Hi Scholar, are you a high school graduate seeking to study in Italy as an international student? After careful and thorough research, I have developed the top universities in Italy for international students.
About Italy
Italy is a South-Central European country known for its numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Regarding education, It is known to have the oldest universities in Europe and the world. Also, after the education reform in 1999, education has turned around in Italy, making them a country of one of the best universities globally.
Furthermore, Italy is very rich with renaissance art and also home to world-famous musicians. Plus the fact that Italian is an amiable and welcoming set of people.
Is Italy comfortable studying as an international student?
Italy is not only comfortable but also one of the best countries to study in as an international student.
Firstly, the Italian education system is well respected and recognized by 42 countries of the world. This connotes that a degree earned in Italy is the same as the UK, France, Denmark, Sweden, and other European countries.
As an international student, you can easily bag a scholarship. The Italian Government, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, yearly offers scholarships to outstanding international students. Also, as an international student, you can subscribe to the “Invest Your Talent in Italy (IYT)”, a program that offers international students the opportunity to bring out themselves.
Also, many of the course programs are taught in English. However, it will be required for you to know the Italian language to fit well into the city.
Lastly, the Living costs in Italy are not very expensive as compared to depend on the city. The cost of living in any of the Italian towns ranges from 700 – 1000 euros monthly.
What is the average tuition fee of studying universities in Italy for international students?
In Italy, undergraduate programs at public institutions on an average scale costs between €900  and €4,000 per year. Also, Annual tuition fees at private Italian universities for international students range from €6,000 – €20,000
Can international students work while schooling in Italy?
Yes, international students can work while studying in Italy. For it to be possible, they must hold a work permit. But for students coming from EU/EEA counties, you don’t need a work permit to begin working.
However, as an international student, you cannot work more than 20 hours per week and 1040 hours per year.
Can international students stay back in Italy after graduation?
The only way you can stay back as an international student after graduation is to have a job. And to get a job needs a work permit.
To get a work permit, you must submit the following documents to the Immigration Law, called “Decreto Flussi” in Italy.
- A valid study permit
- Your housing contract, and
- The proof of your bank account.
After which you will choose the nature of the job you want to do. Whether it is paid employer-employee kind of job or you want to be self-employed.
Furthermore, The Immigration office will review your application against quotas for that year. Once reviewed and found satisfactory, you will be granted the work permit. It is usually for one year but can be renewed yearly as you work.
Universities in Italy for International StudentsTop Universities in Italy for International Students
Taking about the best universities in Italy for international students, The University of Bologna is regarded the best all over Italy. UNIBO, founded in 1088 is known as the world’s oldest university.  Currently, it has five campuses all over Italy, including a branch in Buenos Aires. Also, UNIBO offers about 232-degree programs that cover subjects like medicine, mathematics, economics, hard sciences, engineering, and philosophy Eighty-four of these courses are international and 68 are taught in English.
Also, it has excellent and tech-supported research centers where researches are carried out. In addition, The University offers cross-cultural competence programs in collaboration with the global community.
- University of Milano-Bicocca (Bicocca / UNIMIB)
The University of Milano-Bicocca is a young tech-oriented university in Milan and Monza. It is divided into several departments that deal with Sciences, Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Law, Medicine & Surgery, and Educational Sciences.
Bicocca education pattern is fashioned after an interdisciplinary approach that has transformed the Pirelli industrial complex into state-of-the-art learning facilities and research centers for international students.
The UI GreenMetric World University Rankings awarded Bicocca for its efforts on environmental sustainability.
Bicocca is best known and respected for its efforts in Marine Research and High Education Center in the Maldives, which includes course programs in tourism science, marine biology, and environmental science.
Tuition Fees
- Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies (SSSA / Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna de Pisa)
The Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna) is one of the top public universities in Italy for international students. It is located in Pisa in Tuscany, a region filled with vineyards and beaches. This institution is specifically known for advanced teaching and research. But its acceptance rate is low, thus making its admission highly competitive.
Additionally, it is one elite university whose studies “Economics” course is outstanding in Italy.  Also, it has one of the best graduate schools in Italy.
The institution focuses on social sciences courses, including business and economics, and practical sciences, including medical and industrial sciences.
Tuition Fees
Established in 1303, Sapienza University is regarded as one of the oldest universities in Rome and the world.
Sapienza is ranked among the top 3% best universities in the world. It is a leading institution in programs that deal in Classics & Ancient History and Archaeology. It has also offered research contributions in biomedical sciences, natural sciences, humanities, and engineering.
Sapienza is one of the best universities in Italy for international students as it is known to be the first university in Italy in the Academic Reputation category to attract over 1500 international students every year.
Furthermore, it is renowned for its 18 museums, a historical library, and the School of Aerospace Engineering.
- Scuola Normale Superiore (La Normale)
Napoleon established Scuola Normale Superiore in 1810 specifically for the training of teachers in the empire. But it has grown since then. It is also recognized as the first Italian institution to create a Ph.D. program back in 1927.
As one of the best Italian universities for international students, Scuola Normale Superiore offers degree programs in various fields, including mathematical & natural sciences, humanities, and political & social sciences.
However, admission to this university is difficult because it provides a tuition fee for education.
Tuition Fees
The University of Padua was initially founded as a school of law and theology in 1222 by a group of scholars that started a movement to pursue academic freedom.
Today, it has grown to be a full-fledged university with eight schools with 32 departments, including course programs like Information Engineering to Cultural Heritage to Neurosciences.
UNIPD is one of the best universities in Italy for international students as it is reckoned to be among the Coimbra Group, a global league of research universities.
Furthermore, the university runs the Padua Botanical Garden and Astronomical Observatory at Asiago. This makes it a perfect choice for those that want to good deep into research.
- University of Milan (UniMi / La Statale)
The University of Milan is one of the best public research universities in Italy for international students. It is the largest university in Europe, with a population of 64 000 students with a yearly acceptance rate of 2,000 international students.
The campus of La Statale has ten faculties, 33 departments, and 53 research centers, and it is renowned for its strength in sociology, philosophy, political science, and law.
Also, it is the only Italian institution included in the 23-member League of European Research Universities.
The campus of La Statale is also renowned for its notable historic buildings, botanical gardens, a rich archive, and the Brera Astronomical Observatory.
Tuition Fees
The Vita-Salute San Raffaele University is a private university that majorly deals with humanistic medicine that is divided into three schools; Medicine, Philosophy, and Psychology. These three faculties fortify the university’s tradition of humanistic therapy.
Additionally, it is ranked as the first university in Italy to be included in research citations in international journals.
Also, UniSA is well applauded for its exceptional primary care as earned through its affiliated medical institution, the “San Raffaele Hospital.”
Furthermore, UniSA offers an international MD program in English. And, it will interest you to know that the UniSA campus is a student-centered environment that provides high-quality research, teaching, sports, and living facilities.
The University of Trento was established as a social science institute in the year 1962. Â It is the first university to develop a Faculty of Sociology in Italy. Currently, it has expanded into having ten academic departments and several doctoral schools. Some of the course programs including industrial engineering, physics, mathematics, psychology, biology, economics, and law.
UniTrento currently is ranked among the best in the “Young Universities rankings” and “Microsoft Academic Ranking”, recognized and applauded by its computer science department.
- Politecnico di Milano (PoliMi)
The Polytechnic University of Milan is Italy’s largest technical university, solely focused on engineering, design, and architecture.
The QS World University Rankings 2020 ranked it No. 20 in Engineering & Technology globally. Also, No, 9 for Civil & Structural Engineering globally, No 9 for Mechanical Aerospace Engineering globally and No 7 for Architecture, and 6 for Art & Design globally.
PoliMi is affiliated with several leading European institutions from countries in North America and Southeast Asia.
To its honor, it has been accredited with 2000 patents and 700 inventions.
Tuition Fees
Conclusion: Universities in Italy for International Students
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