Study Pharmacy and Biotechnology in Italy 2027/28: English-Taught Programmes, Universities and Fees
Two five-year pharmacy degrees and 31 biotechnology programmes taught in English at public universities, with tests, 2026/27 fees and pay.
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Written by İrem Yılmaz, Student Experience Lead. Reviewed by Reeya Sharma, Student Success and Partnerships. Published 28 September 2026. Updated 28 September 2026.
In short
- What is taught in English: our catalogue lists 33 English-taught pharmacy and biotechnology programmes for 2027/28 at 17 public universities. Two are five-year pharmacy degrees, three are biotechnology bachelor's and 28 are two-year biotechnology master's.
- Pharmacy is not a two-year master's: it is a five-year single-cycle master's degree (class LM-13) that you start after Class XII. Entry is through the CEnT-S test, at Bologna's Rimini campus or at Tor Vergata in Rome. Biotechnology master's follow a bachelor's.
- Where it ranks: Sapienza (=48), Milan (52) and Naples Federico II (=61) lead Italy in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 for pharmacy and pharmacology. Milan runs six of the programmes in our table.
- What it costs: it can be tuition-free for eligible students through the regional DSU grant. Otherwise Bologna's 2026/27 reduced fee for single-cycle students from non-OECD countries such as India was €1,157.04. That is about ₹1.26 lakh at the ECB rate of 25 September 2026 (€1 = ₹109.2605).
- ApplyAZ, an independent study-in-Italy consultancy with offices in Milan and India, works only with Italian public universities and takes no commission from them. For eligible students, we handle the applications, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the DSU scholarship application and the visa file.
Pharmacy or biotechnology, the first step is the same: check your eligibility. Eligible students book a one-to-one consultation with an Italy expert, after which we take care of everything.
Pharmacy and biotechnology in Italy 2027/28: key facts
These facts describe English-taught pharmacy and biotechnology degrees at Italian public universities for students from countries like India. Fee figures are for 2026/27; universities publish 2027/28 fee rules in the summer before.
| Topic | Pharmacy and biotechnology in Italy, 2027/28 |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy degree | Single-cycle laurea magistrale in class LM-13: 5 years, 300 ECTS, started after school |
| Biotechnology degrees | Bachelor's (L-2): 3 years, 180 ECTS. Two-year master's (120 ECTS) in agricultural (LM-7), industrial (LM-8) or medical, veterinary and pharmaceutical biotechnology (LM-9) |
| Taught only in English (our catalogue) | 33 at 17 public universities: 2 pharmacy, 3 bachelor's, 28 master's (full lists below) |
| Entry to pharmacy | At least 12 years of schooling (MUR circular 2026/27 and 2027/28); CEnT-S at Bologna, CEnT-S plus an English interview at Tor Vergata; restricted places |
| Entry to a master's | A first-cycle degree at EQF level 6; selection by CV and grades, interview or a university test |
| English | Usually B2; the consulate checks English at that level for the visa (MUR circular 2026/27 and 2027/28, Part II, p. 18) |
| Tuition, 2026/27 | With the DSU grant it can be tuition-free for eligible students. Bologna, non-OECD single-cycle students: €1,157.04 (₹1.26 lakh); Milan master's, residence and income abroad: €402 (₹43,900); Padua (Group B): €3,198 (₹3.49 lakh) |
| Earliest 2027/28 call | Padua's first call: 15 September to 15 November 2026 |
| Visa | €10,179.85 a year in funds (₹11.12 lakh); apply by 31 October 2027 |
| Graduate outcomes | Pharmacy (LM-13): 88.8% employed at one year, €1,512 net a month. LM-9 biotechnology: 79.3%, €1,447 (AlmaLaurea, survey 2025) |
Which English-taught pharmacy and biotechnology programmes are in our catalogue?
Thirty-three, at 17 public universities, for 2027/28: two five-year pharmacy degrees at Bologna and Tor Vergata, and three biotechnology bachelor's at Teramo, Siena and Camerino. The other 28 are two-year biotechnology master's. Six of those are at the University of Milan.
Our rule: programmes marked English-only in our catalogue whose Italian degree class is pharmacy (LM-13) or biotechnology (L-2, LM-7, LM-8, LM-9).
Where our record lacked a class, we read the university page. Calabria's Health Biotechnology is in; Federico II's and Trieste's medical biotechnology master's are out, because both also teach in Italian.
Pharmacy: five-year single-cycle degrees
Both are in class LM-13 and taught entirely in English. Exact 2027/28 start dates are still pending.
| Programme | University | Campus | Length | Entry test | Intake |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy | University of Bologna | Rimini | 5 years, 300 ECTS | CEnT-S; restricted places | Autumn 2027 |
| Pharmacy | University of Rome Tor Vergata | Rome | 5 years, 300 ECTS | CEnT-S plus an interview in English; restricted places | Autumn 2027 |
Biotechnology bachelor's: three years
Each lasts three years and carries 180 ECTS. Start dates for 2027/28 are pending.
| Programme | University | Class | Entry | Intake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biosciences and Biotechnology | University of Camerino | L-2/L-13 | CV and grades | Autumn 2027 |
| Biotech Engineering for Health | University of Siena | L-2/L-8 | CEnT-S plus an online interview for non-EU applicants | Autumn 2027 |
| Biotechnology | University of Teramo | L-2 | No selective test; the optional CEnT-S only sets catch-up credits | Autumn 2027 |
Biotechnology and pharmaceutical biotechnology master's: two years
All 28 run for two years, with 120 ECTS each, listed by university. Padua starts in October 2027; the other calendars are pending.
No English-only master's in our catalogue is called pharmaceutical sciences. The medicine-focused options sit in class LM-9, such as Padua's Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies and Pavia's Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies. Milan's Pharmaceutical Biotechnology is recorded as taught in more than one language, so it is not listed.
Is pharmacy in Italy a five-year degree?
Yes: pharmacy, class LM-13, is a single-cycle degree of five years and 300 ECTS that you start straight after school, and AlmaLaurea lists LM-13 only among single-cycle classes. Our catalogue has no English-only three-year pharmacy bachelor's. Bologna teaches its English-taught version in Rimini, not in Bologna.
Bologna classes its degree as a qualifying programme with a curricular internship. It adds that the Pharmacist title can be used throughout the EU. Tor Vergata builds training in a local or hospital pharmacy into its five years, and offers internship scholarships at the University of Nottingham.
Bologna's five years run from chemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology to medicinal chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology. Tor Vergata adds medical subjects and Italian and European pharmaceutical law to its core.
Can you start pharmacy in Italy after Class XII?
Yes, if your schooling adds up to 12 years and you pass the entry test. The MUR circular for 2026/27 and 2027/28 asks for a school-leaving certificate after at least 12 years, which Class XII meets. Both English-taught pharmacy degrees use CEnT-S, and Tor Vergata adds an interview in English.
CEnT-S is run by CISIA. It replaced the English TOLC-F from November 2025 and is valid for pharmacy, engineering, economics and other science degrees. You can sit it at home or at a university, but only once per testing period, so the timing matters.
Places are restricted at both universities. We plan your CEnT-S date against each call and handle the applications from there. Our after 12th guide covers the other degrees open to Class XII students.
Which biotechnology master's can you study in English, and how do they differ?
Twenty-eight, in three degree classes: 18 in medical, veterinary and pharmaceutical biotechnology (LM-9), 8 in industrial biotechnology (LM-8) and 2 in agricultural biotechnology (LM-7). The class, shown on each university's page, sets the field of the degree. The programme name tells you its focus.
The drug-focused group includes Padua's Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies, Pavia's two programmes, Genoa's Medical-Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Milan's Safety Assessment of Xenobiotics. The data-heavy group includes Milan's Bioinformatics for Computational Genomics and Trento's Quantitative and Computational Biology.
Some sit close to medicine without being medicine. Siena runs Genetic Counsellors and Biotechnologies of Human Reproduction, and Teramo runs Reproductive Biotechnologies. Perugia and Milan cover the farm and bioeconomy side in class LM-7.
Can you get into a biotech master's with a BPharm, BSc or BTech?
Usually, if your degree reaches EQF level 6 and covers enough biology and chemistry for the call. The MUR circular for 2026/27 and 2027/28 sets that level for master's entry. Selection then varies: Padua ranks on CV and grades, Milan often interviews, and Turin or Sassari set their own tests.
English rules differ too. Most programmes want B2, and Genoa also accepts a medium-of-instruction certificate, according to our catalogue record. Teramo sets B1 as its minimum and checks it at interview.
We compare your transcript with each call's subject list before you apply. Our masters in Italy guide explains how Italian universities read three-year and four-year degrees.
Which Italian universities rank highest for pharmacy and biotechnology?
Sapienza, Milan and Naples Federico II lead the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 for pharmacy and pharmacology, at =48, 52 and =61. Only Milan has English-taught programmes in our table, six of them. For biological sciences, the nearest QS subject to biotechnology, Sapienza is =95 and Padua =105.
| University | QS 2026, Pharmacy and Pharmacology | QS 2026, Biological Sciences | Our programmes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sapienza University of Rome | =48 | =95 | 0 |
| University of Milan | 52 | =119 | 6 |
| University of Naples Federico II | =61 | 201 to 250 | 0 |
| University of Bologna | 101 to 150 | =127 | 1 |
| University of Padua | 101 to 150 | =105 | 2 |
| University of Pavia | 101 to 150 | 401 to 450 | 2 |
| University of Florence | 101 to 150 | 251 to 300 | 0 |
| University of Genoa | 151 to 200 | 401 to 450 | 1 |
| University of Pisa | 151 to 200 | 251 to 300 | 1 |
| University of Rome Tor Vergata | 201 to 250 | 301 to 350 | 2 |
| University of Turin | 201 to 250 | 251 to 300 | 3 |
| University of Perugia | 301 to 350 | 551 to 600 | 2 |
| University of Siena | 351 to 400 | 351 to 400 | 4 |
| University of Trento | Not ranked | 401 to 450 | 2 |
| University of Calabria | Not ranked | 651 to 700 | 1 |
| University of Teramo | Not ranked | Not in the top 30 for Italy | 2 |
| University of Sassari | Not ranked | Not in the top 30 for Italy | 1 |
| University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli | Not ranked | Not in the top 30 for Italy | 1 |
| University of Camerino | Not ranked | Not in the top 30 for Italy | 1 |
| University of Insubria | Not ranked | Not in the top 30 for Italy | 1 |
QS lists 19 Italian universities for pharmacy and pharmacology, all public. For biological sciences it lists 31, including private universities we leave out; our column shows ranks from the first 30. QS ranks whole departments, so we treat it as one signal among several.
Unsure whether your degree fits pharmacy or a biotechnology master's? Run the eligibility check first. If you are eligible, an Italy expert maps your options in a one-to-one consultation, and then we take care of everything else.
How much does it cost to study pharmacy or biotechnology in Italy?
From about €400 to €3,200 a year at the three universities we checked, and it can be tuition-free for eligible students. For 2026/27, Bologna charged single-cycle students from non-OECD countries such as India a reduced fixed €1,157.04 (₹1.26 lakh). Milan charged new biotech master's students from India with residence and income abroad €402.
Bologna's reduced fee needs family income and assets only outside Italy, declared on the ER.GO portal or in reply to the university's email by its deadline. It rises to €1,357.04 if you fall short on credits. India is on Bologna's 2026 list of non-OECD countries.
Milan places India in its Group A for 2026/27 new students with residence and income abroad. It charges a first instalment of €146 plus €256 for programmes in its Area B, which includes biotechnology: €402 a year (₹43,900).
Padua's fixed fee for non-EU students with family abroad was €3,198 (₹3.49 lakh), its Group B rate for medicine and science programmes. Group A subjects pay €2,998. The national rule, MUR Decree 1014 of 2021, removes the annual contribution for a family ISEE up to €22,000 (₹24.04 lakh).
The regional DSU grant is decided by the region. Start with our DSU guide, then the pages for Emilia-Romagna, the University of Milan, Lazio, Tuscany and Piedmont. Living costs are on our cost of studying guide.
What do pharmacy and biotechnology graduates earn in Italy?
Pharmacy graduates find work fastest. AlmaLaurea's 2026 report (survey year 2025) shows 88.8% of single-cycle pharmacy graduates, class LM-13, employed one year on, on €1,512 net a month. Medical and pharmaceutical biotechnology master's graduates, class LM-9, were at 79.3% and €1,447.
| Class (AlmaLaurea survey 2025) | Graduates at 1 year (interviewed) | Employed at 1 year | Net monthly pay at 1 year | Employed at 5 years | Net monthly pay at 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy, LM-13 (single-cycle) | 4,063 (2,404) | 88.8% | €1,512 (₹1.65 lakh) | 94.9% | €1,789 (₹1.95 lakh) |
| Medical, veterinary and pharmaceutical biotechnology, LM-9 | 2,437 (1,467) | 79.3% | €1,447 (₹1.58 lakh) | 93.0% | €1,838 (₹2.01 lakh) |
| Industrial biotechnology, LM-8 | 693 (427) | 85.2% | €1,500 (₹1.64 lakh) | 92.3% | €1,956 (₹2.14 lakh) |
| All two-year master's | 106,697 (65,761) | 81.5% | €1,488 | 94.1% | €1,862 |
Figures come from AlmaLaurea's graduate outcomes tool for the 2025 survey, which interviewed 2024 graduates after one year and 2020 graduates after five. All pay figures are monthly and net of tax. The figures cover every graduate of each class in Italy, whatever the teaching language.
Where do pharmacy and biotechnology graduates work in Italy?
In pharmacies, the pharmaceutical industry and laboratories, going by the universities' own career lists. Tor Vergata names health-sector pharmacy, industrial drug production, drug control in public and private labs, medical devices and dossiers for new medicines. Padua sends pharmaceutical biotechnology graduates to research labs and biotech-pharmaceutical firms.
Padua adds quality control in biomedical, diagnostic and nutritional fields, and Bologna points to the supply chain of medicines and health products. Registration as a pharmacist outside the EU follows each country's own rules. These lists describe paths graduates take; they are not job offers.
Is pharmacy the same as studying medicine in Italy?
No. Pharmacy trains you to develop, control and dispense medicines, not to diagnose or treat patients, and it has its own five-year degree and entry test. Medicine is a six-year degree in class LM-41 with a separate admission route; our medicine in Italy guide covers it.
Biotechnology master's in class LM-9 work alongside medicine, in labs and diagnostics. They do not lead to a licence to practise as a doctor.
Reality check
The university decides admission and sets the restricted places for pharmacy. The region awards the DSU grant, and the consulate rules on the visa.
We handle the work in between: shortlisting, test timing, the applications, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the DSU application and the visa file. Outcomes stay with those three bodies, so we never promise one.
Common mistakes, with what each one costs you:
- Booking CEnT-S too late. CISIA allows one attempt per testing period, so a missed window can leave you without a score for the pharmacy call.
- Missing Bologna's fee declaration. The reduced fee is applied at first, but the family must declare income and assets only abroad, on ER.GO or in reply to the university's email by its deadline. Miss it and Bologna charges the maximum fee; with too few credits the reduced fee rises to €1,357.04.
- Choosing by programme name. Two master's with biology in their name sit in the industrial biotechnology class, and the class sets the degree you receive.
- Missing the campus. Bologna's English-taught pharmacy degree is in Rimini, and Insubria's bio-based biotechnology is in Como.
- Treating pharmacy as a way into medicine. They are separate degrees with separate admission, so switching later means starting again.
Once you know which route fits, check your eligibility. If you are eligible, you book a one-to-one consultation with one of our Italy experts, and we take care of everything from then on.
Frequently asked questions
Can I study pharmacy in Italy in English?
Yes, at two public universities in our catalogue: the University of Bologna, which teaches its five-year pharmacy degree in Rimini, and the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Both are single-cycle degrees in class LM-13 with restricted places, and both use the CEnT-S entry test. Tor Vergata adds an interview in English.
Do Italian pharmacy degrees ask for a NEET score?
No: neither Bologna's nor Tor Vergata's pharmacy page mentions NEET. Both English-taught pharmacy degrees admit students through CISIA's CEnT-S, which replaced the English TOLC-F from November 2025, and Tor Vergata adds an interview in English. Your school certificate must follow 12 years of schooling, which Class XII meets.
How long is pharmacy in Italy?
Five years: pharmacy in Italy is a single-cycle degree of 300 ECTS in class LM-13, started after school, and Tor Vergata builds in training at a local or hospital pharmacy. Our catalogue has no English-only three-year pharmacy bachelor's. Biotechnology works differently, with a three-year bachelor's followed by a two-year master's.
Can I do a master's in biotechnology in Italy after a BPharm?
Often, yes: a four-year BPharm is a first-cycle degree, which is what a two-year master's needs under the MUR circular. Programmes focused on medicines, such as Padua's Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies or Pavia's Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies, are the natural place to look. Each call checks your subjects, and we compare your transcript with it.
How much does it cost to study pharmacy in Italy?
It can be tuition-free for eligible students through the regional DSU grant. Without it, Bologna charged single-cycle students from non-OECD countries such as India a reduced fixed €1,157.04 for 2026/27, about ₹1.26 lakh. The visa also needs proof of €10,179.85 a year for living costs, about ₹11.12 lakh.
Which university is best for pharmacy in Italy?
In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 for pharmacy and pharmacology, Sapienza (=48), Milan (52) and Federico II (=61) lead Italy. The English-taught pharmacy degrees, though, are at Bologna (101 to 150) and Tor Vergata (201 to 250). Milan's strength for you is its six English-taught biotechnology master's.
Is an Italian pharmacy degree valid in India?
That is not the Italian university's decision. Bologna says its Pharmacist title can be used across the EU, but practising in India depends on Indian registration rules. If you plan to work in India after graduating, we raise recognition at the start of your consultation so you choose with that in mind.
Can I work in Italy after a biotechnology master's?
Yes: graduates of an Italian degree can ask for a job-search permit of 9 to 12 months, and a study permit allows 20 hours of work a week during the course. AlmaLaurea found 85.2% of industrial biotechnology master's graduates employed one year after finishing, earning €1,500 net a month.
Sources
- University of Bologna, Pharmacy (LM-13), Rimini campus: access, type and overview, verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Rome Tor Vergata, Pharmacy (LM-13), one-cycle degree taught in English, verified 28 September 2026.
- CISIA, All about CEnT (CEnT-S from November 2025), verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Padua, Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies (LM-9), verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Padua, how international students apply, 2027/28 calls, verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Padua, Call for Student Fees and Exemptions 2026/27, verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Bologna, reduced fixed fee for non-OECD countries, 2026/27, verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Bologna, list of non-OECD countries, 2026, verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Milan, fees regulation 2026/27, Article 6, verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Milan, country groups 2026/27 (India in Group A), verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Calabria, Health Biotechnology (LM-9), taught in English, verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Trieste, life sciences programmes and teaching languages, verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Naples Federico II, Medical Biotechnology (LM-9) curricula and languages, verified 28 September 2026.
- QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Italy (published 25 March 2026), verified 28 September 2026.
- QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, Biological Sciences, Italy (published 25 March 2026), verified 28 September 2026.
- AlmaLaurea, graduate outcomes, pharmacy LM-13, one year after graduating, survey 2025, verified 28 September 2026.
- AlmaLaurea, graduate outcomes, biotechnology LM-9 (LM-8 by changing the class), survey 2025, verified 28 September 2026.
- AlmaLaurea, Rapporto 2026 news release (survey 2025), verified 28 September 2026.
- MUR, circular on international students valid for 2026/27 and 2027/28 (12 years of schooling, EQF level 6, B2 check, visa funds), verified 28 September 2026.
- Universitaly, international students: visa deadline 31 October 2027, verified 28 September 2026.
- MUR, Decree 1014 of 3 August 2021 on fee exemptions, verified 28 September 2026.
- Integrazione Migranti (Ministry of Labour), job-search permit of 9 to 12 months, 7 July 2023, verified 28 September 2026.
- ECB euro foreign exchange reference rates, Indian rupee, 25 September 2026, verified 28 September 2026.
The rupee amounts above are at the European Central Bank reference rate of 25 September 2026 (€1 = ₹109.2605).
To begin, Check your eligibility. Eligible students then book a one-to-one consultation with an Italy expert, and we take care of everything from there.
Where they're studying now
Students who started exactly where you are
English-taught programmes that can be tuition-free for eligible students, and the DSU grant landing in their account every year. The funding mechanics are identical at every Italian public university: the same ISEE Parificato, the same regional bando, the same ranking. Only the authority and the dates change.
They began right where you are
Now they're studying at Italian public universities, where a degree can be tuition-free for eligible students, with DSU scholarships of up to about €8,250 a year for students living away from home, depending on the region.
