It was a handful of students, almost eight centuries ago, who founded one of the first universities in Europe: 1222 marked the birth of the University of Padua, destined to welcome teachers such as Galileo Galilei and Andreas Vesalius, and students like Francesco Guicciardini and Carlo Goldoni.
Located in a strategic position in North East Italy, the University of Padua has a long tradition of international cooperation and participation in international networks of excellence, welcoming international students and scholars in a unique learning environment.
Traditionally a free-thinking and trail-blazing centre of education and research, Padua keeps faith with its historical motto: Universa universis patavina libertas, which means "Liberty of Padua, Universally and for All".
Find out more about the University of Padua
Today, Padua is a research university offering a comprehensive range of constantly updated study programmes and it is ranked among the first universities for the quality of its education. It is one of the most important higher education institution in Italy with about sixty thousand students, more than 2,000 teaching staff and more than 2,300 administrative staff.
Courses at the University of Padua are constantly updated in order to meet the ever-changing needs of the labour market.
The institution consists of 8 schools and 32 departments, offering mre than 120 Bachelor’s degrees, 139 Master’s degrees, 13 single-cycle degree programmes, 52 short-specialisation degree courses, 62 specialisation schools (mostly medical ones). For the academic year 2023/24 the University of Padua offers 7 Bachelor's degrees and 47 Master's degree (including the new single-cycle degree in Medicine and Surgery) completely held in English.
In addition, there are 1 university hospital, 1 veterinary hospital and 1 experimental farm.The research departments host 38 different doctoral programmes, many of which entirely held in English.
Highly motivated University students may also apply for admission to the Galilean School of Higher Education. After a demanding selection process, each year 30 students are chosen to attend the School’s high-level in-house courses and to use its special services. Up to 4 international students can be admitted following selection with public call for applications.
The University possesses an enormous wealth of freely available reading material including more than 2 million books kept in its 29 libraries and it has a museum tradition dating back to the 18th century, reflected in its 11 museums of various disciplines.
The University of Padua Alumni Association seeks to unite all UniPD graduates of whatever age, background, position and location within a community to which all may have freedom of access and equal consideration. In this way, former students — Alumni — can continue to be inspired in their professional and private lives by the fundamental values of the University, becoming standard bearers wherever they may be. Alumni include all graduates and diploma holders, PhDs and holders of Specialisation School diplomas of the University of Padua. Alumni can become members of the association free of charge.
The city of Padua
Situated in the heart of north-eastern Italy, and less than 40km from Venice, Padua is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, offering 3,000 years of history. Thanks also to his close ties with the University, Padua is a lively and dynamic city offering throughout the year numerous events in the fields of art, music, theatre, cinema and sport.
