Everything you need to know about studying in Italy
Public universities charge on family income, regional grants pay students to attend, and the visa is procedural rather than discretionary. Here is how all three actually work.
6 reasons
Why students choose Italy over the usual destinations
Not marketing lines — the specific mechanics that make Italy cheaper and more livable than the UK, Australia or Canada for most Pakistani students.
Tuition most families can carry
Public universities charge on a sliding income scale. A well-prepared ISEE parificato regularly lands students in the €0–1,200 band.
Grants that pay you to study
Regional DSU scholarships combine a cash stipend, free canteen access and subsidised housing — often worth €5,000–7,000 a year.
English-taught degrees
Hundreds of Bachelor's and Master's programmes are delivered entirely in English, from engineering to design to economics.
Legal part-time work
Students may work up to 20 hours a week during term on a study permit, and hours are counted annually.
Stay back and work
The permesso di soggiorno per attesa occupazione lets graduates remain up to 12 months to find work, convertible to a work permit.
A route to residency
Years spent legally on a study permit count toward long-term residency, and Italy remains one of the more accessible EU systems.
Academic year 2026/27
What a year in Italy actually costs
Ranges below are for the 2026/27 academic year and vary by city. A full DSU grant offsets most of the living column entirely.
| Item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Public university tuition | €0 – €4,000 / year | Set by ISEE band; many students land under €1,200 |
| Private university tuition | €6,000 – €20,000 / year | Bocconi, Cattolica, NABA, Politecnico private tracks |
| Rent (shared room) | €250 – €700 / month | Perugia and Pisa at the low end, Milan at the top |
| Food & groceries | €150 – €250 / month | University canteen meals run €2 – €4 |
| Transport pass | €15 – €35 / month | Student rates in most cities |
| Health insurance (SSN) | €700 / year | Voluntary registration with the national health service; the student rate since 2024 |
| Permesso di soggiorno | ≈ €120 one-off | Applied for within 8 working days of arrival |
The ISEE parificato decides your band
Italian public universities charge on assessed family income rather than a flat fee. For families earning outside Italy that assessment is the ISEE parificato, and a correctly prepared one regularly moves a student from the top band to near-zero tuition. It takes weeks to produce — start it the day you receive an offer.
The DSU grant is the real money
Regional right-to-study grants combine a cash stipend, a tuition waiver, free canteen meals and priority for a dorm place — commonly €5,000 to €7,300 a year. Applications usually close in July or August, before you have even received the visa. Missing that date is the most expensive mistake in the whole process.
6 prerequisites
What you need before you can apply
Assembling these in the wrong order is what turns a nine-month process into an eighteen-month one.
Academic record
12 years of schooling for a Bachelor's, or a recognised Bachelor's degree for a Master's. Transcripts and certificates, HEC and MOFA attested.
CIMEA statement
A statement of comparability and verification for your qualification — increasingly requested in place of the older Declaration of Value.
Language proof
IELTS 6.0–6.5 or equivalent for English-taught programmes; B2 Italian for Italian-taught ones. Some universities accept MOI letters.
Entrance tests
TOLC-I or TOLC-E for many engineering and economics programmes; IMAT for medicine. Register early — seats are limited.
Universitaly pre-enrolment
The mandatory online pre-enrolment request, which your university must validate before you can lodge the visa.
Financial proof
Evidence of means for the year, seasoned in the account for months rather than weeks, with documentation for every large credit.
September intake
A year, month by month
There is also a smaller February intake at some universities. Either way, the scholarship deadline — not the admission deadline — is what sets your start date.
Sep – Nov
Year before
Prepare
Assess your profile, sit IELTS, register for TOLC or IMAT if your programme requires one.
Dec – Mar
Applications open
Apply
Build the shortlist, write the SOP, gather references and file every application. Earlier rounds are less competitive.
Mar – May
Offers arrive
Fund
Start the ISEE parificato immediately — it is the longest pole. Season the bank account that will support the visa file.
May – Jul
Confirmation
Pre-enrol
Accept the offer, complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, confirm validation, and file the regional DSU application before its deadline.
Jul – Aug
Visa season
File
Book the appointment as soon as pre-enrolment is validated. Assemble the file, arrange housing and insurance, rehearse the interview.
September
Departure
Arrive
Fly, enrol, apply for the permesso di soggiorno within 8 working days, and get your codice fiscale.
Italy, answered plainly
How much does it really cost to study in Italy?
Do I need to speak Italian?
What are the intakes and when should I start?
What is the visa success rate, honestly?
Can I work while studying?
Can I stay in Italy after I graduate?
What documents will I need?
What do your services cost?
Not sure whether your profile is strong enough?
Send us your transcript and budget. We will tell you which Italian universities are realistic — and which are not — before you pay for anything.