As home to some of the oldest universities in the world, Italy is a great choice for individuals who wish to study abroad. Whether you’re interested in taking a Laurea (bachelor’s), Laurea Magistrate (master’s), or Dottorato di Ricerca (Ph.D.), Italy’s notable universities can help you improve your knowledge and skills at a cost you can afford.
In this article, we will be looking at the cheapest universities in Italy for international students.
Affordable Schools in Italy for International Students
1. University of Florence
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: from €156/year in mandatory charges for eligible students; total fees vary by income, status, and program (undergraduate and graduate)
The University of Florence, one of the cheapest universities in Italy for international students, is a public educational institution based in Florence, Italy. Founded in 1321 as a Studium Generale, the university has grown into a major public university with academic facilities across Florence and the surrounding area.
UniFi is currently organized into 10 schools and 21 departments. These cover fields such as agriculture, architecture, economics and management, education, engineering, law, medicine, psychology, political science, the sciences, and the humanities.
With its long academic history and wide range of programs, UniFi remains a strong option for overseas students planning to study in Italy.
2. University of Milan
- Admissions | Tuition Fees | Scholarships
- Tuition Fees: from €156 for the first installment; total annual fees vary by citizenship, income documentation, and program (undergraduate and graduate)
The University of Milan, known as UniMi or La Statale, was officially founded in 1924. Despite being younger than many Italian universities, it is recognized as one of the best universities in Italy.
Located across several sites in Milan, this affordable university in Italy is known for combining historic academic spaces with modern teaching and research facilities.
Its faculties and schools include Agricultural and Food Sciences, Humanities, Law, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Science and Technology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Exercise and Sport Sciences, Political, Economic and Social Sciences, and Linguistic and Cultural Mediation.
3. Polytechnic University of Turin
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: from €161/year in mandatory charges for eligible students; non-EU yearly comprehensive fees can range from €600 to €3,600 before applicable exemptions or reductions
The Polytechnic University of Turin was founded as the School for Engineers in 1859 and later became the Regio Politecnico di Torino in 1906. As Italy’s first engineering school and oldest polytechnic university, it has a long history in technical education.
Apart from being one of Italy’s best universities for technical fields, the Polytechnic University of Turin is highly regarded internationally, especially in engineering and technology.
Its academic programs focus on Engineering, Architecture, Design, and Urban Planning, with bachelor’s, master’s, Ph.D., and specialized postgraduate study paths.
The university draws international students to its English-taught programs and technical study areas. Please keep in mind that fees are subject to change based on your citizenship, income documentation, enrollment status, and preferred major.
4. University of Turin
- Admissions | Tuition Fees | Scholarships
- Tuition Fees: from €156/year for eligible students; annual fees vary by citizenship, income documentation, program, and exemptions (undergraduate and graduate)
The University of Turin is another one of Italy’s oldest educational institutions, having been founded in 1404 by a papal bull issued by Pope Benedict XIII. Given this rich history, it has cemented itself as one of the major public universities in Italy.
Today, the university offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs across many fields, including agriculture, business and management, economics, law, languages, medicine, pharmacy, psychology, the sciences, social sciences, and veterinary medicine.
The university has one of the biggest student populations in Italy, with more than 80,000 students and over 150 degree programs. It also offers degree programs taught in English at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
5. Ca’Foscari University of Venice
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: from €205/year for eligible students with ISEE and merit reductions; non-EU flat fees start from €700/year depending on citizenship category (undergraduate and graduate)
The Ca’Foscari University of Venice, which is one of Italy’s notable public institutions, was founded in 1868 as the Royal High School of Commerce. It has since developed into a university with a strong international profile.
Formerly the Royal High School of Commerce, this cheap university in Italy now has 8 departments: Economics; Philosophy and Cultural Heritage; Management; Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics; Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems; Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies; Asian and North African Studies; and Humanities.
The university is named after the Ca’ Foscari Palace on the Grand Canal, where the campus has been located since its establishment in the 19th century.
6. University of Camerino
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: from €456/year for non-EU citizens from eligible low- and developing-income countries; €556/year for other non-EU and extra-OECD students, and €956/year for EU and OECD students unless ISEE-U recalculation applies
The University of Camerino, or UniCam, is another one of the cheapest universities in Italy. Founded in 1336 as a Studium Generale, it was refounded by Pope Benedict XIII as the Universitas Studii Generalis in 1727.
Currently, UniCam is divided into five university schools: Architecture and Design; Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine; Pharmaceutical and Health Products; Law; and Science and Technology. These schools are spread across campuses in Camerino, Ascoli Piceno, Matelica, and San Benedetto del Tronto.
UniCam remains one of Italy’s smaller public universities, with a student-centered academic environment and a long history of teaching and research.
7. University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: from €159.67/year for eligible no-tax-area students; standard bachelor’s and master’s tuition estimates start from €660/year
One of Italy’s first universities, the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, can trace its roots back to 1175. Although its activities were reduced for a period between the 16th and 17th centuries, the university regained its academic prestige after the Court moved to Modena in 1772 and later developed into the modern University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.
Located in the administrative region of Emilia-Romagna, the university is organized into two schools and departments across the social sciences and humanities, health, science, life sciences, and technology. Its departments include Communication and Economics, Education and Humanities, Law, Studies on Language and Culture, Economics, Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Medical and Surgical Sciences, Chemical and Geological Sciences, Physics, Informatics and Mathematics, Life Sciences, Engineering, and Sciences and Methods for Engineering.
FAQs: Studying in Italy
What Are the General Requirements to Study in Italy?
Admission requirements depend on the university, program, level of study, and applicant’s country of education. In general, first-cycle applicants need an upper-secondary qualification that allows university entry in the issuing country and usually represents at least 12 years of schooling. Master’s applicants normally need a relevant bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Non-EU students who need a visa usually complete pre-enrollment through Universitaly, and universities may ask for translated or legalized documents, academic transcripts, a Declaration of Value or other comparability documents, and proof of Italian and/or English proficiency.
Do Universities in Italy Offer English-taught Programs?
As an international student considering higher education in Italy, you can find quality public university options at relatively affordable costs. However, tuition and fees can change by academic year, citizenship, ISEE or ISEE Parificato status, scholarships, and program, so always check each university’s official fees page before applying.
We hope this article on the Cheapest Universities in Italy will help you decide where to study. To learn more information on studying abroad, check out the Study in Italy and Available Programs in Europe for International Students pages.
