International opportunities for students

Admission requirements

Admission requirements for this programme are:

- A three/four-year Bachelor's degree from a recognized university or a university-level institution: a first-level degree (at least three years- 6 semesters) awarded by an internationally recognized university-level institution is the minimum requirement in order to apply for the Master's in Cognitive Science. You are required to scan a copy of your degree and upload it to the online application in the dedicated area. Undergraduates can apply as well, provided that they obtain their Bachelor's degree by the following deadlines:

  • non-EU students with residence outside Italy: by June 30th, 2024 
  • EU students or non EU-students resident in Italy: by September 30th, 2024

- Fluency in written and spoken English at a B2 level: to attend the Master's programme in Cognitive Science a good command of English, at least at a B2 level, is required. In the online application you will be asked to provide evidence of it by choosing one of the following options:

1) Upload an official certification. Please read carefully the guidelines set out by the Language Centre of the University of Trento (available in the Download area) to check if your certification is accepted and still valid. Please note that online certifications (such as "Toefl Home Edition" or "LanguageCert online") are not accepted

2) Submit a self-declaration along with your application stating that English is your mother tongue

3) Submit a declaration from your University stating that the official language of instruction of your Bachelor's (or Master's) is English.

4) You have passed a University exam or test for the English Language at least at a B2 level. In this case upload a certificate or a University transcript: the level must be clearly showed and stated  (generic "English language" exams will not be considered as valid. Very specific exams such as “Scientific English B2” or "English for Psychology B2" cannot be accepted either). If you took a test at the Language Center of your University, the certificate must state the completion of both a written and an oral test.

Important: You can apply for the Master's programme even though you do not meet any of these options, but in case of admission you will have to submit an English B2 level certificate by the following deadlines:

  • for non-Eu students with residence outside Italy: by June 30th, 2024
  • for Italian, Eu and non-Eu citizens with residence in Italy: by September 15th, 2024


- A background knowledge in an area related to cognitive science, including psychology, philosophy, linguistics and computer science: you are required to inform us about the courses you passed in your previous and/or actual degree, providing a list with the name and grade of each course/ exam, and final mark. The transcript must be written or officially translated in English or Italian.

To sum up, the complete application for the Master's degree in Cognitive Science consists of:

  • Copy of current passport (photo page only) or valid ID
  • Bachelor's degree  (if already graduated)
  • Transcript of records
  • Proof of your good command of English
  • Statement of purpose: the Admissions Committee strongly relies on the statement of purpose to select the most motivated applicants. In the online application you are asked to submit a statement of maximum 4.000 characters (spaces included) where you provide information on your motivation for the Master's program, your extracurricular activities and your work experience.
  • Curriculum vitae: a brief but complete CV in English should highlight the most important steps of your academic and professional career and include information about permanent contact and present address, phone number and email.

besides candidates can upload the following information related to:

  • Reference letter. Only one letter is accepted. The Letter of recommendation, not mandatory, should be written by one of your professors at University or by managers in your company.  We encourage you to use the sample reference letter in the Download box . The letter has to be sent by email by the Referee to mcs [at] unitn.it, we are not getting in touch with them
  • Copies of any supporting documents that you feel may contribute to your application


Please note that no paper nor email applications will be accepted.