The Italian education system is composed of 127 universities, 14 national research centers, and 145 higher education institutions in arts, dance, and music (referred to as alta formazione artistica e musicale or AFAM).
The 2019 Times Higher Education World University Rankings ranked 27 Italian universities among the top 500 universities in the world. According to the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research, approximately 100,000 international students were pursuing degree programs in 2017-2018. Italy is the second leading destination country in the world for US students studying abroad, only after the UK, according to IIE’s 2019 Open Doors Report.
Bachelor’s degrees are known as laurea, or first cycle degrees, and last three years. A high school diploma is the common requirement for admission to a first cycle degree. Students who are interested in continuing their studies can pursue a master’s degree or laurea magistrale, which may be required for work in certain fields. These programs typically last two years.
For some subjects (i.e., law, medicine and surgery, veterinary science, dentistry and dental prostheses, pharmacy, chemistry and pharmaceutical technology, architecture, building engineering, and primary education sciences) there is a common study path without division between bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Called a single cycle master’s degree (laurea magistrale a ciclo unico), such programs can last from five to six years depending on the subject. To be admitted, students need to have a high school diploma and meet other subject-specific criteria. For example, applicants for medicine, veterinary science, and dentistry (which are numerus clausus programs—a process used to manage enrollment size), must pass a national exam that can be in Italian or English, and which takes place on the same day and time at all Italian universities. The results are valid at the national level.
For some subjects (i.e., law, medicine and surgery, veterinary science, dentistry and dental prostheses, pharmacy, chemistry and pharmaceutical technology, architecture, building engineering, and primary education sciences) there is a common study path without division between bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Called a single cycle master’s degree (laurea magistrale a ciclo unico), such programs can last from five to six years depending on the subject. To be admitted, students need to have a high school diploma and meet other subject-specific criteria. For example, applicants for medicine, veterinary science, and dentistry (which are numerus clausus programs—a process used to manage enrollment size), must pass a national exam that can be in Italian or English, and which takes place on the same day and time at all Italian universities. The results are valid at the national level.
Most courses are taught in Italian, but many courses are also offered in English. An international student can choose to apply to a course fully taught in English or fully taught in Italian. Applicants to English courses may be required to submit an English proficiency certificate. For courses taught in Italian, international students have to pass an Italian language exam to be admitted.
Regular tuition fees for EU and non-EU students depend on the student’s family income and on the program. On average, public institutions charge 900 to 4,000 euros per year; private institutions charge 6,000 to 20,000 euros per year, not including living expenses and books.
In some cases, students need to pay the first installment in advance. The tuition fees may be covered by institutional merit-based scholarships offered annually to talented international students.
To be admitted to an Italian university, international students have to demonstrate academic eligibility for university study in their country of origin. Examples include a US high school diploma or an IB diploma. Students can apply before completing high school, but will need to submit the official, original documents once they are received.
Demonstration of Italian language skills is mandatory for enrolling in courses taught in Italian. If a course is entirely taught in English, students will be required to prove their command of the English language. Always check with Italian institutions as to whether a student’s English studies are sufficient to meet this requirement. In these cases, an Italian language test is not required.
If you are considering taking the combination of AP and IB courses in grades 11-12, then check university requirements carefully. University admission for students taking the combination of AP and IB courses can be more challenging than for those students taking only IB Diploma or students taking only AP courses in grades 11-12.
Applications are made directly to each institution. Deadlines, required documents, language certificates, etc., can vary across Italian institutions. Some may require students to participate in an interview using an online communication tool.
Medicine, veterinary science, architecture, health care professions, and primary education sciences are courses of study with restricted admission because the number of applicants is greater than the number of spots available in the course of study. Each year, the Italian Ministry of Education establishes a quota for the number of international students who can be admitted.
Upon acceptance, each higher education institution will provide admitted students with useful information about next steps, such as documents to translate or to have authenticated through Italian diplomatic representatives at their local consulate or embassy.
Once students arrive in Italy, they need to bring all the documents released and sealed by the Italian representatives to their university to finalize enrollment. Before enrolling in an Italian university, international students pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree must complete a pre-enrollment process through the Italian diplomatic representatives in the student’s home country. This is different from having a letter of acceptance and enrolling at the university. This process must be completed before applying for a student visa. Usually, this procedure starts in March and finishes in July.
A Star Future English Taught Programs in Europe
Universitaly Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research
Uni-Italia - A nonprofit organization that supports the internationalization of Italian higher education institutions, with offices located at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Also use the sites listed on the Other European countries page to search for programs in Italy