Master in Precise and Sustainable Agriculture at University of Bologna
Two-year English-taught agriculture master in Bologna that trains experts in precision and sustainable techniques for plant and animal production. Entry needs an agricultural or related degree, or set science and agriculture credits, plus English at B2.
Master
2 years
Bologna
English
University of Bologna
Precise and Sustainable Agriculture is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-69 R) taught in English at the University of Bologna. Entry needs a degree in agricultural, animal, food, biological or related sciences, or set credits in chemistry, biology, maths and agriculture, plus English at B2. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Bologna's Precise and Sustainable Agriculture master asks for a three-year degree in agricultural, animal, food, biotechnology, biological or environmental sciences, or a degree with set credits in chemistry, biology, maths and agriculture, plus English at B2 and a check of your personal preparation. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree requirement
These rules come from the programme's course regulations, which do not state an academic year. You need a three-year university degree, or a suitable qualification obtained abroad, and you must meet one of these curricular routes: [1]
- A degree in a listed class: Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (L-25), Animal Science and Technology of Animal Production (L-38), Agriculture and Food Science (L-26), Biotechnology (L-2), Biological Sciences (L-13) or Environmental Sciences (L-32), their older equivalents (classes 20, 40, 1, 12 and 27), or a suitable qualification obtained abroad.
- A degree in another class with at least 6 ECTS in chemistry (CHIM/03 and 06), 6 ECTS in biology (BIO/01 to 10), 6 ECTS in mathematics (MAT/01 to 09) and 36 ECTS in agricultural sciences (AGR/01 to 20).
For a foreign qualification, the committee first checks whether it corresponds to an Italian one. If it does not, the committee looks in your career for the equivalent credits in these subject groups. [2]
What this means for your transcript
The committee looks at your subjects, not only the title of your degree. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Sc. in Agriculture, Horticulture or Forestry, or a degree in animal science or dairy production, which sit close to the agricultural and animal science classes listed.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Biotechnology, Biology, Botany, Zoology, Environmental Science or Food Technology, or a B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering. These sit close to listed classes or may meet the credit route, but we check how your transcript maps to them, especially the 36 ECTS in agricultural sciences.
- Often short: a B.Tech or B.E. in other engineering branches, a BCA, B.Com, BBA or BA, which rarely include 36 ECTS in agricultural sciences.
English
English at CEFR level B2. The requirement is met if you are a citizen of a country where English is an official language or come from a course of study in English, have lived in such a country for at least 12 months, hold an official certificate at B2 or above, or passed a B2 English exam in a previous degree at Bologna or at another AICLU university language centre. [1]
For 2026/27, the programme page listed accepted certificates obtained after 1 January 2023, including IELTS Academic with at least 5.5, TOEFL iBT with at least 80 and Cambridge B2 First with at least 160 (grade C). [2]
Personal preparation check
There is no written test. A committee checks your university-level knowledge of rural economics and appraisal, agronomy and field crops, agricultural mechanics, rural buildings and agro-forestry land, and general zootechnics, animal breeding or special zootechnics through an oral examination. [1]
The check counts as passed if you graduated in Agricultural and Forestry Sciences or Animal Science (classes L-25 or L-38, or the older 20 or 40) with a final mark of at least 90/110 or a foreign equivalent. If you do not pass the check, you cannot enrol. [1][2]
Deadlines
The course regulations do not set application dates. For 2026/27, the programme page referred applicants to the admission notice for the application window, and applicants still finishing a degree had to graduate by 31 December 2026 to take part in the selection. The 2027/28 notice sets the next dates. [2]
Documents and non-EU steps
For 2026/27, applicants uploaded an identity document, proof of English at B2 and a CV in English on Studenti Online. Applicants from other universities also uploaded their degree or list of exams, or a copy of their foreign qualification, and non-EU applicants added a syllabus describing the main exams of their bachelor's. [2]
After passing the assessment, non-EU applicants living abroad pre-enrol on Universitaly, then apply for a study visa. A tourist visa cannot be used for enrolment or for a study residence permit. For 2026/27, careers had to be activated by 26 February 2027, and you apply for a residence permit within eight days of arrival. [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 Bologna. Degree programme regulations, regulatory part, Second Cycle Degree Programme in Precise and Sustainable Agriculture (LM-69), undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Bologna, Precise and Sustainable Agriculture programme page, How to enrol, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Precise and Sustainable Agriculture is a two-year laurea magistrale in class LM-69 R, Agriculture, run by the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL) in Bologna. It is worth 120 ECTS, is delivered entirely in English and has open access. Claudio Ratti is the degree programme director.
Its heading is "Advanced technologies for agriculture". The university says the degree trains experts in applying precision and sustainable agriculture techniques, with specific skills in plant or animal production. It suits agricultural science graduates who want to bring technology and sustainability into farm production.
What you will study
The programme develops advanced skills in agronomic technologies and practices, used to build precision methods and sustainable solutions in plant and animal production. The degree website lists one proposed path, Crop Production.
The course units for each year, with credits and teaching periods, are published in the course structure diagram on the degree website. We check the 2027/28 diagram before you apply, since units can change between intakes.
How the programme is taught
The degree is one of the university's international programmes delivered entirely in English. Its notice board carries department events such as OpenDISTAL 2026, titled "Agri-food Systems in Transition: Adaptation, Energy and New Production Perspectives", and announced an online information desk running from 5 to 30 October 2026.
Attendance at classes is not mandatory. The programme includes a curricular internship, and the final exam is an original thesis written and defended in English before a commission. [1]
Career paths
Graduates are trained as specialists in precision and sustainable agriculture, applying technology to plant or animal production. Graduates can also continue to a PhD. The university's job placement service and the degree website list internships, job offers and careers events.
Fees and scholarships
The 2026/27 fee table does not list this degree among the higher-fee programmes, so the standard second-cycle maximum of €2,550 a year applies, plus a fixed €157.04. A family ISEE of €27,000 or less means you pay only the fixed part, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. Income abroad is declared to ER.GO, which also runs the regional scholarship. Non-OECD citizens with family income only abroad, including students from countries like India, may instead choose a reduced flat fee of €1,200 plus €157.04.
How to apply from outside the EU
You need a degree in a listed agricultural, animal, food, biotechnology, biological or environmental class, or at least 6 ECTS each in chemistry, biology and maths plus 36 ECTS in agricultural sciences, and English at B2. A committee then checks your preparation through an oral examination unless your degree and grade exempt you. [1]
We apply on Studenti Online, with no cap on places, uploading your ID, B2 proof, CV in English, qualification and a syllabus of your main exams. The yearly admission notice sets the application window, and the 2027/28 notice sets the next dates. [2]
Admitted applicants who need a visa then submit the Universitaly pre-enrolment. The university validates it, and the consulate also asks for proof of means (€10,179.85 for 2026). You enrol online, pay the first instalment and provide your translated degree documents with a Diploma Supplement, CIMEA statement or declaration of value.
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 Bologna's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your Studenti Online application with your B2 proof, CV, degree and exam syllabus, and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ER.GO Emilia-Romagna 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 Precise and Sustainable Agriculture at Bologna?
A three-year degree in agricultural, animal, food, biotechnology, biological or environmental sciences, or a suitable foreign equivalent. Other degrees qualify with at least 6 ECTS each in chemistry, biology and maths plus 36 ECTS in agricultural sciences. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
There is no written test. A committee checks your knowledge of rural economics, agronomy, agricultural mechanics, rural buildings and animal science through an oral exam. Graduates in agricultural or animal science classes with at least 90/110, or a foreign equivalent, are exempt. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2. For 2026/27, accepted certificates obtained after 1 January 2023 included IELTS Academic at 5.5, TOEFL iBT at 80 and Cambridge B2 First at 160. A previous degree taught in English can also meet the requirement. [1][2]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
The course regulations do not set dates. The yearly admission notice sets the application window, and the 2027/28 notice sets the next dates. We track it and file your Studenti Online application and Universitaly pre-enrolment in time. [1][2]
Can I apply before I graduate?
For 2026/27, yes, but you had to graduate by 31 December 2026 to take part in the selection. The 2027/28 notice sets the next cut-off. [2]
I have a B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering or a B.Sc. in Food Technology. Can I apply?
Possibly. Your degree needs to correspond to a listed class or show at least 6 ECTS each in chemistry, biology and maths plus 36 ECTS in agricultural sciences. We check your transcript against both routes before you apply. [1]
What will I study?
Agronomic technologies and practices for precision methods and sustainable solutions in plant and animal production. The degree website lists Crop Production as its proposed path. The final exam is an original thesis written and defended in English. [1]
Is attendance compulsory?
No. The regulations state that class attendance is not mandatory. The programme includes a curricular internship, and you can also do an internship to prepare your final thesis. [1]
Can someone handle my whole application to Precise and Sustainable Agriculture at Bologna?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Bologna's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ER.GO Emilia-Romagna 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 Precise and Sustainable Agriculture?
An Indian B.Sc. in Agriculture, Horticulture or Animal Science sits close to the agricultural and animal science classes Bologna lists. Other degrees need at least 6 ECTS each in chemistry, biology and maths plus 36 ECTS in agricultural sciences. You also need English at B2 and may face an oral check. The steps are the Studenti Online application, committee assessment 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 Precise and Sustainable Agriculture are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: Studenti Online application, committee assessment 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 Precise and Sustainable Agriculture are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: Studenti Online application, committee assessment 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: Studenti Online application, committee assessment and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa. Read our guides for London, New York, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
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