading scale, degree diploma if obtained, English/Italian translations where necessary, English B2 evidence if obtained and CV. The degree and English evidence had to be obtained/submitted by 31 July 2026. Ranking publication was scheduled from 10 April 2026. Initial offer acceptance and its payment deadline were communicated through the platform. [10]

For that 2026/27 call, final authentication was due by 31 October 2026 through legalisation, apostille or CIMEA Verification; CIMEA comparability could additionally be requested. These historical dates are distinct from the forthcoming 2027/28 rules. We follow your intake’s actual offer rather than combining rules from different years. [1, 10]

Most recent detailed EU/equated foreign-degree call: 2026/27

The 2026/27 call for EU/equated candidates with a foreign degree used a different procedure: applications from 15 July to 25 August 2026, closing at 11:59 local time, English B2 by 25 August, and the qualifying degree by 30 September. Applicants with Italian degrees instead used the Italian-entry call. [11]

For EU/equated foreign-degree applicants, admission was subject to academic eligibility and an on-site test on 2 September 2026 at 14:30. The ranking was based on the test, with younger-candidate priority for ties. Passing or placing well in the test did not waive curricular eligibility. The committee could also use an online interview to check preparation. [11]

• The 2026 test was in English: 40 multiple-choice questions, one correct answer per question, with 40 minutes allowed. Scoring was +1 for a correct answer, −0.1 for a wrong answer and zero for an unanswered question. [11]
• Preparation areas were mathematics, physics and medical statistics; general chemistry and biochemistry; cellular/molecular biology and microbiology; medical genetics and biotechnology; and human pathophysiology, including physiology, pathology and immunology. [11]
• The syllabus includes calculus, geometry, mechanics, fluids, thermodynamics, electromagnetism and statistical inference; atoms, reactions, solutions, organic groups and metabolism; cell function, DNA/RNA and gene regulation; inheritance, molecular techniques and recombinant technologies; human tissues/systems, disease mechanisms and immune responses. This describes the 2026 test syllabus, not an announced 2027 specification. [11]

Separate Italian-degree call: 2026/27 academic conditions

The Italian-entry call states 55 EU/equated places and the separate 10-place non-EU-abroad quota. Its qualifying-degree deadline is 31 December 2026, different from the foreign-degree call’s 30 September date. Pre-enrolment and curricular assessment had to be completed in August before the September test; a later degree-award deadline does not reopen applications. [9]

• An Italian L-2, L-13, L-27, L-SNT/3 or LM-41 qualification, or the listed former equivalents class 1, 12, 21, SNT3 or 46/S, satisfies the degree-class route. Other classes require at least 52 CFU in BIOS-06/A,07/A,10/A,11/A,12/A,13/A, MEDS-02/A,03/A and PHYS-01/A,06/A, formerly BIO/09,10,13,14,16,17, MED/04,07 and FIS/01,07. [9]
• English B2 must be demonstrated with the curricular-assessment application under Annex 3: accepted certificate, specified native-speaker citizenship, an entirely English-taught degree with official evidence, the reserved Padua TAL B2 test for Italian-entry applicants, or the specified Padua TAL B2 open badge. [9]
• The Italian-degree route uses the 40-question, 40-minute English test and the same +1/−0.1/0 scoring. The call states no minimum test score for inclusion in the eligible ranking, but a sufficiently high ranking position and fulfilment of academic requirements are needed for a place. [9]
• The fourth reassignment window ran from 6 October 2026 at 15:00 to 9 October at 15:00, subject to available places. Further vacancy offers may be communicated to eligible ranked candidates. This was a ranking stage for existing 2026/27 applicants, not a new application call. [9]

Sources and verification

1. University of Padua, Apply Unipd: Medical Biotechnologies, 2027/28 intake; reviewed 6 October 2026.
2. University of Padua, Specific entry requirements for qualifications awarded by non-Italian education systems, current 2027/28 guidance; reviewed 6 October 2026.
3. University of Padua, Specific entry requirements for qualifications awarded by non-Italian education systems, updated 15 September 2026, valid for 2027/28, Master’s degree column.
4. University of Padua, Language requirement for admission to degree programmes, 2027/28 foreign-qualification guidance; reviewed 6 October 2026.
5. University of Padua, English language certifications, currently linked official list; reviewed 6 October 2026. Publication date is not printed in the document.
6. University of Padua, Exemptions: English language certification, currently linked official list; reviewed 6 October 2026. Publication date is not printed in the document.
7. University of Padua, Study in English: How to apply, standing application guidance; reviewed 6 October 2026.
8. University of Padua, Study in English: How to enrol, standing enrolment guidance; reviewed 6 October 2026.
9. University of Padua, Medical Biotechnologies: 2026/27 call for Italian entry qualifications, sections 1-5 and Annexes 2-3.
10. University of Padua, Medical Biotechnologies: call for non-EU students residing abroad, 2026/27 intake.
11. University of Padua, Medical Biotechnologies: call for EU/equated candidates with a foreign entry qualification, 2026/27 intake.

Which degrees and subjects are relevant?

Biotechnology, biology, chemistry, technical health professions, medicine/surgery or the specified biomedical preparation. Required subjects include physiology, biochemistry, applied biology, pharmacology, anatomy, histology, pathology, microbiology and physics. The university assesses the qualification and transcript.

Does every applicant take the same entrance test?

No. The 2026/27 non-EU-abroad call ranked academic preparation and grades and allowed an interview. EU/equated and Italian-entry routes used an on-site 40-question English test. The detailed 2027/28 selection calls are still pending.

What dates are announced for 2027/28?

The listing announces 7 January to 7 March 2027 for non-EU applicants abroad. EU/equated applications are listed for summer 2027, with precise dates to be determined. We follow the detailed call when it is published.

What English level is required?

English B2. For the currently linked 2027/28 foreign-qualification policy, examples include IELTS 6.0, PTE Academic 65 and Duolingo 115. TOEFL uses 86 before 21 January 2026 or 4.5 thereafter. Cycle-specific calls can set the submission deadline.

Can I apply before graduation?

Pending qualifications can be accepted under the applicable call. Completion dates differ by category and year. The current general foreign-qualification policy gives 31 July 2027, and we check the conditions of the detailed 2027/28 Medical Biotechnologies call when it is published.

Does meeting the minimum requirements secure a place?

No. This is a limited-access programme. You must be academically eligible, meet language and document requirements, and obtain a place through the ranking and acceptance procedure for your category.

Can someone handle my whole application to Medical Biotechnologies 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 Medical Biotechnologies?

You need a bachelor's degree in biotechnology, biology, chemistry, a technical health profession or medicine, or certified preparation in subjects such as physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology and microbiology [1]. For India, the university lists Honours, professional or Pass-plus-further-study bachelor's routes, with minimums such as 70/100 or 7.0/10 [3]. The steps are an Apply Unipd application, a ranking for the limited non-EU places and Universitaly pre-enrolment. 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 Biotechnologies are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: an Apply Unipd application, a ranking for the limited non-EU places 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 Biotechnologies are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: an Apply Unipd application, a ranking for the limited non-EU places 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 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: an Apply Unipd application, a ranking for the limited non-EU places 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.