Is Brescia a good place to study for international students?
Yes, Brescia is a good place to study if you want engineering, medicine or economics in a safe, well-run city with strong industry. Lombardy's second-largest city has about 202,000 residents (2026) and sits between Lake Garda and Lake Iseo, 35 minutes from Milan by high-speed train. It has one public university, the University of Brescia. It suits students who want lower costs than Milan and close links with manufacturing firms.
Which universities are in Brescia, and which are public?
Brescia has one public university, the University of Brescia (UniBS), founded in 1982, with about 16,000 students across engineering, medicine and surgery, economics and management, and law. Its tuition is set by family income (ISEE). The private Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore also has a Brescia campus, with its own higher fees, and the city has fine arts academies and a music conservatory. For public, English-taught options, UniBS is the one to look at.
- University of Brescia: public, founded 1982, about 16,000 students
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Brescia campus): private, its own higher fees
What can you study in English in Brescia?
In Brescia, English-taught study is mostly at master's level at the University of Brescia, in engineering (mechanical, industrial, civil, information and automation), medicine and health sciences, and economics and management, plus many double degrees with partner universities. For 2026/27 UniBS also offered 13 LMINT scholarships of €4,800 a year to non-EU students enrolling in an English-taught master's. Compare options in our English-taught programmes.
How much does it cost to live in Brescia as a student?
Brescia costs less than Milan, but rent is no longer cheap. Single rooms averaged €478 a month in August 2026, down 7.9% in a year (Immobiliare.it Insights), and Erasmus Play lists rooms in shared flats at €400 to €450 and university residences at €200 to €300. Students pay €140 a year for a zone 1 metro and bus pass in 2026/27. If you rent privately, we suggest budgeting about €750 to €950 a month, including food and bills.
- Single room: €478 a month on average (Immobiliare.it Insights, Aug 2026)
- Room in a shared flat: €400 to €450 a month (Erasmus Play, 2026)
- University residence: €200 to €300 a month (Erasmus Play, 2026)
- Transport: €140 a year for zone 1 metro and bus, students (Brescia Mobilità, 2026/27)
- Monthly total: about €750 to €950 if you rent privately (ApplyAZ estimate, 2026)
How do you find student housing in Brescia?
In Brescia, the University of Brescia manages seven residence complexes near its main sites, and for 2026/27 it offered up to 240 places through its DSU call, with housing applications due by 20 August 2026. Everyone else rents privately, usually a room in a shared flat. Living near the metro line makes getting to university sites easier. Start searching in spring, and see the room and a written contract before paying any deposit.
Which scholarship covers students in Brescia, and how much is it worth?
In Brescia, the Lombardy DSU scholarship is run by the University of Brescia itself. For 2026/27 an off-site student with an ISEE up to €13,443.97 who rents privately receives €7,419 plus a free daily meal, worth €8,248 in total, while residence winners get €4,479 plus housing and meals. The limits are an ISEE of €26,887.93 and an ISPE of €58,452.06, and the deadline was 24 September 2026. Tuition is set by family income, and winners also get a tuition waiver.
How do you get to Brescia and get around once you are there?
Brescia is on the Milan to Venice railway, with high-speed trains to Milan in about 35 minutes. The nearest big airports are Bergamo Orio al Serio, 50 km away and about an hour by the Autostradale shuttle, and Verona, about 60 km away. In the city, one metro line and Brescia Mobilità buses cover the main sites, and for 2026/27 university students pay €140 a year for zone 1 or €215 for zones 1 and 2, half the full price. The centre is compact and walkable.
What is student life like in Brescia?
Student life in Brescia is calm, practical and close to nature. The historic centre has Roman and medieval layers, from the Capitolium, built in 73 AD, and the San Salvatore-Santa Giulia monastery, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to Piazza della Loggia and the castle hill. Lake Garda and Lake Iseo are close for weekends, and the Franciacorta wine area lies just outside the city. Brescia was Italian Capital of Culture in 2023, together with Bergamo.
What should you sort out in your first weeks in Brescia?
Your first weeks in Brescia are about permits, enrolment and transport. Non-EU students must request a permesso di soggiorno within 8 days of arrival, using the post office kit, and complete enrolment at the University of Brescia after a positive pre-evaluation. Get your codice fiscale and health cover, confirm your DSU residence or private contract, and then buy the discounted student transport pass, which covers the metro and buses for a year.
- Request your permesso di soggiorno at a post office within 8 days (non-EU students).
- Complete enrolment at UniBS and keep your pre-evaluation documents to hand.
- Get your codice fiscale and arrange health cover (private insurance or SSN).
- Confirm your DSU residence place or register your private rental contract.
- Buy the student pass: €140 a year for zone 1 (Brescia Mobilità, 2026/27).
Can you work part-time while studying in Brescia?
Yes, you can work part-time while studying in Brescia: a non-EU study permit allows up to 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year. The University of Brescia, like other public universities, offers paid part-time student jobs (collaborazioni) through yearly calls. Brescia's economy is built on manufacturing, machine tools and metalworking, so engineering internships are realistic, but shop, café and hospitality work mostly needs Italian. Build your Italian early.
How does Brescia compare with other Italian student cities?
Brescia is cheaper than Milan and Bologna but close to the northern average: single rooms averaged €478 a month in August 2026, against €704 in Milan, €585 in Bologna and €504 in nearby Bergamo (Immobiliare.it Insights). It is smaller, quieter and more industrial than the big hubs, with Milan 35 minutes away by train. Students pick Brescia for engineering, medicine and economics at a public university with industry links and grants for non-EU students.
How can ApplyAZ help you study in Brescia?
ApplyAZ helps you study in Brescia by building the University of Brescia into a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities, if it fits you. We take no commissions. We handle the pre-evaluation, write your CV and SOPs, submit applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your DSU scholarship and prepare your visa file, with a named person on each stage. Organised students can use our roadmap alone. Next step: see how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
