Top Universities and Colleges in Italy - Courses, Fees, Scholarships, Admission Requirements & Grades

Italy is an underrated shout when it comes to studies abroad. The country is home to more than 50 world-class institutions. When it comes to courses, Fashion and Design, Architecture, Engineering, Arts & Humanities, Business & Economics are some of the stand-out options available to students. According to QS World the Politecnico Di Milano, Sapienza University of Rome, University of Bologna, and the University of Padova are some of the best institutions in the world to pursue higher studies from. Furthermore, the cost of living in Italy is almost 40% lower than the countries like the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia. At present, the country has around 32,000 international students including 12,000+ Indian students are studying in Italy. 

Latest Update on India - Italy Accord  

The Union Cabinet has given post facto approval to the Migration and Mobility Agreement between Italy and India. This agreement would enhance people-to-people contacts, encourage mobility of students, business people, skilled workers, professional trainings, and strengthen cooperation on issues regarding irregular migration between India and Italy. 

Check detailed information about the Migration and Mobility Agreement between Italy and India from here.

Moving to Italy for studies? Know what is Culture Shock and tips to reduce homesickness

Why Study in Italy? 

Some key factors which make Italy an ideal destination to study abroad include: affordable higher education, varied offered courses, work and study balance, an opportunity to learn a foreign language, etc. Presence of top-ranked universities, home to a few of the leading fashion brands of the world, and lower cost of living are a few of the reasons why international students want to study in Italy. We have mentioned below some other popular reasons that make Italy a better choice to study for Indian students: 

• Affordability- Education at Italy universities offer affordable costs as compared to some of the more popular universities in countries such as US, UK and Canada. 
• Top Job Sectors- Among the sectors with the highest number of jobs in Italy are Manufacturing, Healthcare, Information Technology, Education, Finance, etc. 

Top Courses in Italy 

Universities in Italy offer an array of UG and PG programs to international students. In Italy, top universities offer diverse specializations to international students. Some of the top study areas in Italy include Luxury Brand Management, Cosmetics, Digital Management, Interior & Living Design, Marketing Management, Culinary Arts, Product Design, etc. Italian Universities offering these courses are:  

Top Courses in Italy	No. of Universities
MSc	36
MBA	34
MS	34
BBA	17
Others PG	14
M.A.	14
MArch	10
B.E. / B.Tech	10
B.A.	8
M.Agri.	4

Top Universities in Italy 

As per the table listed below, it can be observed that Politecnico di Milano, Sapienza University of Rome and Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna are the top-ranked universities in Italy and are also among the top 200 global universities. Metrics on which universities are ranked are Academic Reputation, Employer Reputation, Faculty/Student Ratio, Citations per faculty and International Faculty Ratio. Check the table given below to know about the ranking of these top-ranked universities in Italy. 

University	QS World 2026	Shiksha Popularity Ranking
University of Bologna	#138	#1
Sapienza University of Rome	#128	#2
University of Padova	#233	#3
Politecnico Di Milano	#98	#4
University of Milan	#276	#5
University of Pisa	#343	#6
University of Naples	#379	#7
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore	#409	#8
University of Turin	#408	#9
University of Florence	#404	#10

Here’s detailed information about Top-Ranked Universities in Italy 

Best Engineering Universities in Italy 

Listed below are the best Engineering universities in Italy for Indian students: 

University	QS 2026 Rank
Politecnico Di Milano	#20
Politecnico di Torino	#53
Sapienza University of Rome	#99
University of Bologna	#119
University of Padova	#155
University of Naples - Federico II	#184
University of Pisa	#234
University of Trento	#302
University of Genoa	#305

Best Business & Management Universities in Italy 

Given below is a list of the top-ranked universities for Business & Management in Italy in QS subject rankings: 

University	QS 2025 Rank
Bocconi University	#10
Luiss University	#59
Politecnico di Milano	#66
University of Bologna	#126
Sapienza University of Rome	#251-300
University Cattolica del Sacro Cuore	#301-350
Politecnico di Torino	#351-400
Ca' Foscari University of Venice	#401-450
University of Rome Tor Vergata	#401-450
University of Padova	#401-450

Admission Requirements in Italy 

A number of exams are accepted from international students by universities in Italy. This includes standardized exams as well as English proficiency tests. Check the details given below for the number of Italian universities accepting these exams. In order to take admission to universities in Italy, international students are required to submit the following documents at the time of admission: 

• Academic transcripts 

• Valid id proof such as passport 

• Resume / CV 

• English language proficiency test score 

• Statement of Purpose 

• Letters of Recommendation (as applicable) 

Entrance Exams accepted by Universities in Italy 

Numerous universities in Italy accept GMAT / GRE and to study in Italy, international students are required to submit these test scores. 

Exams	No. of Universities
GRE	12
GMAT	9
SAT	2

English Language Requirements by Universities in Italy 

Given below are the English requirements in Italy for students to satisfy: 

English Language Proficiency Test	No. of Universities
IELTS	60
TOEFL	44
PTE	33
Duolingo	12

Cost of Studying in Italy 

On average, the cost of studying in Italy is relatively affordable as compared to other popular study-abroad options for Indian students. The cost of studying in Italy varies from university to university. The first-year tuition fee is within the range of INR 10 L. The tuition fees for a few Italian Universities are given as follows:  

Universities	Annual Tuition Fees
University of Bologna	INR 1 L - INR 4 L
Sapienza University of Rome	INR 3 L
Politecnico Di Milano	INR 4 L - INR 41 L
University of Padova	INR 3 L
University of Pisa	INR 3 L
University of Naples	INR 3 L

Also Read: Cost of Studying in Italy for International Students  

Cost of Living in Italy 

The average cost of living in Italy for international students is around EUR 8,400 (Around INR 9.12 L). The division for the living expenses in Italy are given as follows:  

Particulars	Cost (in EUR)	Cost (in INR)
Annual Cost of Living	EUR 3,800 - EUR 5,500 approx.	INR 4.12 L-INR 5.97 L
Rented Accommodation Cost in Italy	EUR 200 - EUR 600 per month	INR 21.7 K-INR 65.1 K
Average Cost of Living in Italy for Students	EUR 1,500 - EUR 2,400 annually	INR 1.62 L-INR 2.60 L
On-Campus Housing	EUR 200 - EUR 300 per year	INR 21.7 K-INR 32.5 K
Cost of Food	EUR 200 - EUR 300 per month	INR 21.7 K-INR 32.5 K
Personal Expenses	EUR 200 or above per year	INR 21.7 K

1 EUR = INR 108.66 

Scholarships to Study in Italy 

Opting to study abroad is a major step that students take for their career and managing the expenses including the tuition fee and living costs play a deciding factor in this decision. Here is where scholarships dive in and help students study in their dream college by cutting down a portion of their expenses. A number of scholarships are offered by Italian universities to international students. Some of the popular scholarships in Italy offered to international students are: 

Name of Scholarship	Amount
MAECI Scholarship	€900 monthly stipend, tuition fee waiver, and health insurance.
DSU Regional Scholarship	Free accommodation, one free meal per day, and a cash grant (approx. €5,000–€7,000).
EDISU Piemonte Scholarship	Free accommodation in student halls, canteen services, and a monetary grant.

Did you know, you can now study for next to no cost in Europe?

Check out the video below to know more:

Job Opportunities in Italy 

Italy is one of the top countries to study for international students. Naturally, it is important to know the job prospects and popular job sectors. Some of the top job sectors in Italy are ICT and Retail and Business. Teacher, Copywriter, Financial Analyst, Graphic Designer, Product Manager, Software Engineer, Web Developer, etc. are some of the top job roles in Italy. The annual average salary for an international student working in Italy is between EUR 13,000 – EUR 38,000 (INR 14.12 L – INR 41.29 L). The popular job sectors in Italy are:  

Top Job Roles in Italy	Average Annual Salary (in EUR)	Average Annual Salary (in INR)
Accountant	EUR 31,500	INR 34.22 L
Mechanical Engineer	EUR 31,013	INR 33.69 L
Business Analyst	EUR 31,188	INR 33.88 L
Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)	EUR 17,810	INR 19.35 L
Operations Manager	EUR 45,960	INR 49.93 L
Software Engineer	EUR 33,427	INR 36.32 L
Legal Counsel	EUR 47,500	INR 51.61 L
Sales Associate	EUR 30,521	INR 33.16 L

Source: Payscale 

Top Job Sectors & Economy 

According to the European Commission, the overall GDP of Italy is expected to grow by 0.6% in 2025 and 0.8% in 2026. Some of the popular job sectors in Italy are: 

• Retail 

• ICT 

• Telecommunications 

• PR & Related Events 
• Environmental Services 

Kanishka Gambhir04-13-2026 00:04