Is Catania a good place to study for international students?
Yes, Catania is a good place to study if you want a lively, low-cost southern city with the sea and a volcano on its doorstep. Sicily's second city has about 297,000 residents (2026) and sits below Mount Etna, with a Baroque centre that is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its public university, the University of Catania, is the oldest in Sicily. It suits students who want low costs, warm weather and an English-taught master's in science or engineering.
Which universities are in Catania, and which are public?
Catania has one public university, the University of Catania, which teaches about 30,000 students (THE 2026 data) across science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, law, economics and the humanities. Its central seat is on Piazza Università in the historic centre. Sicily's other state universities are in Palermo and Messina. For 2026/27, non-EU students resident abroad pay a flat €306 a year in total, while students resident in Italy pay by family income.
What can you study in English in Catania?
In Catania, the University of Catania teaches 10 master's degrees in English for 2026/27, plus Medicine and Surgery in English. They include Physics, Chemical Engineering for Industrial Sustainability, Automation Engineering and Control of Complex Systems, Communications, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Global Politics and Euro-Mediterranean Relations, Agriculture Science and Technology, and Data Science for Management. There is no English-taught bachelor's. See our English-taught programmes.
How much does it cost to live in Catania as a student?
Living in Catania as a student is among the cheapest in Italy, at about €550 to €800 a month by our estimate. The University of Catania's 2026/27 guide puts a single room in a private flat at €200 to €350 a month plus €25 to €50 for bills, and Immobiliare.it Insights put the average single at €284 in March 2026, the joint lowest it tracked. ERSU canteen meals cost €0 to €6, and a year of buses and metro costs students just €20.
- Single room in a private flat: €200 to €350 a month, plus €25 to €50 bills (UniCT, 2026/27)
- ERSU canteen meal: €0 to €6 by income; meals out from about €7 (UniCT, 2026/27)
- Bus and metro pass: €20 for the year, AMTS and FCE (UniCT students, 2026/27)
- Phone: SIM activation from €9.99 (UniCT guide, 2026/27)
- Money to arrive with: €1,300 to €1,500 for the first months (UniCT guide, 2026/27)
- Monthly total: about €550 to €800, rent included (ApplyAZ estimate)
How do you find student housing in Catania?
In Catania, most international students rent a room in a private flat, and landlords usually ask for two to three months' rent up front. The University of Catania's 2026/27 guide points to Idealista, Zappyrent, Subito and local Facebook groups, and warns against paying before you have seen the room. ERSU Catania runs residences for scholarship winners, with a €150 refundable deposit. Start early, and look close to your department or the metro.
Which scholarship covers students in Catania, and how much is it worth?
The scholarship for students in Catania is run by ERSU Catania, the regional right-to-study body for the city's universities. Its 2026/27 call pays €7,171.11 a year to off-site students, €4,190.71 to commuters and €2,890.16 to students living at home, with 15% more for an ISEE below half the limit. Applications closed on 10 August 2026. For students resident in Italy, tuition is set by family income (ISEE), and a DSU scholarship winner also gets a tuition waiver.
How do you get to Catania and get around once you are there?
Catania is easy to reach: Fontanarossa airport is about 7 km from the centre, around 20 minutes by Alibus, whose ticket also covers city buses for 90 minutes. The city's metro line runs 8.8 km from Nesima through the centre to Stesicoro. For 2026/27, University of Catania students can buy a yearly AMTS bus and FCE metro pass for just €20, until 16 December 2026. The centre is walkable, though traffic is heavy and summers are hot.
What is student life like in Catania?
Student life in Catania mixes a Baroque old town with the sea and the slopes of Mount Etna. Evenings gather around Piazza Università, Piazza del Duomo and the streets nearby, and the fish market and street food keep eating out cheap. Each February the city celebrates its patron saint, Agatha, with days of processions and festivities. Summers are long and hot, winters mild. Beaches, hikes on Etna and trips along the east coast are all within easy reach.
What should you sort out in your first weeks in Catania?
In your first weeks in Catania, sort out your documents first, because your residence permit, tax code and health cover unlock rent, banking and scholarship payments. Non-EU students must request a permesso di soggiorno within 8 days of arrival, using the kit from a post office. The University of Catania's Welcome Office issues the codice fiscale free of charge. Health insurance must cover at least €30,000 for a year. Keep copies of everything.
- Request your permesso di soggiorno within 8 days, using the post office kit (non-EU students).
- Get your codice fiscale free of charge from the university's Welcome Office.
- Arrange health cover of at least €30,000 for a year, or register with the SSN.
- Confirm your ERSU Catania place, or sign a registered rental contract.
- Buy the €20 yearly bus and metro pass on the student portal by 16 December 2026.
Can you work part-time while studying in Catania?
Yes, you can work part-time while studying in Catania, 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. Universities offer paid part-time student jobs, the collaborazioni 150 ore, through yearly calls. Catania's job market is limited and seasonal, with work mainly in tourism, hospitality and tutoring, and most jobs need Italian. Plan your budget so that you do not depend on a job.
How does Catania compare with other Italian student cities?
Catania is far cheaper than Milan, Rome and Bologna: in March 2026 its average single room cost €284 a month, against €599 in Bologna, €609 in Rome and €729 in Milan (Immobiliare.it Insights). It is a big, busy southern city with a slower administrative pace, and the University of Catania came last among Italy's large public universities in Censis 2026/27. Students pick it for low costs, sun and English-taught master's in science and engineering.
How can ApplyAZ help you study in Catania?
ApplyAZ helps you study in Catania by building a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at public universities, including University of Catania master's where they fit your profile. No university pays us. We write your CV and SOPs, submit applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your ERSU Catania scholarship and prepare your visa file, with a named person owning each stage. Organised students can use our roadmap alone. Next step: see how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
