Is Cassino a good place to study for international students?
Cassino is a good place to study if you want English-taught engineering or economics at a small, low-cost public university between Rome and Naples. This Lazio town has about 35,000 residents (2025) and one public university, the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, with about 7,000 students, around 1,500 of them international. Rome and Naples are each about 1 hour 15 minutes away by train. It suits focused students on a tight budget.
Which universities are in Cassino, and which are public?
Cassino has one public university, the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio (UNICAS), founded in 1979 and accredited by Italy's Ministry of University and Research. Its main campus is Campus Folcara, with engineering on Via G. Di Biasio and branches in Frosinone and Gaeta. Censis 2026/27 ranked it 2nd among Italy's small public universities, and it belongs to the EUt+ alliance. Rome's and Naples' large public universities are about 1 hour 15 minutes away.
- University of Cassino and Southern Lazio (UNICAS): public, founded 1979, about 7,000 students
- Nearby in Rome: Sapienza, Tor Vergata and Roma Tre, all public
- Nearby in Naples: University of Naples Federico II, public
What can you study in English in Cassino?
In Cassino, the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio teaches 11 degrees in English: five bachelor's and six master's. Bachelor's options include Economics and Business, Economics with Data Science, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Computer Engineering. Master's options include Global Economy and Business, Mechanical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering and the Erasmus Mundus MAIA. Compare them with other cities on our English-taught programmes page.
How much does it cost to live in Cassino as a student?
Cassino is a low-cost place to study: shared rooms start from about €200 a month, and DiSCo Lazio halls are cheaper still for scholarship students. The three university canteens price meals by family income, from about €2 to €8. For comparison, single rooms averaged €615 in Rome and €447 in Naples in August 2026 (Immobiliare.it Insights). International tuition is set by country of origin, from around €1,000 a year, with income-based reductions.
- Shared room: from about €200 a month (2026)
- Canteen meal: about €2 to €8, priced by family income
- Tuition: from around €1,000 a year, set by country of origin
- Pre-admission application fee: €15
- For comparison: €615 average single room in Rome (August 2026)
How do you find student housing in Cassino?
Finding housing in Cassino is easier than in big cities, but the town is small, so rooms get scarce once term starts. DiSCo Lazio runs subsidised halls for scholarship students, and private shared rooms start from about €200 a month. Check whether your course is at Campus Folcara or the engineering site on Via G. Di Biasio before you sign, and arrange housing before you fly. Italian law caps deposits at three months' rent, so never pay more, or before a contract.
Which scholarship covers students in Cassino, and how much is it worth?
DiSCo Lazio, the Lazio right-to-study agency, runs the scholarship for University of Cassino students. Its 2026/27 call was open to families with an ISEE up to €28,339.88 and an ISPE up to €61,608.48, and closed at noon on 22 July 2026. The national minimum grant for off-site students in 2026/27 is €7,171.11. Winners also get a tuition exemption and subsidised housing, renewed yearly against exam credits; otherwise tuition follows your country band.
How do you get to Cassino and get around once you are there?
Cassino sits on the Rome to Naples railway via Cassino, with Rome and Naples each about 1 hour 15 minutes away by train. Fly into Rome Fiumicino or Naples Capodichino and continue by train; from Fiumicino the trip costs roughly €9 to €19, depending on the service. Cassino is a small town and many students walk, but check how you will reach Campus Folcara or the engineering site from your room before you sign a contract.
What is student life like in Cassino?
Student life in Cassino is small-town and affordable, with a large international community for a town of its size: around 1,500 of UNICAS's 7,000 students come from abroad. The Abbey of Montecassino, founded by St Benedict in 529 and rebuilt after its destruction in 1944, overlooks the town, and the Roman Terme Varroniane are close by. Nightlife is limited, so many students spend weekends in Rome or Naples, each about 1 hour 15 minutes away.
What should you sort out in your first weeks in Cassino?
Your first weeks in Cassino are about paperwork, and one step is urgent: complete your UNICAS enrolment promptly, because missing the ministerial enrolment deadline on Universitaly can put your visa at risk. Non-EU students must also request a permesso di soggiorno within 8 days of arrival with the post office kit, get a codice fiscale and arrange health cover through insurance or voluntary SSN registration. Then confirm your DiSCo Lazio status and housing.
- Complete your UNICAS enrolment promptly after you arrive.
- Request your permesso di soggiorno with the post office kit within 8 days of arrival.
- Get your codice fiscale from the Agenzia delle Entrate if you do not have one yet.
- Arrange health cover: private insurance or voluntary registration with the SSN.
- Confirm your DiSCo Lazio scholarship status and your housing.
Can you work part-time while studying in Cassino?
Yes, you can work part-time while studying in Cassino: a non-EU study permit allows up to 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year. Italian universities, UNICAS included, can offer paid student collaborations of up to 150 hours a year. Cassino's job market is small and mostly Italian-speaking, and Rome is too far for a weekday job. Budget without counting on work, and use the time to build your Italian and your engineering or economics portfolio.
How does Cassino compare with other Italian student cities?
Cassino costs far less than Rome or Naples: shared rooms start from about €200 a month, while single rooms averaged €615 in Rome and €447 in Naples in August 2026 (Immobiliare.it Insights). UNICAS is much smaller than Sapienza, Tor Vergata or Federico II, with fewer subjects but more personal attention. Students pick Cassino for English-taught engineering and economics on a tight budget, with Rome and Naples both close enough for weekends.
How can ApplyAZ help you study in Cassino?
ApplyAZ helps you study in Cassino by building the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio into a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities. We are independent and take no commissions. We write your CV and SOPs, submit applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your DiSCo Lazio scholarship and prepare your visa file. UNICAS still decides admission, and organised students can use our roadmap alone. See how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
