Before we begin listing the top 10 best public universities in Italy for International students, here is a quick summary of Italy and it’s academics.
Italy is known for its diverse landscapes, and astonishing architecture. It has a great number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, rich with renaissance art, and home to world-famous musicians. In addition, Italians are generally friendly and generous people.
In terms of education, Italy has played a vital role in upholding the Bologna Process, the reform of European higher education. Universities in Italy are among the oldest in Europe and the world. These Universities are not just old but also are innovative universities.
In this article, we included frequently asked questions by international students who are curious about studying in public universities in this country. We have taken time to answer these questions, and as you progress reading, you will find out interesting facts about the top 10 best public universities in Italy for international students that are listed here.
These Universities are not just cheap but also engage in quality education and have programs taught in English. So below are the questions asked by international students.
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions by International Students on Public Universities in Italy
1. Do Public Universities In Italy Offer Quality Education?
Public Universities in Italy have vast experience in education. This is as a result of their years of experience as they are the oldest universities in the world.
Their degrees are respected and acknowledged across the globe and majority of them ranks among popular ranking platforms like the QS rankings, and the THE rankings.
2. Is Studying in a Public University in Italy Free?
They are not mostly free but they are affordable, ranging from €0 to €5,000.
Scholarships and grants are also given by the government to outstanding students or students in need for funding. All you have to do is to find out what scholarships that are available in your University and apply if you have the requirements.
3. Are there Accommodations Available for Students in Public Universities in Italy?
Unfortunately, there are no university dormitories or student residence halls in many Italian universities. However, some of these schools have external accommodation that they offer students for certain amounts which are also affordable.
What you have to do is to contact the international office of your University or the Italian embassy to find out the halls of residence or student apartments that are available.
4. How Many Public Universities are there in Italy?
There are around 90 universities in Italy, of which the majority of these universities are publicly funded i.e they are public universities.
5. How Easy is it to get into a Public University in Italy?
Although some courses don’t require an admission test, most of them do and they can be quite selective. Acceptance rates vary among universities with public universities having higher rates. This means they accept students faster and in large numbers than private universities in Italy.
10 Best Public Universities in Italy for International Students
1. University of Bologna (UNIBO)
Average Tuition Fee: €23,000
Location: Bologna, Italy
About University:
The University of Bologna is the world’s oldest university, and it was founded in 1088. As of today, the university has 232 degree programs. 84 of these are international, and 68 are taught in English language.
Some of the courses include medicine, mathematics, hard sciences, economics, engineering, and philosophy. It has excellent research activities, making it come top among the list of 10 best public universities in Italy for international students.
UNIBO has five campuses scattered across Italy, and a branch in Buenos Aires. International students are sure of having a great learning experience with high quality academic services, sports facilities, and student clubs.
Here is more information about the tuition fee in UNIBO, which you can check out to know more.
2. Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies (SSSA / Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna de Pisa)
Average Tuition Fee: €7,500
Location: Pisa, Italy
About University:
The Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies is one of the best public universities in Italy for international students and it is a leading model of a Superior Graduate School (grandes écoles). This university is known for advanced teaching, innovative research and has a very competitive admission process.
The fields of study in this school are mainly social sciences (for instance, business and economics) and experimental sciences (for example, medical and industrial sciences).
This excellent university ranks in various platforms internationally, especially young university rankings. The economics course that is studied in this institution is outstanding in the whole of Italy, and the Specialized Graduate Study is gaining much attention internationally.
Get more information on the tuition fees that are available in this school
3. Scuola Normale Superiore (La Normale)
Average Tuition Fee: Free
Location: Pisa
About University:
Scuola Normale Superiore is an Italian university that was founded by Napoleon in the year, 1810. La Normale ranked first in Italy on the Teaching category in several rankings.
The Ph.D. program that has now been adopted by every university in Italy was started by this university far back in 1927.
As one of the top 10 best universities in Italy for international students, Scuola Normale Superiore provides programs in humanities, mathematical & natural sciences, and political & social sciences. The admission process of this university is very rigorous, but the students who get accepted do not pay any fees.
The la Normale has campuses in the cities of Pisa and Florence.
Get more information on tuition fees in La Normale and why it is free.
4. Sapienza University of Rome (Sapienza)
Average Tuition Fee: €1,000
Location: Rome, Italy
About University:
Sapienza University is a renowned university in Rome and is one of the oldest in the world. Since the year, 1303 in which it was founded, Sapienza has hosted a lot of notable historical figures, Nobel Prize winners, and key players in Italian politics.
The model of teaching and research which it has adopted presently has placed the institution among the top 3% in the world. Classics & Ancient History, and Archaeology are some of its significant subjects. The university has recognisable research contributions in biomedical sciences, natural sciences, humanities, and engineering.
Sapienza attracts over 1,500 international students every year. In addition to its noble teachings, it is known for its historical library, 18 museums, and the School of Aerospace Engineering.
You can get to know more about the respective tuition fees that are available depending on the course which you choose to study in this school
5. University of Padua (UNIPD)
Average Tuition Fee: €2,501.38
Location: Padua
About University:
The University of Padua, comes fifth in our list of 10 public universities in Italy for international students. It was originally created as a school of law and theology in 1222 by a group of scholars to pursue more academic freedom.
Presently, the university has 8 schools with 32 departments.
It offers degrees that are broad and multidisciplinary, ranging from Information Engineering to Cultural Heritage to Neurosciences. UNIPD is a member of the Coimbra Group, an international league of research universities.
Its main campus is in the city of Padua and is home to its medieval buildings, library, museum, and a university hospital.
Here is a detailed grouping of tuition fees of various departments in this educational institution.
6. University of Florence
Average Tuition Fee: €1,070
Location:Â Florence, Italy
About University:
The University of Florence is an Italian public research university founded in 1321 and located in Florence, Italy. It comprises of 12 schools and has about 60,000 students enrolled.
It is among the top 10 best public universities in Italy for international students and it is quite famous as it ranks high in the top 5% of the best universities of the world.
It is known for the following programs: Arts and Humanities, Engineering and Technology, Life Sciences and Medicine, Natural Science, Social Sciences and Management, Physics, Chemistry.
Get to know more about your chosen course and the tuition fee attached to it
7. University of Trento (UniTrento)
Average Tuition Fee: €5,287
Location: Trento
About University:
The University of Trento began as a social science institute in the year, 1962 and it is the first to create the Faculty of Sociology in Italy. As time went by, it expanded into physics, mathematics, psychology, industrial engineering, biology, economics, and law.
This top university in Italy presently has 10 academic departments and several doctoral schools. UniTrento partners with educational institutions globally.
This university confirms its first-class teaching by coming first in several international university rankings, especially in Young Universities rankings and the Microsoft Academic Ranking which recognized its computer science department.
Need more information about the tuition fees of UniTrento? Feel free to check it by using that link above
8. University of Milan (UniMi / La Statale)
Average Tuition Fee: €2,403
Location: Milan, Italy
About University:
The University of Milan is a leading public research university in Italy for international students with over 64,000 students in population, making it one of the largest universities in Europe. It comprises of 10 faculties, 33 departments and 53 research centers.
UniMi provides high quality education and is widely known in sociology, philosophy, political science, and law. It is also the only institution in Italy that is involved in the 23-member League of European Research Universities.
The university implements comprehensive strategies that is aimed to increase its current 2000 international students.
Want to know more about the tuition fees regarding your field of study? You can get more information about the tuition fee in this school
9. University of Milano-Bicocca (Bicocca / UNIMIB)
Average Tuition Fee: €1,060
Location: Milan, Italy
About University:
The University of Milano-Bicocca is a young and future-oriented university founded in 1998. Its courses include Sociology, Psychology, Law, Sciences, Economics, Medicine & Surgery, and Educational Sciences. The research in Bicocca covers a wide range of topics with a cross-disciplinary approach.
The UI GreenMetric World University Rankings awarded this university for its environmental sustainability efforts. It is also respected for operating the Marine Research and High Education Center in the Maldives, which studies marine biology, tourism science, and environmental science.
To know more about the tuition fee in UNIMIB, you can check out that link and find out the fee allocated to your chosen area of study.
10. Politecnico di Milano (PoliMi)
Average Tuition Fee: €3,898.20
Location: Milan
About University:
The Polytechnic University of Milan is the largest technical university found in Italy and is dedicated to engineering, design, and architecture.
From the QS World University Rankings results in 2020, the university came 20th in Engineering & Technology, ranked 9th for Civil & Structural Engineering, it came 9th for Mechanical Aerospace Engineering, 7th for Architecture, and ranked 6th for Art & Design.
Check out more information about the tuition fee in this technical school.
Requirements and Documents to Study in Any Public University in Italy for International Students
There are some requirements which must be met in order to get admitted or enrolled into one of these 10 best public universities in Italy for International Students.
These requirements are as follows:
- For postgraduate students, he/she must hold a foreign bachelor degree while for undergraduate students, he/she must hold a high school diploma.
- English or Italian language proficiency is needed depending on the program the student is applying for. TOEFL and IELTS are the generally accepted English exams.
- Some programs require particular scores which must be obtained in specific subjects
- Some of these universities also have entrance exams for different programs which the student must pass in order to get admitted.
These are general requirements listed above. More requirements may be laid out by the institution on applying.
Documents Needed to Study at Public Universities in Italy
There are also documents which are required and must be submitted before Admission. These documents includes;
- Passport photographs
- Travel passport showing data page.
- Academic certificates (diplomas and degrees)
- Academic Transcripts
You should note that these documents must be authenticated by the regulatory body of the country.
We hope this article was not only helpful to you but also, you got the right information you are looking for and your questions were well answered.