Do you want to become an all-round biologist, or explore connections between different domains in biology to develop an interdisciplinary profile? If so, Biology in Groningen is the master's degree programme for you.
The MSc Biology program has two tracks that prepare you for a variety of career paths:
Throughout the programme, you will interact with teachers who are active at the frontiers of biological research. You will be able to select one of them as your personal study mentor; s/he will help you find the most interesting study route among the many available options and coach you throughout your master's programme.
2-year programme; credits per year: 60 ECTS; most courses are 5 ECTS.
| Programme options |
|---|
| Integrative Biology (profile) The core of the track Integrative Biology is formed by a set of pre-structured profiles that each concentrate on an active area of research in integrative biology. Each profile consists of a general mandatory part track Integrative Biology as well as profile specific mandatory and elective courses. Other available applicable electives are listed under the Biology Research track. |
| Science, Business and Policy (track) Interested in the business side of science? You can combine this Master's programme with the Science Business & Policy profile. The SBP profile includes a six-month internship as a scientific advisor. For the complete curriculum, please see: https://ocasys.rug.nl/current/catalog/programme/66860-5514 |
Exchange: All our science and engineering programmes offer study abroad possibilities at a number of partner institutions. Our partners include top-100 universities in Europe (for example in Germany, UK, and Sweden) and in the USA, China, South-East Asia, and South America. Our exchange programmes have a typical duration of one semester and count toward your final degree.
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
Bachelor's degree in Biology or a related field. For admittance to the track Modelling in the Life Sciences, you will need a degree which contains enough courses relevant to this field. Information about admission possibilities and requirements for students from a Dutch HBO institute is published on: https://www.rug.nl/fse/msc-admission |
| other admission requirements |
Dutch students can start in September, November, February and April. BEFORE YOU APPLY Make sure to visit 'MSc Application Procedure' at https://www.rug.nl/fse/msc-admission for all the necessary information about the procedure and admission requirements. In your application procedure, you will need to describe your previous education. For this, please fill out this checklist. For admittance to the track Modelling in the Life Sciences, students have to show that their Bachelor's degree contains enough courses relevant to this field. The Admissions Board will decide whether a student can be admitted to the Master's programme. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Life Science and Technology | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Old curriculum: with the majors Biomedical Sciences, Behaviour and Neurosciences, or Molecular life sciences. New curriculum: https://www.rug.nl/fse/education/ter/ |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | All Research universities | No additional requirements |
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
Bachelor's degree in Biology or a related field. This is merely an indication of required background knowledge. The Admissions Board determines whether the specific contents of this/these course(s) meet the admission requirements of the master programme for which you applied. |
| additional subject |
The Admissions Office will advise the Board of Admissions on your application, after which the board will decide if you meet the admission requirements in terms of general level of previous education and specific background knowledge. |
| language test |
MAKE SURE TO VISIT http://www.rug.nl/fwn/fmns-programme/admissions/msc/language-requirements for all the necessary information about required language tests and minimum scores. |
| other admission requirements |
BEFORE YOU APPLY Please fill out this checklist to describe your previous education. |
The Board of Admissions will decide whether you can be admitted to the Master's degree programme. Applications are evaluated on a continuous basis. You do not have to wait until the application deadline to apply.
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
Graduates of the Master's degree programme in Biology who have chosen the Research track Integrative Biology often enter a PhD programme or join a research and development team in a company or research institute. Students who have chosen the Science, Business and Policy track find jobs (e.g. as science advisor) in a variety of fields, such as governmental organizations, research institutions, museums, publishers, or companies.
The MSc programme in Biology includes one (SBP track) or two (Integrative Biology track) individually supervised research projects, where students work on their own research question while being fully embedded in a research group. Topics can span the full range of the MSc educational programmes, and/or combine two or more of these fields:
The Master's degree programme is coordinated by the following three Research institutes:
GELIFES
The Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES; http://www.rug.nl/research/gelifes/) focuses its research on the level of the individual organism (behaviour, physiology, morphology, genetics, development) and on higher levels of organisation (population, communities, ecosystems). The research is being done on a broad range of organisms (terrestrial-marine; microorganisms-plants-animals) with a broad range of methods and approaches (field, lab, theoretical). A hallmark of GELIFES is that we strive to integrate mechanistic approaches (how does an organism function?) with evolutionary approaches (why does the organisms function as it does?). We specifically aim to integrate these fields that are traditionally studied in isolation.
GELIFES embraces six expertise groups:
Energy and Sustainability Research Institute Groningen
(ESRIG)
ESRIG focuses on two themes, of which the
first is called Energy supply and energy
conversion. This includes the sustainable role of
bio-fuels, also in connection to food and land use, energy
transition, second (and later) generation bio fuel research;
Organic Solar Cells, determination and monitoring of bio-fuel
admixtures, natural gas and new gas mixture combustion research,
innovative production methods for fossil fuels, underground coal
gasification, geothermal energy, gas transition, hydrogen as energy
carrier and (de-central) electricity production control
design.
The second theme, 'Transition towards Sustainability' consists of
carbon cycle and greenhouse gases research, CO2
emission monitoring, CO2 storage surveillance, CO2 storage in
relation to underground characteristics, combustion efficiency and
harmful emission reduction, development and evaluation of
(inter)national climate policies, societal and ethical context of
scientific/technical transitions towards sustainability.
GBB
The Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB) is a research institute at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen. GBB also acts as accredited Dutch research school and since 2010 is embedded within the Graduate School of Science.
Research groups GBB:
