Italy has a prestigious academic tradition that has been at the forefront of Western science, art and literature for centuries. In fact, the world’s oldest university, the University of Bologna, was founded almost 1,000 years ago and still maintains its position as one of Europe’s leading academic institutions.
Important Reasons For Studying In Italy.
The following are some of the important reasons for studying in Italy:
Broaden Your Horizons: Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to broaden your horizons, learn about a new culture and immerse yourself in one of Europe’s most iconic cultures. Italy is steeped in history and boasts incredible museums, art galleries and cultural landmarks.
Great Standard Of Living: The standard of living in Italy is second to none. With fantastic year-round weather, top-quality cuisine and a relatively low cost of living, you can experience the Dolce Vita for yourself in between classes.
Italians Are Friendly And Welcoming: Italians are extremely friendly, open and welcoming. Foreign tourists and students are instantly made to feel at home. You’ll quickly make new friends and your local community will always be happy to give you help or advice if you need it.
Top Quality, World Ranking Universities: Italy’s top universities rank highly in the world and provide an excellent quality of education. There are a wide range of courses to choose from, many of which are taught in English and designed to accommodate students from abroad.
Italian Universities Are Good Value For Money: The universities in Italy are among the most affordable in Europe and are far cheaper than any leading American university. Tuition fees, student accommodation and the general cost of living are all very affordable for foreign students.
Explore Europe In Your Free Time: Once you have a Visa to study in Italy you can travel all through the European Union during your holidays if you want to see other parts of the continent. All of Europe’s major cities are connected by high-speed trains so you can discover the diverse culture of the EU in between university semesters with ease.
Learn Italian: There’s no better time to learn a new language than when you’re living in the country itself! Italian is a beautiful language that’s relatively easy to learn and can open up lots of career opportunities for you in the future.
The Best Universities For Indian Students.
The following are the best and the most popular universities for Indian students wanting to study in Italy:
Sapienza University Of Rome.
The Sapienza University of Rome was founded in 1303 and is the biggest university in Europe with around 120,000 students and 4,000 staff. The university has state-of-the-art facilities that include over 50 libraries, scientific and technical labs and comfortable lecture halls.
The university offers more than 275 graduate and postgraduate courses and upwards of 80 Ph.D. programs as well as Advanced Professional Courses, Training Courses and Specialization Programs. Out of these courses, almost 40 are taught entirely in English while many others teach bilingually and may be suitable for some foreign students.
Sapienza University has more than 8,000 international students that study a wide range of subjects. Some of the top English language courses for international students include Hospitality Management, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Bioinformatics, Computer Sciences, Architecture, Classics and Archeology, to name but a few.
University Of Turin.
The University of Turin first opened its doors to students over 600 years ago and is a good choice for Indian students who want to study in Italy. As one of the top-ranking universities in Italy and Europe, the University of Turin offers more than 140 undergraduate and postgraduate programs in numerous fields.
Many of the courses are taught in Italian but there are some superb programs that are taught in English, including Business, Management, Economics, Global Law, Transnational Legal Studies and Biomolecular Sciences. Turin is a great city for students to live in and even hosts Italy’s biggest Book Fair each year in May, so you’ll never be short of extra-curricular reading material!
SDA Bocconi.
SDA Bocconi, or the ‘Scuola di Direzione Aziendale’, is one of Europe’s premier schools of management and offers internationally recognized graduate and postgraduate programs. The SDA Bocconi was ranked Number 1 in the world by the Financial Times for overall student satisfaction in its MBA programs. Providing a solid foundation for a career in business, the SDA Bocconi should be on the list for any student with entrepreneurial aspirations.
Located in the heart of Milan, the Bocconi offers international students graduate, postgraduate and Ph.D. programs in all aspects of management and business. Many of the subjects are taught entirely in English including Management, Economics, Finance, Law, Public Administration and Political Sciences.
University Of Milan.
Founded in the 1920s, the University of Milan has about 60,000 students and is one of Italy’s best research institutions with 10 faculties and over 2,000 professors. Situated in the Fashion Capital of Italy, the university is well known for its undergraduate fashion and design courses but it also has a prestigious reputation in the sciences and the humanities.
The university offers over 130 courses in English and has almost 3,000 international students. English language courses are taught in all of the university’s faculties including Medicine, Pharmacy, Veterinary, Law, Science and Technology and Law.
Overall, the University of Milan is a highly respected academic institution that offers international students some of the best opportunities in Italy. Covering topics in all the major subjects and with a large number of English language courses, it’s a great place to study in one of Italy’s most elegant cities.
University Of Bologna.
The University of Bologna was established in 1088 and is the world’s oldest university. Despite its antiquity, the university has kept up with the times and has beautiful campuses with modern facilities for its students and staff. The university offers a great selection of graduate, postgraduate and Ph.D. programs while the city of Bologna has a fantastic cultural heritage and offers a very high quality of life for international students.
The university teaches a large number of courses in English including International Relations, History, Economics, Business Studies, Statistics, Engineering, Law, Psychology, Medicine, Agriculture and Food Sciences, among others.
Admission Periods For Universities In Italy.
There are two main times of the year when Italian universities accept new students. These are known as intakes. The application for the primary intake is between April and June with students starting classes in September. The secondary intake application is between September and October with classes starting in February.
Most international students tend to apply for the primary intake with classes beginning in September. However, there’s less competition for places on courses during the secondary intake.
Degrees That You Can Get From An Italian University.
The vast majority of courses that are taught at Italian universities are recognized as equivalents to similar courses taught in India. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule, particularly in highly specialized postgraduate programs. Even so, undergraduate and graduate degrees from Italian universities are recognized worldwide.
Undergraduate Degree (Laurea): An undergraduate degree takes 3 years to complete and is the equivalent of a Bachelor of Science (BSc) or a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. This is the standard entry-level degree for students who want to continue their education after leaving school.
Graduate Degree (Laurea Magistrale): For students who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree the graduate degree, known as a Laurea Magistrale in Italy, is a 2-year course of study that involves more detailed training and writing a dissertation.
Postgraduate Degree (Dottorato Di Ricerca): A postgraduate degree, known as a Dottorato di Ricerca in Italy, is the equivalent of a Ph.D. Students engage in original research and must complete a dissertation. In some cases, they must also pass exams to complete the course. This course opens up opportunities for students to work in an academic institution or work in a research career.
Specialist Masters Programs: A specialist Masters program is designed for students who want to learn the essential skills for a specific profession. These courses are not always recognized internationally so you should check that the specific program meets your needs before applying.
Tuition Fees And The Cost Of Living For Indian Students In Italy.
Tuition fees in Italy’s universities are very affordable compared to other parts of Europe and United States. The standard tuition fees for a public university vary from around 1,000 Euros to 4,000 Euros per year whereas in a private institution, you may pay between 5,000 to 20,000 Euros per year.
On top of your fees, the cost of student accommodation will generally range between 500 to 750 Euros per month. While living in Italy, you can easily cover your groceries and other expenditures, including entertainment, for less than 500 to 750 Euros per month.
Do Indian Students Need A Visa To Study In Italy?
Yes, Indian students need to obtain the correct Visa in order to be able to study at a university in Italy. To start the application process you will have to visit an Italian Embassy or Consulate in India where you can find out all the details about exactly which Visa to apply for. There are 2 main types of student Visa that Indian students can apply for, depending on the length of your course.
Type C Visa: This Visa is only suitable for students who are studying, and staying, in Italy for less than 90 days.
Type D Visa: If you are studying on a course that lasts longer than 90 days then you need to apply for a Type D Visa. This is the Visa that you will need in order to study a graduate or undergraduate program in Italy. You should begin the application process as soon as possible because sometimes it can take a little while for the Visa to be issued to you.
Can Indian Students Work While They Study In Italy?
Yes, you can work while you study in Italy although there are restrictions on the amount of hours that you are allowed to work. Each week, you are allowed to work up to a maximum of 20 hours, or 1,040 hours per year.
Italy Has Very Good Universities.
Italy offers Indian students one of the best university experiences in the world. Not only can you benefit from superb educational opportunities but you’ll also have an amazing chance to immerse yourself in the culture, art and heritage of one of Europe’s most beautiful countries.
2 Responses
Very good choices Hari. I would include Pisa and its engineering programs particularly their space engineering program. Have heard from Indian students attending its very good. Pisa also offers an excellent student experience.
Thank you for your feedback Patricia. I will update the article and add University of Pisa also.