"Before starting this master's degree, I completed my bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics. Although I have always loved genetics, my internships made me realize how much I enjoyed bioinformatics and the way computational approaches can be used to answer biological questions. When I started looking for a program that matched this interest, the Master's in Bioinformatics at Ghent University stood out to me, and I chose the Systems Biology track. I knew that moving into a more computational and interdisciplinary field would be challenging, and it definitely was, but the program gave me a strong foundation in statistics, programming, machine learning, and computational biology, while also showing me how these areas can come together in creative and meaningful ways. The professors and the team behind the program were helpful, patient, and approachable, especially during stressful periods. I also appreciated how the master introduces students to companies and people working in the field through job fairs, workshops, and other events, which helped me broaden my view of possible future paths. As an international student, being surrounded by people from many different backgrounds made the experience even more valuable, and many of them have become friends. Studying in Ghent also made these years special; the city is beautiful, and discovering the different UGent campuses during my studies was something I really enjoyed. Looking back, I feel much more confident and better equipped to follow new developments in the field and work independently as a bioinformatician. The program is demanding, especially if your background is different, but getting through it makes you more capable, flexible, and confident. I am very glad I chose this master's. It taught me more than I expected, both academically and personally, and I would definitely recommend it to others who are interested in the intersection of biology and computation. The pizza day that we all share after defending our theses also feels like a well-deserved cherry on top after completing such a challenging program."

"I actually decided I wanted to do Bioinformatics in the final year of high school, and chose my bachelor's degree with that end goal already in mind. I loved programming and was interested in biology, particularly anything with a medical angle, so a master's built around that intersection made a lot of sense. I think the programme gives you a solid theoretical foundation with a good balance between the biological and computational sides, and enough flexibility to lean further in whichever direction suits you. What I didn't anticipate going in was how much the interfacultary setup would shape things. Having classmates with different backgrounds (e.g. biochemistry, bioscience engineering and computer science) means everyone approaches the same problem with different instincts, which makes both the discussions and the collaborative work more interesting than in most programmes. The master's itself involves a lot of projects throughout, which I found an added value, and not just for the technical skills. You learn how to work through a problem from start to finish, deal with things not going as planned, and present what you've done. However, the internship was probably where I learned the most. Seeing how the skills you've built actually fit into the workflow of a professional team, and figuring out how to contribute in that context, is something you can't really replicate in a course setting."

"After completing my Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, I wanted to continue in a direction that would allow me to combine biology with data analysis, programming, and statistics. The Master in Bioinformatics at Ghent University offered exactly the interdisciplinary training I was looking for. The program is challenging and demanding, but also very rewarding. One of its main strengths is the balance between strong theoretical education and practical application. Many core courses include projects based on real biological datasets, which helped me apply concepts from lectures while developing skills in programming, statistics, and computational biology. I also really appreciated the supportive environment. The professors and teaching staff are approachable, kind, and genuinely invested in helping students learn. The student community was also a major part of the experience, and I was lucky to meet amazing classmates from different backgrounds who made the challenging periods much more manageable and enjoyable. Throughout the master, I became more independent, more confident, and better prepared to work on complex biological questions using computational methods. I would recommend this program to students who are curious about both biology and computation, and who are ready for a rigorous, project-based education. It is not an easy master, but it is a very valuable and rewarding one."

"In the early years of my Bachelor’s studies, I decided to pursue bioinformatics as my career path in science. In 2023, I began my first formal education in the field by enrolling in Ghent University’s Master’s program. I chose this program for its flexible course options, the curriculum that matched my interests, and, last but not least, the city’s reputation as a place loved by students. Now, as I approach the graduation ceremony, I am certain I made the right decision for several reasons. First, the people I met in the program made this challenging journey not only manageable but also enjoyable. Together, we supported each other and kept our spirits high through the most difficult exam periods. The courses were both practical and engaging. I could apply lecture concepts directly to hands-on projects, with independent work in High-Throughput Analysis and Microbial Genomics proving especially insightful. The program offered an ideal balance between technical and biological courses, allowing me to develop as a well-rounded bioinformatician — confident in both my analytical skills and my understanding of the biological context behind the results. I particularly recommend this Master’s to students who already have programming experience and a solid mathematical foundation. In that case, technical courses like Machine Learning and Statistical Genomics will be especially valuable for your professional growth. Finally, if you’re looking for a program that offers a high degree of independence and a practice-oriented approach, this Bioinformatics Master’s is an excellent choice."

"From the corridors of my high school, my love for biology, mathematics, and programming first intertwined, which led to the unexpected convergence in bioinformatics during my bachelor's. I got the opportunity to study at Ghent University through the Top-up Grants scholarship that I received from the university. The courses of the Systems Biology programme were vast, covering a wide range of courses in the statistics, informatics, and biology domains. The courses in the electives were also intriguing. Studying at UGent is challenging and the coursework also proves to be stressful and time-consuming. Every course has practical assignments and projects, which adds to the workload. But the good side of it is that we learn to use the knowledge we gain in real-life applications, rather than just the theoretical aspects of it. While the initial adjustment to the Belgian academic environment proved daunting, international students like myself soon found their footing, enriched by the program's immersive approach. Through this journey, I've confronted both the strengths and weaknesses within myself, emerging with a newfound confidence and a profound understanding of my capabilities. This master's experience at UGent has not only shaped my academic trajectory but has also profoundly influenced my personal growth, equipping me with the resilience and adaptability to thrive in any situation."

"I am a graduate from the bioscience engineering track from the Master in Bioinformatics at Ghent university and the Bachelor in Bioscience Engineering at UAntwerp. I would recommend this master track to any (aspiring) bioscience engineer who either has an interest in informatics and/or statistics. Personally, I adore programming, but the statistics seemed like a necessary evil in the beginning. However I quickly realized that the focus of this curriculum is on understanding these concepts, not learning them by hearth. This definitely suited my learning style. After understanding, actually applying the theory in realistic examples using actual experimental datasets becomes a focal point in the practical sessions and assignments. The topics of these assignments can be chosen to suit your interests so that you can become a specialist in one of the many areas of bio-informatics and gain a useful and applicable skillset. Whether you like plant biology, cancer genomics, proteomics or phylogenetics, bio-informatics is at its hearth a multidisciplinary field. As a bioscience engineer, the engineering courses were still present, together with the bioinformatics courses. These courses were tutored by a varied group of friendly professors at many different campuses. This results in a multitude of varying interesting thesis/assignment topics and many opportunities to work or start a PhD in different scientific disciplines. Even though bio informatics isn’t very popular within bioscience engineering yet, it’s quickly becoming increasingly relevant. Therefore, I’m very happy that I took a chance and chose this master education."

"After my bachelor in Computer Science engineering I decided to start the master in Bioinformatics (Engineering track), which I finished in 2021. During the bachelor I already gained some knowledge and skills for the ‘informatics’ side, but my last biology course dated from high school. Do not let this scare you, as you will get an excellent course during the first semester to recap and expand your knowledge in this field. Besides, you learn to apply statistical and computer science techniques to specific problems in biology. It also allows you to interpret the obtained results and gain insights in the biology behind them. Almost every course contains a project, which gives you lots of hands-on experience. Although these require quite some effort, it is also the quickest way to learn and apply the theoretical concepts. During these projects you get the chance to work together with students and professors from different backgrounds, which often gives new perspectives. This interdisciplinary approach allows to quickly expand your knowledge and discuss about problems with different types of people. There is a wide variety of options for the topics of the projects and the master dissertation. This gives you the chance to try out a lot of different fields in bioinformatics to find which one interests you the most, or become an expert in one field. If you want learn more about bioinformatics, and work with interesting data and state of the art techniques, I would highly recommend this master."

"I graduated as a Master in Bioinformatics (System Biology Track) in 2021, before this master I obtained my bachelor degree of Pharmaceutical Engineering in China (ECUST). Before joining this program, I didn’t have background in programming and that time AI/machine learning was really a hot topic either in Industrial or Academia, I wanted to shape my path on it. Then I was attracted to this program that provides intensive programming courses as well as statistics courses. Different from classmates that from Biology/ Bioengineer/ Computer science background, I have a different bachelor degree, I am really happy to find my unique track in Ghent I did my master thesis ‘Drug-target interaction prediction’, this thesis topics drives me to an intern in a technology company named Alibaba DAMO Academy from China, then I touched the Genomics Service Products in Alibaba Cloud and made contributions to the code for this product. So now I am a SDE in cloud computing company thanks to this master degree and training. I would say this program gives a lot of directions for people who are new to Bioinformatics, you can find the direction that fits your background well or what you are interested in. And during the program, the pandemic of COVID happened, it was really nice to help to follow the Epidemiology and Clinical Trails course as an elective courses, I learned how the vaccine was developed.. From the evolutionary biology course, I learned how viruses evolved. The professors provided the cutting-edge papers for us. I am happy that this program opens a door for me to broaden my view."

"I graduated as Master in Bioinformatics option Systems Biology in 2019. Before this master I obtained a Bachelor in Biochemistry and Biotechnology (UAntwerp). During that training I was introduced to bioinformatics for the first time and immediately saw its relevance. When I discovered that Ghent University offers a master's degree in bioinformatics I didn't hesitate to register. Still, I was nervous because I had no programming experience and due to circumstances I hadn't taken a math course during my bachelor's degree. However those nerves turned out to be unfounded. There are two subjects in the curriculum for programming, the first of which requires no prior knowledge. And math for math is never the goal. It is always about gaining insight into biological problems. I recommend this master to anyone with an interest in bioinformatics. Bioinformatics is important in modern research and this master gives you a broad theoretical and practical training in it. For many courses realistic projects are used. This ensures that you gain concrete experience. Moreover, for some of these projects, you sit together with students from the other educations. That broadens your view and you can learn from each other. Finally you will be taught by professors from different faculties which again broadens your view. After all bioinformatics is multidisciplinary. I am still happy that I followed this master."