Master in Science of Climate at University of Bologna
Two-year English-taught interclass master's (LM-17 R and LM-79 R) at the University of Bologna that uses data, physical models and environmental science to understand climate change. Open access, with a science or engineering degree rule and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Bologna
English
University of Bologna
Science of Climate is a two-year, 120 ECTS interclass master's degree (classes LM-17 R and LM-79 R) taught in English at the University of Bologna. Entry needs a degree in engineering, physics, chemistry, maths, earth or environmental sciences, or set physics, maths, geosciences and computing credits, plus English at B2. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Bologna's Science of Climate master asks for a three-year degree in a listed engineering, physics, chemistry, maths, earth or environmental sciences class, or set credits in physics, maths, geosciences and computing, plus English at B2 and a committee review of your documents, with an interview if needed. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree requirement
You need a three-year bachelor's degree, or a foreign qualification recognised as suitable under Italian rules that gives access to a similar master's in the country where it was issued. The listed Italian classes are: [1]
- Engineering: Civil and Environmental Engineering (L-7), Information Technology Engineering (L-8) and Industrial Engineering (L-9).
- Sciences: Chemistry (L-27), Physics (L-30), Environmental Sciences (L-32), Earth Sciences (L-34) and Mathematics (L-35).
- Older Italian degrees: listed classes of the previous systems, such as town, regional and environmental planning, and four-year degrees in engineering, physics, chemistry, geology, biology and environmental sciences.
An examination board may recognise other degrees if you have at least 12 CFU in physics (experimental or applied physics), 12 CFU in mathematics, 6 CFU in geosciences and 6 CFU in computer science or information processing. For degrees obtained abroad, the board assesses equivalence from your course content, which must include classical physics, mathematical analysis, and computing and programming. [1] For degrees from the European Higher Education Area, the programme website also asks for a Diploma Supplement showing at least three years and 180 ECTS of STEM study. [2]
If you do not meet all the curricular requirements, you cannot register for the programme. [1]
What this means for your transcript
For foreign degrees, the board looks at what you studied rather than the degree title. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Sc. in Physics or Mathematics that includes programming, or a B.Tech or B.E. in Civil, Environmental, Mechanical, Electrical or Computer Engineering with physics, calculus and programming units.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Chemistry, Geology or Environmental Science, which sits in a listed field but may be light on mathematical analysis or programming, and a B.Sc. in Computer Science, which is not a listed class and needs the physics, maths and geosciences credits.
- Often short: a BCA, B.Com, BBA, BA or a life sciences degree without physics, mathematical analysis and programming units.
English
English at CEFR level B2 or higher, proven when you apply, through a recognised certificate or a test on dates set by the programme. [1] The programme website lists these routes: [2]
- a B2 certificate from the programme's accepted list, which includes IELTS from 5.5, TOEFL iBT from 72, PTE Academic from 59, Cambridge First and Trinity ISE II [3]
- a first or second cycle degree taught entirely in English, or at least one year of a degree taught entirely in English, shown on your transcript
- a B2 English exam passed during your degree, with the level clearly stated
- a B2 certificate from an Italian university language centre or another recognised body
- the University of Bologna Language Centre's Oxford English test, taken once on a set date, with a result of at least B2
- native-speaker status
Committee review and interview
There is no written entrance test. Access is open, with no cap on places, but a committee appointed by the Department of Physics and Astronomy checks your documents and personal preparation, and may invite you to an individual interview, held remotely. [1]
If you are not admitted in one intake, you cannot apply again in a later intake. If your file is incomplete because you are still earning credits, you can upload the missing documents up to the intake deadline. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
- Intake 1 (EU and non-EU): 4 February to 31 March 2026, results by 10 April 2026.
- Intake 2 (EU and non-EU): 1 April to 27 May 2026, results by 5 June 2026.
- Intake 3 (EU citizens only): 28 May to 14 July 2026.
- Intake 4 (EU citizens only): 15 July to 30 September 2026.
Matriculation for 2026/27 runs until 29 October 2026, or 19 November 2026 with a late-payment fee. You could apply before graduating, but the degree must be obtained by 31 December 2026, otherwise the registration is cancelled. The next call sets the 2027/28 dates. [1]
Documents and non-EU steps
You apply on Studenti Online, and the committee assesses only the documents uploaded there. The application includes: [1]
- a valid identity document, or a passport if your ID has no English translation
- your foreign qualification translated into Italian or English, with the transcript of records and Diploma Supplement where available, or your list of exams if you have not yet graduated
- proof of B2 English and a CV
- further supporting documents, such as course syllabi
- a residence permit, if you already hold one
Mandatory documents that are missing or only partly uploaded by the intake deadline mean the application is not considered. [1]
Non-EU applicants living abroad must also pre-enrol on Universitaly and request a study visa. After admission you matriculate online, pay the first instalment, upload your qualification and visa, and show the original documents to the International Student Administration Office in Bologna, which checks your qualification's eligibility, authenticity and value. For 2026/27, careers had to be activated by 26 February 2027. [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 Bologna, Department of Physics and Astronomy. Admission notice to the Second Cycle Degree Programme in Science of Climate (classes LM-17 and LM-79, code 6697), academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Bologna, Science of Climate programme website: overview and Enrolling in the programme: requirements, deadlines and procedures, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Italian Association of University Language Centres. List of CEFR B2 English language certificates, published on the Science of Climate programme website, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Science of Climate is a two-year laurea magistrale taught entirely in English by the Department of Physics and Astronomy (DIFA) on the Bologna campus. It is an interclass degree in classes LM-17 R (Physics) and LM-79 R, is worth 120 ECTS and has open access, with no cap on places. Federico Porcù is the degree programme director.
The university sums it up as "data, physical models and solutions for the planet". The aim is to understand the Earth's climate and climate change by applying the principles of physics and environmental sciences, and to develop innovative solutions for the natural environment. It suits students who want to work on climate questions with quantitative, physics-based tools.
What you will study
The degree brings together three strands named in its own description: climate data, the physical models used to describe the climate system, and the environmental science needed to turn results into solutions. The list of course units, with credits and teaching periods, is published for each intake in the course structure diagram on the degree website, alongside the timetable, exam dates and faculty list.
Students prepare their individual study plan in a window the degree announces each year. Because units and electives can change between intakes, we check the 2027/28 course structure diagram before you apply.
Career paths
The degree is built around understanding climate and climate change and designing solutions for the natural environment, skills the university links to data and physical modelling. A laurea magistrale also gives access to PhD programmes, the route into climate research in universities and research centres. The university's job placement office and its Towards the job market service list internships and job offers for students and graduates.
Fees and scholarships
Science of Climate is in a higher fee band for 2026/27. What you actually pay follows family income, and with an ISEE of €27,000 or less this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. Non-OECD citizens (the list includes countries like India) with income only abroad can opt for a reduced flat fee. ER.GO runs the regional scholarship.
How to apply from outside the EU
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants could apply only in intakes 1 and 2, from 4 February to 27 May 2026; intakes 3 and 4 were reserved for EU citizens. Applicants not admitted in one intake could not reapply in a later one. Applications are made on Studenti Online, and as an open-access degree there is no numerical limit on admissions. The 2027/28 notice sets the next dates. [1]
After admission, we submit the Universitaly pre-enrolment, which the university must validate before the consulate can process your study visa; we plan around the August closure, when no validations are made. You then enrol online, pay the first instalment, have your qualification checked at the campus office and apply for a residence permit within eight days of arrival.
Compare related master's programmes
If you are exploring geoscience and climate, compare the curriculum and entry requirements on these programme pages before choosing your shortlist.
- Master in Water and Geological Risk Engineering at University of Padua
- Master in Volcanology 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 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 degree, transcript, B2 proof and CV, 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 Bologna's Science of Climate master?
A three-year degree in civil, information or industrial engineering, chemistry, physics, environmental sciences, earth sciences or mathematics. Other degrees can qualify with at least 12 credits in physics, 12 in maths, 6 in geosciences and 6 in computing. Foreign degrees must cover classical physics, mathematical analysis and programming. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
No written test. Access is open, but a committee reviews your documents and personal preparation and may invite you to an individual remote interview. If you are not admitted in one intake, you cannot reapply in a later one, so a complete file matters. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2. The programme's accepted list includes IELTS from 5.5, TOEFL iBT from 72 and PTE Academic from 59. A degree taught entirely in English, a B2 exam on your transcript or the university's own English test also count. [2][3]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants could apply only in intakes 1 and 2, from 4 February to 27 May 2026. Intakes 3 and 4 were for EU citizens only. The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. For 2026/27 you could apply before graduating and upload missing documents up to the intake deadline, but the degree had to be obtained by 31 December 2026, otherwise the registration is cancelled. [1]
I have a B.Sc. in Chemistry or a BCA. Can I apply?
Possibly. Chemistry is a listed field, but a foreign degree must also show classical physics, mathematical analysis and programming. Computer applications is not a listed field, so a BCA needs 12 credits in physics, 12 in maths, 6 in geosciences and 6 in computing, which BCA transcripts often lack. We check yours against these rules. [1]
Which degree class does it belong to?
It is an interclass degree in classes LM-17 R (Physics) and LM-79 R. It is a two-year laurea magistrale worth 120 ECTS, run by the Department of Physics and Astronomy and taught in English in Bologna. [2]
What can I do after graduating?
The degree prepares you to analyse climate and climate change with data and physical models and to design environmental solutions. Graduates can also go on to a PhD, the usual path into climate research.
Can someone handle my whole application to Science of Climate 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 Science of Climate?
A three-year Indian B.Sc. in Physics or Mathematics, or a B.Tech or B.E. in a listed branch such as civil, environmental or mechanical engineering, sits closest to the classes Bologna lists, and your transcript must show classical physics, mathematical analysis and programming. You also need English at B2. The steps are the Studenti Online application in intake 1 or 2, the committee's review 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 Science of Climate are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: Studenti Online application in intake 1 or 2, the committee's review 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 Science of Climate are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: Studenti Online application in intake 1 or 2, the committee's review and Universitaly pre-enrolment. 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 Science of Climate 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: Studenti Online application in intake 1 or 2, the committee's review and Universitaly pre-enrolment, 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.
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