Is Aosta a good place to study for international students?
Aosta suits a narrow group of international students: those who speak Italian or French and want a small Alpine city. The capital of the Aosta Valley has about 33,000 residents (2026), sits at 583 metres and is 110 km from Turin. Its only university, the University of Aosta Valley, is non-state rather than public. It suits students who want economics, politics or the human and social sciences in a bilingual mountain setting, not an English-taught degree.
Which universities are in Aosta, and are any of them public?
Aosta has no public university: its only university, the University of Aosta Valley (UniVdA), is a non-state, legally recognised university founded in 2000 and promoted by a public body. It has two departments, Economic and Political Sciences and Human and Social Sciences, and opened a new city-centre campus designed by Mario Cucinella in September 2024. The nearest public universities are the University of Turin and Politecnico di Torino, about 110 km away.
- University of Aosta Valley (UniVdA): non-state, founded 2000, teaches in Italian and French
- Nearest public options: University of Turin and Politecnico di Torino, about 110 km away
Can you study in English in Aosta?
In Aosta, we could not find a degree taught fully in English at the University of Aosta Valley for 2026/27. UniVdA teaches in Italian and French, reflecting the Aosta Valley's bilingual status, so plan for strong Italian, and French helps. If you want an English-taught degree at a public university in north-west Italy, Turin is the closest option, with dozens of programmes at its two public universities. Browse them in our English-taught programmes.
How much does it cost to live in Aosta as a student?
Aosta has a small and rising rental market. Immobiliare.it put average rents at €11.30 per square metre in August 2026, up 23.2% in a year, with only 10 homes listed for rent, and just three rooms were listed in September 2026, at €299 to €400 a month. As a non-state university, UniVdA sets its own fees, so check them before you commit. We found no official student budget for Aosta, so we suggest planning about €650 to €900 a month.
- Room: €299 to €400 a month, three listings (Immobiliare.it, Sept 2026)
- Average rent: €11.30 per square metre a month, up 23.2% in a year (Immobiliare.it, Aug 2026)
- Homes for rent: only 10 active listings in the city (Immobiliare.it, Aug 2026)
- Monthly total: about €650 to €900 including food and bills (ApplyAZ estimate, 2026)
How do you find student housing in Aosta?
In Aosta, finding housing takes planning, because the rental market is thin: Immobiliare.it showed only 10 homes and three rooms for rent in August and September 2026. Ask the University of Aosta Valley's student services about any residences or agreements before you arrive, and search private listings and local contacts early in the summer. See any room, and sign a registered contract, before you pay a deposit, since non-EU students need the contract for their permit.
Is there a scholarship for students in Aosta, and how much is it worth?
We could not verify the 2026/27 right-to-study call for students at the University of Aosta Valley, so we do not quote amounts for Aosta. For reference, Italy's national grant for off-site students in 2026/27 is €7,171.11, and the national ISEE ceiling is €28,339.88. Ask UniVdA's student office which benefits apply to you. At the public universities in Turin, tuition is set by family income (ISEE), and EDISU Piemonte winners also get a tuition waiver.
How do you get to Aosta and get around once you are there?
Aosta is reached from Turin, about 110 km away, along the A5 motorway or by regional rail via Ivrea.The nearest airports are Turin and Geneva, and the Mont Blanc and Great St Bernard tunnels lead to France and Switzerland. The city itself is compact, with its Roman centre easy to cover on foot, and the university's new campus is in the city centre. Check local bus fares and student discounts on arrival if you live outside the centre.
What is student life like in Aosta?
Student life in Aosta is quiet, bilingual and centred on the mountains. The city keeps a well-preserved Roman core, with the Arch of Augustus from 35 BC, the Porta Praetoria gate and a Roman theatre that held up to 4,000 people. Italian and French are both official in the region. Skiing, hiking and climbing around Mont Blanc and the Aosta Valley fill weekends. Winters are cool and summers hot, with fairly dry weather, but nightlife is limited.
What should you sort out in your first weeks in Aosta?
Your first weeks in Aosta are about permits, housing and language. Non-EU students must request a permesso di soggiorno within 8 days of arrival, using the post office kit. Get your codice fiscale and health cover, confirm your housing contract, and ask the University of Aosta Valley's student office about enrolment steps and any right-to-study benefits. If your Italian or French needs work, start a language course straight away, because teaching is not in English.
- Request your permesso di soggiorno at a post office within 8 days (non-EU students).
- Get your codice fiscale, needed for rent, enrolment and a bank account.
- Arrange health cover: private insurance or voluntary registration with the SSN.
- Register your rental contract and keep a copy for the permit.
- Ask UniVdA about enrolment steps, fees and right-to-study benefits.
Can you work part-time while studying in Aosta?
Yes, you can work part-time while studying in Aosta: a non-EU study permit allows up to 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year. The Aosta Valley's economy leans on tourism, ski resorts and hospitality, so seasonal jobs exist in winter and summer, but they usually need Italian and often French. Ask the University of Aosta Valley about part-time student jobs on campus. With a small local market, treat work as a supplement, not your main income.
How does Aosta compare with other Italian student cities?
Aosta is a small mountain city, not a student hub: it has about 33,000 residents, while Turin, 110 km away, has about 855,000 and two public universities. Rooms listed in Aosta in September 2026 cost €299 to €400, below Turin's August 2026 average of €479 (Immobiliare.it Insights), but supply is tiny. Students pick Aosta for bilingual study and the Alps; those who want English-taught degrees and income-based public tuition usually choose Turin.
How can ApplyAZ help if you want to study in or near Aosta?
ApplyAZ works only with public universities, so we do not apply to the non-state University of Aosta Valley for you; you apply to it directly. If you want to study in north-west Italy in English, we can build a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at public universities such as those in Turin, write your CV and SOPs, and handle Universitaly, DSU and visa files, with a named person on each stage. Next step: see how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
