Cognitive neuroscience
Sapienza University of Rome, Rome
Tuition, per year
€300
Unverified. Not yet verified. A person has not opened the source for this cycle. Read off the institution own programme page on 13 September 2026 by a single research pass. It has NOT been independently re-checked: the verification stage of that run was stopped before it reached this record, so the record renders as unverified rather than claiming a receipt it does not have. The English requirement is held at unverified unless a per programme source URL was found. Figures here are a starting point for a reader, not a checked claim. Open questions: 1) The application window for 2026-2027 closed on 6 July 2026. No call for applications for 2027-2028 is published yet, so the next cycle's dates, places and fee are unknown. 2) Sapienza's two documents disagree on the English waiver. The Academic Requirements sheet limits the waiver to English-taught degrees from the EU, EEA, Schengen, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The call for applications says the certificate requirement does not apply to students with a Bachelor's degree in English, with no country limit, and accepts a self-certification. Which rule a Pakistani applicant is judged against at the MoveIn pre-selection stage needs confirming with the Educational Affairs Office. 3) The Academic Requirements sheet says students are required to hold the degree by September 1st 2024. That date appears to be carried over from an earlier edition of the sheet and does not match the 2026-2027 cycle, where the call sets 6 July 2026 and allows conditional entry for graduation by 3 November 2026. 4) The English Presentation page calls this a Bachelor's Degree and says it gives access to second-cycle Master's study. The Italian text on the same page and the call for applications both make clear it is a two year Master's degree in class LM-51 giving access to specialisation schools and doctorates. The English translation on that page is wrong. 5) The catalogue carries a banner saying the 2026-2027 contents are still being updated, so the module list and credit split may still change. 6) The call links the application form to a Google Forms address ending in /edit, which is an editor link rather than a public form. The working entry point is Infostud with admission code 12948. 7) The study plan lists the Professionalizing Internship (AAF2386) at 20 ECTS in both the first and the second year, while the Presentation page describes a single 20 ECTS placement. Whether that is one placement shown twice or two blocks is not stated. Sapienza University of Rome course catalogue, Cognitive neuroscience (programme code 33574)
Application deadline
closed on 6 July 2026
English requirement
IELTS required
The university’s exact wording
“Sapienza's Academic Requirements sheet carries a named section for MSc Cognitive Neuroscience. It sets "MINIMUM ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS Upper Intermediate - Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Level B2" and lists the accepted scores as "IELTS 5.5 or higher", "TOEFL iBT 80 or higher", "Cambridge English B2 First or higher" and "Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English - ISE II or higher". The same section states the requirements are waived for "Native speakers of English", for "Students holding an English-taught diploma/degree from an accredited institution in the EU/EEA/Schengen or Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States", and for "Students holding an International Baccalaureate, GCSE or comparable diplomas/certificates". That country list does not include Pakistan. This programme's own call for applications, Rector's Decree no. 1133/2026, sets a different and looser rule at the selection stage: section 2.1 requires "Advanced knowledge of the English language, minimum level B2", and the documents list asks for a "Language certificate or self-certification of English language proficiency equivalent to at least level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)", then adds "The requirement for an English language certificate does not apply to students with a Bachelor's degree in English". That last clause carries no country limit. Pearson PTE and Duolingo are not listed for this programme.”
Unverified. Not yet verified. A person has not opened the source for this cycle. Read off the institution own programme page on 13 September 2026 by a single research pass. It has NOT been independently re-checked: the verification stage of that run was stopped before it reached this record, so the record renders as unverified rather than claiming a receipt it does not have. The English requirement is held at unverified unless a per programme source URL was found. Figures here are a starting point for a reader, not a checked claim. Open questions: 1) The application window for 2026-2027 closed on 6 July 2026. No call for applications for 2027-2028 is published yet, so the next cycle's dates, places and fee are unknown. 2) Sapienza's two documents disagree on the English waiver. The Academic Requirements sheet limits the waiver to English-taught degrees from the EU, EEA, Schengen, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The call for applications says the certificate requirement does not apply to students with a Bachelor's degree in English, with no country limit, and accepts a self-certification. Which rule a Pakistani applicant is judged against at the MoveIn pre-selection stage needs confirming with the Educational Affairs Office. 3) The Academic Requirements sheet says students are required to hold the degree by September 1st 2024. That date appears to be carried over from an earlier edition of the sheet and does not match the 2026-2027 cycle, where the call sets 6 July 2026 and allows conditional entry for graduation by 3 November 2026. 4) The English Presentation page calls this a Bachelor's Degree and says it gives access to second-cycle Master's study. The Italian text on the same page and the call for applications both make clear it is a two year Master's degree in class LM-51 giving access to specialisation schools and doctorates. The English translation on that page is wrong. 5) The catalogue carries a banner saying the 2026-2027 contents are still being updated, so the module list and credit split may still change. 6) The call links the application form to a Google Forms address ending in /edit, which is an editor link rather than a public form. The working entry point is Infostud with admission code 12948. 7) The study plan lists the Professionalizing Internship (AAF2386) at 20 ECTS in both the first and the second year, while the Presentation page describes a single 20 ECTS placement. Whether that is one placement shown twice or two blocks is not stated. Sapienza University of Rome course catalogue, Cognitive neuroscience (programme code 33574)
- LevelMaster's degreeLaurea Magistrale
- SubjectMedicine and health
- Taught inTaught in English
- Length2 years
- DeliveryOn campus
- StartsSeptember
- AdmissionRestricted, entrance testThere is an entrance test
- Minimum mark75%
The money
What you pay, and what you must prove you have.
Two different things, kept apart on purpose: a bill you pay, and a balance a visa officer needs to see that never gets spent.
What you pay
Tuition, per year
€300
about PKR 96,000
Why this figure, and not a lower one
Italian state fees usually scale with an assessed household indicator. Where the call states one figure it appears above; where it states a scale, this page says so rather than averaging it.
Read off the institution own programme page on 13 September 2026 by a single research pass. It has NOT been independently re-checked: the verification stage of that run was stopped before it reached this record, so the record renders as unverified rather than claiming a receipt it does not have. The English requirement is held at unverified unless a per programme source URL was found. Figures here are a starting point for a reader, not a checked claim. Open questions: 1) The application window for 2026-2027 closed on 6 July 2026. No call for applications for 2027-2028 is published yet, so the next cycle's dates, places and fee are unknown. 2) Sapienza's two documents disagree on the English waiver. The Academic Requirements sheet limits the waiver to English-taught degrees from the EU, EEA, Schengen, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The call for applications says the certificate requirement does not apply to students with a Bachelor's degree in English, with no country limit, and accepts a self-certification. Which rule a Pakistani applicant is judged against at the MoveIn pre-selection stage needs confirming with the Educational Affairs Office. 3) The Academic Requirements sheet says students are required to hold the degree by September 1st 2024. That date appears to be carried over from an earlier edition of the sheet and does not match the 2026-2027 cycle, where the call sets 6 July 2026 and allows conditional entry for graduation by 3 November 2026. 4) The English Presentation page calls this a Bachelor's Degree and says it gives access to second-cycle Master's study. The Italian text on the same page and the call for applications both make clear it is a two year Master's degree in class LM-51 giving access to specialisation schools and doctorates. The English translation on that page is wrong. 5) The catalogue carries a banner saying the 2026-2027 contents are still being updated, so the module list and credit split may still change. 6) The call links the application form to a Google Forms address ending in /edit, which is an editor link rather than a public form. The working entry point is Infostud with admission code 12948. 7) The study plan lists the Professionalizing Internship (AAF2386) at 20 ECTS in both the first and the second year, while the Presentation page describes a single 20 ECTS placement. Whether that is one placement shown twice or two blocks is not stated.
Unverified. Not yet verified. A person has not opened the source for this cycle. Read off the institution own programme page on 13 September 2026 by a single research pass. It has NOT been independently re-checked: the verification stage of that run was stopped before it reached this record, so the record renders as unverified rather than claiming a receipt it does not have. The English requirement is held at unverified unless a per programme source URL was found. Figures here are a starting point for a reader, not a checked claim. Open questions: 1) The application window for 2026-2027 closed on 6 July 2026. No call for applications for 2027-2028 is published yet, so the next cycle's dates, places and fee are unknown. 2) Sapienza's two documents disagree on the English waiver. The Academic Requirements sheet limits the waiver to English-taught degrees from the EU, EEA, Schengen, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The call for applications says the certificate requirement does not apply to students with a Bachelor's degree in English, with no country limit, and accepts a self-certification. Which rule a Pakistani applicant is judged against at the MoveIn pre-selection stage needs confirming with the Educational Affairs Office. 3) The Academic Requirements sheet says students are required to hold the degree by September 1st 2024. That date appears to be carried over from an earlier edition of the sheet and does not match the 2026-2027 cycle, where the call sets 6 July 2026 and allows conditional entry for graduation by 3 November 2026. 4) The English Presentation page calls this a Bachelor's Degree and says it gives access to second-cycle Master's study. The Italian text on the same page and the call for applications both make clear it is a two year Master's degree in class LM-51 giving access to specialisation schools and doctorates. The English translation on that page is wrong. 5) The catalogue carries a banner saying the 2026-2027 contents are still being updated, so the module list and credit split may still change. 6) The call links the application form to a Google Forms address ending in /edit, which is an editor link rather than a public form. The working entry point is Infostud with admission code 12948. 7) The study plan lists the Professionalizing Internship (AAF2386) at 20 ECTS in both the first and the second year, while the Presentation page describes a single 20 ECTS placement. Whether that is one placement shown twice or two blocks is not stated. Sapienza University of Rome course catalogue, Cognitive neuroscience (programme code 33574)
To be considered, once
€35
about PKR 11,000
Paid to the university when you submit. Non-refundable, and separate from anything the visa itself costs.
Unverified. Not yet verified. A person has not opened the source for this cycle. Read off the institution own programme page on 13 September 2026 by a single research pass. It has NOT been independently re-checked: the verification stage of that run was stopped before it reached this record, so the record renders as unverified rather than claiming a receipt it does not have. The English requirement is held at unverified unless a per programme source URL was found. Figures here are a starting point for a reader, not a checked claim. Open questions: 1) The application window for 2026-2027 closed on 6 July 2026. No call for applications for 2027-2028 is published yet, so the next cycle's dates, places and fee are unknown. 2) Sapienza's two documents disagree on the English waiver. The Academic Requirements sheet limits the waiver to English-taught degrees from the EU, EEA, Schengen, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The call for applications says the certificate requirement does not apply to students with a Bachelor's degree in English, with no country limit, and accepts a self-certification. Which rule a Pakistani applicant is judged against at the MoveIn pre-selection stage needs confirming with the Educational Affairs Office. 3) The Academic Requirements sheet says students are required to hold the degree by September 1st 2024. That date appears to be carried over from an earlier edition of the sheet and does not match the 2026-2027 cycle, where the call sets 6 July 2026 and allows conditional entry for graduation by 3 November 2026. 4) The English Presentation page calls this a Bachelor's Degree and says it gives access to second-cycle Master's study. The Italian text on the same page and the call for applications both make clear it is a two year Master's degree in class LM-51 giving access to specialisation schools and doctorates. The English translation on that page is wrong. 5) The catalogue carries a banner saying the 2026-2027 contents are still being updated, so the module list and credit split may still change. 6) The call links the application form to a Google Forms address ending in /edit, which is an editor link rather than a public form. The working entry point is Infostud with admission code 12948. 7) The study plan lists the Professionalizing Internship (AAF2386) at 20 ECTS in both the first and the second year, while the Presentation page describes a single 20 ECTS placement. Whether that is one placement shown twice or two blocks is not stated. Sapienza University of Rome course catalogue, Cognitive neuroscience (programme code 33574)
What you must prove you have
Funds you must show, per year
€10,179.85
Health cover, minimum
€30,000
How these two are decided
Funds you must show: in your own account, or evidenced by a sponsor or an award. Cash is refused.
Health cover: emergency treatment and repatriation, across the Schengen area, for as long as the visa lasts.
Universitaly (MUR)checked
Who may hold the money, and the refusal of cash, are the embassy’s own rules for a study visa rather than the university’s.
Embassy of Italy, Islamabadchecked
Rent, food and travel are in none of the figures above. What a month actually costs in Italy.
Amounts are in euro, as published. €1 = PKR 321.43, 30 August 2026.
Entry requirements
What this call asks of you.
The admission model first, because it is the one that closes a degree for a year. Everything below it is quoted from the university's call for applications for this cycle, in its order.
How it admits
Restricted, entrance test
accesso programmato
The university's own wording
“The Italian call prints "Corso ad accesso programmato" and "il corso di laurea magistrale ad accesso programmato in Cognitive Neuroscience". The English call prints "Restricted access degree programme" and refers to "the restricted access Master's degree programme in Cognitive Neuroscience delivered in English". Places are capped: 20 EU places and 20 non-EU places. Admission is by ranking, drawn up in descending order of score.”
Entrance tests
The university's own test
What the call asks for
Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, or a five-year university degree in Psychology obtained under the old Italian academic system
A qualification obtained abroad and recognised as corresponding to a Bachelor's degree in Psychology
The Academic Requirements sheet states the alternative as a Bachelor Degree with a major in Psychology with a minimum of 90 ECTS in psychological disciplines
Minimum GPA 75 out of 100, as printed on the Academic Requirements sheet for this programme
Advanced knowledge of the English language, minimum level B2
Candidates who graduate by November 3, 2026 may take part in the selection conditionally, but must still apply by the application deadline
Non-EU candidates resident abroad must obtain a pre-acceptance letter from the QS MoveIn pre-selection by May 15, 2026
Non-EU candidates resident abroad must complete Universitaly pre-enrolment for the student visa by June 30, 2026
Selection is scored out of 100: 70 points for the comparative assessment of qualifications and 30 points for the written test
Within the 70 points: 40 for graduation grade with the grade point average in psychology and cognitive neuroscience exams weighted by ECTS, 20 for integrative activities, 10 for up to two reference letters
A score of 60 or higher is required to be placed in the ranking list in an eligible position
10 ECTS of further professional training activities (UAFP) under DI 654/2022 must be held or acquired during the programme in addition to the 120 ECTS
The English rule
IELTS required
“Sapienza's Academic Requirements sheet carries a named section for MSc Cognitive Neuroscience. It sets "MINIMUM ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS Upper Intermediate - Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Level B2" and lists the accepted scores as "IELTS 5.5 or higher", "TOEFL iBT 80 or higher", "Cambridge English B2 First or higher" and "Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English - ISE II or higher". The same section states the requirements are waived for "Native speakers of English", for "Students holding an English-taught diploma/degree from an accredited institution in the EU/EEA/Schengen or Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States", and for "Students holding an International Baccalaureate, GCSE or comparable diplomas/certificates". That country list does not include Pakistan. This programme's own call for applications, Rector's Decree no. 1133/2026, sets a different and looser rule at the selection stage: section 2.1 requires "Advanced knowledge of the English language, minimum level B2", and the documents list asks for a "Language certificate or self-certification of English language proficiency equivalent to at least level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)", then adds "The requirement for an English language certificate does not apply to students with a Bachelor's degree in English". That last clause carries no country limit. Pearson PTE and Duolingo are not listed for this programme.”
The application file
- Id document, named Surname_Name_Document
- Payment receipt for the 35.00 euro fee, named Surname_Name_Payment
- Curriculum Vitae in European format in English, maximum 3 pages, dated and signed, covering academic career and relevant work and training experience
- Language certificate or self-certification of English language proficiency equivalent to at least CEFR level B2, named Surname_Language Certificate
- A brief motivation letter describing the reasons for choosing this Master's degree and your professional expectations
- Up to two reference letters, optional but subject to comparative assessment
- If you hold an Italian qualification: self-certification of graduation under Articles 46 and 47 of Presidential Decree 445/2000, with the list of exams and grades, in Italian or English
- If you hold a non-Italian qualification: graduation certificate of the Bachelor's degree in Psychology with the transcript of records, showing the full name, date, grade and credits of each exam, translated into English
- If you are conditionally admitted: certificate of exams taken with grades and dates, in Italian or English
English, accepted proofs
- IELTS
- TOEFL
Only what this call names. A proof another degree at the same university accepts is not on this list unless this call says so too.
Before any of it counts
Start the legalisation chain first
A degree awarded outside Europe has to be attested and legalised before an Italian university reads it. That chain is decided by the country you apply from, and no office on it publishes a turnaround.
The degree
About this degree.
A two year master's degree at Sapienza in the neural basis of cognition, taught entirely in English in the Department of Psychology. It suits psychology graduates who want research training in neuroimaging, neuropsychology and psychophysiology, and it carries a supervised placement aimed at qualifying students to practise as a psychologist in Italy.
Cognitive neuroscience is a two year Master's degree at Sapienza University of Rome. The programme code is 33574 and the degree class is LM-51. It is run by the Faculty of Medicina e Psicologia and the Department of PSICOLOGIA. All teaching is in English. Lessons are held in person. The degree is worth 120 ECTS credits.
The university's full description
The subject is how the brain supports thinking. Students study cognitive functions and the brain systems behind them. They study how those functions change across life, in typical and atypical development. They study what happens to them after brain injury. The teaching covers assessment, diagnosis and intervention as well as theory.
The first year builds method. Modules include Cognitive Neuroimaging, COMPUTATIONAL COGNITIVE SCIENCE, EXPERIMENTAL METHODS IN SOCIAL NEUROSCIENCE and Individual differences in personality and temperament. Students choose 6 ECTS from Data analysis and statistical testing in cognitive neuroscience or Applied Neurobiology. They choose a further 6 ECTS from Affective neuroscience across the lifespan or NEUROPSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY OF SOCIAL PROCESSES. A 12 ECTS elective course also sits in the first year.
The second year turns to clinical application. Modules include NEUROPSYCHOLOGY with a NEUROPSYCHOLOGY LAB, Clinical psychophysiology, PSYCHOBIOLOGY OF TYPICAL AND ATYPICAL DEVELOPMENT and Learning disorders. The degree ends with a FINAL DISSERTATION worth 13 ECTS.
The plan includes a Professionalizing Internship. The presentation page describes this as 20 ECTS of Practical Evaluative Internship, known as TPV, under Interministerial Decree No. 654/2022. It is carried out in public or private healthcare facilities accredited by the Italian National Health Service, or in qualified partner institutions including international ones. It is supervised. Its purpose is to qualify the student for professional practice as a psychologist.
Admission is restricted. There are 20 places for EU candidates and 20 places for non-EU candidates applying for a student visa. Candidates are scored out of 100. Seventy points come from a comparative assessment of qualifications and thirty points come from a written multiple choice test taken online. A score of at least 60 is needed to hold an eligible place in the ranking.
There is also a separate credit rule. Degree programmes in class L-24 carry 10 ECTS of further professional training activities, called UAFP. A candidate who does not already hold those 10 ECTS acquires them during the programme, in addition to the 120 ECTS of the Master's degree.
Where it leads
As the university states it on its own page. Not a placement rate and not a promise.
- Psicologo, the professional profile the programme names on its Professional opportunities page
- Psychologist roles of high responsibility in organisations and in services for individuals, groups and communities, working alongside health and rehabilitation staff and school support staff
- Psychological intervention in the remediation of learning disorders, in intellectual disability, in functional recovery for patients with brain injury, and in stimulation and support for older people
- Consultancy in legal, administrative and insurance settings that require clinical diagnostic work with neuropsychological expertise
- Managing and evaluating research and intervention programmes at public and private bodies using experimental methods
- Work in large and medium sized companies, in Pubblica Amministrazione, and in public and private research bodies
- Work in public and private bodies responsible for protecting health, such as schools, the health service and public administration
- Entry to the scuole di specializzazione that lead to registration on the register of psychotherapists, with preparation suited to the selection for neuropsychological and cognitive behavioural schools
- Entry to research training in neuropsicologia, neuroscienze cognitive, psicobiologia and psicofisiologia
- Access to third level training, meaning specialisation schools and research doctorates, in Italy and abroad
Asked about this programme
The questions this one gets.
Do I need IELTS for this degree?
For this programme Sapienza sets CEFR level B2 and prints IELTS 5.5 or higher, TOEFL iBT 80 or higher, Cambridge English B2 First or higher, or Trinity College London ISE II or higher. Duolingo is not accepted. The call for applications also accepts a self-certification of B2 at the selection stage, and says the certificate requirement does not apply to students with a Bachelor's degree in English. The separate pre-selection sheet only waives the requirement for English-taught degrees from the EU, EEA, Schengen, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, so a Pakistani degree is not covered by that waiver.
What mark do I need in my bachelor's degree?
The Academic Requirements sheet sets a minimum GPA of 75 out of 100 for this programme. Your graduation grade and your average in psychology and cognitive neuroscience exams are also scored, worth 40 of the 100 selection points.
Can I apply with a bachelor's degree in a subject other than psychology?
No. The call requires a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, or a five-year Italian Psychology degree under the old system, or a foreign qualification recognised as corresponding. The Academic Requirements sheet states the alternative as a Bachelor Degree with a major in Psychology with at least 90 ECTS in psychological disciplines.
Is there an entrance exam?
Yes. There is a written test of 30 multiple choice questions with one correct answer, taken online, with a time limit of 40 minutes. It is worth 30 of the 100 selection points. The other 70 points come from a comparative assessment of your qualifications, CV and reference letters.
How much does it cost per year?
Students who declare income abroad pay a fixed contribution by country band. Pakistan is in Band A, which is 300 euro per year, paid as 90, 105 and 105. Students who file an Italian ISEE pay on a scale up to 2,924 euro per year, which is the maximum for the Faculty of Medicine and Psychology bracket. A 16 euro stamp duty and the regional tax are added and the stamp duty is still due under full exemption.
How many places are there?
Forty in total: 20 for EU candidates and candidates holding a valid Italian residence permit, and 20 for non-EU candidates resident abroad who apply for a student visa. If the non-EU places are not filled, the spare places go to the first group.
Can I apply now?
Not for 2026-2027. Applications for that year ran from 16 June to 6 July 2026 and the written test was held on 20 July 2026. The ranking is published and places are still moving through the new intake lists into October 2026. No call for 2027-2028 has been published yet.
One programme, one university, once a year.
That is what Universitaly allows. Three questions tell you where you stand before you spend that choice: the degree level, what the visa wants in the bank, and how much calendar is left.
Universitaly (MUR)checked
The shortlist is a conversation
An advisor reads your documents against what this call asks for and tells you whether the file will clear, and if it will not, what to fix.
Tuition a year€300
Check Pakistan eligibility