Is Parma a good place to study for international students?
Parma is a good place to study if you want a well-run, affordable mid-sized city with a large public university. This Emilia-Romagna city has about 202,100 residents (2025) and one public university, the University of Parma, with about 32,000 students, roughly 2,900 of them international. It sits on the Milan to Bologna railway, at the heart of Italy's food industry. It suits students of food science, engineering, medicine, pharmacy and data science.
Which universities are in Parma, and which are public?
Parma has one public university, the University of Parma (UniPR), which dates its origins to 962 and is one of the oldest in the world. Its historic buildings sit in the centre, with a large science and technology campus on the edge of the city. Censis 2026/27 ranked it 4th among Italy's large public universities. Parma also has a public music conservatory, and the region's other public universities include Bologna, Modena and Reggio Emilia, and Ferrara.
- University of Parma: public, founded 962, about 32,000 students
- Arrigo Boito Conservatory: public music conservatory (AFAM)
- Nearby: University of Bologna and University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, both public
What can you study in English in Parma?
In Parma, the University of Parma lists 18 English-taught degree programmes for 2026/27: two bachelor's-level degrees, Medicine and Surgery, and 15 master's. Master's options include Data Science for Management, Communication Engineering, Architecture and Sustainable Cities, Global Food Law, and Food Safety and Food Risk Management. The bachelor's-level options are Global Studies and Dental Hygiene. Compare them on our English-taught programmes page.
How much does it cost to live in Parma as a student?
Living in Parma costs less than in most northern Italian university cities, mainly because rent is lower: single rooms averaged €370 a month in August 2026, down 10.7% in a year, according to Immobiliare.it Insights. The university says more than 2,200 residence places are available for 2026/27. A discounted annual bus pass for UniPR students costs €120. Food, phone and bills come on top, so budget beyond rent before you commit.
- Single room: €370 a month on average (Immobiliare.it Insights, August 2026)
- Residences: more than 2,200 places for 2026/27, nearly 1,000 for DSU-eligible students
- Bus pass: €120 a year for UniPR students (TEP urban, 2026/27), instead of €205
- Bike storage at the university cicletteria: €13.50 a month or €135 a year (2025)
- ER.GO grant: up to €7,171.11 a year for off-site winners (2026/27)
How do you find student housing in Parma?
Finding housing in Parma is easier than in many cities: the University of Parma says more than 2,200 residence places are available for 2026/27, about 750 more than a year earlier, including new residences such as La Corte and Chiostro 26. ER.GO assigns its places through a call that ran from 23 June to 24 August 2026. Private rooms are listed on UniPR's Vetrina alloggi platform. Start in spring, and never pay a deposit before a viewing and a written contract.
Which scholarship covers students in Parma, and how much is it worth?
ER.GO, Emilia-Romagna's right-to-study agency, runs the scholarship for University of Parma students. For 2026/27 it was open to families with an ISEE up to €25,000 and an ISPE up to €50,000. Off-site students with an ISEE up to €16,666.67 receive €7,171.11 a year, falling in steps to €3,585.56 near the limit. Applications ran from 23 June to 24 August 2026. Tuition is set by family income (ISEE), and scholarship winners also get a tuition waiver.
How do you get to Parma and get around once you are there?
Parma sits on the Milan to Bologna railway, and Bologna's Marconi airport, about 94 km east, is the nearest major airport, though Parma has a small airport of its own. In town, most students walk or cycle, since the centre is compact and flat. TEP's discounted urban pass for UniPR students costs €120 a year for 2026/27 instead of €205, paid with the university's Student Card between 31 August 2026 and 31 March 2027, and bike storage is discounted too.
What is student life like in Parma?
Student life in Parma revolves around food, music and a compact historic centre. The city is famous for Parmigiano Reggiano and Parma ham, is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy and hosts EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority. Opera fans have the Teatro Regio and the Verdi Festival each autumn. Students meet in the Oltretorrente and around Strada Farini, and the Parco Ducale is the main green space. Winters are foggy, and Milan and Bologna make easy day trips.
What should you sort out in your first weeks in Parma?
Your first weeks in Parma are about permits, health cover and your ER.GO file. Non-EU students must request a permesso di soggiorno within 8 days of arrival with the post office kit, then get a codice fiscale and health cover through private insurance or voluntary SSN registration. The university's Welcome Office helps with housing, banking and healthcare. ER.GO wants foreign income documents by 31 December 2026, so upload them early, then buy your TEP pass.
- 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.
- Complete your ER.GO file, with foreign income documents by 31 December 2026.
- Use your UniPR Student Card to buy the €120 TEP pass by 31 March 2027.
Can you work part-time while studying in Parma?
Yes, you can work part-time while studying in Parma: a non-EU study permit allows up to 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year. Like other Italian universities, the University of Parma offers paid student collaborations of up to 150 hours a year. Parma's food industry, logistics and retail offer jobs and internships, and EFSA is based in the city. Most local jobs expect Italian, so start learning it in your first semester.
How does Parma compare with other Italian student cities?
Parma is one of northern Italy's more affordable student cities: its average single room was €370 in August 2026, against €585 in Bologna, €615 in Rome and €704 in Milan (Immobiliare.it Insights). It is smaller and quieter than Bologna, with short distances and a slower pace. Students pick Parma for food science, engineering and medicine, a fast-growing supply of student housing, and daily life that costs less than in the big university hubs.
How can ApplyAZ help you study in Parma?
ApplyAZ helps you study in Parma by building the University of Parma 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 ER.GO scholarship and prepare your visa file, with a named person owning each stage. Organised students can use our roadmap alone. See how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
