Praising Italy might be the most complicated thing in the world: where do you even start?. Do you mention a bunch of famous Italians, like da Vinci, Borgia, Versace, and Vivaldi? Or just mention the fields they revolutionised, like Architecture, Music, Engineering, and Fashion?
I could just focus on the brilliant landscapes and the UNESCO World Heritage sites, or how awesome Italian people are, with their pastas, wines, and signature hand gesture, but it would be redundant.
Bottom line is simply: Italy is awesome!
When compared to their Western counterparts, Italian public universities are incredibly affordable. If you come from an EU/EEA country, you won't pay more than 4,000 EUR per year, and you can easily find much cheaper study programmes.
Non-EU/EEA citizens enjoy the same tuition rates in some cases, but in others they do pay more — which is why you should always check what tuition applies to students from your country.
The University of Bologna is the oldest university in Europe, having been established in 1088. That means it is almost 1,000 years old and still alive and kicking today!
Bologna is also the name of the process used by the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) to create a more coherent, uniform, and attractive education system.
Many European countries follow this system. If you study at one university implementing it, your diploma will be recognised in any other country that's part of the programme.
All in all, we'd say that Italy knows a thing or two about higher education and has a long and rich experience in this field.
One visit to Italy is enough to understand why it is considered a leader in terms of fashion, arts, and architecture. Milan is the stand out city, as one of the 4 fashion capitals of the world.
As for architecture, going through the charming Italian cities will reveal to you the beauty and unique style of buildings, which seem to have been lost in the process of developing the modern architecture.
The warm sun, the sea breeze, the tasty fruits and vegetables — all are essential elements of the Mediterranean lifestyle, which is highly regarded for its health and wellness benefits.
Sardinia, for example, is one of the few "Blue Zones" in the world, where people often reach over 90 years of age.
When you're not in classes, take the time to visit some of the oldest and most impressive historic sites in Europe. From the Colosseum to the Pantheon, from the Valley of the Temples to Ostia Antica — all these places still carry their aura of former glory, an aura that can still be felt and explored nowadays.
If you’re the type of student who wants to go only to the best universities, disregarding the city you’re going to or the province best suited for you, you can always check out these highly-recommended universities:
Everybody who gets to study in Italy says the same thing about the universities here: the professors and fellow students are friendly and helpful, the cultural landscape is very diverse, and the architecture of the universities is exquisite.
However, it might help if you study a bit of Italian before coming here: although they are warm and kind, it may be difficult to talk to them, because not everyone is fluent in English.
Also, although the tuition fees are rather low, you should check out scholarships in Italy: there are a lot of chances of discovering one that suits you and your study option.
Italy can be easily compared to that annoying colleague from high school who excelled at everything he or she did. Considering how many pioneers Italy has produced, there’s no wonder the list of “most sought-after” fields is so vast and comprehensive. Still, the most popular study options in Italy are:
The greatest universities in Italy are usually located in the bigger cities. If you’re not sure which are those, or you’re simply searching for details about living costs and geography, you can always check out these cities in Italy:
The application process in Italy can be complicated, but we’re here to help and trace the major lines.
First of all, you should contact the university you’re interested in and check if your qualifications are eligible. This is represented by a prior assessment, after which the university will give you feedback and tell you if you meet all the standards.
After, you will have to submit a pre-application request at your Italian embassy or consulate, and let them manage your application afterwards.
By the end of August, students will find a list of admitted candidates on the embassy’s or consulate’s page.
Some of the documents you will need to deliver with your application are:
These kinds of courses enable degree-seeking students to get an extra educational boost just before they start their Master’s degree or other post-graduate degree programmes.
Try a pre-M.B.A., pre-Law, or pre-Medicine programme, as well as any other foundation or preparation courses that will allow you to study in the degree programme of your choice.
If you’re attending a degree programme in Italy, you will need to prove that your language skills are good enough to participate in the classes and understand the lectures; some schools will require strong English or Italian skills. These courses will also prepare you for any of the English-language tests that universities require.
Italian universities have programmes that are taught either in English or in Italian. That’s why, in order to be accepted at one of their programmes, you will need to provide proof of either English or Italian proficiency.
The language tests accepted by Italian universities for English are:
Let's take a closer look at tuition and living expenses in Italy:
Tuition fees in Italy vary wildly, depending on your nationality, the type of university (public vs private), or whether you arrive with an ERASMUS scholarship or not.
On average:
Some of the most expensive disciplines are Medicine, Engineering, and Technology. Also keep in mind that if you're not from the EU/EEA, you can expect to pay much higher tuition fees at public universities.
Italy is one of the cheapest countries in Central Europe. For accommodation, transportation, food, and entertainment, a student would need around 700–1,000 EUR per month. Larger cities can be more expensive.
Here's a breakdown of the average living costs in Italy:
Trying to stay far away from clichés and prejudices, let’s try and get a deeper understanding of Italy and what it stands for.
For instance, the name Italy comes from the word italia, which means “land of calves” or “calf land”, which is, automatically, adorable. Scholars assume that this name was inspired by the symbol of the Southern Italian tribes, which was a bull.
And that might be the only moderate fact about Italy we can find. Everything else is plagued by how passionate and proud the Italians are, seeing how:
Also, you should know a bit about their folklore and superstitions, before going and settling in Italy. Some of the most famous ones are:
And, although it isn’t a superstition, you should still know that Whatsapp is cited in nearly half of the Italian divorce proceedings.
Numerous education initiatives in the world were formed to promote international cooperation and academic exchange between universities as well as attract students and staff worldwide. This focus on international student education provides high quality programmes in various fields of study and prepares students for future careers anywhere in the world.
Studying, for instance, in Australia, Asia, Europe or America represents a wide range of opportunities to see the world and interact with other students from different countries. Different study options allow students to hold a job during their study years in order to pay for their education, if they wish to do so. Online programmes help you get an international education without having to leave home.
The number of English-taught short courses in Asia, Australia, Europe and The United States are continuously rising in popularity in the last few years. Many countries offer English-taught study programmes, including: Australia, China, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, France, Spain, Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States and more. Other English short courses may be found in the rest of the European countries as well.
Short courses offer a great variety of subjects for a short and fixed period. This period can vary between a week to six weeks, depending on country, institution and course. This is an excellent opportunity to gain academic, cultural and social experience if you are not able to access long-term study opportunities. A wide variety of countries and institutions offer summer and short courses in all kinds of subject areas. It is a great opportunity to get some background information for your own research, to learn a language or to gain knowledge on a related topic.
Sometimes summer and short courses provide students with short-term housing. Therefore, it is useful to find out if housing is included in the fee of the summer or short course you wish to apply for.
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