Best Global Universities for Food Science in 2022-2023

Top-Ranked universities and colleges for Food Science in the world

Food Science is the discipline in which the engineering, biological, and physical sciences are used to study the nature of foods, and the improvement of foods for the consuming public. Food science teaches the skills and knowledge required to understand food processes and how to meet the demands for safe, sustainable food products. 

Best universities for food science offer degrees that will allow for a diverse and dynamic career in areas ranging from animal nutrition to brewing, production management, or sales and retail. Countries like China, the USA, the UK, the Netherlands, and Italy offer the best degree programs for Food Science. 

The average tuition fees for studying Food Science come to about USD 10,000 – 30,000 depending on the country of education and the university chosen. Popular degrees for food science are the general bachelor’s and master’s in Food Science. The programs can also be adjoined with food technology, nutrition, innovation, agriculture, etc. 

Modules under Food Science Degree

• Agri-food supply chains
• Analysis of food
• Culinary skills with food science
• Food commodities and sustainability
• Food processing from farm to shop
• Food quality assurance
• New food product development
• Physicochemical properties of food
• Principles of human physiology and nutrition
• Psychology of consumer behavior and innovation

Why study food science?

Food Science is an incredible program to study for those interested in food or science. Overall employment of agricultural and food scientists is projected to grow 9 percent from 2020 to 2030.  Food science graduates are leaders in food production and processing, quality assurance and control, and technical representation in the sale and marketing of foods.

The program would allow students to

• Serve society by ensuring the availability, abundance, affordability, wholesomeness, and safety of food.
• Improve the nutritive value of food products.
• Maintain high standards of safety and sanitation and manage the quality of an ever-increasing variety of food products.
• Development of new food products, processing methods, or distribution techniques.
• Supervise raw material procurement or manage any aspect of a food processing operation.
• know about the biological, chemical, and physical nature of food and food components.

Popular degrees under Food Science

Programs of Food Science come in different specializations for students to choose from. They can choose from food engineering, nutrition, technology, food quality, innovation, etc depending on their interests.

Most universities do offer a general food science program that covers a huge domain, especially the undergraduate degree. Students can move to more specialized programs for postgraduate degrees once they fully understand their interests and the opportunities in the market.

For Bachelor Level

• B.S. in Food Science
• B.S. in Food Science and Nutrition
• Bachelor in Food Engineering
• Bachelor in Food Quality and Innovations
• Bachelor International Food & Agribusiness
• Bachelor in Food Safety and Quality
• Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology

For Master Level

• Master in Food Sciences
• Master in Design for Food
• MS in Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition
• MSc in Food Science and Innovation
• MSc in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security
• Master in Food and Health
• MSc in Food Science and Nutrition

Duration of Programs in Food Science

Top 50 global universities for Food Science based on popular rankings

Top Universities for Food Science in the USA

The United States provides a great infrastructure and environment for international students. Food Science is a great choice to study in the USA because a number of top-ranked universities in the world are in the country.

Bachelor’s degrees in the USA are usually 3-4 years in duration and are coupled with a number of internship opportunities and placement options too. Master’s degree programs in food science in the USA are usually 12 months in duration and some universities offer 18-24 month long programs too. The average cost of studying food science in the USA is about USD 10,000 – 20,000 per annum. Several scholarship opportunities are available for students to avail.

Top Universities for Food Science in the UK

Three out of the top 50 universities as ranked by several world rankings are in the UK. For students to study in the UK, the students need to take English language proficiency tests.

Bachelor’s food science programs in the UK are usually 3-4 years in duration. The programs have a focus on research, peer learning, internships, and experiential learning. Master’s food science programs in the UK are 1-2 years in duration and offer several career opportunities. The average tuition fee for food science in the UK is about USD 15,000 to 25,000 per annum. The average cost of living in the UK is about USD 1100 per month.

Academic requirements for studying Food Science

For Bachelor

• Academic transcripts of high school
• SATs or ACTs score depending on the country of education
•  Personal statement 
• Letter of recommendation (optional for some universities)
• Valid passport
• English proficiency test scores such as TOEFL (generally above 90) or IELTS (generally above 6.0)
• Essays (Some universities require candidates to write essays as a form of selection criteria)

For masters

• GRE scores are required and are an important factor for admission;
• Two-three letters of recommendation;
• Resume/CV
• A minimum score of 550 on the paper-based TOEFL, 210 on the computer-based TOEFL, or 80 on the internet-based TOEFL (for students whose native language is not English);
• An undergraduate degree with a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, Transcript.

Career Scope in Food Science

There are loads of different professions you can enter as a graduate – the food industry is one of the largest across the globe. You could find yourself working in marketing, teaching, safety, quality management, nutrition, sales, teaching, and many other areas.

• Food buyer
• Food technologist
• Quality assurance auditor
• Research assistant
• Sustainability manager
• New product development technologist
• Personal trainer
• Procurement assistant
• Production supervisor
• Teacher

Average salary of Food Science Graduates

*Note: All salaries mentioned in the USD are for reference only. Exchange rates may vary from time to time and from country to country.