Is Cagliari a good place to study for international students?
Yes, Cagliari is a good place to study if you want a sunny coastal capital with lower rents than mainland Italy's big cities. Sardinia's capital has about 146,000 residents (2026), and its metropolitan area about 536,000. Its one public university, the University of Cagliari, dates back to 1620. It suits students who want medicine, computer engineering, cybersecurity or management in English, with the Poetto beach a bus ride from class.
Which universities are in Cagliari, and which are public?
Cagliari has one public university, the University of Cagliari (UniCa), the larger of Sardinia's two public universities; the other is in Sassari, in the north of the island. UniCa has more than 24,750 students in 6 faculties and 15 departments, with central offices on Via Università and a campus at Monserrato served by the light rail. It came 3rd among Italy's large public universities in Censis 2026/27. Its tuition is set by family income (ISEE).
- University of Cagliari: public, founded 1620, more than 24,750 students
- Nearby: University of Sassari, public, in the north of Sardinia
What can you study in English in Cagliari?
In Cagliari the English-taught choice is small but focused. For 2025/26 the University of Cagliari listed four degrees taught entirely in English: Medicine and Surgery; Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence; International Management; and Advanced Biotechnology, plus an English curriculum in cellular and molecular biology. Its 2026/27 list adds about 200 single modules in English. See all options in our English-taught programmes.
How much does it cost to live in Cagliari as a student?
Cagliari is cheaper than the big mainland student cities. In September 2026, most single rooms advertised on Immobiliare.it cost €330 to €550 a month, while rooms in flats shared with students on idealista were mostly €300 to €400. Erasmus Play, a student housing platform, puts the average private room at €418 and suggests €550 to €700 a month for rent, food, leisure and travel. ERSU scholarship winners get cheaper housing and canteen meals.
- Single room: mostly €330 to €550 a month (Immobiliare.it listings, Sept 2026)
- Room in a flat shared with students: mostly €300 to €400 a month (idealista, Sept 2026)
- Average private room: €418 a month (Erasmus Play, 2026)
- Airport train: €1.30 a ride, 5 to 7 minutes to the city (SOGAER)
- Monthly total: about €550 to €700 for rent, food, leisure and travel (Erasmus Play, 2026)
How do you find student housing in Cagliari?
In Cagliari, ERSU Cagliari runs five student residences, the Emilio Lussu campus on Viale La Playa and residences in Via Biasi, Via Trentino, Via Businco and Via Montesanto, assigned through its yearly scholarship and housing call. In late summer, new arrivals can book up to 5 days at ERSU's Viale La Plaia residence while they search. For private flats, the university points international students to ESN Cagliari. September is still tourist season, so book early.
Which scholarship covers students in Cagliari, and how much is it worth?
ERSU Cagliari, Sardinia's right-to-study body in the capital, runs the scholarship for University of Cagliari students, together with residences and canteens. Its 2026/27 call set limits of €28,339.88 ISEE and €61,608.48 ISPE, and applications closed on 28 August 2026. Italy's national reference grant for off-site students in 2026/27 is €7,171.11. Tuition is set by family income (ISEE), and at UniCa ERSU winners are exempt from tuition and the regional tax.
How do you get to Cagliari and get around once you are there?
Cagliari Elmas airport is 7 km from the centre, and trains from a station a 5-minute walk from the terminal reach the city in 5 to 7 minutes for €1.30, about every 20 minutes. Ferries also link the port with mainland Italy. In the city, CTM runs more than 30 bus and trolleybus lines, and the ARST light rail connects Piazza Repubblica with the Monserrato university campus and hospital. The historic districts are compact and walkable, though Castello sits on a steep hill.
What is student life like in Cagliari?
Student life in Cagliari is outdoors for much of the year. Students meet in the historic districts of Castello, Marina, Stampace and Villanova, watch the sunset from the Bastione di Saint Remy, and spend summer on the Poetto, a beach about 8 km long that also draws surfers and kitesurfers. On 1 May the Feast of Sant'Efisio sets off one of Italy's longest religious processions. Summers can pass 40°C, while winters are mild and rarely freezing.
What should you sort out in your first weeks in Cagliari?
Your first weeks in Cagliari are about permits, housing and ERSU paperwork. 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 ERSU residence or register your private contract, and complete your ERSU portal profile for scholarship payments, which need an IBAN and a PEC address. UniCa's ISMOKA office, at foreignstudents@unica.it, helps international students settle in.
- 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.
- Add an IBAN and a PEC address in the ERSU portal for scholarship payments.
- Contact the ISMOKA office at foreignstudents@unica.it for arrival support.
Can you work part-time while studying in Cagliari?
Yes, you can work part-time while studying in Cagliari: a non-EU study permit allows up to 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year. Italian public universities, UniCa included, offer paid part-time student jobs (collaborazioni) in libraries and offices, awarded through yearly calls. Cagliari's job market leans on tourism, hospitality and services, which are busiest in summer and mostly need Italian. Plan your budget without relying on work, and treat it as extra income.
How does Cagliari compare with other Italian student cities?
Cagliari is cheaper than Italy's biggest student cities: most advertised single rooms cost €330 to €550 in September 2026, while the August 2026 average was €704 in Milan, €615 in Rome and €585 in Bologna (Immobiliare.it Insights). It is smaller and more relaxed, with a beach-city lifestyle, but trips to the mainland mean flights or ferries. Students pick Cagliari for English-taught medicine, engineering and management and a Mediterranean climate.
How can ApplyAZ help you study in Cagliari?
ApplyAZ helps you study in Cagliari by building the University of Cagliari into a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities, if it fits you. We take no commissions. We write your CV and SOPs, submit each application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your ERSU Cagliari 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.
