Is Campobasso a good place to study for international students?
Campobasso is a good place to study if you want a small, inexpensive regional capital and can study partly or fully in Italian. It is the capital of Molise, one of Italy's smallest regions, set in the hills of the southern Apennines. Its public university, the University of Molise, has its headquarters here and further sites in Isernia, Pesche and Termoli. It suits students who want low rents, low fees and a quiet city, and suits less those who need many English-taught degrees.
Which universities are in Campobasso, and which are public?
Campobasso's public university is the University of Molise, founded in 1982 and the only state university in the region. It began with agriculture and food science, then added economics, law, science, medicine and engineering, and Censis 2026/27 ranks it 9th among Italy's small public universities. Tuition is set by family income (ISEE): for 2026/27, a family ISEE up to €24,000 pays only the €156 first instalment, and a DSU scholarship winner also gets a tuition waiver, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
- University of Molise: public, founded 1982, headquarters in Campobasso, sites in Isernia, Pesche and Termoli
What can you study in English in Campobasso?
In Campobasso, English-taught options are limited for now: the University of Molise teaches mainly in Italian. The English-language programme we list there is the Master in Public and Health Economics. Confirm its teaching language, places for non-EU students and intake dates on the university's own programme page before you apply. If you need a wider choice, compare it with other English-taught programmes at Italian public universities in nearby Abruzzo and Campania.
How much does it cost to live in Campobasso as a student?
Campobasso is an inexpensive city by Italian standards: plan around €850 a month, Italy's 2026/27 study-visa figure of €10,179.85 a year. Rent takes a modest share of that. Immobiliare.it Insights put average residential rents at €7.13 per m² in June 2026, down 3.13% in a year, and room listings on Immobiliare.it for Campobasso mostly asked €200 to €350 a month in September 2026. Fees are low too: with a qualifying ISEE you pay only the €156 first instalment.
- Single room in a shared flat: mostly €200 to €350 a month (Immobiliare.it listings, September 2026)
- Average rent: €7.13 per m² (Immobiliare.it Insights, June 2026)
- Health cover: registration with the Italian health service costs €700 a year (2026/27)
- Tuition: €156 first instalment for a family ISEE up to €24,000; fees follow an ISEE of €46,000 without an ISEE parificato
- Monthly planning figure: about €850, the 2026/27 study-visa amount
How do you find student housing in Campobasso?
In Campobasso, most students rent a room in a shared flat from a private landlord. Immobiliare.it showed 91 room listings for the city in September 2026, with most single rooms at €200 to €250 and rooms in larger flats up to about €350. ESU Molise, the regional right-to-study body, runs the scholarship call, so check it for any housing support before you sign a lease. Look near the university's main site on Via De Sanctis, ask for a registered lease, and start before September.
Which scholarship covers students in Campobasso, and how much is it worth?
In Campobasso, the regional right-to-study (DSU) scholarship is run by ESU Molise, the Ente per il Diritto allo Studio Universitario, for capable and deserving students with limited means. In 2024 the Region of Molise committed €4,285,714.29 to these awards for 2023/24 to 2025/26, plus about €1.2 million a year from the regional tax. Amounts and deadlines are set in each year's ESU call, so read the current one. Tuition is set by family income (ISEE), and a DSU scholarship winner also gets a tuition waiver.
How do you get to Campobasso and get around once you are there?
Campobasso has no airport, so most students fly into Naples or into Abruzzo Airport in Pescara and continue by coach or train. Regional coaches link the city with Naples, Rome, Pescara and the Molise coast at Termoli, where the university also teaches, and trains run on regional lines. Inside Campobasso, the centre is compact and hilly, and city buses connect it with the university's main site on Via De Sanctis. Check the operator for student passes, and allow extra time for connections in winter.
What is student life like in Campobasso?
Student life in Campobasso is quiet and close-knit, built around the university, the old town and the main shopping streets below it. The Castello Monforte stands above the historic centre, with views over the city and the surrounding hills. It is a mostly Italian-speaking city, with a smaller international community than larger university towns, so learning Italian makes daily life much easier. Winters in the hills are cold, and weekend trips reach the Adriatic coast at Termoli or the mountains of the Matese.
What should you sort out in your first weeks in Campobasso?
Your first weeks in Campobasso go smoothly if you handle the paperwork in a set order. Non-EU students must request the permesso di soggiorno within 8 days of arriving in Italy. Then get your codice fiscale, arrange health cover, confirm your lease and complete your enrolment at the University of Molise, paying the €156 first instalment through the pagoPA system. The city is small and offices are close together, but start in your first days, since queues build in late September.
- Request your permesso di soggiorno within 8 days of arrival (non-EU students)
- Get your codice fiscale from an Italian consulate or the Agenzia delle Entrate
- Register with the Italian health service (€700 a year) or keep private insurance valid in Italy
- Check that your landlord registers your lease
- Complete enrolment and pay the €156 first instalment by pagoPA
Can you work part-time while studying in Campobasso?
Yes, you can work part-time while studying in Campobasso: a non-EU study permit allows up to 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year. Campobasso's job market is small and mostly Italian-speaking, so students who speak only English should not count on finding local work. Ask the university and ESU Molise about part-time student collaborations in their offices and services. Plan your budget without relying on a job, and never let the hours put your exam credits at risk.
How does Campobasso compare with other Italian student cities?
Campobasso is smaller and quieter than the university cities of neighbouring Abruzzo and Campania, with lower rents than the Pescara area. Immobiliare.it Insights put average rents at €7.13 per m² in Campobasso in June 2026, against €9.60 in the province of Pescara in August 2026. Among small public universities in Censis 2026/27, the University of Molise is 9th and the University of Teramo 7th. You trade a wide English-taught choice for low costs and a close-knit student community.
How can ApplyAZ help you study in Campobasso?
ApplyAZ helps you study in Campobasso by building the University of Molise into a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities, if a programme fits you. We take no commissions from any university. We write your CV and tailored SOPs, submit applications and Universitaly, file your ESU Molise scholarship and prepare your visa file, and a named person owns each stage. Organised students can use our roadmap alone: see how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
