Master in Precision Livestock Farming at University of Naples Federico II
Two-year English-taught residential master at Federico II’s Improsta farm in Eboli. The 2026/27 guide lists 40 programme places; free accommodation/meals are separately limited to 25 ranked students. Entry requires relevant academic preparation, B2 English and selection.
Master
2 years
Naples
English
University of Naples Federico II
Precision Livestock Farming is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-86) taught in English by the University of Naples Federico II. It is residential, held at the Improsta regional farm in Eboli. The 2026/27 guide lists 40 places, with free accommodation and meals for up to 25 ranked students. Entry needs a relevant degree, B2 English and competitive selection. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Precision Livestock Farming has category-specific competitive admission, academic and English conditions. The most recent located procedure PDF is labelled 2026/27; its conflicts with current department webpages and stale date text are identified below. [1-5]
Named degree backgrounds and foundational knowledge
The current department page names Animal Science/Technology (L-38), Agricultural Science (L-25) and Veterinary Science (LM-42), with the corresponding earlier qualifications as stated there. Applicants need basic mathematics, general/organic/inorganic chemistry and biochemistry, plus the characteristic animal/agricultural subjects. Foreign qualifications and other backgrounds require academic evaluation, rather than automatic acceptance from any engineering or biological degree. [1, 4]
Other degrees: 40-credit webpage requirement and the PDF conflict
The current department admission page and 2026/27 guide specify at least 40 CFU across veterinary anatomy (MVET-01/A), veterinary physiology (MVET-01/B), agricultural/food economics and rural appraisal (AGRI-01/A), agronomy/field crops (AGRI-02/A), livestock systems/breeding/genetics (AGRI-09/A), nutrition/feeding (/B), animal science (/C) and aquaculture/poultry/rabbit science (/D). This is a combined subject-credit minimum, not 40 credits in each discipline. We submit your course content and complete transcript for committee mapping. [1, 4]
The department’s PDF labelled 2026/27 still prints 60 credits for the alternative background and links back to the 40-credit webpage. This is an unresolved conflict in official resources. The current webpages support 40. For applicants near the threshold, we confirm with the committee which credit rule governs the file. [1, 3, 4]
English B2 and the placement route
The department requires an internationally recognised English proficiency certificate at B2 or higher. If English is not officially certified, a placement test supported by university language facilities is provided. The reviewed sources do not publish universal IELTS/TOEFL numerical equivalents or an automatic medium-of-instruction waiver. We follow the current call and the visa-file evidence requirements as well as the academic placement route. [1, 3]
Forty study places and twenty-five free accommodation places
The 2026/27 guide and labelled procedure PDF give 40 programme places: 25 for EU/applicable resident candidates and 15 non-EU places. Separately, the current procedure webpage provides free accommodation and meals for at most 25 students at Improsta: 10 EU and 15 non-EU. Additional admitted students can attend but must arrange/pay their own housing. Forty programme places therefore do not mean forty funded residential beds. [2-4]
Admission is competitive, through an entrance test or career/motivation evaluation under the committee’s procedure. Rankings determine successful places and any reassignment after enrolment deadlines; unfilled non-EU accommodation places can be reassigned to EU students in ranking order. Identified deficiencies can lead to specific remedial courses. The applicable call controls the exact selection arrangements. [2]
Non-EU document evaluation and category-specific ranking
The labelled 2026/27 PDF instructs non-EU candidates to pre-enrol on Universitaly and upload academic/career evidence, motivation and language documentation. Its career area includes CV, certificates, portfolio and at most two recommendation letters considered within that area; this is not a statement that two letters are compulsory for every applicant. Degree/transcript/course evidence must establish academic eligibility. [1, 3]
The published document-evaluation maxima are 45 points for career, 24 for motivation and 21 for language certification, totalling 90. The PDF describes issuing a pre-enrolment letter to eligible candidates and ranking if applications exceed available places. It does not publish a universal minimum GPA or GRE/GMAT requirement. Admission to the eligible pool still needs curricular/language suitability. [3]
EU route, timing and stale text in the procedure PDF
For EU applicants the labelled PDF describes a call opening in early July and closing at the end of September, with a credit-weighted degree-examination ranking when applicants exceed places. Final acceptance is communicated at the beginning of October and selected places are reserved to 31 October for enrolment, as stated in that procedure. The annual call sets the binding dates. [3]
The same PDF includes a leftover sentence extending vacant places to 31 December 2023. That historical date is not a reliable 2026/27 extension or a future 2027 deadline. The 2026/27 non-EU final ranking was posted on the procedure page on 6 July 2026. A newly confirmed 2027/28 call was not located in the reviewed resources. [2, 3]
Complete foreign-qualification and final-registration file
The coordinator/university assesses whether a foreign qualification corresponds to the required Italian award and whether the programme’s academic conditions are met. We prepare your degree, full examination transcript, subject descriptions and grading/credit information. The university can request translations, legalisation, a Diploma Supplement, CIMEA/ENIC-NARIC records or a Declaration of Value according to the qualification and procedure. A translated diploma alone does not establish curricular suitability or authenticity. [5]
The secretariat supplies the final application/payment forms. Its general checklist includes passport/identity, application form, photograph, Italian tax code, residence-permit evidence where applicable and required qualification-recognition documents. Programme-specific assessments, language evidence and the completed degree remain separate checks. We supply the documents requested for your category. [5]
International procedures and the academic-year deadline
Visa-requiring non-EU candidates abroad use Universitaly in addition to the degree’s academic assessment/selection. The central 2026/27 deadline is 15 June 2026, with programme changes prohibited afterwards and an identified restricted-access exception requiring the applicable course procedure. The stated visa-application deadline is 30 November 2026. Eligibility, pre-enrolment validation, a visa and final university enrolment are separate outcomes. [5]
EU applicants and eligible non-EU residents who do not require a new study visa follow their applicable direct coordinator/qualification-assessment route. The 2026 dates above are not newly confirmed 2027/28 dates. We follow the programme’s current instructions for any additional or earlier deadline, since a general registration period does not replace an academic or visa deadline. [5]
Sources and verification
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, Admission requirements to PLF, current webpage; publication date not stated; reviewed 6 October 2026.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, Procedure and modalities for enrollment in PLF, current webpage with 2026/27 ranking and procedure links; publication date not stated; reviewed 6 October 2026.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, Pre-enrolment and enrollment procedures for EU and non-EU students, PDF labelled academic year 2026/27; publication date not printed; reviewed 6 October 2026.
- University of Naples Federico II, Precision Livestock Farming, Student’s Guide, updated for 2026/27; reviewed 6 October 2026.
- University of Naples Federico II, Admission regulation, current 2026/27 guidance; page publication date not stated; reviewed 6 October 2026.
About the programme
Precision Livestock Farming is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-86) taught in English by the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production of the University of Naples Federico II. The whole course has a limited number of places and is residential: teaching takes place at the Improsta regional experimental farm, on the SS 18 near Eboli in the province of Salerno, a site with agricultural facilities, livestock, a cheese factory and teaching laboratories.
The degree is built around automated, continuous and real-time monitoring of animals, so that production, reproduction, health and welfare of livestock can be controlled. It aims to train high-level professionals for livestock production systems who combine engineering and agricultural skills. It suits graduates who want to work where animal science meets sensors, data and farm management.
What you will study
The first year looks at the farm as a system: its logistic and structural organisation, studied with geographic information systems, the robotics and sensors that make precision techniques possible, and the environmental impact of livestock, taken with a multidisciplinary approach. The second year applies precision techniques to animal science. Topics named on the official course page include:
- Logistic and structural organisation of the farm, using GIS and digital mapping
- Robotics and sensors for precision techniques
- Environmental impact of livestock and waste management
- Precision management and precision feeding
- Computerised reproductive management
- Monitoring of infectious and non-infectious diseases
- Two elective courses of 4 ECTS each, for 8 ECTS in total
How the programme is taught
Because the course is residential, you learn on a working farm rather than only in a lecture hall. The study plan includes training and internship activities of 6 ECTS each, carried out under the programme’s approved arrangements. Teaching runs in two semesters, from early October to December and from early March to May. The final exam is the discussion of a paper you write under a supervisor, presented publicly to a commission of lecturers. Erasmus+ exchanges are coordinated by the department.
Career paths
Graduates are prepared for technical and management roles in livestock production systems that rely on sensors, automation and data. The course page notes that the degree gives access to the Italian Professional Register of Agronomists and Foresters after passing the State exam.
Fees and scholarships
Federico II charges tuition by income: your yearly amount follows your family's ISEE, so we check the bands in the university's student guides. Families living abroad use the ISEE universitario parificato. The Campania DSU body, ADISURC, runs the regional scholarship; in its 2026/27 call the ISEE limit was €25,500 and the off-site grant reached €7,171.11. Eligible students can apply, and the region decides awards.
How to apply from outside the EU
Non-EU applicants need the applicable degree or subject background and B2 English, and go through the programme’s category-specific competitive selection. The detailed section explains the conflicting 40/60-credit sources, 40 academic places versus 25 free accommodation places, and current-year procedures. [1-5]
Compare related master's programmes
If you are exploring food and agricultural sciences, compare the curriculum and entry requirements on these programme pages before choosing your shortlist.
- Master in Plant Science at University of Milan
- Master in Sustainable Food Systems at University of Naples Federico II
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 Federico II's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your Universitaly pre-enrolment and department document evaluation file (CV, motivation and language evidence).
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ADISURC Campania 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
Which degrees are specifically named?
Animal Science/Technology, Agricultural Science and Veterinary Science. Other and foreign backgrounds require assessment of the relevant subject preparation. [1, 4]
Is the alternative requirement 40 or 60 credits?
Current admission webpages state 40 CFU, but the linked 2026/27 procedure PDF still states 60. We confirm with the committee which rule governs your file. [1, 3, 4]
What English level is required?
B2. The department offers a university-supported placement test where English is not officially certified, subject to the actual application and visa procedure. [1]
Do all 40 admitted students receive free housing?
No. The procedure webpage limits free accommodation/meals to 25 ranked students, split 10 EU and 15 non-EU. Other admitted students arrange and pay for housing. [2-4]
Is selection always a written admission test?
The current procedure describes an admission test or evaluation of career/motivation. The labelled PDF also gives category-specific document/academic ranking processes. We follow the applicable call for your category. [2, 3]
Is the PDF’s December 2023 extension current?
No. The 31 December 2023 date is leftover text in a PDF labelled 2026/27. It is not a current enrolment extension or a 2027 deadline. [3]
Can someone handle my whole application to Precision Livestock Farming at Federico II?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Federico II's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ADISURC Campania 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 Precision Livestock Farming?
Indian graduates are assessed against the named backgrounds in animal science, agricultural science and veterinary science, or need at least 40 CFU across the listed veterinary, agronomy, economics and animal science subjects. [1, 4] You also need B2 English and go through competitive selection. [1, 2] We map your transcript, prepare your evaluation file and handle 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 Precision Livestock Farming are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: Universitaly pre-enrolment, department document evaluation and ranking, and the pre-enrolment letter, 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 Precision Livestock Farming are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: Universitaly pre-enrolment, department document evaluation and ranking, and the pre-enrolment letter. 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 Precision Livestock Farming 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: Universitaly pre-enrolment, department document evaluation and ranking, and the pre-enrolment letter, 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
