Genetics Schools and Programs in Peru

Genetics Studies in Peru

In Peru, genetics is studied mainly as a biological science, combined with biotechnology. Students can take a five-year undergraduate degree that leads to a professional title as a geneticist and biotechnologist, and then a research master's degree in genetics. Teaching is in Spanish.

SpainExchange lists one school in Peru for this subject: the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM) in Lima, a public university that traces its history to 1551. Its Escuela Profesional de Genética y Biotecnología belongs to the Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas. The school was created in 2002 and has admitted students since 2003.

How the degree is organised

Peruvian university study leads first to an academic degree, the bachiller, and then to a professional title. At San Marcos, the genetics and biotechnology programme is planned over 10 academic semesters with a minimum of 213 credits. Graduates receive:

• the academic degree of Bachiller en Genética y Biotecnología
• the professional title of Biólogo Genetista Biotecnólogo

The course covers heredity from classical genetics to genomics, transcriptomics and genetic engineering, with theoretical and practical training. To graduate, students must also show knowledge of a foreign language or a native language of Peru. Credits are Peruvian university credits, not ECTS.

At postgraduate level, the Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas has offered a Maestría en Genética that lasts two years (four semesters) and awards the degree of Magíster en Genética. It is aimed at graduates with a bachiller in biological sciences, medicine, pharmacy, agronomy or related fields, and trains researchers in molecular tools for studying genes and for genetic improvement. Check the current postgraduate admission round, since programmes and places are published per intake.

Admission and language

San Marcos admits undergraduate students through its entrance exam. The Examen de Admisión 2027-I starts on Saturday 17 October 2026, for studies beginning in the first semester of 2027. Students who have already passed at least four semesters, or two annual periods, at another university in Peru or abroad can apply for an external transfer into the same degree.

For a master's degree, San Marcos assesses applicants through a knowledge exam, a review of their file and a personal interview. Graduates with degrees from abroad must have them revalidated or recognised under Peruvian rules; SUNEDU, the national university regulator, handles the recognition of foreign degrees. All teaching is in Spanish, so a good command of the language is needed.

Visa and recognition

Peru's immigration authority, Migraciones, offers a temporary visa for study (formación) for foreigners who come for a short period: the stay is 365 days, extendable, for studies, and 90 days, not extendable, for exchanges or internships. Requirements include a sworn statement of financial means for the length of the stay. Foreign residents can apply in Peru for resident status for study, which allows regular higher-education studies at institutions recognised by the Peruvian state for up to 365 days, extendable (checked October 2026).

Before you enrol anywhere, check the university on SUNEDU's list: according to SUNEDU, 107 universities held a valid institutional licence on 25 August 2026, and San Marcos has been licensed since April 2018. If you plan to work in another country, ask its authorities how a Peruvian bachiller and professional title are recognised.

Careers

According to San Marcos, graduates in genetics and biotechnology can work in:

• Research in the pharmaceutical, food, mining and health sectors, and at universities and research centres
• Medicine: molecular genetic diagnosis, genetic counselling, vaccines and assisted reproduction
• Agriculture, livestock and fisheries: genetic improvement and biological control
• Forensic identification using molecular and anthropological techniques
• Environmental protection, conservation and management of genetic resources

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to study genetics in Peru?

At San Marcos, the undergraduate programme in genetics and biotechnology is planned over 10 semesters (five years) with at least 213 credits. A master's degree in genetics takes a further two years.

What qualification do genetics graduates receive?

The academic degree of Bachiller en Genética y Biotecnología and the professional title of Biólogo Genetista Biotecnólogo.

Can foreign students study genetics at San Marcos?

Yes. First-year students take the entrance exam, and students from universities abroad who have passed at least four semesters can apply for an external transfer. You also need the right migration status from Migraciones.

Is genetics taught in English in Peru?

No. The programmes at San Marcos are taught in Spanish, and students also need a foreign or native language to graduate.