Master in Quantitative Biology at University of Milan
Two-year English-taught LM-8 R master at the University of Milan where biology meets physics, with biophysics, imaging, spectroscopy, Python, modelling and AI units and a lab thesis of at least nine months. Entry needs 12 biology credits and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Milan
English
University of Milan
Quantitative Biology is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-8 R) taught in English at the University of Milan in Milan. Entry needs a three-year bachelor's in a listed science, engineering or quantitative class with at least 12 credits in biology, plus English at B2 and an online interview. Fees follow family income, or country of origin for income abroad, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Milan's Quantitative Biology master asks for a three-year bachelor's degree, or a recognised foreign equivalent, in one of 13 listed science, engineering, computing, economics or philosophy classes, with at least 12 credits in core biology subjects. You also need English at B2 and at least 60 out of 100 on your academic record and an online entry interview. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and biology credits
You need a three-year bachelor's degree, or a foreign degree the university recognises as suitable, in one of these Italian degree classes: [1][2]
- Life sciences: L-02 Biotechnology, L-13 Biological sciences, L-29 Pharmaceutical sciences and technologies.
- Physical and chemical sciences: L-27 Chemical sciences and technology, L-30 Physical sciences and technology, L-32 Science and technology for the environment and nature.
- Maths, computing and statistics: L-31 Computer science and technology, L-35 Mathematical sciences, L-41 Statistics, L-33 Economic sciences and statistics.
- Engineering: L-07 Civil and environmental engineering, L-08 Information engineering.
- Other: L-05 Philosophy.
Whatever your class, you need at least 12 CFU in core biology subjects: comparative anatomy and cytology, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics or microbiology (sectors BIO/06, BIO/09, BIO/10, BIO/11, BIO/18 and BIO/19). Basic knowledge of mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology is expected. [2]
For 2026/27, the degree and all entry requirements had to be in place by 31 December 2026. [1]
What this means for your transcript
Credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit as Italian CFU, and the admission committee looks at the subjects behind them. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Sc. or B.Tech in Biotechnology, a B.Sc. in Biochemistry, Microbiology or Life Sciences, or a B.Pharm, where biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics or physiology are usually core subjects.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics or Statistics, a B.Tech or B.E. in Computer Science, IT, Electronics or Civil Engineering, or a BCA. The field matches a listed class, but many of these degrees have few or no biology credits, and you need 12.
- Often short: a B.Com or BBA, as business and management are not on the class list, and a B.Tech in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering, as industrial engineering is not listed either. A BA in Economics or Philosophy matches a listed field but rarely includes biology.
If your background is not in biology, the interview looks closely at your biology knowledge and identifies gaps that you close with tutor support before enrolment. [2]
English
English at CEFR level B2 is required, ideally shown by a B2 certificate obtained before you apply. The programme does not list specific certificates or scores. Without a B2 certificate, you may still be accepted if your English at the entry interview is evidently good. Italian is not required. [2]
Selection and entry interview
Selection is by academic record and interview, not a set entrance exam. An admission committee checks your requirements, and eligible applicants are invited to an entry interview on the topics of their bachelor's degree and their English. For 2026/27 the interview was held online by video call, and you had to show a valid ID card or passport. [2]
The committee scores each applicant out of 100: [2]
- Up to 50 points for your record: the type of bachelor's degree, exam grades, further courses and any additional degrees.
- Up to 50 points for the interview.
You need at least 60 out of 100. The admission notice also allows the board to ask for an interview and/or a written test, in person or online. For 2026/27, 25 places were reserved for non-EU students living abroad. [1][2]
2026/27 deadlines
For 2026/27, applications opened on 22 January 2026. Non-EU applicants who needed a visa had until 30 April 2026, and other applicants had until 30 October 2026. Admitted students enrolled between 5 May 2026 and 15 January 2027. [1]
You could apply before graduating if you completed your bachelor's and met the entry requirements by 31 December 2026. [1]
Visa applicants also had to complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by 31 July 2026, or they were excluded from the selection and from enrolment. Applicants with a foreign qualification who applied by 30 April 2026 could also be considered for the university's Excellence Scholarships for international students. The 2027/28 admission notice sets the next dates. [1][2]
Documents and non-EU steps
Applicants with a foreign degree apply on the university's international platform and pay a €30 fee by the deadline. You upload: [1]
- your bachelor's degree or degree-awarding certificate, in English, Italian, French, German or Spanish;
- a Diploma Supplement or a transcript with courses, marks, ECTS, subject areas and the grading system;
- your passport or another valid ID.
The application cannot be changed or completed with extra documents once submitted. [1]
To finalise enrolment you provide your bachelor's degree legalised or apostilled, your high school diploma, an official Italian translation where needed (not for documents in English, French, German or Spanish), a Statement of Comparability from an ENIC-NARIC centre such as CIMEA or a declaration of value from the Italian embassy, 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. [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 Milan. Admission notice for the Master's degree programme in Quantitative Biology (LM-8 R), academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan, Department of Biosciences. Programme description (manifesto), Master's degree in Quantitative Biology (LM-8 R), students enrolling in 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan. Quantitative Biology master's programme page and degree programme enrolment page (language, degree class, campus and admission dates). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan. Regulations on tuition and fees, waivers and scholarships, academic year 2026/27, with the annexes on tuition areas and country groups. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Quantitative Biology is a two-year master's degree in class LM-8-R (industrial biotechnology), taught in English by the Department of Biosciences of the University of Milan. Classes run in person on the Città Studi campus in Milan, at Via Celoria 26, Via Celoria 20 and Via Golgi 19. [2][3]
The programme trains graduates to work where biology meets physics. It combines biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and computer science to study living systems with quantitative tools, with applications in protein engineering, metabolic engineering, drug discovery and synthetic biology. Because it accepts graduates from many science and engineering fields, it suits physicists, chemists, engineers and computer scientists moving into the life sciences as well as biologists who want stronger quantitative skills.
What you will study
The first year is fully compulsory. The second year adds Artificial Intelligence in Quantitative Biology, one elective chosen from Non Linear Dynamics in Quantitative Biology, Structural Bioinformatics, Synthetic Biology, Introduction to Logic or Cell Population Dynamics, and 12 free-choice ECTS. First-year units include: [2]
- Principles of Spectroscopy and Applications to Quantitative Biology (10 ECTS)
- Cell Biophysics
- Imaging in Living Cells
- Mathematical Modeling for Biology
- Programming in Python
- Advanced Molecular Biology (9 ECTS)
- Integrated Structural Biology
- Molecular Biophysics
How the programme is taught
Teaching mixes lectures, classroom exercises and lab practicals. Attendance is compulsory, and the attendance threshold for sitting an exam is 75%. The thesis is worth 33 ECTS and is based on an original experimental project carried out during an internship of at least nine months in a research laboratory, at the university or elsewhere with prior approval; the dissertation is written in English. A further 3 ECTS can come from Italian language, seminars, workshops or a short lab internship. Through Erasmus+ you can take exams or do thesis work abroad. [2]
Career paths
The university describes two main profiles: product scientist or bio-nanotechnologist, who runs lab procedures on high-tech instruments and writes code to analyse biological data, and junior research scientist in biotechnology or biophysics, who designs and runs experiments independently. Employers include: [2]
- Bio-nanotechnology start-ups
- Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies
- Public and private research institutes
- Companies developing scientific instruments
Fees and scholarships
Quantitative Biology is in tuition Area B of the 2026/27 fee regulation. Non-EU students whose family lives and earns abroad pay a second instalment fixed by country group rather than by income: €256 a year in Group A, which includes countries like India and Bangladesh, €1,164 in Group B and €4,101.12 in Group C. A first instalment of at least €146 applies to everyone. Full winners of the regional DSU scholarship, which the University of Milan runs for Lombardy, pay no second instalment, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. [4]
How to apply from outside the EU
Selection combines your academic record and an online interview on the subjects of your bachelor's degree and your English, each worth up to 50 points; the pass mark is 60 out of 100. [2]
For 2026/27, 25 places were reserved for non-EU students living abroad, and visa applicants applied on the university's international platform from 22 January to 30 April 2026, with a €30 fee. The 2027/28 admission notice sets the next dates. [1][2]
Visa applicants must also complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, which we submit for you, by 31 July (for 2026/27), or they are excluded from the selection and from enrolment. After admission you apply for a type D study visa. To finalise enrolment, your degree needs a CIMEA statement of comparability or a declaration of value, due by 30 November for 2026/27. [1]
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 application with your transcript, 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 Quantitative Biology at Milan?
A three-year bachelor's, or a recognised foreign equivalent, in a listed class such as biotechnology, biology, chemistry, pharmacy, physics, maths, computer science, statistics, economics, information or civil engineering, or philosophy, with at least 12 credits in core biology subjects. [2]
Is there an entrance exam?
There is no set written exam. An admission committee scores your academic record out of 50 and an online interview on your bachelor's subjects and English out of 50, and you need at least 60 out of 100. The admission notice also lets the board add a written test. [1][2]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2. The programme asks for a B2 certificate but does not name specific tests or scores, so we check which proof your file can use. Without a certificate, you can still be accepted if your English at the interview is evidently good. [2]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants needing a visa applied between 22 January and 30 April 2026 and had to complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by 31 July 2026. The degree reserved 25 places for non-EU students living abroad. The 2027/28 admission notice sets the next dates. [1][2]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. For 2026/27, you could apply while still finishing your degree if you graduated and met the entry requirements by 31 December 2026. Graduands from other universities enrol with reservation and confirm their degree details after graduating. [1]
I have a B.Tech in Computer Science or a B.Sc. in Physics. Can I apply?
Possibly. Information engineering, computer science and physics are on the class list, but you also need at least 12 credits in biology subjects such as biochemistry, molecular biology or genetics. The interview looks closely at the biology knowledge of non-biologists, and gaps are closed with tutor support before enrolment. [2]
Is attendance compulsory?
Yes. Attendance at lectures and practical courses is compulsory, and the threshold for sitting an exam is 75%. The thesis is an original experimental project carried out over at least nine months in a research lab. [2]
What jobs do graduates do?
The university names product scientist or bio-nanotechnologist and junior research scientist in biotechnology or biophysics, in bio-nanotechnology start-ups, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, research institutes and companies developing high-tech scientific instruments. [2]
Can someone handle my whole application to Quantitative Biology 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 Quantitative Biology?
A recognised Indian bachelor's in a listed field, such as a B.Sc. or B.Tech in Biotechnology, a B.Pharm, or a B.Sc. in Chemistry, Physics or Computer Science, can fit if it includes at least 12 credits in core biology subjects. You also need English at B2. The steps are the online application, an online entry interview 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 Quantitative Biology are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application, an online entry interview 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 Biology are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application, an online entry interview 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, an online entry interview 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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