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Study in Italy in English at tuition-free universities Italy and public Italian universities – Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia)
Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia) stands on the Grand Canal yet looks firmly to the future. Founded in 1868 as the first Italian business school, it now offers a wide mix of English-taught programs in Italy. Students come to study in Italy in English, pay fair fees set by tuition-free universities Italy, and enjoy the strengths of one of the leading public Italian universities. This guide explains what makes Ca’ Foscari and Venice a unique launch-pad for global careers.
Why choose English-taught programs in Italy at Ca’ Foscari?
Ca’ Foscari began with economics and languages; today it places in the top 250 worldwide for modern languages (QS 2025) and enters the global top 500 for arts, humanities, and environmental sciences. Key departments include:
- Economics and Management
- Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics
- Linguistics and Cultural Studies
- Digital and Public Humanities
The university hosts more than 1 500 international students each year and delivers over 20 full degrees entirely in English. Small seminar groups mean direct contact with professors who publish in top journals. Partnerships with 700 universities ensure easy Erasmus+ exchanges.
How to study in Italy in English and thrive in Venice
Venice is famous for art, gondolas, and film festivals, yet it is also a living campus spread across six historic districts.
- Student ID cards unlock discounted vaporetto (water-bus) passes, letting you cross the lagoon in minutes.
- Cafe culture encourages language exchange; an espresso costs €1.30 and comes with free tap-water refills.
- Climate is mild: cool, wet winters around 5 °C; warm summers near 28 °C with evening breezes from the Adriatic.
- Most classes lie within a twenty-minute walk, so you save on daily travel costs.
International students find rooms on the mainland in Mestre for around €400 a month, or apply for university dorms on Giudecca Island at similar rates.
Funding and fees at tuition-free universities Italy
Ca’ Foscari follows the national rule that links tuition to family income. Annual fees range from €0 to €1 900; many students qualify for zero cost.
- DSU grant (regional scholarship) – covers fees, meals, and housing if family income is under the set threshold.
- Merit reductions – waive up to 100 per cent of fees for high first-year marks.
- Additional scholarships for international students in Italy – target STEM, sustainability, and cultural-heritage fields.
ApplyAZ scholarship advisers provide checklists, deadlines, and examples of winning DSU grant statements, easing the paperwork load.
Academic structure: flexible paths in public Italian universities
Bachelor programmes last three years, master programmes two. Each uses the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), so you can move easily between partner institutions. Sample bachelor in Environmental Sciences:
Year 1
- Mathematics, chemistry, and computer tools
- Field trip to the lagoon to sample water quality
Year 2
- Coastal management, climate data analysis, GIS labs
- Optional Erasmus semester in Denmark or Portugal
Year 3
- Sustainable tourism planning, internship, and final thesis
Master options in Digital and Public Humanities, Global Development and Entrepreneurship, or Computer Science let you specialise without leaving Venice.
Research excellence and innovation hubs
Ca’ Foscari leads the European Centre for Living Technology, studying bio-inspired computing. The Department of Economics hosts the Venice Centre in Economic and Risk Analytics for Public Policies, advising EU bodies. Engineering students partner with the Italian Institute of Technology on soft robotics, while climate scientists share data with UNESCO to protect fragile heritage sites from rising seas.
City snapshot: living and learning in a floating laboratory
Venice may look like an open-air museum, yet it offers a modern student lifestyle.
- Supermarkets on the mainland keep grocery bills low; bring produce back on the water-bus.
- Free Wi-Fi squares let you work outdoors between lectures.
- Student theatre at Santa Marta campus stages discounted shows.
- 150 student groups cover rowing, photography, and coding.
Cultural immersion is simple: volunteer as a room steward during the Biennale art exhibition and network with curators worldwide, all while earning ECTS credits.
Public transport and sustainability
The city bans private cars on the historic islands, so you rely on:
- Vaporetti – main water-bus lines run all night, handy after group projects.
- People Mover – a cable-pulled tram linking bus station, cruise terminal, and train station.
- Bicycles – allowed on the mainland; many students keep one in Mestre.
Reduced emissions align with university research on climate resilience. Courses in environmental economics and green finance draw on Venice’s living lab status.
Part-time jobs and internships: real-world experience while you study
Tourism still powers Venice, but the city’s economy now branches into culture tech, marine biology, and sustainable fashion.
- Major employers include luxury group LVMH, UNESCO Venice Office, and shipbuilder Fincantieri.
- Porto Marghera industrial zone offers internships in energy transition, recycling, and logistics optimisation.
- The Venice Innovation District (VeniSIA) incubates start-ups tackling ocean plastics and low-carbon shipping; English-speaking interns are welcome.
- Film students gain paid roles at the Venice International Film Festival each September.
Ca’ Foscari’s Career Service hosts monthly fairs, CV clinics, and mock interviews. ApplyAZ adds industry panels and introduces you to alumni in multinational firms.
Key industries linked to your field of study
- Economics students analyse tourism data or blue-economy funding.
- Computer scientists develop AI tools for art-catalogue digitisation.
- Environmental scientists evaluate flood-barrier performance.
- Language majors intern in translation at publishing houses based in the historic centre.
These projects feed directly into coursework, creating portfolios valued by employers across Europe.
Day-to-day costs and student budget tips
Typical monthly budget (mainland apartment):
- Rent and utilities – €450
- Meals (canteen and groceries) – €250
- Transport pass – €25 with student discount
- Phone and internet – €20
- Leisure and culture – €80
Joining the university sports centre cuts gym fees, and the municipal card offers half-price entry to museums. Many employers reimburse transport expenses during internships.
Language and integration support
While you study in Italy in English, free Italian classes help you navigate daily life. Tandem exchanges pair you with local students keen to practise English or Mandarin. Volunteer tutors also assist with bureaucratic steps such as getting a codice fiscale (tax code) and opening a bank account.
Alumni success and global network
Graduates enter firms like Deloitte, IBM, and the European Central Bank. Others remain to pursue PhDs in History of Art and Conservation Science, often funded by EU projects. The alumni network spans 80 000 members and organises reunions in London, Dubai, and Shanghai.
In two minutes we’ll confirm whether you meet the basic entry rules for tuition-free, English-taught degrees in Italy. We’ll then quickly see if we still have space for you this month. If so, you’ll get a personalised offer. Accept it, and our experts hand-craft a shortlist of majors that fit your grades, goals, and career plans. Upload your documents once; we submit every university and scholarship application, line up multiple admission letters, and guide you through the visa process—backed by our admission-and-scholarship guarantee.
Computer Science at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Università “Ca’ Foscari” Venezia)
Earn a Computer Science degree in English at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. Low fees, DSU grant, and vibrant tech links—apply with ApplyAZ today.
English-taught programs in Italy give you a European passport to tech careers while keeping study costs low. The Computer Science L-31 pathway at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Università “Ca’ Foscari” Venezia) lets you study in Italy in English, join public Italian universities that rank well, and even qualify for tuition-free universities Italy supports through grants. ApplyAZ explains every step—from pre-enrolment to visa—so your focus stays on coding, not paperwork.
1 Why choose Computer Science at a public Italian university on the water
Venice may be famous for art, yet its main university leads an active tech scene. Founded in 1868, Ca’ Foscari now hosts more than twenty-three thousand students and has earned strong positions in global rankings for digital humanities, data science, and AI ethics. The Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics manages the L-31 track and works with high-profile labs such as the European Centre for Living Technology.
What sets this course apart?
- Lectures, labs, and exams delivered fully in English.
- European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), making semester exchanges smooth.
- Small coding workshops—often under twenty learners—so you can chat directly with professors.
- Research-active staff who publish in IEEE and ACM journals and welcome students into projects early.
- A campus located five minutes from Vaporetto boat stops, blending study and lagoon life.
These features mean you can master core algorithms while soaking up the city’s creative atmosphere.
2 Structure: from discrete maths to cloud deployment
The Computer Science L-31 bachelor’s spans three academic years and 180 ECTS. Each semester balances theory with hands-on practice, ensuring you graduate ready for both postgraduate research and entry-level industry roles.
Year 1: Foundations
- Calculus and Linear Algebra
- Programming 1—Python, algorithms, and version control
- Computer Architecture—logic gates to pipelined CPUs
- Discrete Mathematics—graphs, combinatorics, and proofs
- English for Academic IT—technical writing and presentation skills
Lab sessions ask you to build simple console games, manage git repositories, and debug low-level code.
Year 2: Core systems
- Data Structures and Algorithms—efficiency analysis and optimisation
- Operating Systems—process scheduling, memory management, and shell scripting
- Databases—SQL, indexing, and NoSQL basics
- Web Technologies—HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and REST APIs
- Probability and Statistics—modelling uncertainty for machine learning
A mid-year hackathon joins classmates with Venetian start-ups to prototype apps for cultural heritage.
Year 3: Specialisation and thesis
Pick two focus clusters:
- Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics
- Cyber-Security and Cryptography
- Software Engineering for Cloud and Mobile
- Human-Computer Interaction and Serious Games
Electives include machine-learning pipelines, penetration testing, DevOps, and VR interfaces. The final semester revolves around a six-credit internship and a written thesis of about sixty pages. Many students place their internships at Venice Science Park, Microsoft Italy, or regional fintech firms—a direct transition from classroom to career.
3 Scholarships, DSU grant, and low tuition
Ca’ Foscari follows Italy’s progressive fee policy: annual tuition depends on verified family income. Non-EU learners usually pay between €900 and €1,700 after initial reductions. You can shrink that figure:
- DSU grant—full fee waiver, free meals in five university canteens, rent support up to €2,000, and a yearly cash allowance around €1,900.
- Merit scholarships—50 to 100 percent fee discounts for top first-year grades.
- Invest Your Talent in Italy—€900 monthly for STEM students from selected nations.
- Department fellowships—paid tutor roles or research assistant posts, adding both cash and CV value.
4 Life in Venice: canals, code, and community
Affordability
Venice sounds pricey, yet student budgets stay balanced when you know local tricks:
- Shared room on the mainland (Mestre): €350–€450
- Groceries plus two weekly spritzes: about €260
- Unlimited bus-boat pass: €25 for under-26s
- Books and cloud subscriptions: €60
Add it up and many international learners live on €750–€900 per month, similar to other northern-Italian cities but with a unique backdrop.
Climate and rhythm
Winters are cool and misty (average 4 °C), summers warm but breezy (up to 29 °C). The sea moderates extremes, and the city’s traffic-free alleys keep air quality high. Lecture timetables avoid the hottest midday slot, freeing afternoons for coding sessions in shaded cloisters.
Culture and networking
- Biennale art and architecture shows—discounted tickets for students.
- Meetups in coworking bars where tech founders discuss open-source frameworks.
- Volunteering at digital-heritage projects, scanning Gothic arches into 3-D models.
- Weekend kayak trips through quiet canals, organised by the university sports club.
These activities expand your soft skills and help local employers remember your face long before the formal interview.
5 Careers: lagoon studies, global impact
Venice sits in the Veneto region—a powerhouse for manufacturing, fashion, and creative media. Tech need is high, yet talent shortage remains: a perfect match for Computer Science graduates fluent in English and Italian.
Key sectors that recruit from Ca’ Foscari:
- Smart Manufacturing—program PLCs and optimise IoT sensor networks on factory floors in Treviso and Padua.
- Fintech—design secure APIs for Venice-based payment gateways serving European tourism.
- Cultural-heritage tech—build AR guides and blockchain provenance systems for art auctions.
- Green Logistics—code route-planning algorithms for electric boats and last-mile cargo bikes.
- Cyber-Security—audit network defences at national research institutes on the island of San Giorgio.
Italian law lets students work twenty hours weekly and offers a twelve-month “search-year” visa after graduation. ApplyAZ career webinars teach you how to brand a Computer Science CV and practice mock technical interviews so you land roles fast.
6 Why this Computer Science course matches global tech shifts
Modern software engineers must juggle multiple languages, cloud platforms, and cultural contexts. Ca’ Foscari’s Computer Science L-31 curriculum teaches you to move from Python prototypes to Kubernetes clusters while explaining your decisions in clear English. Pair that technical depth with Venice’s design-forward spirit, and you graduate not only as a coder but also as a problem-solver who sees the big picture.
The course emphasises ethics and eco-impact, echoing EU digital-rights policy. You will debate data privacy in historic town squares, build AI models to predict high tides, and brainstorm low-carbon server strategies. These experiences shape a professional ready for tomorrow’s challenges, whether in San Francisco, Singapore, or Stockholm.
Ready for this programme?
If you qualify and we still have a spot this month, we’ll reserve your place with ApplyAZ. Our team will tailor a set of best-fit majors—including this course—and handle every form and deadline for you. One upload, many applications, guaranteed offers, DSU grant support, and visa coaching: that’s the ApplyAZ promise. Start now and secure your spot before this month’s intake fills up.
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