Due to the revamp in the country’s education system, Italy has gained a lot of international students in recent years. It is now one of the countries with the highest educational standards globally due to the government’s rising efforts in advancing academic infrastructure and research.
More than its world-class universities, Italy is also a mesmerizing country that offers the best foods and wines on the planet. It is also home to famous tourist spots in the world, which is why international students are eager to explore the rich history and culture of different Italian cities.
If you are interested in experiencing the university spirit in Italy, read below as we offer information about the tuition and other expenses you need to cover once you become an international student in Italy!
Cost of Studying in Italy
Academic Costs / Tuition Fees
Italy is home to the oldest universities in the world and already has a long history of high-quality education. What makes it attractive to international students is the country’s growing list of English-taught programs offered at affordable tuition fees.
University and tuition fees in Italy are lower than in most other European countries. Higher educational institutions have different takes on determining their tuition fees, but the Italian government has set fixed upper and lower limits on the fee structure.
Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna is one of the top-ranked universities in the country. Its full master’s programs cost an average of €7,500 per year, but international students from non-OECD countries may apply for partial tuition fee waivers. The University of Trento has a maximum of €10,000 for all its program offerings. However, international students can obtain fee waivers based on their admission scores. So the higher your score is, the lower your tuition fees will be.
The University of Bologna offers lesser tuition fees, ranging from €500 to €3,000 in all its courses. First-year students and students with low incomes who meet the merit requirements are exempted from paying the university’s tuition fees.
If you are inclined toward engineering and technology degree programs, you may also consider the Polytechnic University of Milan. Its tuition fees for non-EEA students run up to €3,891. However, this can be reduced if you apply to the university’s merit-based exemptions and scholarship programs.
The University of Siena is the most affordable in Italy, with an average tuition fee of €1,800 annually. Your tuition fee will be calculated based on your economic situation, which is why it is generally lower than other institutions.
Cost of Living in Italy
1. Rome
Rome, the capital of Italy, is the country’s most populated city. The cost of living in Italy varies geographically, so the living expenses in the state capital are expected to be higher than in other towns.
When living in Rome, a room may cost from €500 to €800 a month for an average student, depending on your location, amenities, and furnishing. Utility bills like gas, heating, and electricity, are approximated to be €30 to €70 monthly.
In terms of your food expenses, you can save up a lot when you personally buy in the supermarket, with a weekly budget of €40 to €50. A €300 monthly budget for food is already considered a comfortable student lifestyle in Rome.
2. Bologna
Bologna is the largest city in the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy and is the home of some of the country’s well-known pasta dishes, cheeses, and wines.
Accommodation is one of the main expenses of every international student who wishes to live in Bologna. A single room in a shared apartment has an average cost of €400 a month, excluding utilities. If you want a lesser rent, there are also shared room offers, which can cost up to €300 a month.
Transportation around the area is not expensive, with an approximation of €1.50 per ordinary ticket. You can also settle for a city pass to save more money where you get access to ten bus trips for only €14.
Including food and other essential living expenses, a student may have a budget range of €750 to €1,100 per month in Bologna.
3. Venice
Venice is in the northeastern part of Italy. It has the same average room rates as Rome and Bologna, but you can find much cheaper shared rooms in Venice, ranging from €200 to €250.
Groceries will cost you around €200 per month. However, if you want to eat in restaurants, it would not hurt since the average outdoor dinner will only cost you about €6 to €16.
In addition, students in Venice are eligible to apply for the Venezia Unica Card to take advantage of reduced fares for single tickets and monthly boat passes. To experience a pleasant living experience in Venice, you may need around €600 to €700 per month to cover your living costs.
4. Milan
Milan, the fashion capital of Italy, has five internationally renowned universities. This is why many international students consider Milan whenever they look for a place to stay.
Living in Milan will not cost you so much money compared to other cities. A single room in the city ranges between €300 to €550 per month. If you want a lower rental price, flat-sharing is the best option for you. For your utilities, most landlords do not include them in the rental fee. Prepare an additional cost of about €80 a month, depending on the size of your room.
For your food, you can set aside around €150 to €200 per month if you buy from local supermarkets.
You also will not worry about public transportation in Milan since it has buses, trains, Uber, car-sharing offers, taxis, etc. Regular transportation costs per month may reach up to €39.
5. Pisa
Pisa has a lower cost of living than other large cities in Italy. It depends on the size of the apartment or room you want, but the rent and utility bills range between €400 to €600 a month for an average student.
Pisa does not have big supermarkets for groceries, so you can only purchase supplies from small stores around the city. With that, your monthly grocery budget may start at a minimum of €40.
Since it is relatively small, there are 15 cycling stations and around 200 bikes in the city for bike-sharing, making traveling from one end of Pisa to the other pretty fast. If you prefer buses, a single ticket costs €1.30 and lasts an hour.
As read above, choosing a town to live in is as important as the university you choose to study at as an international student. Studying in Italy can be affordable because its universities’ tuition fees are lower than the other European universities. So, take your time to analyze the costs of studying and living in Italy through our lens.
We hope this article on the Cost of Studying and Living in Italy for International Students was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Study in Italy and Available Programs for International Students pages for more informative articles.
