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Studies & Degrees in Bioinformatics

Bioinformatics uses computing to make sense of biological data. The US National Human Genome Research Institute defines it as a scientific subdiscipline that involves using computer technology to collect, store, analyse and disseminate biological data and information, such as DNA and amino acid sequences. The training arm of the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) puts it more simply: the science of storing, retrieving and analysing large amounts of biological information.

The field grew with DNA sequencing. Now that reading a genome has become far easier, the difficult part is interpreting the data, and that work is done with software, statistics and databases. EMBL-EBI notes that the term today also covers computational structural biology, chemical biology and systems biology. It is not the same as medical informatics: on the whole, bioinformatics deals with research data, while medical informatics deals with data from individual patients.

What students learn

Bioinformatics is interdisciplinary. Students combine biology with programming, mathematics and statistics. The MSc at the University of Copenhagen lists the fundamentals as:

  • sequence analysis
  • protein and RNA structural analysis
  • genomics and phylogenetics
  • analysis of high-throughput data
  • machine learning methods

Most programmes end with a research project. At Wageningen University, the second year of the MSc in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology consists of a thesis period of 6 months and an internship period of 4 months.

Qualifications and levels

Bachelor's degree. Some universities teach bioinformatics as a first degree; the University of Copenhagen has a bachelor's in Bioinformatics. Elsewhere it is an option within another degree: the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) offers an undergraduate Bioinformatics Minor. Many students arrive later, from biology, biochemistry, computer science, mathematics or physics.

Master's degree. This is the most common entry point. The Copenhagen MSc is a two-year programme of 120 ECTS credits with a 30 ECTS thesis, and students specialise in Computational Biology or Computer Science. The Wageningen MSc is also full-time over 2 years. The Spanish examples are shorter. The Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) lists its Máster en Bioinformática y Biología Computacional at one and a half years (90 ECTS). The inter-university master's in Bioinformatics and Biostatistics of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and the Universitat de Barcelona has 60 ECTS credits, of which 15 are the final project, and is taught fully online.

Doctorate. A PhD is the usual route into research. UCLA's Bioinformatics Ph.D. has a one-year core curriculum, research rotations and over 50 elective courses.

Master's programmes accept graduates from both sides of the field and check that they have the basics of the other. Copenhagen asks applicants from other universities for either at least 30 ECTS in biology, molecular biology, genetics and biochemistry or at least 30 ECTS in statistics, computer science, mathematics and physics, plus at least 5 ECTS of programming. UAM describes separate entry profiles, one of them for graduates in life sciences such as Medicine, Biology or Biochemistry.

Where to study it

The SpainExchange directory lists 30 schools for bioinformatics. Eleven are in the United States and four in Spain. Denmark, Sweden and Germany have two each, and the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, Canada, China, France and Slovenia are among the countries with one. In Spain the list includes the Universitat Pompeu Fabra and the Universitat de Barcelona; elsewhere in Europe, the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, Lund University, Uppsala Universitet and Wageningen University.

English is the working language of the field and of many master's programmes: the Copenhagen and Wageningen degrees are taught in English. In Spain the language varies. The UAM master's is taught in Spanish and English, and non-Spanish speakers must prove level B2 in Spanish. The UOC-UB master's is offered in Spanish and in Catalan.

Fees depend on the country and on nationality. At Copenhagen, citizens of countries outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland pay a tuition fee. UAM's page, checked in October 2026, gives an approximate price for the first enrolment of €4,087, or €7,601 for non-resident students from outside the EU.

Careers

Graduates work in research institutes, universities and companies. UAM lists the pharmaceutical industry, agriculture, biotechnology, environmental research, biosecurity and biomedicine as fields of application. Wageningen reports that its graduates often go on to PhD projects, while others choose research-oriented pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

O*NET, the occupational database sponsored by the US Department of Labor, describes bioinformatics scientists as people who may design databases and develop algorithms for processing and analysing genomic or other biological information. It states that most of these occupations require graduate school and projects growth for 2025-2035 that is faster than average (5% to 6%).

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know programming to study bioinformatics?

Some programming is normally expected at master's level. The University of Copenhagen, for example, asks for programming or basic computer science courses of at least 5 ECTS. Wageningen's MSc is designed for students with a background in life sciences or computer sciences.

How long does a master's in bioinformatics take?

It depends on the country. The examples on this page range from 60 ECTS (UOC-UB, online) and 90 ECTS (UAM, one and a half years) in Spain to two years and 120 ECTS in Denmark.

Is bioinformatics taught in English?

Often, yes. The master's programmes at Copenhagen and Wageningen are in English. In Spain, programmes may be in Spanish, in Spanish and English, or in Catalan.

What is the difference between bioinformatics and medical informatics?

According to EMBL-EBI, bioinformatics on the whole deals with research data and uses it for research purposes, while medical informatics deals with data from individual patients for clinical management.