Is Pavia a good place to study for international students?
Pavia is a good place to study if you want a historic university town with Milan close by. The Lombardy city had 71,646 residents in June 2025 and sits 35 km south of Milan, on the Ticino river. It has two public institutions, the University of Pavia, founded in 1361, and IUSS Pavia, a school for advanced studies, plus a network of historic colleges. It suits students who want a compact, walkable town, lower rents than Milan and a serious academic tradition.
Which universities are in Pavia, and which are public?
Both of Pavia's universities are public: the University of Pavia, a large research university, and IUSS Pavia, a small Scuola Superiore for top students. At the University of Pavia, tuition is set by family income (ISEE): for a family ISEE below €23,000 the all-inclusive fee is zero within the normal length of your programme, and EDiSU scholarship winners also get a tuition waiver. IUSS runs free honours courses alongside a Pavia or Milan degree, and English-taught PhDs.
- University of Pavia: public, founded 1361, about 26,400 students including 2,800 international
- IUSS Pavia: public, founded 1997, selective honours courses and funded PhDs
What can you study in English in Pavia?
In Pavia, the University of Pavia teaches 27 bachelor's and master's programmes entirely in English, out of 105 degree programmes. Popular choices include the BSc and MSc in Artificial Intelligence, the Master in International Business and Entrepreneurship, the Master in Finance, and World Politics and International Relations. IUSS Pavia adds English-taught PhDs in fields such as cognitive neuroscience and natural hazard risk. Compare them with other English-taught programmes.
How much does it cost to live in Pavia as a student?
Pavia costs much less than Milan but is no longer cheap: plan on about €750 to €950 a month. Immobiliare.it Insights put the average single room at €400 in August 2026, up 10.2% in a year, and Il Giorno reported most single rooms at €400 to €550, while Milan averaged €704. EDiSU scholarship winners who live off-site can get a college place and one canteen meal a day, which cuts costs sharply. The centre is walkable, so many students spend little on transport.
- Single room in a shared flat: €400 to €550 a month (Immobiliare.it Insights and Il Giorno, August 2026)
- EDiSU college place for off-site winners, with one canteen meal a day and up to €4,479 in cash
- Food: about €300 a month, close to HousingAnywhere's €297 estimate for Rome (2026)
- Phone: about €10 a month for a SIM plan (HousingAnywhere, 2026)
- Monthly total: about €750 to €950, our estimate from the lines above
How do you find student housing in Pavia?
In Pavia, student housing means either a college place or a room in a shared flat. EDiSU Pavia runs public colleges for scholarship students, and four historic merit colleges, Borromeo, Ghislieri, Nuovo and Santa Caterina, admit students by competition. For private rooms, look in the historic centre or near the Cravino campus, about 3 km out, where engineering and science are taught. Deposits are capped by law at three months' rent. Start by early summer, before the September rush.
Which scholarship covers students in Pavia, and how much is it worth?
In Pavia, the regional right-to-study (DSU) scholarship is run by EDiSU Pavia and is open to Italian, EU and non-EU students. Off-site winners receive either an EDiSU college place, one canteen meal a day and up to €4,479 in cash, or one meal a day and up to €7,419 in cash, the top off-site amount in Lombardy's 2026/27 calls. Awards depend on family income and merit. Tuition is set by family income (ISEE), and a DSU scholarship winner also gets a tuition waiver.
How do you get to Pavia and get around once you are there?
Pavia is reached through Milan, 35 km to the north, with S13 suburban and regional trains running roughly every 10 minutes. Milan's airports, Linate and Malpensa, connect through the city, so most students fly into Milan and take the train on. Inside Pavia, the historic centre is compact enough to walk, and many students cycle to lectures and to the Cravino campus, about 3 km out. City buses cover the outer districts, and the Certosa di Pavia monastery lies 8 km north.
What is student life like in Pavia?
Student life in Pavia revolves around its colleges, its old university courtyards and the Ticino river. The covered bridge, the Ponte Coperto, links the centre with the Borgo Ticino district, and the cathedral dome, 97 m high, is the third largest in Italy. Colleges run their own sport, music and talks, and about 25 of the town's medieval towers still stand. Winters bring fog and near-freezing lows, and summer highs reach 28 to 30°C with high humidity. Milan is there when you want a big city.
What should you sort out in your first weeks in Pavia?
Your first weeks in Pavia go smoothly if you handle the paperwork in a set order. Non-EU students must request the permesso di soggiorno within 8 working days of arrival, using the post office kit. Then get your codice fiscale, arrange health cover, confirm your EDiSU college place or private lease, and complete your enrolment at the University of Pavia. The town is small and offices are close together, but queues build in late September, so start in your first days.
- Request your permesso di soggiorno with the post office kit within 8 working days (non-EU students)
- Get your codice fiscale from the Agenzia delle Entrate if you do not have one yet
- Register with the SSN or keep private health insurance valid in Italy
- Confirm your EDiSU college place, or check that your landlord registers your lease
- Complete enrolment and choose the income-based (ISEE) fee option if you qualify
Can you work part-time while studying in Pavia?
Yes, you can work part-time while studying in Pavia: a non-EU study permit allows up to 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year. The university offers part-time student jobs, often called 150-hour collaborations (collaborazioni 150 ore), in libraries, offices and services. Pavia's own job market is small and mostly Italian-speaking, so many students look in Milan, a short train ride away. Plan your budget without relying on work, and never let the hours put your exam credits at risk.
How does Pavia compare with other Italian student cities?
Pavia is cheaper and calmer than Milan, and much smaller than Bologna or Rome. In August 2026 a single room averaged €400 in Pavia, against €704 in Milan, €615 in Rome and €585 in Bologna (Immobiliare.it Insights). You trade big-city nightlife and job options for a walkable town, college life and a 1361 university with 27 English-taught programmes. Students who want Milan's opportunities without Milan's rents often choose Pavia and take the train when they need the city.
How can ApplyAZ help you study in Pavia?
ApplyAZ helps you study in Pavia by building the University of Pavia into a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities, if it fits you. We take no commissions from any university. We write your CV and tailored SOPs, submit applications and Universitaly, file your EDiSU scholarship and prepare your visa file, and a named person owns each stage. The IUSS exams are yours to prepare, and organised students can use our roadmap alone: see how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
