Study in Italy: Admission, Cost, Visa and Scholarships (2027)

Italy's higher education system is built around public universities, most of them founded by the state or the region, alongside a small number of long-established private universities such as Bocconi in Milan. Degrees follow the Bologna structure common across the EU: a first-cycle Laurea (bachelor's degree, normally three years), a second-cycle Laurea Magistrale (master's degree, normally two years), and doctoral study. A growing number of programmes, concentrated in business, engineering, economics and international studies, are taught entirely in English, though the great majority of programmes remain Italian-medium.

Tuition at public universities is calculated mainly through the ISEE, Italy's official indicator of household economic and financial situation, or an equivalent ISEE-Parificato for households resident abroad. Students in the lowest income bracket pay only a small fixed instalment, typically under EUR 200 a year, while the amount rises with declared income up to a maximum that each university sets and publishes separately; several public universities surveyed for this guide publish maximums between roughly EUR 2,900 and EUR 4,550 a year. Private universities set their own tuition outside the ISEE system; Bocconi, for example, charges the same tuition to EU and non-EU students, around EUR 17,000 to EUR 18,550 a year depending on the level.

Non-EU applicants who need a student visa must complete pre-enrolment on the Universitaly portal, run jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of University and Research, in addition to applying directly to their chosen university. The university validates the pre-enrolment before the applicant can book a visa appointment at the competent Italian consulate. Each public university sets and publishes its own annual quota of places available to non-EU visa applicants, renewed every year, so early application matters.

The main academic year runs from around late September or October to the following summer, with a smaller number of programmes also admitting students at a February start. English test requirements vary by university and programme, generally set at B2 level under the Common European Framework, evidenced by IELTS, TOEFL or an equivalent certificate. Non-EU students holding a study permit can work up to 20 hours a week during their studies, and graduates of an Italian university can apply for a residence permit to look for work after finishing their degree.