MyCollab
Country guide

Study in Italy

Everything an international student needs to apply to a Italy university: grading scale, fees, language tests, visa proof, top universities, and deadlines.

Grading scale

0 – 30

18 is the minimum pass; 30 cum laude (30L) is the highest honour

Convert your grades

Application requirements

Application fees

Most public universities: €30–€156 application/enrollment fee. Universitaly portal is free.

Language tests

Italian-taught programmes typically require CILS / CELI B2. English-taught programmes: IELTS 6.0–6.5 / TOEFL iBT 80–90.

Cost & visa proof

Estimated tuition, accommodation, living costs, and the visa financial proof requirement — by city and university type.

Open Study Cost Estimator

Top universities in Italy

Ranking source: QS World University Rankings & Times Higher Education 2024 (where noted). Links go to each university's official admissions page.

UniversityCityRankingAdmissions
University of BolognaBolognaQS 154Open
Politecnico di MilanoMilanQS 111Open
Sapienza University of RomeRomeQS 134Open
University of PaduaPaduaQS 219Open
Bocconi UniversityMilanQS 9 (Business)Open
Sant'Anna School of Advanced StudiesPisaTHE 197Open
Scuola Normale SuperiorePisaTHE 153Open
University of Milan (Statale)MilanQS 308Open
University of PisaPisaQS 349Open
Politecnico di TorinoTurinQS 252Open

Application timeline

Autumn (Sep–Oct start)

Typical window

Nov – Jun preceding the start; Universitaly opens Oct

Spring (Feb start, limited)

Typical window

Jul – Oct preceding year

Individual programmes vary. Always confirm on the target university's official admissions page.

Cost of living (per month)

Bologna

€800 – €1,200

Milan

€1,000 – €1,500

Rome

€900 – €1,300

Florence

€850 – €1,200

Indicative all-in ranges for student accommodation, food, transport, and basic utilities. Personal lifestyle and accommodation type swing these significantly.

Common questions

What is 30 cum laude (30L)?+
30L (trenta e lode) is the highest possible mark in the Italian system: a 30 with distinction, given when an examiner considers the performance outstanding. MyCollab treats 30L as a normalized 1.0.
Do I need a declaration of value (DoV)?+
Yes for non-EU applicants — a Dichiarazione di Valore (DoV) from the Italian consulate in your home country, or a CIMEA Statement of Comparability for many EU systems. Start the process at least 3 months before submitting your application.
Are there tuition fees?+
Public universities are means-tested: tuition typically ranges from €0 (for low-income students) to ~€3,000 / year, calculated from family ISEE / ISEEU. Private universities (Bocconi, LUISS, Cattolica) charge €13,000–€16,000 / year.
How does Universitaly work?+
Universitaly is the central pre-application portal for non-EU applicants to Italian universities. You submit a pre-application there, then the embassy forwards your file to the university and processes your visa once accepted.

Next steps

Convert your grades

Use the My Grades tool to translate your transcript into the italian scale.

Plan your application

Personalised application checklist for Italy at every degree level.

See related conversions

Every conversion involving the italian grading scale, in one place.