🇮🇹 Italy — university admissions for families from abroad

"2027 entry" means the academic year 2027/28, starting in September–October 2027.

1. At a glance

• Low public fees, set by family income: public universities charge roughly €0–4,000 a year depending on the family's income (ISEE). Private universities such as Bocconi cost much more. 🟡 [S3]
• Many English-taught programmes (600+ in total, mostly master's, but a growing number of bachelor's degrees at Politecnico di Milano, Bologna, Bocconi, Padua, Sapienza and others). 🟡 [S3]
• Apply directly to each university; non-EU applicants also complete a pre-enrolment on Universitaly with deadlines set by each university. 🟡 [S1]
• Medicine in English via the IMAT national test (late September; 3,792 places in 2026); the 2025 "filter semester" reform concerns Italian-taught medicine, not the IMAT. 🟡 [S2]
• Politecnico di Milano 98th worldwide (QS 2026), Italy's first top-100 university; Sapienza 128th. 🟡 [S5]
• Non-EU students need a study visa (type D) with proof of funds (reported at €10,179.85 a year from 2026/27). ⚠️ [S1]

2. The system

• About 100 universities: large public universities (Bologna, Sapienza Rome, Padua, Milan, Turin, Naples Federico II, Pisa), polytechnics (Politecnico di Milano, Politecnico di Torino) and private universities (Bocconi, LUISS, Cattolica, Humanitas for medicine).
• **Bachelor's degree (laurea triennale): 3 years**; master's (laurea magistrale) 2 years; single-cycle degrees of 5–6 years for medicine, law, architecture, pharmacy.
• Admission: many programmes are open; others have limited places with an admission test (TOLC tests by CISIA, university-specific tests, the SAT at some English-taught programmes, IMAT for medicine). 🟡 [S3]

3. How to apply

1. Choose programmes and check each one's admission test and deadline (many English-taught programmes run early application rounds from autumn to spring). ⚠️
2. Apply on the university's portal (documents, test scores, sometimes a motivation letter).
3. Non-EU applicants: complete the pre-enrolment on Universitaly, then apply for the study visa at the Italian consulate. Each university sets its pre-enrolment deadline. 🟡 [S1]
4. Diploma recognition: depending on the country, a "declaration of value" (DoV) or a CIMEA statement of comparability may be required. ⚠️
5. Medicine in English: register for the IMAT (registration in summer, test in late September; scored out of 90, minimum 20 for EU candidates). 🟡 [S2]

4. Timeline (2027/28 entry)

Mirrored in deadlines tool.

5. Entry requirements for foreign qualifications

• A secondary diploma that gives university access in its country after at least 12 years of schooling is generally required; the IB, French bac, Abitur and A levels are accepted. ⚠️
• US diploma: often needs APs or a year of college to reach 12 years of equivalent schooling. ⚠️
• Selective programmes use test scores (TOLC, SAT, IMAT) and grades. 🟡 [S3]
• Admission benchmarks (used by the chances tool): IMAT 2025, EU applicants, score of the last candidate placed at the first allocation: Milano Statale 66.2, Bologna 61.2, Pavia 60.5; last place nationally 54.8 (1,149th). Later allocations lowered the minimums slightly. 🟡 [S6]

6. Language requirements

• English-taught programmes: B2 (IELTS ~6.0–6.5 or equivalent); Politecnico di Milano lists IELTS 6.5 for some programmes. 🟡 [S3] ⚠️
• Italian-taught programmes: Italian B2 (often tested by the university). ⚠️

7. Costs

8. Funding and financial aid

• Regional "right to study" (DSU) scholarships, means-tested, open to international students (cover fees, meals and sometimes housing). ⚠️
• University merit scholarships for international students (e.g. Bocconi, Politecnico). ⚠️

9. Visas and immigration

• EU citizens: no visa; register residence if staying over 3 months.
• Non-EU: type D study visa after Universitaly pre-enrolment; then the permesso di soggiorno (residence permit) within 8 days of arrival. Proof of funds, accommodation and health insurance are required. 🟡 [S1] ⚠️
• Work during studies: up to 20 hours a week for non-EU students. ⚠️

10. Traps and tips for cross-border families

1. Check each programme's test and deadline: there's no single calendar; English-taught places at top universities fill in early rounds.
2. IMAT is competitive but cheap and in English: a real option for medicine for EU families.
3. Bureaucracy takes time: diploma recognition (DoV/CIMEA), Universitaly, visa and residence permit. Start early.
4. Fees depend on documenting income (ISEE): without it, students pay the top band.
5. Housing in Milan and Bologna is tight: apply for residences early.

11. Open questions / to verify

• Official 2027 deadlines at Politecnico di Milano, Bologna, Bocconi, Padua (English-taught bachelor's). ⚠️
• IMAT 2027 decree (dates, places) once published by MUR. ⚠️ [S2]
• Official proof-of-funds amount (ministry document) and work-hour rule. ⚠️ [S1]
• Fee bands for international students at the main public universities; Bocconi fees. ⚠️
• Recognition route (DoV vs CIMEA) by country. ⚠️

12. For parents: is Italy right for my child?

• Strong in: engineering, architecture and design (Politecnico di Milano 98th worldwide), business and economics (Bocconi), medicine in English (IMAT), humanities. 🟡
• Why families choose it: low public fees, English-taught options, rich culture and quality of life, and EU-recognised degrees (including medicine).
• Budget: public university about €11,000–20,000 a year including living costs (≈ €33,000–60,000 for a 3-year degree); private universities much more. See How much will it cost?.
• Best for: EU families on a moderate budget; students targeting medicine in English, design or engineering; students open to learning Italian.
• Think twice if: the family needs a simple, centralised process (each university differs), or the child dislikes bureaucracy.
• More: choosing a country · what are my chances? · fields of study · all guides

Sources

All checked on 2026-10-19.