IMPORTANT – MAKE SURE YOU SELECT THE CORRECT APPLICATION ROUND!

Admission to the Quantitative Biodiversity (QuBiD) programme for the 2027/2028 academic year is organised in two rounds, depending on the applicant's citizenship:

Round I – for applicants who do not hold citizenship of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland. 

• Application period: 15 November 2026 – 15 January 2027
• Available places: 5

Round II – for applicants who hold citizenship of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland

• Application period: 16 January – 1 March 2027
• Available places: 35

Before registering, please make sure you select the application round corresponding to your citizenship.

If you hold multiple citizenships, including citizenship of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, please select Round II.

Where and when your classes will take place?

Place: You will study in three European countries. You spend your first semester at the University of Warsaw and your second at the University of Milan. For the second year, you move to Charles University in Prague, Sorbonne University in France, the University of Copenhagen or the University of Tartu, depending on your assigned mobility track. Mandatory field courses are also part of the programme, including activities in Urwitałt, Poland, and in Italy.

Time: The programme starts on 1st October and lasts four semesters. You attend full-time classes following each host university’s academic calendar. Your final semester focuses on preparing your Master’s thesis.

What kind of knowledge, skills and competencies you will acquire at this field of studies?

Are you interested in understanding why biodiversity changes and how we can better protect it? At QuBiD, we bring together ecology and evolutionary biology with mathematics, coding and large-scale data analysis. We teach you to investigate changes in populations, communities and ecosystems, from local field observations to global patterns.

You will learn to design studies, collect field and laboratory data, analyse molecular information, and develop and assess quantitative models. You will work with bioinformatics, statistics and digital tools, including the responsible use of AI. You will interpret results critically, evaluate uncertainty and communicate findings in an international team.

Where you can find a job after completing studies?

Your skills may be useful in research institutes, universities, nature conservation organisations, environmental authorities, consulting companies and data analysis teams. Possible roles involve biodiversity monitoring, ecosystem assessment, climate-change impact analysis, environmental modelling and evidence-based reporting. The programme also provides a foundation for applying to doctoral programmes.

Are there different specialties and specializations at the field of studies?

Yes. In your second year you follow one of four international mobility tracks:

· Biodiversity & Evolution – Charles University, Prague: evolution, genetics, genomics and biological systematics.

· Biodiversity, Ecosystem Dynamics & Global Change – Sorbonne University: environmental change, ecosystem diversity and human impacts, including marine environments.

· Community Ecology & Conservation – University of Copenhagen: community ecology, biodiversity monitoring and nature conservation.

· Biodiversity Informatics & Taxonomy – University of Tartu: taxonomy, bioinformatics and biodiversity data management.

You indicate your preferences when applying. Track allocation depends on the admissions ranking, your preferences and available places. Each track has 10 places.

What will you learn during the studies?

In Warsaw, you build a foundation in biodiversity and its origins while developing mathematical modelling, big-data analysis and molecular-data skills. You also take part in fieldwork. In Milan, you explore quantitative ecology, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, laboratory and field methods, and the dynamics of biological systems.

During your second year, you deepen your expertise through track-specific courses and carry out a research project leading to your Master’s thesis. Lectures, practical data-analysis classes, laboratory sessions and field courses help you connect scientific concepts with real-world questions. The 120 ECTS are divided into 30 ECTS in Warsaw, 30 in Milan and 60 at your second-year university.

Will you pursue internship during the studies?

You gain practical experience through field and laboratory courses, including activities in Poland and Italy. Inernship is not mandatory element of the programme as a such, however it will be possible, highly recommended or mandatory, depending on your selected mobility track. Check the approved study programme for information about any separate professional internship requirements.

Is it possible to study one/several semesters at other university?

Yes. International mobility is a compulsory part of QuBiD, not an optional exchange. Everyone studies successively in Warsaw, Milan and at one of the four second-year partner universities. Upon successful completion, you receive a degree from the University of Warsaw, a degree from the University of Milan and a degree from your second-year university, issued under the applicable national regulations.

Where you can find more information on the study programme?

Find current programme information, mobility-track descriptions and course details at https://qubid.eu. More about the coordinating university: https://www.biol.uw.edu.pl.

Admission rules

The Quantitative Biodiversity (QuBiD) programme is an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master programme coordinated by the University of Warsaw and delivered jointly by the University of Warsaw, the University of Milan, Charles University, Sorbonne University, the University of Copenhagen and the University of Tartu.

All students complete the first semester at the University of Warsaw and the second semester at the University of Milan. During the second year, students follow one of four mobility tracks offered by the partner universities.

Applicants for admission must:

1. have a bachelor's, master's, engineer's or equivalent foreign diploma;

2. provide proof of proficiency in English at a minimum level of C1 (according to the Council of Europe classification).

The recruitment procedure is the same for candidates with Polish and foreign diplomas.

Admission rules

Applicants with a first-cycle degree in the following fields/programmes are directly academically qualified for admission to the QuBiD Programme:

- First-cycle degree in Biologia, Biotechnologia, Ochrona Przyrody, Bioinformatyka i Biologia Systemów from the University of Warsaw;

- Bachelor’s degree in Scienze e tecnologie per l’ambiente e la natura from the University of Milan;

- Bachelor’s degree in Biology or Bioinformatics from the University of Copenhagen;

- Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Ecological and Evolutionary Biology, Bioinformatics, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry of Organisms, Environmental Protection, Practical Geobiology from Charles University

- Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences (Science de la vie) from Sorbonne University;

- Bachelor’s degree from the curricula Biology and Biodiversity Conservation from the University of Tartu.

OTHER FIRST-CYCLE DEGREES

Applicants with a first cycle degree or equivalent from other than those listed above are qualified for admission to the EMJM QuBiD if their course transcript includes a minimum of:

● 6 ECTS in mathematical disciplines,

● 6 ECTS in computer sciences,

● 60 ECTS in biological sciences, including at least 6 ECTS in ecological disciplines and 6 ECTS in field-based biology courses.

Documents required from all candidates

Candidates are required to upload the following documents to their individual registration account in the University of Warsaw Internet Recruitment of Candidates system (IRK):

• a copy of a valid passport or other identification document, for verification purposes;

• a first-cycle higher education diploma or another diploma entitling the applicant to undertake second-cycle studies; documents not issued in English must be accompanied by a certified translation into English;

• a document confirming that the higher education diploma entitles its holder to apply for admission to or continue studies at any type of higher education institution within the education system in which the diploma-awarding institution operates (accompanied by a translation into the language of instruction of the study programme for which the candidate is applying). If this information is included in the Diploma Supplement, no separate document is required.*

• a complete Transcript of Records or Diploma Supplement, including all semesters of completed studies and providing information necessary to verify compliance with the specific academic admission requirements; documents not issued in English must be accompanied by a certified translation into English;

• a Europass CV in English http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/documents/curriculum-vitae ;

• a document confirming English language proficiency;

• proof of residence at the time of application, using the template provided by the Consortium;

• a declaration indicating the applicant's preferred mobility tracks; applicants may rank two mobility tracks;

• a completed self-assessment table (file for download), together with the information/documents required to verify the academic admission requirements.

*Foreign nationals holding a higher education diploma issued in a country that is not a member of the EU, EFTA or OECD, and which has not been recognised under an international agreement or through a nostrification procedure, are additionally required to submit a written statement issued by the Director of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) concerning the foreign diploma, confirming that it entitles the holder to apply for admission to higher education, as referred to in Article 70(5d) of the Act of 20 July 2018 – Law on Higher Education and Science.

Mobility-track selection

At the application stage, candidates may indicate and rank two preferred second-year mobility tracks.

The available mobility tracks and limits of places are:

- Biodiversity & Evolution – Charles University – 10 places;

- Biodiversity, Ecosystem Dynamics & Global Change – Sorbonne University – 10 places;

- Community Ecology & Conservation – University of Copenhagen – 10 places;

- Biodiversity Informatics & Taxonomy – University of Tartu – 10 places.

Candidates are assigned to mobility tracks on the basis of the recruitment ranking, their declared preferences and the number of places available within each track.

Verification of candidates’ competence to study in English

Submission of an accepted document confirming English language proficiency is a condition of eligibility for the admission procedure. The following documents are accepted:

- Cambridge Advanced English or Cambridge English: C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency;

- IELTS – minimum overall score of 7.0, Academic or Home Edition;

- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-Based Test (iBT), including the Home Edition – overall score of 5.0 (equivalent to a pre-2026 score of 95).

IELTS and TOEFL test results must remain valid on the date the admission decision is issued. These results are valid for two years from the test date.

There is no limitation on the validity of Cambridge test results.

Qualification procedure:

1. the University of Warsaw undertakes an initial pre-selection based on the fulfillment of formal requirements (completeness of the application).

2. the QuBID Evaluation Committee evaluates all eligible applications conducts the recruitment process, evaluating:

● Total number of ECTS in relevant courses* (20%)

● Grades in relevant courses* (20%)

● Average grade from first cycle study programme (20%)

● Relevant professional and academic experience as included in CV (40%)

* Relevant courses include:

● Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

● Statistics

● Mathematics and Mathematical Biology

● Coding/Programming/Bioinformatics/GIS

Each criterion is assessed using a scale of 0-50 (50 = excellent, 0 = poor). The final result is the sum of points awarded for each criterion.

Based on the point scores awarded by the QuBID Evaluation Committee, a ranking list is drawn up.

Recruitment takes place in two tracks:

I track for non-EU/EEA/Swiss candidates;

II track for EU/EEA/Swiss candidates.

A total of 40 candidates will be admitted to the programme (5 places in Track I and 35 places in Track II).

For candidates for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship, separate rules apply, as defined by the European Commission.

Deadlines

Announcement of results: 1st of March, 2027

Reception of documents: up to 16th of April, 2027

Required documents

List of required documents submitted by candidates qualified for studies