Master in Quantitative and Computational Biology at University of Trento
Two-year English-taught LM-8 master's at UniTrento's CIBIO department joining biotechnology, multi-omics data analysis, AI and modelling. Entry needs biology, chemistry, maths and physics credits, full B2 English and at least 50/100 in a file-based selection.
Master
2 years
Trento
English
University of Trento
Quantitative and Computational Biology is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-8) taught in English at the University of Trento's CIBIO department in Povo. Entry needs a three-year bachelor's with biology, chemistry, maths and physics content, full B2 English and at least 50/100 in a file-based selection. Non-EU fees follow the admission score, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
UniTrento's Quantitative and Computational Biology master asks for a bachelor's of at least three years with content in set biology, chemistry, maths and physics areas, full B2 English by the application deadline and at least 50/100 in a selection based on your file. The 2026/27 call reserved 4 of its 45 places for non-EU applicants living abroad. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and subject requirements
Italian graduates in Biotechnology (class L-2) meet the requirements directly. Graduates of other Italian classes need at least: [1]
- 12 CFU in biology: physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, experimental biology or genetics (BIO/09, BIO/10, BIO/11, BIO/13, BIO/18).
- 6 CFU in chemistry: analytical, general and inorganic, or organic chemistry (CHIM/01, CHIM/03, CHIM/06).
- 6 CFU in maths or statistics: geometry, mathematical analysis, probability and statistics (MAT/03, MAT/05, MAT/06, SECS-S/01, SECS-S/02).
- 6 CFU in physics: experimental, theoretical, matter or applied physics (FIS/01, FIS/02, FIS/03, FIS/07).
For a degree from abroad, the committee checks whether the content and learning outcomes of your courses match these subject areas. The programme page asks for a bachelor's of at least three years. These requirements were amended on 30 April 2026. [1][2]
What this means for your transcript
Credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit as Italian CFU, and the committee looks at the content of your courses, not just your total. 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 or Life Sciences that includes chemistry, maths or statistics, and physics courses.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Zoology, Botany or Biology, a B.Pharm, or a B.Tech in Bioinformatics or Biomedical Engineering. These often cover biology and chemistry but can fall short on the 6 maths and 6 physics credits, or the reverse.
- Often short: a BCA, a B.Tech in Computer Science, a B.Sc. in Physics or Mathematics, or a B.Com, BBA or BA usually lacks the 12 biology credits and the chemistry block.
English
You need English at full B2 level of the CEFR by the application deadline. The call accepts any of these: [1]
- an internationally recognised certificate;
- a certificate of the required level from a certifying body or university;
- a statement from the university that awarded your degree that English was its official language of teaching;
- citizenship of a country whose official language is English;
- a B2 or higher English exam passed during your bachelor's that tested all four skills and appears on your transcript.
The call does not list specific tests or minimum scores. [1]
Selection and ranking
There is no written entrance test. A committee of at least three CIBIO lecturers checks your curricular requirements and scores your application out of 100: [1]
- Up to 40 points: how well your degree fits the aims of the master's.
- Up to 40 points: your academic record, including your credit-weighted average (excluding the final exam), thesis topic, results, any postgraduate titles and other training.
- Up to 20 points: a personal statement in English (500 words at most) on your interest and expectations, plus further language skills and other certificates.
If your documents are not enough to judge your application, the committee can ask for more, such as course syllabi, or hold an interview in person or online. You need at least 50/100 to be eligible, and ties go to the younger candidate. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
Non-EU applicants living abroad had one session, closing on 23 March 2026 at 12:00 CET, with a €30 application fee. Rankings were due by 25 May 2026. The second session, from 21 April to 30 June 2026, was only for EU and equivalent applicants. [1][2]
Non-EU applicants still finishing their bachelor's could apply if they met the curricular requirements by 30 June 2026. If a visa is delayed, only students who obtained their Italian visa by 31 October 2026 are admitted. [1]
Documents, confirmation and fees
The application needs your passport, degree certificate or enrolment certificate, a transcript with all exams, marks, weighted average and grading scale, a CV in English in Europass format, your English proof and the personal statement. Documents not in Italian or English need an official translation. [1]
Admitted candidates pay a non-refundable €100 confirmation fee. Non-EU candidates then complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, which is needed for the visa and for UniTrento's admission letter; the programme page sets this within two weeks of confirmation. [1][2]
UniTrento verifies degrees from abroad only after admission and pre-enrolment, and may ask for a statement of verification or comparability. Enrolment depends on a positive evaluation of your degree. [1][2]
For 2026/27, non-EU tuition was up to €10,000 a year, reduced by admission score: no fee at 90 to 100 points, €1,000 at 70 to 89.99, €3,000 at 60 to 69.99 and €6,500 at 50 to 59.99. Top-ranked non-EU candidates with at least 70 points may receive a UniTrento scholarship that also waives tuition. [1]
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 Trento. Call for admission to the Master's degree in Quantitative and Computational Biology (class LM-8 R), academic year 2026/2027, Italian binding version as amended on 30 April 2026. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO). Quantitative and Computational Biology admission page for non-European applicants, academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Trento, Quantitative and Computational Biology programme page (duration, credits, language, access and location). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Quantitative and Computational Biology is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-8) worth 120 ECTS and fully taught in English. It is run by the Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO) at via Sommarive 9 in Povo, on the hill campus of the University of Trento. Entry is limited: 45 places in 2026/27, 4 of them for non-EU applicants living abroad.
The degree integrates biotechnology, data science, artificial intelligence and quantitative modelling to tackle complex biological problems. It suits biotechnology, biology or life science graduates with some maths and physics who want to work with large-scale biological data.
What you will study
You follow a Computational or a Quantitative curriculum. The first year is mostly compulsory; the second is built around electives, an internship and the thesis. Units in the current plan include:
- Genomic Data Science in Health and Disease (12 ECTS)
- Multiscale RNA and Protein Omics (12 ECTS)
- AI Techniques for Data Analysis (12 ECTS, Computational) or Biostatistics (12 ECTS, Quantitative)
- Genetic and Metabolic Engineering, and Computational Structural Biology
- Network-based Data Analysis, Regression and Classification Models or Quantum Mechanics
- Technology Innovation for the Production of Biotechnological Products
- Electives such as Biomolecular Simulations, Modeling and Simulation of Biological Systems, and Cancer Genomics
- An internship (6 ECTS) and a final thesis (21 ECTS)
How the programme is taught
Teaching combines lectures, computational laboratories, project-based learning, journal clubs and seminars, with emphasis on reproducible research and team work across biology, medicine and data science. The second year is largely given to the internship and thesis, in research laboratories or companies in Italy or abroad. Lessons are in person only.
Career paths
The department lists biotech and pharmaceutical industries, computational drug discovery, clinical genomics and precision medicine, AI-driven healthcare, bioinformatics and omics technology companies, and research institutes. Typical profiles are computational biotechnologist, bioinformatician, computational biologist, biological data scientist and computational biophysicist. Graduates can also apply for PhD programmes in areas such as bioinformatics, systems biology and biophysics.
Fees and scholarships
This degree is in UniTrento's fee group B for non-EU students living abroad. Under the 2026/27 rules the first-year fee depends on your admission score, from a full exemption at 90 or more to €6,500 at 50 to 59, and the second year depends on credits. Top-ranked applicants may receive a UniTrento scholarship with a fee waiver, and Opera Universitaria di Trento offers grants on family income, so the programme can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
QCB runs its own call. For 2026/27, non-EU applicants applied by 23 March 2026 at 12:00 CET, paying €30, with a statement of purpose. Scoring gave up to 40 points for how well your degree fits, 40 for your academic record and 20 for the statement, extra languages and other certificates; rankings came by 25 May 2026. [1][2]
If admitted, you pay a €100 confirmation fee, we pre-enrol you on Universitaly within two weeks, and you apply for a type D study visa. The 2027/28 call is not published yet.
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 UniTrento's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your online application, place confirmation 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 UniTrento's Quantitative and Computational Biology master?
A bachelor's of at least three years. Italian biotechnology graduates qualify directly. Others need at least 12 credits in biology, 6 in chemistry, 6 in maths or statistics and 6 in physics, and degrees from abroad are checked course by course against these areas. [1][2]
Is there an entrance exam?
No written test. A committee scores your file out of 100: up to 40 for how well your degree fits, 40 for your academic record and 20 for your personal statement and extra languages. It may ask for an interview, and you need at least 50 points. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
You need full B2 English by the application deadline. An international certificate works, and so can a statement that your degree was taught in English, citizenship of an English-speaking country or a four-skill B2 exam on your transcript. No specific scores are listed. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad had until 23 March 2026 at 12:00 CET, with a €30 fee, and rankings came by 25 May 2026. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1][2]
How many places are there for non-EU students?
For 2026/27 the degree had 45 places, 4 of them reserved for non-EU citizens living abroad. Places not filled in the first session went to the second session. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. For 2026/27, non-EU applicants could apply while finishing their bachelor's if they met the curricular requirements by 30 June 2026. The application asks for your expected graduation date and an enrolment certificate. [1]
I have a B.Tech in Biotechnology or a BCA. Can I apply?
A B.Tech or B.Sc. in Biotechnology usually covers the biology, chemistry, maths and physics areas, but the committee checks course content. A BCA usually lacks the 12 biology credits and the chemistry block, so it is often short. We check your transcript against each area. [1]
How much are the fees for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU tuition was up to €10,000 a year, reduced by admission score: no fee at 90 points or more, then €1,000, €3,000 or €6,500. In year two you pay nothing if you earn 42 credits by 10 August 2027. [1]
Can someone handle my whole application to Quantitative and Computational Biology at UniTrento?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against UniTrento'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 Quantitative and Computational Biology?
A recognised three-year Indian B.Sc. or B.Tech in Biotechnology, or a life science degree with chemistry, maths and physics courses, can match the subject rule, which the committee checks course by course. You also need full B2 English and at least 50/100 in the file-based selection. The steps are the online application, place confirmation 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 Quantitative and Computational Biology are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application, place confirmation 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 Quantitative and Computational Biology are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application, place confirmation 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: online application, place confirmation and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa. Read our guides for London, New York, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
More English-taught programmes at this university
Other public universities in this city
They began right where you are
