Master in Sciences and Management of Nature at University of Bologna
Two-year master in Bologna, class LM-60-R, whose English curriculum, Global Change Ecology and Sustainable Development Goals, studies the effects of global change to promote sustainable policies and responsible management of natural resources.
Master
2 years
Bologna
Multiple
University of Bologna
Sciences and Management of Nature is a two-year, 120 ECTS master (class LM-60-R) at the University of Bologna. Its international curriculum, Global Change Ecology and Sustainable Development Goals, is taught in English in Bologna; the other curriculum is in Italian. Tuition follows family income, or a flat fee for non-OECD citizens.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
These requirements concern the international Global Change Ecology and Sustainable Development Goals curriculum within Sciences and Management of Nature. Its English-language admission route is separate from the degree’s other curriculum. The reviewed enrolment guidance includes a 2026/27 timetable.
Qualification and curricular routes
- The listed Italian first-cycle classes are L-32 Environmental Sciences, L-13 Biological Sciences, L-34 Earth Sciences and L-25 Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, with the specified predecessor classes and suitable previous-system qualifications.
- Another degree background requires at least 36 CFU, divided into three separate groups: 12 in mathematics, statistics, computing or physics; 6 in chemistry; and 18 in biological or earth sciences.
- The specified groups are MAT/01-09, INF/01, ING-INF/05, SECS-S/01-02 and FIS/01-08 for the first group; CHIM/01-03, CHIM/06 and CHIM/12 for chemistry; and BIO/01-19 or GEO/01-12 for biology/earth sciences. Foreign careers are mapped by the committee.
English evidence for the international curriculum
- B2 English is required. The course page lists IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 72 and Pearson PTE GSE 50 among accepted evidence, as well as the other listed B2 certificates.
- Alternative evidence includes a degree taught entirely in English with formal confirmation, a previous English examination clearly certified at B2, or the specified native-speaker route. A free university language-centre online test is available once, following the programme’s registration procedure.
- An informal statement of English fluency or an untranslated transcript does not prove B2. The evidence needs to meet one of the course’s listed routes.
Preparation, pending graduation and timetable
- The committee assesses the academic record and preparation relevant to mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry, biology, ecology and economics. It may invite an applicant to an online interview; the page does not require an interview for every applicant.
- For the published 2026/27 conditional route, the first-cycle degree must be obtained by 31 December 2026. This permission to apply before graduation does not remove the curricular or language requirements.
- The three published application deadlines were 17 March, 30 June and 3 September 2026; the third was reserved to EU/equivalent applicants. These application windows had ended by this review. Enrolment instructions for already admitted candidates are a separate stage.
Sources and verification
- University of Bologna. Global Change Ecology and Sustainable Development Goals: programme enrolment, curricular requirements, English evidence and preparation assessment. 2026/27 guidance; reviewed 6 October 2026.
About the programme
Sciences and Management of Nature (Scienze e gestione della natura) is a two-year second cycle degree (laurea magistrale) in class LM-60-R, Natural sciences, run in Bologna by the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA).
It is worth 120 ECTS, has open access and is directed by Erik Caroselli.
The degree is taught in Italian and English through two curricula.
Its international curriculum, Global Change Ecology and Sustainable Development Goals (GCE and SDG), is taught in English and aims at understanding the effects of global changes to promote sustainable policies and responsible management of natural resources.
What you will study
Students choose between two curricula:
- Global Change Ecology and Sustainable Development Goals, taught in English
- Scienze e gestione della natura, the Italian-taught curriculum
The GCE and SDG curriculum has its own website with its course structure diagram, timetable and exam dates, and for 2026/27 it held a meeting for enrolling master's students in September. We check the course structure diagram for the 2027/28 units before you apply.
Career paths
The university describes the degree as training specialists in naturalistic tourism, the conservation of species and natural habitats, the management of protected areas, cartography and GIS, ecosystem and landscape analysis, and environmental impact assessment.
The GCE and SDG curriculum adds a focus on global environmental change and sustainable policies for natural resources.
Fees and scholarships
Bologna sets fees by family income. Every student pays a fixed part (regional tax, stamp duty and insurance) and, with an ISEE up to €27,000, nothing else, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Above that threshold the contribution rises to a maximum that varies by degree.
Students whose family income is only abroad declare it to ER.GO; if they are non-OECD citizens, as students from countries like India are, they may choose a reduced flat fee.
ER.GO scholarship winners pay only the fixed amount.
How to apply from outside the EU
The degree sets its admission rules in its own notice on the degree website: the windows, the curricular requirements and how your preparation and English are checked.
Because access is open, there is no ranking for a fixed number of places. Applications go through Studenti Online.
After admission, we submit the Universitaly pre-enrolment for non-EU applicants living abroad, which the university must validate before the visa application; we plan ahead, as validation slows in August.
We then guide you through enrolment on Studenti Online, the first instalment and the campus student office check of your translated degree certificate and transcript with a Diploma Supplement, CIMEA statement or declaration of value.
The non-EU enrolment guide covers each step.
Compare related master's programmes
If you are exploring nature and environmental sustainability, compare the curriculum and entry requirements on these programme pages before choosing your shortlist.
- Master in Science and Technologies for Environmental Sustainability at University of Bologna
- Master in Valorization and Sustainable Development of Mountain Areas at University of Milan
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 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
Which curriculum do these rules concern?
The international Global Change Ecology and Sustainable Development Goals curriculum.
Can a different bachelor’s background qualify?
Yes, with 36 CFU split into the specified 12-credit, 6-credit and 18-credit groups.
What English level is required?
B2. The page includes IELTS 5.5 and TOEFL iBT 72 among accepted routes.
Is an interview compulsory for everyone?
The committee may request an online interview. It is not described as universal.
Can I apply before graduating?
The 2026/27 conditional route requires graduation by 31 December 2026 and compliance with the other requirements.
Are the published 2026 application rounds still open?
No. Their application deadlines ended by 3 September 2026, and the next call sets the new dates. Enrolment for already admitted students is a separate stage.
Can someone handle my whole application to Sciences and Management of Nature 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 Sciences and Management of Nature?
The committee maps a foreign degree, such as a B.Sc. in biology, environmental science, agriculture or earth sciences, against the listed classes. Other degrees need at least 36 credits: 12 in mathematics, statistics, computing or physics, 6 in chemistry and 18 in biological or earth sciences. You also need B2 English, such as IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL iBT 72, then a document assessment and possibly an online interview. [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 Sciences and Management of Nature are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: a Studenti Online application, the preparation assessment and any online 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 Sciences and Management of Nature are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: a Studenti Online application, the preparation assessment and any online interview, 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 Sciences and Management of Nature 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: a Studenti Online application, the preparation assessment and any online interview, 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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