Италия is located in Southern Europe and is situated on a large peninsula that resembles the shape of a boot. It is surrounded by water on three sides — the
Adriatic Sea, the
Tyrrhenian Sea, and the
Ionian Sea.
Италия is a mountainous country — the
Alps rise in the north, and the
Apennines run along its entire length. The country is also home to famous volcanoes such as
Vesuvius and
Etna. Additionally, within
Италия, there are two small independent states:
San Marino and
Vatican City.
ЕCONOMY
Италия is one of the most developed economies in Europe and the world. The country is well known for producing high-quality goods. Some of its most advanced industries include fashion and design — home to internationally renowned brands such as
Gucci,
Prada, and
Armani; automobile manufacturing — with
Ferrari,
Lamborghini, and
Fiat; as well as a well-developed agriculture sector — producing wheat, grapes, olives, and more. Italy exports large quantities of pasta, olive oil, cheeses, and wine. Tourism is also highly developed — millions of visitors each year come to
Rome,
Milan,
Venice,
Florence,
Capri, and the
Amalfi Coast.
УЧЕБНИ ЗАВЕДЕНИЯ
For many years,
Италия was underestimated as a destination for higher education, as many people mainly associated it with holidays, pasta, and fashion. However,
Italian public universities rank among the most prestigious in Europe and globally for various fields and disciplines.
The
Университет на Болоня, the oldest university in the world, is known as a
European Ivy League because all of its faculties are listed among the top 100 universities worldwide.
Sapienza University of
Rome is another leading Italian public university, holding prestigious positions in global rankings:
first in the world for humanities, such as history; 78th for computer science; and within the top 100 for engineering and medicine.
The
University of Milan is the most prestigious public university in the
Milan area, ranked among the
top 80 in the world for medicine and pharmacy, and within the top 100 for law.
Closely following is
Politecnico di Milano, which specializes intensely in
engineering and architecture, ranked in the top 7 and top 20 in the world for these fields, respectively. This urban leader in technical education and sciences is challenged by the
Politecnico di Torino — among the world leaders in fields such as
architecture (Top 20), civil engineering (Top 39), and technology (Top 60).
An excellent example from smaller cities is the
University of Padua, ranked in the
top 60 for psychology and within the top 100 for veterinary sciences.
Among private universities, the most prestigious in
Италия is
Bocconi, which is a dream for future economists and finance specialists, ranked in the
top 10 in the world for economics and business. The
University of Luiss in
Rome holds the prestigious
25th place worldwide for international relations and political science, as well as within the
top 60 for business management. For students seeking careers in creative and arts disciplines, private academies such as
NABA, Marangoni, Florence, and IED are among the most prestigious higher education institutions in the world
for design and arts.
PROGRAMS & SPECIALITIES
Италия ranks second in Europe in the variety and number of study programs offered in English. The number is increasing annually, and besides popular fields like Business, Architecture, Design, and Engineering, students can also study more specialized disciplines such as Genomics, Sustainable Development, Digital Management, and many others.
Италия is the leader in Europe for the number of universities offering Medical degrees, with over 15 top institutions providing this specialty in English. In comparison, the
Нидерландия has only 2, Spain around 3-4 private universities offering medicine in English, and in
Германия,
Австрия,
Франция,
Дания,
Белгия, and the
Scandinavian countries, there are no leading universities offering full programs in medicine in English.
Not only does
Италия offer a wide range of medical programs in English, but
at least four Italian universities are ranked within the top 100 in the world for the best medical schools. This makes Italy one of the most attractive and preferred destinations for international students seeking high-quality education and a global career in healthcare.
DURATION OF DEGREES
Bachelor’s degree — 3 years
Master’s degree — 1 to 2 years
There are also the so-called one-cycle degrees, such as Pharmacy and Medicine, where the bachelor’s and master’s degrees are combined into a single integrated program.
APPLICATION PROCESS & REQUIREMENTS
Application to Italian public universities is highly different from the process in other European countries and is primarily based on
entrance exams rather than school grades or diplomas. Your success depends on the points scored on the specialized entrance test, which varies depending on the chosen field of study. Usually, for areas such as
- Business, Economics, Finance, Politics, Law, and International Relations, the exam is either the SAT or TOLC-E;
- for Pharmacy and Biology, it is TOLC-F;
- for Компютърни науки и инженерство, it is either the SAT or TOLC-I;
- and for Медицина, it is IMAT.
The important thing is that
school diplomas and profile subjects, HL-s, A-levels do not influence the ranking, as the final score is determined entirely based on the entrance exam points. Additionally, Italians do not differentiate between the various types of high school diplomas; all are accepted as equivalent—including vocational diplomas.
Of course, besides the entrance exam, a language certificate is also required. For programs taught in
Italian, the CELI (Certificato di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana) is accepted, which is an official document certifying proficiency in Italian as a foreign language. For programs in English, the most recognized certificates are IELTS, TOEFL, and Cambridge (even FCE). Another characteristic requirement is that the
minimum language certificate level accepted is B2, not the standard C1 used in most countries. Regarding application deadlines, they vary from university to university, but the most common period is between March and September of the year you finish 12th grade.
TUITION FEES
In public universities, tuition fees vary within a fairly wide range, from approximately €2,000 to around €9,000 per year. A larger number of programs have fees in the range of €3,000 to €4,000.
ACCOMMODATION & HOUSING
University dormitories: In facilities organized directly by the university or by regional student agencies (e.g.,
DSU Toscana,
EDISU Piemonte, etc.), prices are more affordable, typically ranging from €200 to €400 per month. The rooms can be single or double, with shared kitchens and bathrooms. The advantage is that they are often close to universities and include utility costs. Spaces are limited and are often allocated based on social or academic criteria.
Private student accommodations offered by private companies usually have more modern rooms and often include amenities such as gyms, laundry facilities, and shared study or relaxation areas. Prices vary between €500 and €800 per month (depending on the city and room type).
These rentals are easier to obtain, without long waiting lists or competitions, but they tend to be more expensive. Apartments are the most common option, with prices heavily dependent on the city: most students share apartments with other students, each having their own room, while costs for utilities like electricity, water, internet, etc., are split.
- In Milan and Rome, prices range from €500 to €1,000;
- in Bologna, Florence, and Turin, from €350 to €700;
- and in smaller cities (Perugia, Padua, etc.), from €250 to €500.
