Besides the academic challenge, one of the main reasons to study abroad is the opportunity to travel the world. For that, choosing an ideal vacation destination can be a great decision. While Italy provides the perfect holiday trip, it’s also home to some of the world’s oldest universities offering computer science degrees. It means you’ll be closer to fulfilling your academic and career aspirations.
To help you plan for your stay in your studies, know that an undergraduate degree usually lasts three years and a master’s for two years. Since you’ll be staying in the country for quite some time, choose the best universities for computer science in Italy.
Top Schools Offering Computer Science in Italy
1. Sapienza University of Rome
The Sapienza University of Rome opened in 1303, making it one of the oldest universities in Europe and the oldest in Rome. With over 700 years of history, this top computer science university in Italy also became the largest in the continent. It has over 120,000 students, with more than 11,000 international enrollees. According to the 2024 QS World University Rankings, it is among the top 150 universities worldwide.
Sapienza is also one of the top destinations for this field’s degrees in Italy, having landed in 71st place in the QS Computer Science and Information Systems ranking in 2024. If you want to study undergraduate programs in this field, you can take the Bachelor’s in Applied Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. The school also offers master’s and Ph.D. programs in Italian or English.
2. University of Pisa
The University of Pisa is one of the best universities for computer science in Italy, dating back to 1343. One of its notable alums is mathematician and astronomer Galileo Galilei. By choosing this institution for your degree, you’ll be enrolling in the alma mater of physicists and Nobel Prize winners Enrico Fermi and Carlo Rubbia.
Besides its excellence-driven history, this Italian school offers high-quality education, as proven by its QS World Rankings in Computer Science in 2024. The university placed within the top 150, making it one of the country’s top choices for this field. It also offers an undergraduate program in computer science taught in Italian.
Meanwhile, its English-taught master’s program allows you to choose a specialization, such as artificial intelligence, big data technologies, software programming, principles and technologies, or ICT solutions architect. It also offers a three-year Ph.D. in Computer Science program in collaboration with the University of Siena and the University of Florence.
3. University of Milan
The University of Milan is among Italy’s top universities for a computer science degree. This school, founded in 1924, is relatively young compared to other higher education institutions in the country. Yet, you’ll find one of the top-caliber academic services and extensive research facilities here. As one of the largest in Europe, UNIMI boasts around 60,000 students and more than 2,000 teaching and research professionals.
Its Milan campus showcases historical buildings, botanical buildings, and the Brera Astronomical Observatory. The university has over 500,000 square meters of land, with over 350 classrooms and 200 teaching and computer laboratories. It is also listed as one of the top 50 universities worldwide in the 2024 QS World Rankings in Computer Science.
Its undergraduate program in said field is taught in Italian and requires the completion of courses in computer programming, discrete mathematics, and continuum mathematics. Meanwhile, the master’s and Ph.D. degree programs are taught in English, with some classes in Italian. Completing the master’s program earns you an international-title double degree.
4. University of Padua
The University of Padua joins the list of top universities for computer science in Italy. Founded in 1222, it is one of the five oldest in Italy and the world’s longest-surviving schools. Its extensive academic and research history makes it among the top 250 universities worldwide. As an international student, you’ll find that this Italian school is quite welcoming.
After all, since its establishment in 1922, it has accepted students from various countries. You’ll even see the first university botanical garden here, built in 1545 and now considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since you’re looking to join a highly technological field, it can offer you a reprieve from modernity to enjoy nature.
You can choose between a bachelor’s and a master’s computer science degree, depending on your qualifications. Like the other universities in this list, the undergraduate program is taught in Italian, while the other uses English language instruction. Some courses in the master’s program include advanced web technologies, cryptography and security, machine learning, and data mining, which are significant in today’s tech world.
5. University of Trento
The University of Trento is another excellent institution in Italy where students can study computer science. Since its foundation in 1962, the school has achieved significant breakthroughs in academic areas, such as didactics, international relations, and research. According to recent reports, it has enrolled over 16,000 students and around 600 professors and teaching staff.
Its departments are in three areas: the center of Trento, the Hill, and Rovereto. The Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science is among the departments on the hill, along with physics, mathematics, and industrial engineering. Despite the location division, you’ll find various facilities and services anywhere in the three areas. These include libraries, study areas, and computer classrooms.=
You can also choose from its two computer science programs: bachelor’s and master’s. You’ll need a solid Italian language proficiency to take an undergraduate degree, but the graduate and postgraduate programs are taught in English.
It’s no surprise that computer science is a famous field today because of the rapid advancements in society’s technology. That’s why the demand for this study’s professionals is consistently high, with diverse career opportunities to grow significantly over the next decade. So, if you want to pursue computer science as a profession, consider studying in Italy’s best universities offering this field, as listed above.
We hope this article on the best universities for computer science in Italy was helpful. If you want to pursue a degree in this country or Europe, make sure to check out our Italy Page and some of the Available Programs for International Students in Europe!
