Bachelor in Ancient Civilizations for the Contemporary World at University of Milan

About the programme

Ancient Civilizations for the Contemporary World is a three-year bachelor's degree in class L-1-R (cultural heritage), taught entirely in English. The University of Milan runs it with Ca' Foscari University of Venice and is its administrative seat, so you apply and enrol in Milan. Classes are held live at both universities, and each student is assigned to Milan or Venice according to their preference and the balance between the two seats.

The degree looks at the ancient world well beyond Greece and Rome: the Near East, Pharaonic Egypt, India, China and Japan sit alongside classical history, archaeology and literature. Entry is limited: for 2026/27 there were 75 places plus 25 for non-EU applicants who need a visa. It suits school leavers who want to work with cultural heritage, museums or cultural communication.

What you will study

The first two years build a base in history, archaeology and literature across civilisations; the third moves to art history, cultural law and performance. Units in the 2026/27 study plan include:

• Greek and Roman History (12 ECTS, first year)
• Archaeology of Western Asia (12 ECTS, first year)
• Introduction to Pharaonic Egypt and The Bhagavad Gita (first year)
• European and Mediterranean Archaeology (12 ECTS, second year)
• Cultural Anthropology and Introduction to Greek and Latin Literature (second year)
• History of Chinese and Japanese Art (12 ECTS, third year)
• Art and Law and History of Indian Art (third year)
• Electives such as Archaeology of the Silk Road, Introduction to Byzantine Civilization or Introduction to Chinese Thought

How the programme is taught

Workshops and internships have compulsory attendance, and from the second year you complete at least 6 ECTS of internship. The Greek and Latin literature units require a basic language test, with training workshops for beginners. In the third year you can use elective credits for Italian at A2 level, and the degree ends with a 6 ECTS final exam. Erasmus+ links cover more than 300 European universities, and the 4EU+ alliance offers online courses.

Career paths

The official profiles point to public and private institutions, non-profit organisations, foundations and companies that manage, protect and promote cultural heritage. The roles named include:

• Cultural services operator: visitor services at museums and archaeological sites, cataloguing, assistant curator, excavation or museum technician
• Cultural communicator and public engagement specialist: digital content, social media and press work for cultural bodies and publishers
• Entertainment industry consultant: checking historical and cultural accuracy for video games, film production, theme parks and agencies

Fees and scholarships

The degree is in the university's fee Area B. If your family's income and assets are abroad, you pay a fixed second instalment set by country group, which for 2026/27 is €256 a year for Group A (countries like India, Bangladesh and Ghana), €1,164 for Group B and €4,101.12 for Group C. Everyone also pays a first instalment from €146 for regional tax and stamp duty. Winners of the Lombardy regional DSU scholarship, run by the university, are exempt: zero euro tuition for eligible students.

How to apply from outside the EU

Visa applicants can only use the April session. For 2026/27 they applied on apply.unimi.it from 12 March to 2 April 2026, paid a €30 fee and sat the CISIA English test in humanities online on 10 or 17 April, ranked on the score for 25 reserved places. The 2027/28 call was not yet published in September 2026.

Admitted students complete the Universitaly pre-enrolment (by 31 July for 2026/27) and apply for a type D study visa, which requires B2 English. By 30 November you upload your legalised diploma with a CIMEA statement of comparability or a declaration of value.

How ApplyAZ helps

If this programme fits your goals, ApplyAZ can include it in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities. We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose, submit your applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your DSU scholarship application and prepare your visa file, with a named person on each stage. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa. See how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.