Is Bolzano a good place to study for international students?
Yes, Bolzano is a good place to study if you want a safe, well-run Alpine city where Italian, German and English meet. The capital of South Tyrol has about 106,000 residents (2025), mostly Italian speakers with a large German-speaking community. Its only university, the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (unibz), founded in 1997, is non-state rather than public. It suits students who want small classes, trilingual study and mountains on the doorstep.
Which universities are in Bolzano, and are any of them public?
Bolzano has no public university: its only university, the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (unibz), is non-state and sets its own fees. It had 4,156 students in 2024, 15.8% from abroad, and five faculties, with sites in Bolzano, Brixen and Bruneck. The nearest public university is the University of Trento, under an hour away by regional train. Fees at unibz are moderate, €1,200 a year for 2026/27, but they are flat rather than set by family income.
- Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (unibz): non-state, founded 1997, €1,200 a year in fees (2026/27)
- University of Trento: public, the nearest public university, under an hour away by train
What can you study in English in Bolzano?
In Bolzano, English is one of unibz's three teaching languages: its bachelor's degrees are trilingual, in Italian, German and English, and most of its master's are taught only in English. In 2024 it offered 14 bachelor's, 15 master's and 10 PhD programmes. Bachelor's applicants need B2 in two of the three languages, and master's applicants B2 English. For English-taught degrees at public universities, look at Trento and Verona in our English-taught programmes.
How much does it cost to live in Bolzano as a student?
Living in Bolzano is expensive by Italian standards: unibz tells non-EU applicants to plan for at least €800 a month, excluding tuition. Private rooms cost about €250 to €550 a month depending on type and size, and the public student halls charge €360 a month for a single and €270 for a double. The under-26 transport pass costs €21 for 30 days or €153 a year. Add unibz fees of €1,200 a year for 2026/27, in two €600 instalments.
- Private room or studio: about €250 to €550 a month (unibz)
- Public student hall: €360 a month single, €270 double (unibz)
- Transport: €21 for 30 days or €153 a year with the under-26 pass (südtirolmobil, 2026)
- Tuition: €1,200 a year plus €16 stamp duty (unibz, 2026/27)
- Monthly total: at least €800, excluding fees (unibz guidance for non-EU students)
How do you find student housing in Bolzano?
In Bolzano, apply for a place in the public student halls as soon as applications open, usually in mid-April, through the Province's right-to-study office. Places are allocated on social criteria such as year of study and distance from home, and later on academic results. Private halls include the Pietro Tosolini residence, Ferrari Tower and HIGHFIVEBZ, each with its own prices. For private rentals, unibz does not act as an intermediary, so you deal with landlords directly.
Which scholarship covers students in Bolzano, and how much is it worth?
Students at unibz are covered by the Autonomous Province of Bolzano's university grants, not a regional DSU agency. For 2026/27 grants range from €305 to €8,280, set by family income, with applications from 22 September to 3 November 2026. Non-EU students on a study permit can apply only after one year of registered residence in South Tyrol, so plan your first year without it. Grant holders get their unibz fees reimbursed, and Italian government scholarship holders are fee-exempt.
How do you get to Bolzano and get around once you are there?
Bolzano sits on the Brenner railway between Verona and Innsbruck, and Trento is under an hour away by regional train. Its small airport has SkyAlps flights to a few European cities and is 15 minutes from the centre by bus 10A or 10B; Verona airport, about 150 km away, and Innsbruck offer more routes. The südtirolmobil U26 pass covers public transport across South Tyrol for €21 per 30 days or €153 a year. The flat centre is easy to cycle.
What is student life like in Bolzano?
Student life in Bolzano is compact, outdoorsy and bilingual. The arcaded Via dei Portici and Piazza Walther are the heart of the old town, and Italy's first Christmas market, founded in 1990, fills the square each winter. Weekends mean hiking, climbing and skiing in the nearby Dolomites. Summers are hot in the valley and winters cold by Italian standards. With about 4,000 students at unibz, you mix with locals as much as with other students.
What should you sort out in your first weeks in Bolzano?
In your first weeks in Bolzano, sort out your paperwork first, because your residence permit, tax code and registered residence unlock the U26 transport pass and, after a year, provincial grants. Non-EU students must request a permesso di soggiorno within 8 days of arrival, using the kit from a post office. Pay your first unibz fee instalment by 13 October 2026. Keep every original: the Province asks non-EU grant applicants to show their permit in person.
- Request your permesso di soggiorno within 8 days, using the post office kit (non-EU students).
- Get your codice fiscale (tax code), needed for rent, the transport pass and enrolment.
- Arrange health cover: private insurance or voluntary registration with the SSN.
- Register your residence in Bolzano, which starts the clock for provincial grants.
- Buy the südtirolmobil U26 pass if you are under 26.
Can you work part-time while studying in Bolzano?
Yes, you can work part-time while studying in Bolzano, within the limits of your permit. Non-EU students on a study permit may work up to 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year. South Tyrol has a strong tourism and hospitality sector, but most jobs ask for German, Italian or both, so English alone limits you. Ask unibz about student jobs on campus, and use its Language Centre to build your German or Italian. Keep work secondary to your exams.
How does Bolzano compare with other Italian student cities?
Bolzano is costlier than most southern student cities but calmer than Milan: unibz advises at least €800 a month, while Milan's average single room alone was €704 in September 2026 (Immobiliare.it Insights). It is small, orderly and multilingual, with mountains instead of a big-city scene. Students pick Bolzano for trilingual study, small classes and quality of life; those who need income-based public tuition look at Trento or Verona instead.
How can ApplyAZ help you study in or near Bolzano?
ApplyAZ works only with public universities, so for Bolzano's unibz we do not apply for you; you apply to it directly on its own portal. If you want to study in the region, we can build a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at public universities such as Trento and Verona, write your CV and SOPs, and handle Universitaly, DSU and visa files, with a named person owning each stage. We take no commissions. Next step: see how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
