Top 5 Public Universities in Italy for Masters 2026

Want to go for masters in Italy and thinking of public universities for studying? Let us help you and get you best public universities in Italy for masters. There are a plethora of universities with specialised masters courses. Here are some of the most popular ones, so check it out!

Public univrsities in Italy are not just affordable they also are known for their quality education, global rankings and high end research. Those who are thinking of going for masters in Europe, can consider studying in Italy at its publicly funded universities. These universities in Italy that are public are not just for MS but also for various MBA specialisations. There are more than 1,000+ English taught masters programs available for admission. The government funded Italian universities offer admission to international students based on their GPA scores in bachelor's along with English proficiency test scores and in some cases standardised test scores as well.

Apart from affordable tuition rates, there are also fully funded scholarships for masters at Italy's public universities. Universities like University of Bologna offer them. Since majority of these public universities in Italy offer masters, they also have partnerships with employers. The employment rate after graduation is also above 85% for majority of these universities. Now that you know the perks, get on to shortlisting the best public university in Italy for masters.

Top 5 Public Universities in Italy for Masters 2026

For masters in Italy at public universities, majority of them offer specialised masters courses for international students. Those who are interested can consider applying to the following public universities for different masters courses:

1. Politecnico di Milano
2. University of Bologna
3. University of Padova
4. University of Milan
5. Sapienza University of Rome

This is not an exhaustive list, but popular names of top public universities in Italy offering postgraduate courses. 

Best Italian Public Universities for Masters

Let us look at some of the best public universities in Italy offering masters courses to international students. There is detail about the top masters courses they offer along with basic admission requirements, average annual tuition fee and scholarships if available.

1. Politecnico di Milano

Politecnico di Milano is a public technical university in Milan, Italy. It is known for its masters courses offered in areas of engineering, architecture and design. Established in 1863, it consistently ranks among the top 100 universities globally. The university offers masters programs that are taught in English. Here are some more details about Politecnico di Milano and the masters courses it offers:

Consider studying masters at this Italy's public university if you are looking for English taught programs, affordable tuition fees and looking for jobs in fashion and design because the employment rate is 96%.

2. University of Bologna

The University of Bologna is one of the oldest and also the first university in the world. It was established in 1088 and set ground for higher education system. The Bologna Process started from here and this public university in Italy for masters is very popular among international students. The master's courses offered are in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and Aerospace Engineering. Programs in Arts and Humanities, Law, and Medicine are also highly regarded. More details are as follows:

Consider applying to masters degree in Italy at this public university if you want affordable study costs, quality education and get employed after graduation. The overall employment rate after graduation is 86% for University of Bologna.

3. University of Padova

The University of Padova is another pulic university in Italy for masters and also the fifth oldest university in the world. This university is popular for offering masters courses in the fields of Engineering, Psychological Science, Aerospace Engineering, and Cybersecurity. All of these postgraduate courses at University of Padova are available in English medium of instruction. Check out more details below:

Apply to University of Padova because its a top public university for masters. It has a high graduate employment rate and a strong reputation in STEM education and medical fields then the cost of living here is lower than Milan and Rome, finally there is a high chance of admission here for international students.

4. University of Milan

The next best public university in Italy for masters is the University of Milan. This university is known for its Master's degrees taught in English, which are highly popular among international students. Some popular English-taught masters programs include Artificial Intelligence for Science and Technology, Data Science and Economics, Molecular Biotechnology, International Politics, Law and Economics (IPLE), and Medicine and Surgery. More details are as follows:

You can think of applying to this university if you are looking for affordable education and full scholarships if you had a good academic background. Apart from this, there are excellent career and networking opportunities available here.

5. Sapienza University of Rome

Sapienza University of Rome is also a popular Italy public university for masters. This university in Italy offers over 60+ masters courses. Some of the popularly offered and opted masters courses taught in English include - Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Space and Astronautical Engineering, Data Science, Business Management, and Architecture. More details are as follows:

Consider studying at this public university of Italy for a masters program if you want cheaper education, quality education and good jobs after graduation.

Best Public Universities for MBA in Italy

There are around 16 publicly funded Italian universities for MBA for international students. On average 2-3 specialisations and sometimes more are available for admission. Here is a list of popular MBA programs offered at public universities in Italy:

• University of Bologna - Bologna Business School offers MBA in AI and Manufacturing, MBA in Design, Fashion and Luxury Goods along with MBA in Food and Wine and two others in English. This is one of the most popular public university in Italy for MBA.
• University of Padova is also a public univrsity in Italy that also offers an MBA (General) in English.
• University of Milano - Milano School of Management (another public university in Italy) offers a general MBA course in English.
• University of Turin is another public university in Italy that offers an MBA in English instruction.

There are few more Italian public universities in Italy that offer an MBA in English. The specialisations may vary, but a general MBA in Italy is more widely offered.

Cost of Masters Courses at Public Universities in Italy

The cost of pursuing masters level courses at public universities in Italy is cheaper than that of private universities. For international students looking for public universities in Italy for masters can shortlist a few of them for admission. The cost of studying masters in Italy at publicly funded universities are:

On the contrary, the private universities in Italy charge fees starting from INR 20 lakhs and can go up to INR 40 - 60 lakhs. In this case, it is cheaper and more affordable to study masters at public universities of Italy for admission. MS in Italy and MBA are both affordable if government funded universities in Italy are chosen.

This was all about the public universities in Italy for masters. Need more help, sign up for free Shiksha Abroad Counselling and request a callback from our team of expert counsellors.