Single-cycle Master in Veterinary Medicine at University of Bologna

About the programme

Veterinary Medicine is a five-year single-cycle degree (laurea magistrale a ciclo unico, class LM-42) offered by the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (DIMEVET) of the University of Bologna. It is delivered entirely in English at the Ozzano dell'Emilia campus, just outside Bologna, and it is a qualifying degree for the veterinary profession.

The course combines evidence-based theory with hands-on training and follows a One Health approach, linking animal health with public health and the environment. It suits students with a strong interest in biology and animal care who want to work as veterinarians in an international setting.

What you will study

The 2026/27 plan is built from integrated courses. The first two years cover the healthy animal and the basics of veterinary science, Year 3 moves to farming, food safety and production animals, Year 4 to companion animal and equine medicine, and Year 5 is given to practical training and the final examination. Integrated courses include:

• Movement, Skin and Nervous System, and The Cell: from Molecules to Tissues
• Blood, Circulation, Respiration and Excretion, and Nutrients, Digestion and Metabolism
• Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology
• Pharmacology, Toxicology, Anaesthesiology, Laboratory Animals and Bioethics
• Farming and health management of ruminants, swine, poultry, rabbits, aquatic species and insects
• Food Processing, Preservation and Food Safety Management Systems
• Dog and Cat Medicine, Equine Medicine, and Emergency and Critical Care Medicine

How the programme is taught

Teaching mixes theory with practical and clinical training and places weight on soft skills and lifelong learning. The fifth year is organised around a practical examination, elective practical training in Italy or abroad, and preparation of the final thesis, which can also be done abroad.

Career paths

Graduates register with the professional board to practise as veterinarians. The university lists these routes:

• Clinical care of pets, horses, exotic and production animals, as a freelance or in large practices
• Livestock farming and production animal health
• Veterinary public health and food safety, in national and international public bodies such as WHO, FAO and WOAH (some roles need a postgraduate qualification)
• Pharmaceutical, animal feed and veterinary equipment companies, and scientific consulting
• Research at public and private institutes, and PhD or specialisation schools

Fees and scholarships

Unibo sets fees by family income. For 2026/27 everyone pays fixed charges of €157.04, and there is no variable part for an ISEE or ISEE parificato up to €27,000, filed through ER.GO by 30 October 2026. Students whose family income is outside Italy and who come from listed non-OECD countries can request a reduced flat fee instead. ER.GO grants are open to eligible students, and the degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.

How to apply from outside the EU

Admission runs through the national IMAT test. For 2026/27, registration was open on Universitaly from 26 August to 9 September 2026, the test took place on 29 September 2026, and 5 of the 55 places were reserved for non-EU citizens living abroad. If you need a visa to sit the test in Italy, pre-enrol on Universitaly for this course first.

Once ranked, you enrol on Studenti Online and pay the first instalment by the call's deadline, and the university validates your pre-enrolment for the study visa. The 2027/28 call has not been published yet.

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.