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Universities in Italy

Located in Southern Europe, With rich history and culture, affordable living costs and tuition fees, wonderful food and a high standard of education, it is no surprise that Italy is a popular destination for international students.

Read more about studying in Italy as an international student.

The types of university

The majority of Italian universities are state funded, public universities. There are also several private universities, and Superior Graduate Schools (Scuola Superiore Universitaria), which specialize in postgraduate education.

Popular Italian cities for students

Some of the most popular cities for international students include:

  • Rome – The capital of Italy, with over 20 universities for international students
  • Milan – In northern Italy, with over 10 universities for international students
  • Florence – Capital of the region of Tuscany, with over 5 universities
  • Bologna – In northern Italy, with 4 universities
  • Venice – Capital of the Veneto region, with over 5 universities

The top universities in Italy

Italy is home to several of the world’s top universities, with programmes taught in English, making it a very attractive location for international students.

This includes 8 universities that appear in the Time Higher Education world university rankings, including: University of Bologna, University of Padua, Politecnico di Milano and Humanitas University.

Table of the top ranked universities in Italy

UniversityTimes Higher Education World University Ranking 2024Best Global UniversitiesQS World University Ranking
University of Bologna155122154
Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa168

Sapienza University of Rome181125134
University of Padua201–250115219
Politecnico di Milano201–250297123
Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies – Pisa201–250

Humanitas University251–300472
Vita-Salute San Raffaele University251–300314595
University of Milan
156276
University of Naples Federico II
185335

We have compiled a list of some of the top universities and higher education providers in Italy to browse below. Click on universities you are interested in below to read more and to see what courses are available for international students.

Highlighted courses in Italy

Geological Sciences BSc

Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Italy

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MEDTEC School MD

Humanitas University, MEDTEC School Italy

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Medicine and Surgery MD

Humanitas University, Medicine and Surgery Italy

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Master in Design for Mobility Solutions Master Degree

IAAD. - Institute of Applied Art and Design Italy

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Italian Language Courses in Sicily Certificate, Summer Course, Winter School

The Italian Academy Italy

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