Master in Quantitative and Computational Biosciences at University of Padua
Blended English-taught master in Padua that combines biology with mathematics, physics and statistics to train bioinformaticians, with units in Python, machine learning, sequencing data and systems biology, plus a research internship.
Master
2 years
Padua
English
University of Padua
Quantitative and Computational Biosciences is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-6-R) taught in English in blended mode at the University of Padua, training bioinformaticians and data scientists for biology. Non-EU students whose family lives abroad pay a fixed €2,990 a year (2026/27); Veneto regional scholarship winners are exempt.
Entry requirements
- A bachelor's degree of at least three years (or equivalent) in biology, biotechnology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, informatics, statistics or engineering.
- A final grade that meets the minimum the university sets for your country on its entry requirements list.
- English at B2 level of the CEFR, with a certificate from the university's accepted list unless an exemption applies.
- No entrance test: selection is based on your academic record and application documents.
- Degree documents in English or Italian (or with official translations); legalised copies are needed only after admission.
About the programme
Quantitative and Computational Biosciences is a two-year master's degree in class LM-6-R (Biology), taught in English at the University of Padua. It is offered by the Department of Biology within the School of Science, carries 120 ECTS and has open admission with requirements. The university lists its teaching mode as blended, and the admissions portal gives Padua as the study location.
The degree starts from a practical problem: every branch of biology now produces more data than it can analyse. It combines courses in biology with mathematics, physics and statistics, and brings students from different STEM backgrounds together around big data in omics, evolutionary biology, ecology and physiology. It suits biologists who want strong computing skills, and graduates in physics, mathematics, engineering or informatics who want to work on biological questions.
What you will study
The first year builds a shared toolkit, with bridging courses that depend on your background: biology graduates take General Mathematics and Statistics and R, while graduates from other fields take Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology and Introduction to Ecology. First-year units taken by everyone include:
- Informatics and Python
- Next Generation Sequencing
- Machine Learning and Neural Networks
- Advanced Statistics and Data Analysis
- Systems Biology and Quantitative Imaging
- Computational Human Evolution
- Sensors, Measurement Errors and Data Management
- Big Data: an Ethical and Economical Perspective
How the programme is taught
The second year adds Complex Systems and Agent-based Simulations, Nature in Context and Metagenomics, then leaves room for elective courses, a research internship and the thesis. Because the course is delivered in blended mode, ask the degree office which activities are held online and what attendance in Padua is expected before you plan your move.
Career paths
The university prepares graduates to build and apply analytical methods for biological data, in private companies or public bodies, in Italy and abroad. The roles it names are:
- Bioinformatician
- Data scientist in the biological sciences
- Big data and complex systems analyst
- Developer of new analytical methods in biology
Fees and scholarships
As a School of Science degree, the course follows the Group B fee. Non-EU students whose household is abroad pay a fixed €2,990 a year under the 2026/27 fee call, or €996.66 if they are citizens of a country on the ministry's list of particularly poor countries. An ISEE parificato lowers only the regional tax. The Veneto regional scholarship exempts winners from the fee, giving zero euro tuition for eligible students, and the university also grants merit fee waivers to international applicants to English-taught degrees. See the fees page.
How to apply from outside the EU
Apply on apply.unipd.it and pay the €60 application fee. Because the degree accepts graduates from many STEM fields, make sure your transcript shows your relevant units clearly, and add your degree certificate, CV, motivation letter and English certificate. Non-EU applicants living abroad can apply for 2027/28 in Call One (15 September to 15 November 2026) or Call Two (1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027).
After admission, you pay the €208 admission fee, complete the Universitaly pre-enrolment and request a type D study visa. Legalisation, an Apostille or a CIMEA statement of verification is needed at enrolment, not at application. Studies start on 1 October 2027.
How ApplyAZ helps
If this programme fits your goals, ApplyAZ can include it in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities. We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose, submit your applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your DSU scholarship application and prepare your visa file, with a named person on each stage. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa. See how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
Questions and answers
Is the Master in Quantitative and Computational Biosciences taught in English?
Yes. The course is delivered in English, in blended mode, with Padua as the study location. You need English at B2 level of the CEFR, shown by a certificate on the university's accepted list unless an exemption applies.
Do I need a biology degree?
No. The course accepts three-year degrees in biology, biotechnology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, informatics, statistics or engineering. First-year bridging courses cover mathematics and statistics for biologists, and cell biology and ecology for everyone else.
Is there an entrance test?
No. Admission is open with requirements: your degree field, grades and documents are checked, and your final grade must meet the minimum the university sets for your country.
When can I apply for 2027/28?
Non-EU applicants living abroad can apply on apply.unipd.it from 15 September to 15 November 2026 or from 1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027. The application fee is €60 and studies start on 1 October 2027.
How much are the fees?
For 2026/27, non-EU students with family abroad pay a fixed €2,990 a year, or €996.66 if from a country on the ministry's list of particularly poor countries. Veneto regional scholarship winners are exempt from the fee.
What jobs do graduates do?
The university names bioinformaticians, data scientists in biology, big data and complex systems analysts, and developers of new analytical methods in biology, working for private or public organisations in Italy and abroad.
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