Study in Italy

Living in a foreign country can be both rewarding and challenging. But if you're prepared for the pros and cons, you'll be ready for anything. Living in Italy is a dream for many people. Gorgeous weather, amazing food, and stunning scenery are just a few of the things that make Italy so appealing.

Italy is a superb place to study as an international student. It has long been a popular destination for studying abroad, and can offer excellent higher education at reasonable prices. If you are from an EU or EFTA country, you will not need a visa to study in Italy.

Benefits

1. Plenty of top universities with an impressive international environment.

Italy is a popular international study location not just due to its high multicultural ambience, but the country also has several top public and private universities.

2. Italy is an affordable destination for international students.

Italy is one of the most affordable countries in Europe where you can study abroad and that goes for tuition fees and living costs as well.

• Average tuition for all degree types: 850 to 1,000 EUR/year
• Average living expenses: 700 to 1,000 EUR/month for housing, food, transportation and fun
• Most expensive cities: Rome, Milan and Bologna
• Cheaper cities: Pisa, Padua, or Turin             

3. Easy ways to travel the country

Almost every big city is also perfectly connected to European and non-European countries with 87 airports. You can easily travel by train, all the bigger Italian cities are interconnected with 77 (main-) railway stations. That makes life easier for many students that do not like travelling by car or by plane.

4. A country full of wonders

While you’re enjoying the international student status in Italy, it would really be a shame not to take advantage of the privilege of living close to numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Yes, Italy beats any country at this, counting 51 heritage sites that speak about the cultural and historical past of Italy.

5. Late nights are a given in Italy

In an Italian university city, going for a walk at 9 or 10 p.m., especially in spring-summer-fall, makes you feel ‘in good company’, always surrounded by people. In the southern part, most shops have the closing time at 8:30 p.m. and that makes life easier for students who always forget to get food before closing time.

6. So many English-taught degrees you won't know what to choose

In Italy, you can find a suitable study programme in any field you can imagine, from Arts to Computer Science, many of which are English-taught. See which are the most popular study programmes taught in English.

Here are a few options you can consider, depending on your chosen university:

• International Relations
• MBA
• Electrical Engineering
• Computer Science
• Architecture
• Fashion Design

You would have to pass around 20 exams to successfully complete a degree (around eight exams in each academic year) and most of them are oral exams. In some specialised fields, such as medicine or engineering, you will be required to pass 40 or 50 exams.

7. The ridiculous graduation ritual

In Italy, graduate students have to go through a ridiculously funny ritual. After the official ceremony, students dress up in goofy costumes (usually a giant diaper, a hula skirt, or a funny hat), sit on a bench and wait for their peers and family to clutter them with either ketchup, eggs or other food substances. Students also hang around posters representing caricatures with an embarrassing anecdote of their colleagues.

8. Surrounded by arts, architecture and fashion

Italy is the birthplace of Renaissance art, everywhere you go in Italy, you'll see nothing but architectural wonders that stood the test of time and as for fashion, what else is there to say? It's a well-known fact that Italians are elegant and sharp dressers and they owe it to several famous fashion brands and houses.