Master in Biophysics

Master in Biophysics is one of 8 English-taught Physics programmes at master’s level in the register, offered by 4 institutions. 8 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland; this programme lists EUR 1,453 a year. 8 are at a public university, where EU, EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters.

What you study

The Master's in Biophysics at JKU Linz builds on the material taught in the Bachelor's in Technical Physics. It is also open to graduates of Physics, Biology and Molecular BioSciences degrees. Classes are tailored to your undergraduate background and focus on the molecular mechanisms of membrane transport, cell mechanics, and protein translation, translocation and folding. There is a strong emphasis on quantitative description using physical laws. The programme is complemented by theoretical biophysics, biochemistry, computer simulation, nanobiotechnology, microscopy, spectroscopy and single-molecule genetics.

You study subjects at the interface of biology, physics, computer science and engineering. The programme puts special weight on the underlying laws of physics and how they connect to the physical techniques and methods used mainly in research.

How the programme is organised

The degree runs over four semesters and totals 120 ECTS. The recommended study plan spreads 30 ECTS across each semester. In the first two semesters you take Biophysics courses (16.5 ECTS in semester one, 17.6 in semester two) and general electives (12 and 10.9 ECTS). Autonomous coursework runs through all four semesters at 1.5 ECTS each. The Master's thesis starts in semester three (12 ECTS) and continues in semester four (21 ECTS), with electives relating to the thesis (9 and 4.5 ECTS). A final examination (3 ECTS) closes the programme.

Courses in the Master's in Biophysics are held in English. The degree is awarded as Diplom-Ingenieur/Ingenieurin (Dipl.-Ing.).

Who it suits

This programme suits you if you want to work at the border between physics and the life sciences. The department highlights a low faculty-to-student ratio (under 15 students per professor) and a high number of internships. That makes it a good fit if you learn best in small groups and want lab experience alongside theory. It also suits graduates from biology or molecular biosciences who want to add a quantitative, physics-based approach to their work.

Admission, language and next steps

Admission requires a Bachelor's in Technical Physics from JKU or an undergraduate degree equivalent in content and scope. The admissions office handles the details, so contact them directly. There is no central application portal; you apply straight to JKU, and the university's own page gives the application period.

The teaching language is German and English (Level B2). The programme is partly taught in English, and you should check which parts are in German. The programme page states that courses in the Master's in Biophysics will be held in English.

At a public university, EU/EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters. Other students pay a fee per semester. After the Master's you can continue to the Doctorate in Technical Sciences at JKU.

The focus of the master’s programme in Biophysics is on the examination of biological systems, especially on the molecular and cellular level, using modern methods of physics and biosciences. The programme trains interdisciplinary specialists who will have a sound knowledge in selected areas of physics, especially biophysics, molecular biology and biochemistry.

There is no central application portal in Austria: you apply to the institution, here Johannes Kepler University Linz. A public university sets the admission requirements and dates for this level, so read them on the programme page. Entrance examination, as the register states it: No. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, the student residence permit and housing.