Bachelor in Business and Economics at University of Bologna
Three-year English-taught bachelor in management and economics at the University of Bologna, with SAT-based admission, an optional 12 ECTS internship, a UADE double degree and a semester at the Buenos Aires campus.
Bachelor
3 years
Bologna
English
University of Bologna
Business and Economics (CLaBE) is a three-year, 180 ECTS bachelor's degree (class L-18-R) taught entirely in English at the University of Bologna's Bologna campus. Entry needs 12 years of schooling and a Digital SAT score, with places ranked on the SAT alone and English at B2 met by the SAT. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Bologna's Business and Economics bachelor (CLaBE) asks for a school-leaving qualification after 12 years of schooling and a Digital SAT score, with places ranked on the SAT alone. English at B2 is required and taking the SAT counts as meeting it. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
School-leaving requirement
You need one of the following qualifications: [1]
- A qualification obtained abroad after 12 years of schooling that gives access to university, and to this kind of degree programme, in the country that issued it, under the Ministry of University and Research rules published each year.
- An Italian five-year secondary diploma or pilot four-year diploma. A four-year diploma without the supplementary year brings an extra learning activity to complete by 31 March 2028.
You can apply before you finish school. For 2026/27 the qualification, and any extra integration your country requires, had to be obtained by 31 December 2026, or your enrolment was cancelled. The eligibility of a foreign qualification is only checked after enrolment. [1]
What this means for your school results
The call sets no minimum school grade and no required stream: your rank depends on your SAT score. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a completed Class 12 or Higher Secondary certificate after 12 years of schooling (CBSE, ISC or a state board, Pakistan's HSSC, Bangladesh's HSC), or A levels, that gives access to a business or economics degree at home.
- Check carefully: a Class 12 in a stream that would not admit you to business or economics degrees in your own country, since the qualification must give access to this kind of programme where it was issued.
- Often short: a school-leaving certificate after fewer than 12 years, such as O levels or Class 10 alone, which does not meet the 12-year rule on its own.
Selection: the Digital SAT
Places are allocated on the Digital SAT alone. [1]
- Only tests taken from 1 February 2024 count, and the essay is not needed.
- The College Board must send your official score report to Bologna (code 6993) by the intake deadline. No other way of sending scores is accepted.
- Your rank is your SAT total divided by 10, on a scale of 160. If several valid scores arrive, the highest counts, and ties go to the younger candidate.
- The call sets no minimum score. A score below 500/800 in the SAT Math section brings an additional maths requirement (OFA), to be completed by 31 March 2028.
- Your name, date and place of birth and email on Studenti Online must match your College Board details, or you are excluded.
You can list up to two preferences, Business and Economics in Bologna and Management and Economics in Forlì, and preferences cannot be changed after you apply. [1]
English
The call asks for good English, at least CEFR B2. Candidates are considered to meet it by taking the SAT, since the test is held in English. The call does not list a separate certificate such as IELTS or TOEFL. [1]
2026/27 places and deadlines
For 2026/27 there were 177 places, plus 13 for special programmes. Non-EU citizens living abroad could apply only in the first intake, for their own quota of 32 places. [1]
- First intake: applications ran from 10 February to 4 May 2026 at 1 p.m., and the SAT score had to arrive by 4 May 2026. The ranking came out on 26 May 2026 and admitted candidates enrolled from 29 May to 5 June 2026. Places were 85 for EU and equivalent applicants and 32 for non-EU citizens living abroad.
- Second intake: applications ran from 5 May to 3 July 2026, for 60 places plus any left over, open only to EU and equivalent applicants.
- Third intake: applications ran from 3 to 11 September 2026, only for places still vacant.
The third intake went ahead with 4 places for Business and Economics. [2] The 2027/28 call is not yet published, and it will set the new dates.
Documents and non-EU steps
You apply on Studenti Online, upload a copy of your passport and complete the required declarations. One application also covers later intakes. [1]
Non-EU citizens living abroad also complete Universitaly pre-enrolment for the study visa. After admission, they upload their qualification documents and student visa on Studenti Online, then show the originals at the Economics, Management and Statistics Student Office on arrival. Enrolment is completed only once the foreign qualification is verified as authentic and eligible. [1]
Sources and verification
Checked by the ApplyAZ admissions team against the university's official documents listed below. Entry rules can change with each new call, and we re-check them before every application.
- University of Bologna. Call for applications for admission to the bachelor's degree programmes in Business and Economics (CLaBE, Bologna) and Management and Economics (CLaME, Forlì), academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Bologna, Economics, Management and Statistics Student Administration Office. Notice of the extraordinary third intake, Business and Economics and Management and Economics, academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Bologna, Business and Economics programme page, how to enrol, academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Business and Economics, known as CLaBE, is a three-year bachelor's degree in class L-18-R (business administration), taught entirely in English on the Bologna campus by the Department of Management. It is worth 180 ECTS and has restricted access: places are filled through a ranking based on the SAT.
The degree sets out to train young managers with a wide understanding of mature and developing economies and a structured international perspective. It combines economics, marketing, finance and strategy with practical activities, and suits students aiming for market-oriented managerial or consulting careers in an international classroom.
What you will study
The first two years build a shared base in management, economics, law, accounting and quantitative methods. The third year moves to finance, strategy and international markets, with 18 ECTS of electives and a 3 ECTS final examination. Compulsory units in the 2026/27 study plan include:
- Principles of Management and Organizational Behavior
- Accounting and Financial Analysis
- Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Industrial Organization
- Mathematics preparatory to Statistics, followed by Statistics
- Principles of Law and Commercial law
- Marketing and International Marketing
- Corporate Finance and Business Strategy
- Financial Markets and Institutions
How the programme is taught
In the second year students can earn 12 ECTS through an internship or a research assistant activity. First-year students also take a short seminar, choosing between economy and Italian language and culture. The degree runs a double degree with Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (UADE) and offers a semester at the University of Bologna's Buenos Aires campus, while Erasmus+ and Overseas exchanges are actively encouraged.
Career paths
The university's professional profile points graduates to international managerial roles in management consultancy firms, commercial companies, non-profit organisations and manufacturing and service companies, in both consumer goods and business-to-business markets. The employers it lists include:
- Manufacturing businesses
- Distribution businesses
- Service businesses
- Public administrations
The degree also gives access to second-cycle degrees, including the English-taught master's programmes in management and economics offered in Bologna.
Fees and scholarships
Bologna sets tuition by family income. For 2026/27, with a family ISEE of €27,000 or less, this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. Income held abroad is declared through ER.GO, the regional right-to-study body that also runs the regional scholarship. Citizens of non-OECD countries (a list that includes countries like India) can instead opt for a flat fee, with a lower rate for particularly poor countries.
How to apply from outside the EU
Non-EU citizens living abroad can apply only in the first intake. For 2026/27 it ran from 10 February to 4 May 2026, with 32 places for non-EU citizens living abroad and 85 for EU and equivalent applicants; the ranking came out on 26 May 2026. [1] We register you on Studenti Online and make sure the College Board sends your official SAT score to Bologna (code 6993) by the deadline. [1] The 2027/28 call is not yet published.
Once you are admitted, we complete the Universitaly pre-enrolment, which you need for a type D study visa, and then you enrol by paying the first instalment. Depending on your country, your school diploma may need a translation, legalisation and a declaration of value or CIMEA statement.
How ApplyAZ helps
ApplyAZ is an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities. We can include this programme in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes that fit your profile, so your plan never rests on a single application.
For eligible students who start with us, a named person owns each stage, from A to Z:
- We check your school results against Bologna's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your Studenti Online application, SAT score report and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ER.GO Emilia-Romagna scholarship application at the right time and in the right format.
- We prepare your visa file.
With operations in all 20 Italian regions, we follow each region's scholarship rules and deadlines as they change. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa, so no one can promise an outcome. You pay in milestones, and every service you pay for is either delivered or its fee is refunded (terms apply).
Programmes at Italian public universities can be tuition-free for eligible students. Check if you are eligible and book a one-to-one consultation session with one of our Italy experts, or see how ApplyAZ works.
Questions and answers
What school results do I need for Business and Economics (CLaBE) at Bologna?
A school-leaving qualification after 12 years of schooling that gives access to university, and to this kind of programme, in the country that issued it. The call sets no grade cut-off: the ranking uses your SAT score only. [1]
Is there an entrance exam? What SAT score do I need?
Yes, the Digital SAT, taken on or after 1 February 2024. The call sets no minimum score: you are ranked on your best SAT total divided by 10, and ties go to the younger candidate. A Math score below 500 brings an extra maths requirement. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
The call asks for English at B2, and taking the SAT counts as meeting it because the test is held in English. No separate IELTS or TOEFL is listed for admission. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
Non-EU citizens living abroad can apply only in the first intake, which had 32 places for them in 2026/27. It ran from 10 February to 4 May 2026, and the SAT score had to arrive by 4 May. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]
Can I apply before I finish Class 12?
Yes. For 2026/27 you could apply before getting your diploma, but it had to be obtained by 31 December 2026, or your enrolment was cancelled. [1]
I studied commerce or humanities in Class 12. Can I apply?
The call sets no school stream or subject list. Your qualification must give access to university and to this kind of programme in your country, and your place depends on the SAT ranking. We check your certificate before you book the SAT. [1]
Is the Bachelor in Business and Economics taught in English?
Yes. The whole degree is taught in English on the Bologna campus, and the call asks for a good knowledge of English, at least at B2 level of the CEFR.
What can I do after graduating?
The university points to managerial and consulting roles in manufacturing, distribution and service companies, non-profit organisations and public administrations. Graduates can also continue to a master's degree, including English-taught second-cycle degrees in Bologna.
Can someone handle my whole application to Business and Economics (CLaBE) at Bologna?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your school results against Bologna's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ER.GO Emilia-Romagna scholarship application at the right time and in the right format, and prepares your visa file, for eligible students. Start by checking your eligibility.
I'm applying from India. What is the route into Business and Economics (CLaBE)?
A completed Class 12 after 12 years of schooling can meet the school rule, and you need a Digital SAT score sent by the College Board, which also covers the B2 English requirement. Places are ranked on the SAT alone. The steps are the Studenti Online application in the first intake and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1] Indian students apply for the type D study visa at the Italian embassy or consulate that covers their state, such as New Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru.
Is the route different from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
No. The academic rules for Business and Economics (CLaBE) are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: the Studenti Online application in the first intake, the SAT score report and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for their country of residence. Read our guide for students in Dhaka.
I live in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman or Bahrain. Where do I apply for the visa?
At the Italian embassy or consulate responsible for the country where you legally live, after Universitaly pre-enrolment. The academic rules for Business and Economics (CLaBE) are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: the Studenti Online application in the first intake, the SAT score report and Universitaly pre-enrolment. Read our guides for Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.
I studied or live in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. What is the route?
The academic rules for Business and Economics (CLaBE) are the same whatever your nationality, and your school results are assessed like any other foreign qualification. Non-EU applicants who live abroad follow the same route: the Studenti Online application in the first intake, the SAT score report and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for where they live. Read our guides for students in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
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