Is Genoa a good place to study for international students?
Genoa is a good fit for international students who want a real port city with a large public university and living costs well below Milan. It is the capital of Liguria, with about 565,000 residents in 2025, a vast medieval old town and the sea on its doorstep. The University of Genoa, founded in 1481, is its only public university. Genoa suits students drawn to engineering, robotics and maritime fields who want a working city rather than a tourist one.
Which universities are in Genoa, and which are public?
Genoa has one public university, the University of Genoa (UniGe), with about 34,000 students. Its historic seat is in the palaces of Via Balbi, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it has sites across the city plus Savona, Imperia and La Spezia. Tuition follows family income (ISEEU): students in the no-tax area pay only the €16 stamp duty and a regional tax from €120. ApplyAZ works only with public universities such as UniGe.
- University of Genoa: public, founded 1481, known for robotics, engineering and maritime studies
What can you study in English in Genoa?
In Genoa you can study in English mainly in engineering, computer science, data science and business at the University of Genoa. Options include a bachelor's in Computer Engineering and master's programmes such as Robotics Engineering, Computer Science, Engineering Technology for Strategy and Security, and Maritime Science and Technology. The Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), based in Genoa, works closely with UniGe. Browse our English-taught programmes.
How much does it cost to live in Genoa as a student?
Living in Genoa as a student costs roughly €700 to €950 a month, well below Milan. A single room averaged €408 a month in August 2026, up 11.9% in a year (Immobiliare.it Insights), while UniGe's 2024/25 guide put single rooms at €350 to €400. Landlords often ask for two to three months up front, so UniGe advises arriving with at least €1,500 for first expenses. University canteen meals cost €0 to €6 each, depending on income.
- Single room: €350 to €410 a month (UniGe 2024/25; Immobiliare.it Insights, August 2026)
- Double room: €250 to €350 a person, plus about €50 a month in bills (UniGe, 2024/25)
- University canteen: €0 to €6 a meal, set by family income (UniGe, 2024/25)
- AMT pass: €48 a month, or €100 a year for UniGe first-years (2025/26)
- Monthly total: about €700 to €950 for most students
How do you find student housing in Genoa?
In Genoa, most students rent a room in a shared flat, while ALiSEO residences go to scholarship winners. ALiSEO manages more than 1,000 beds and is adding over 100 new ones for 2026/27. UniGe's Welcome Office helps international students search and offers a rental contract template, but it does not book rooms for you. Expect to pay two to three months up front for the deposit and first rent, and start looking well before lectures begin in the autumn.
Which scholarship covers students in Genoa, and how much is it worth?
The main scholarship for students in Genoa is run by ALiSEO, Liguria's right-to-study agency. For 2026/27 it pays up to €7,172 a year to off-site students, for a family ISEEU up to €28,339 and ISPEU up to €61,608. All winners can use ALiSEO housing and canteens and are exempt from the regional tax. Tuition is set by family income, and a DSU winner also gets a tuition waiver. The 2026/27 call closed at noon on 31 July 2026.
How do you get to Genoa and get around once you are there?
Genoa's Cristoforo Colombo airport is about 30 minutes from the city centre stations on AMT's Volabus. Trains reach Milan in about 1 hour 30 minutes and Turin in about 1 hour 45 minutes. In the city, AMT runs buses, a metro line, funiculars and public lifts, which matter in a steep city. For 2025/26, new UniGe students could get a yearly AMT pass for €100, or free with an ISEE-U below €13,000 plus a €10 fee. Walking means stairs.
What is student life like in Genoa?
Student life in Genoa centres on the old town's narrow alleys, the Porto Antico waterfront and the sea, with the Riviera, Cinque Terre and Portofino within reach for weekends. UniGe's historic seat on Via Balbi puts many students right in the centre. Food is part of daily life: focaccia, pesto and seafood are local staples. Genoa is a working port and far less touristy than Florence or Venice, so it feels like a city you live in rather than visit.
What should you sort out in your first weeks in Genoa?
Your first weeks in Genoa are mostly paperwork, and a few steps affect your fees. Non-EU students must request a permesso di soggiorno within 8 working days of arrival, using the post office kit. You also need a codice fiscale and health cover, and you should get your ISEE at a CAF office so UniGe can set your fees by income. Then confirm your ALiSEO scholarship or residence and request your AMT pass through UniGe's online services.
- Request your permesso di soggiorno within 8 working days, using the post office kit
- Get your codice fiscale (Italian tax code) if you do not already have one
- Arrange health cover: SSN registration or private health insurance
- Get your ISEE at a CAF office so your UniGe fees follow family income
- Confirm ALiSEO results and request your AMT pass via UniGe online services
Can you work part-time while studying in Genoa?
Yes, non-EU students in Genoa can work part-time on a study permit, up to 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year. The port, logistics, tourism and hospitality offer student jobs, and research centres such as IIT can lead to internships for engineering and robotics students. UniGe also offers paid part-time student collaborations, often called 150-hour jobs, through internal calls. Most local jobs expect some Italian, so start learning it early.
How does Genoa compare with other Italian student cities?
Genoa is one of the cheaper large cities in northern Italy: a single room averaged €408 in August 2026, against €704 in Milan, €585 in Bologna and €479 in Turin (Immobiliare.it Insights). Prices rose 11.9% in a year, so book early. Genoa suits students who want a big city by the sea, strong engineering and robotics, and a smaller budget than Milan. Students who prefer a compact campus town may look at Pavia or Siena instead.
How can ApplyAZ help you study in Genoa?
ApplyAZ can build the University of Genoa into a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at public universities, if it fits your profile. We are independent and take no university commissions. We write your CV and tailored SOPs, submit applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your ALiSEO scholarship and prepare your visa file, with a named person on each stage. UniGe decides admission. Organised students can use our roadmap alone. Next step: see how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
