Master in Sustainable Agriculture at University of Padua
Two-year English-taught agriculture master (LM-69-R) at Padua's Legnaro campus on sustainable crop, soil, plant health and livestock systems, with a Crop and Soil double degree path with the University of Georgia. No entrance test; English at B2.
Master
2 years
Padua
English
University of Padua
Sustainable Agriculture is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-69-R) taught in English by the University of Padua at its Agripolis campus in Legnaro. Entry needs a bachelor's of at least three years with proven skills in agricultural and environmental sciences, plus English at B2, and there is no entrance test. Students eligible for the regional scholarship are exempt from fees, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Padua's Sustainable Agriculture master asks for a bachelor's degree of at least three years with proven skills in agricultural and environmental sciences, a final mark that meets the university's rules (at least 95/110 for Italian degrees) and English at B2. There is no entrance test. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and subject requirement
You need a bachelor's degree or equivalent from at least three years of university study, with proven skills in agricultural and environmental sciences and in research techniques, and the ability to apply research findings to real problems. [2]
For applicants with an Italian degree, the 2026/27 notice sets the rule in detail: [1]
- Either a degree in agricultural and forestry sciences, environmental and nature sciences or animal production sciences (classes L-25, L-32 or L-38, or the older class 20).
- Or a degree in any class with at least 32 CFU in agricultural subjects: agricultural economics, field crops, tree crops, horticulture, agricultural genetics, agricultural mechanics, entomology, plant pathology, agricultural chemistry and animal science (AGR/01, 02, 03, 04, 07, 09, 11, 12, 13 and 19). The notice sets no minimum for each subject.
With a foreign degree, your qualification must also meet Padua's country-specific entry and grade rules, which we check for your file. [2]
What this means for your transcript
As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Sc. (Hons) in Agriculture or Horticulture, or a B.Sc. in Agronomy or Plant Protection, which normally cover field crops, plant pathology, entomology and agricultural economics.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Environmental Science, Botany or Biotechnology, a degree in Dairy or Animal Science, or a B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering may cover only part of the agricultural and environmental subjects.
- Often short: a BCA, B.Com, BBA, BA or a B.Tech in computing usually lacks agricultural and environmental science courses.
The rule looks at the skills shown on your transcript, so course titles and syllabi matter more than the name of the degree.
Selection and final mark
There is no entrance test. Sustainable Agriculture is open access with requirements: you are admitted if your degree, marks and English meet the rules. [1][7]
For Italian qualifications the minimum final mark is 95/110 or equivalent. For foreign qualifications, Padua publishes country-specific entry and grade requirements, and we check your marks against them. [1][2]
English
English at B2 or higher. [1][2]
With a foreign qualification, you show it with a certificate from the university's accepted list, which sets the minimum scores. The certificate must be valid, and one without an expiry date must have been obtained within two years before 15 September 2026, when the 2027/28 international selection opened. You can submit it after applying, but no later than 31 July 2027. The university also publishes a list of exemptions, and we check whether your file qualifies. [3]
For the double degree with the University of Georgia, applicants whose first language is not English also need TOEFL (550 paper-based, or 80 internet-based with at least 20 in speaking and 20 in writing) or IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0, taken within the last two years. [2]
2027/28 application calls
- Call One: 15 September to 15 November 2026 (11:59 pm CET).
- Call Two: 1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027.
- Call Three: 1 April to 1 June 2027, only for EU students and non-EU students living in Italy.
You can apply to the programme only once per academic year. Studies begin on 1 October 2027. [2]
Documents and non-EU steps
- You upload your entry qualification documents in English or Italian. If your university cannot issue a suitable transcript, official translations and verified copies of the originals are needed.
- No legalised documents are needed at the application stage.
- If admitted, you accept your place on the portal.
- After admission you submit original and translated or legalised copies of your previous qualifications, and you bring the originals when you arrive.
These steps come from the 2027/28 admission page. [2]
Crop and Soil double degree
Crop and Soil is the double degree curriculum with the University of Georgia, USA, and you cannot enrol in it directly. [1]
These rules come from the 2025/26 cohort call. Students enrolled in the first year could apply for preselection if every exam taken so far had a mark of at least 25/30. A committee scored an English essay on the sustainability of cropping systems (up to 30 points), an English oral test (up to 30 points) and the CV (up to 40 points). Up to 4 students scoring at least 80 out of 100 were preselected, and the University of Georgia made the final decision. Selected students spend the second year in Athens, Georgia, and can earn both degrees. The next call sets new dates. [4]
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 Padua, School of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine. Admission notice for open-access master's degree programmes with requirements, including the Sustainable Agriculture course sheet, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Sustainable Agriculture admission page for international applicants, academic year 2027/28. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. English language requirement for international applicants, 2027/28 selection. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua, Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment. Call for preselection to the Crop and Soil curriculum (double degree with the University of Georgia), Master's degree in Sustainable Agriculture, 2025/26 cohort. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Tuition fees and fee exemptions, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Padua International Excellence Scholarship Programme, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Padua. Sustainable Agriculture programme page (degree class, language, campus and access type). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Sustainable Agriculture is a master's degree in class LM-69-R (Agricultural Sciences and Technologies), taught entirely in English by the School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine and the Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and the Environment.
It lasts two years and 120 ECTS, has open admission with requirements and is based at Agripolis, the university campus in Legnaro, near Padua.
The programme trains professionals who can design and manage sustainable production systems, producing food and biomass while protecting natural resources and ecosystem services.
It pays particular attention to farming in warm-temperate environments around the world and suits graduates in agriculture, environmental science or related fields.
What you will study
The course combines a productive area (agronomy, plant and animal production) with a technological area (environmental management, rural land and production processes).
The 2026/27 notice lists three curricula: Sustainable Agriculture, Crop and Soil, and Plant Health. Crop and Soil is the double degree path with the University of Georgia and is reached through a separate selection, not by direct enrolment. Course units include: [1][2]
- Agrifood Economics and Policy
- Agricultural Management of Biogeochemical Cycles
- Integrated Management of Arthropod Pests
- Precision Farming
- Plant Breeding
- Soil Microbiology
- Advanced Statistics
- Water Resources Management
How the programme is taught
Second-year options also include crop physiology, sustainable management of plant diseases, sustainable use of pesticides, vineyard and orchard management, biotechnology for plant protection and urban horticulture.
Through an agreement with the University of Georgia, USA, selected students can earn a dual degree: Sustainable Agriculture from Padua and Crop and Soil Science from Georgia. In the 2025/26 cohort call, up to 4 first-year students were preselected through English tests and a CV review, and they spend the second year in Athens, Georgia. [4] Erasmus+ exchanges are also available.
Career paths
Graduates can work in the public and private sectors, planning, managing, controlling and coordinating agricultural production processes and training others to run them. The department lists these areas:
- Management and consulting in crop and livestock systems
- International marketing of agricultural and livestock products
- Developing innovative technologies in agriculture and livestock companies
- Monitoring the productive, environmental and economic performance of farms
- Research and development in public and private research institutions
Fees and scholarships
Non-EU students whose household lives abroad pay a fixed fee that is not recalculated by income. The programme is in the scientific group (Group B), with a reduction for students from countries on the ministry's list of particularly poor countries. [5]
Under the 2026/27 fee rules, students eligible for the regional scholarship are exempt from the fee, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. [5] Applicants with a foreign degree who live outside Italy and apply on time are also considered automatically for the Padua International Excellence Scholarship, worth €8,000 gross a year plus a fee exemption and mainly awarded to first-call candidates. [6]
How to apply from outside the EU
We apply on apply.unipd.it with your qualification documents in English or Italian. No legalised documents are needed to apply, and the English certificate can follow by 31 July 2027. [2][3]
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, once per programme. [2]
After admission you accept your place, we complete the Universitaly pre-enrolment, and you apply for a type D study visa. [2]
Once admitted, you submit original and translated or legalised copies of your previous qualifications, and you bring the original documents when you arrive. [2]
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 Padua's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your online application on the university portal and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your University of Padua 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 Sustainable Agriculture at Padua?
A bachelor's of at least three years with proven skills in agricultural and environmental sciences and in research techniques. For Italian degrees the 2026/27 notice asks for an agricultural, environmental or animal production class, or 32 credits in agricultural subjects, plus at least 95/110. [1][2]
Is there an entrance test?
No. Sustainable Agriculture is open access with requirements. There is no admission test: your degree, your marks against Padua's country-specific grade rules and your English level decide whether you meet the requirements. [1][2]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at B2 or higher. International applicants show it with a certificate from Padua's accepted list, and one without an expiry date must be no more than two years old at 15 September 2026. The Georgia double degree asks for IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 80. [2][3]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2027/28, non-EU applicants living abroad apply online in Call One, 15 September to 15 November 2026, or Call Two, 1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027. You can apply only once per academic year, and studies begin on 1 October 2027. [2]
I have a B.Sc. in Environmental Science or Botany. Can I apply?
Possibly. A B.Sc. in Agriculture or Horticulture usually shows the agricultural background Padua asks for. An Environmental Science or Botany degree can fit if your transcript includes enough agricultural and environmental science courses, so we check your subjects first. [1][2]
How do I join the double degree with the University of Georgia?
You enrol in the first year at Padua, then apply for the Crop and Soil preselection. In the 2025/26 call, up to 4 students with exam marks of at least 25/30 were chosen through English written and oral tests and a CV review, and Georgia made the final decision. [4]
How do fees work for non-EU students?
Non-EU students whose family lives abroad pay a fixed fee that does not depend on income, with a reduction for citizens of countries on the ministry's list of particularly poor countries. Students eligible for the regional scholarship are exempt from the fee, so the programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. [5]
Can someone handle my whole application to Sustainable Agriculture at Padua?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Padua's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the University of Padua 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 Sustainable Agriculture?
A recognised Indian bachelor's of at least three years, such as a B.Sc. in Agriculture or Horticulture, can fit if it shows proven skills in agricultural and environmental sciences and research techniques, and you need English at B2. The steps are the online application on the university portal, the acceptance deposit after admission and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [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 Sustainable Agriculture are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application on the university portal, the acceptance deposit 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 Sustainable Agriculture are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application on the university portal, the acceptance deposit 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 Sustainable Agriculture 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: online application on the university portal, the acceptance deposit 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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