Master in Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics at University of Milan
Two-year English-taught LM-8 R master at the University of Milan in industrial biotechnology and bioinformatics, from protein engineering and microbiology to genomics data analysis, ending with a 37 ECTS lab project. Entry needs core biology knowledge and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Milan
English
University of Milan
Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-8 R) taught in English at the University of Milan. Entry needs a bachelor's with a good base in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and microbiology, English at B2 and a record review, where a grade above 88/110 counts as adequate. Scholarship winners pay no second instalment, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Milan's Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics master asks for a bachelor's degree with a good base in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and microbiology, plus maths, physics, chemistry, computer science and statistics, English at B2, and a record review in which a grade above 88/110 counts as adequate preparation. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and subject requirements
The programme requires 180 credits for admission, so you need a full bachelor's degree. [1]
With a degree from outside Italy: you must hold a bachelor's from an accredited university or college and have good knowledge in all of biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and microbiology, plus sufficient knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science and statistics. A committee reviews your record against these minimum requirements and may add an interview. [1]
With an Italian degree: Biotechnology graduates (class L-2) are admitted. Graduates of other classes need at least 60 credits in biological subjects (BIO/01 to 19), with at least 36 in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and microbiology, plus at least 10 in maths, physics, computer science or statistics and at least 10 in chemistry. [1]
What this means for your transcript
The foreign-degree rule names subjects rather than credit totals, and the Italian rule above shows the balance the committee expects. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Sc. or B.Tech in Biotechnology, or a B.Sc. in Biochemistry, Microbiology, Genetics or Molecular Biology, with courses in all four core areas plus chemistry and maths or statistics.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Life Sciences, Zoology or Botany, a B.Pharm or a B.Sc. in Chemistry, which may lack one of the four core areas, often microbiology or genetics.
- Often short: a B.Tech or B.E. in Computer Science or IT, a BCA, B.Com, BBA or BA, where biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and microbiology are usually missing.
English
English at CEFR level B2 or higher is required for admission, checked by the University Language Centre (SLAM) in one of three ways: [1]
- a valid B2 or higher certificate from the university's accepted list, issued no more than three years before the application date and uploaded with your application;
- an English level certified by SLAM during a University of Milan degree in the last four years;
- the SLAM entry test.
Accepted certificates must cover reading, writing, listening and speaking, and TOEFL results must be no more than two years old. [6]
If you do not take or pass the entry test, you must submit an accepted certificate by the programme's deadline, or you are not admitted. [1]
Record review and selection
There is no written entrance test. An Admissions Committee made up of the programme coordinator and faculty members evaluates your undergraduate record. Your preparation counts as adequate if your bachelor's grade is higher than 88/110, or your exam average is above 23/30 if you have not graduated yet. [1]
The committee may ask you for more information, an interview or another form of evaluation. Successful applicants are told they are eligible and can then enrol. [1][2]
Admission is open with no overall cap, and up to 25 places are reserved for non-EU students living outside Italy. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
Non-EU applicants who need a visa applied online between 22 January and 30 April 2026, an early date set because of visa processing times and the limited places. They also had to complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by 31 July 2026, or they were excluded from selection and enrolment. [1][2]
EU applicants, and equivalent applicants, could apply from 22 January to 20 July 2026. Enrolment ran from 5 May 2026 to 15 January 2027. [2]
The 2027/28 notice sets the next dates. [2]
Documents and non-EU steps
With a foreign degree you apply on the university's international platform by the deadline. You upload: [2]
- your degree certificate, in Italian, English, French, German or Spanish;
- a Diploma Supplement or a transcript showing courses, marks, credits, academic field and the grading system;
- your passport or a valid ID.
The online form cannot be changed after you submit it. [2]
To finalise enrolment you provide your bachelor's degree legalised or apostilled, your high school diploma, an official Italian translation where needed, a CIMEA statement of comparability or a declaration of value, an Italian tax code and, for non-EU citizens, your residence permit or the receipt of its application. For 2026/27 these were due by 30 November 2026, and admission stays provisional until they are checked. [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 Milan. Programme description (course regulations), Master's degree in Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics (LM-8 R), students enrolling in 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan. Admission notice, Master's degree in Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics (LM-8 R), academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan. Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics programme page: language, location, places and career outlets, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan. Fees for the current academic year 2026/27, with the annex of country groups. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan. Regulation on tuition and fees, academic year 2025/26, annex listing programmes by tuition area. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan. English language certificates accepted by the University Language Centre, page updated June 2025. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree in class LM-8 R (industrial biotechnology), taught in English by the University of Milan's Department of Biosciences, with the Department of Chemistry as a partner department. [1][3]
Lectures and labs are on the Città Studi campus in Milan, mostly at Via Celoria 26, Via Celoria 20 and Via Golgi 19. [1]
The programme gives a broad base in the key disciplines of industrial biotechnology and teaches you to analyse genomic, proteomic and metabolomic data and to design biotechnological processes.
It aims to prepare graduates who can work independently and lead projects in research, development, innovation and quality control. It suits biotechnology and life science graduates who want to combine wet-lab and computational skills. [1]
What you will study
All eight compulsory units, worth 56 ECTS, run in the first year. [1]
You also pick at least two elective units, in the first or second year, such as Advanced Bioinformatics for Biotechnology, Structural Bioinformatics, Bioimaging, Macromolecular Structural Biology, Molecular Breeding and Plant Genetics or Patenting and Technology Transfer, plus 12 free-choice ECTS. [1]
The compulsory units are: [1]
- Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics (10 ECTS)
- Advanced Molecular and Cellular Biotechnology (10 ECTS)
- Methods in Bioinformatics
- Biotechnological Products and Processes
- Molecular and Cellular Microbiology
- Rational Design and Structural Characterization of Bioactive Molecules
- Protein Engineering and Molecular Enzymology
- Plant Biotechnology
How the programme is taught
Teaching combines lectures, practical classes and lab work, and attendance at lectures is strongly recommended.
A large part of the second year goes to an experimental project in a research laboratory, at the university or at another public or private facility in Italy or abroad with the coordinator's approval.
It is worth 37 ECTS in total: 7 ECTS of laboratory training and a 30 ECTS thesis. You also earn 3 ECTS in soft skills, which can include Italian for foreigners. [1]
Erasmus+ lets you take exams or do thesis work at partner universities that teach in English. [1]
Career paths
Graduates work as biologists, biochemists, biophysicists and biotechnologists in research laboratories, production plants and quality control labs. Sectors named by the university include: [1][3]
- Pharmaceutical and chemical industries
- Food production and agri-food
- Environmental biotechnology
- Diagnostics and biotechnology services
- Genomics and proteomics research labs
Fees and scholarships
This master is in tuition Area B. [5]
For 2026/27, students whose family income and assets are outside Italy paid a first instalment and a fixed second instalment by country group, with the lowest rate for Group A, which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. [4]
Students who win a regional or University of Milan scholarship get a waiver on the second instalment, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. [4]
How to apply from outside the EU
This is an open-admission master with no overall cap on numbers, and up to 25 places are reserved for non-EU students living outside Italy. [1]
A committee checks your record: a bachelor's grade above 88/110, or an exam average above 23/30 if you have not graduated yet, counts as adequate preparation. The committee may also ask for more information or an interview. [1]
For 2026/27, visa applicants applied on apply.unimi.it from 22 January to 30 April 2026. The 2027/28 notice sets the next dates. [2]
Visa applicants also complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, which we submit for you, by 31 July (for 2026/27); missing it means exclusion. Admitted students then apply for a type D study visa and, to finalise enrolment, provide their degree legalised or apostilled with a CIMEA statement of comparability or a declaration of value, by 30 November (for 2026/27). [2]
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 Milan's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your online admission application and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your University of Milan 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 Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics at Milan?
A bachelor's from an accredited university with good knowledge of biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and microbiology, and enough maths, physics, chemistry, computer science and statistics. For Italian degrees the benchmark is 60 biology credits, 36 of them in those four areas. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
No written test. A committee reviews your record, and a bachelor's grade above 88/110, or an exam average above 23/30 if you have not graduated, counts as adequate preparation. The committee may ask for more information or an interview. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at B2 or higher. You can upload a certificate from the university's accepted list covering all four skills, issued within three years, or two for TOEFL, or take the University Language Centre entry test. Without one of these by the deadline, you are not admitted. [1][6]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU visa applicants applied between 22 January and 30 April 2026 and had to complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by 31 July 2026. Up to 25 places were reserved for them. The 2027/28 notice sets the next dates. [1][2]
Can I apply before I graduate?
The 2026/27 notice let applicants graduate by 31 December 2026, and final-year students are assessed on their exam average. The programme rules, though, say applicants with a foreign degree must hold it when they apply, so we check which rule applies to your file. [1][2]
I have a B.Tech in Computer Science or Bioinformatics. Can I apply?
Possibly, if your transcript shows good knowledge of biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and microbiology. A Computer Science degree usually lacks these, while a Bioinformatics degree may cover some of them. We check your transcript against the four core areas. [1]
How do the fees work?
For 2026/27, students with family income abroad paid a first instalment and a second instalment fixed by country group, with the lowest rate in Group A, which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Scholarship winners get a waiver on the second instalment, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. [4][5]
What jobs do graduates do?
Graduates work as biologists, biochemists, biophysicists and biotechnologists in research labs, production plants and quality control, in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food, environmental biotechnology, diagnostics and genomics or proteomics research, or continue to a PhD. [1]
Can someone handle my whole application to Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics at Milan?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Milan's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the University of Milan 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 Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics?
A B.Sc. or B.Tech in Biotechnology, or a B.Sc. in Biochemistry, Microbiology or Genetics, can fit if your transcript shows a good base in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and microbiology, plus maths, chemistry and statistics. You also need English at B2. The steps are the online application, a record review with an interview if requested, and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [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 Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application, a record review by the admissions committee 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 Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application, a record review by the admissions committee 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 Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics 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, a record review by the admissions committee 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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