Bachelor in Economics and Finance at University of Bologna
Three-year English-taught economics and finance bachelor in Bologna that builds quantitative tools to analyse economic and financial systems. Entry is by Digital SAT ranking with English at B2, and 40 of 130 places were reserved for non-EU applicants in 2026/27.
Bachelor
3 years
Bologna
English
University of Bologna
Economics and Finance is a three-year, 180 ECTS bachelor's degree (class L-33 R) taught in English at the University of Bologna. Entry needs a school-leaving qualification from at least 12 years of schooling and a Digital SAT score, with English at B2 checked through the SAT. For 2026/27 there were 130 places, 40 for non-EU applicants. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Bologna's Economics and Finance bachelor has limited places. You need a school-leaving qualification from at least 12 years of schooling and a Digital SAT score sent to Bologna by the College Board, with English at B2 checked through the SAT. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
School-leaving requirement
You need a secondary school qualification that gives access to university. A foreign qualification must come from at least 12 years of schooling and give access to university, and to a similar degree, in the country that issued it, under the yearly Italian ministry rules. [1]
You can apply before you finish school, but you must obtain your diploma, and any extra qualification needed for access, by 31 December 2026, or your enrolment lapses. Bologna checks that a foreign qualification is suitable only after you enrol and upload your documents. [1]
What this means for your school results
The call sets no required school subjects and no minimum grade, and the programme page states no minimum SAT score: your SAT result decides your rank. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: Class 12, Higher Secondary (HSC or HSSC) or A level results that complete 12 years of schooling and give access to a similar degree at home.
- Check carefully: diplomas taken after Class 10, such as a polytechnic diploma, where we check the total years of schooling and how the qualification is recognised.
- Often short: a school-leaving qualification from fewer than 12 years of schooling.
Maths matters after you enrol: a SAT Math score below 500 out of 800 adds an extra maths requirement (OFA), to be passed by 31 March 2028, or you repeat the first year in 2027/28. [1][2]
English
The call asks for good English, at least CEFR level B2. It lists no separate certificate such as IELTS or TOEFL: the level is checked through the SAT, which is taken in English. [1]
Admission test and ranking
Selection uses the Digital SAT, run by the College Board at SAT centres in Italy and worldwide. The essay is not needed, and tests taken from 1 February 2024 count. You must have the College Board send your official score to Bologna with code 6993, and it must arrive by the selection deadline: the date Bologna receives it counts, not the date you request it. [1]
The ranking uses your total SAT score divided by 10, out of 160. If several scores arrive, the highest counts, and ties go to the younger candidate. The programme page states no minimum score. [1][2]
This call also covers Economics of Tourism and Cities in Rimini. You can list both programmes in order of preference, and your choices are binding once the deadline passes. [1]
Places in 2026/27
- Total: 130 places. [1]
- First selection: 50 places for Italian, EU and equivalent applicants and 40 for non-EU applicants living abroad. [1]
- Second selection: 40 places for Italian, EU and equivalent applicants, plus any places left from the first selection, including unused non-EU places. [1]
- Extraordinary selection: held only if places remain. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
Non-EU applicants living abroad could only take part in the first selection. Applications ran from 10 February to 4 May 2026 at 13:00, the official SAT score had to reach Bologna by the same date, the ranking came out on 26 May 2026 and enrolment ran from 26 May to 5 June 2026. [1]
The second selection (5 May to 3 July 2026) and the extraordinary selection (3 to 11 September 2026) were open to Italian, EU and equivalent applicants and to non-EU applicants living abroad who compete with EU candidates. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1][2]
Application, Universitaly and enrolment
You register on Studenti Online with your name, date and place of birth exactly as on your SAT record, and with an email that matches your College Board account, or you are excluded. Non-EU applicants living abroad upload their passport, and one application also covers later selections in the same call. [1]
Non-EU applicants living abroad also complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, where you can name only one programme and must be among its winners. After a place in the ranking, you enrol by paying the first fee instalment, upload your school qualification documents and study visa on Studenti Online, and show the originals at the international student office on arrival. Your student career must be activated by 26 February 2027. [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 admission to the restricted-access first-cycle degree programmes in Economics of Tourism and Cities (Rimini) and Economics and Finance (Bologna), class L-33 R, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Bologna, Economics and Finance programme website and How to enrol page, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Economics and Finance, known as CLEF, is a three-year laurea in class L-33 R, Economics, run by the Department of Economics (DSE) in Bologna. It is worth 180 ECTS, is delivered entirely in English and has restricted access: the 2026/27 call set 130 places, 40 of them reserved for non-EU applicants living abroad. Sergio Pastorello is the degree programme director.
The university calls it an international undergraduate degree whose goal is to provide the quantitative and qualitative tools to analyse modern economic and financial systems. The classroom is strongly international, with the degree reporting 76% international students. It suits students who want a quantitative route into economics, finance and policy.
What you will study
The three years give multidisciplinary training with a theoretical and empirical basis: how markets work, what economic policy does and how development unfolds, seen from comparative and international angles. First-year units on the 2026/27 timetable include:
- Calculus and Linear Algebra, with Tutorials in Mathematics
- Microeconomics
- Macroeconomics
- Accounting and Financial Statements
- Economic History
- Private Law
- Public Law
Later years build on this base, and some exams must be passed in a set order. The full list is in the course structure diagram on the degree website.
How the programme is taught
The degree stresses direct contact with international realities. Students can spend a semester at the University of Bologna's Buenos Aires campus, join an exchange with Dickinson College or an Erasmus+ destination, and do internships in Italy or abroad, including in international organisations.
Career paths
According to the university, graduates can formulate and evaluate economic advice and policy for both the private and the public sector, and they typically continue to master's degrees in economics, finance and business. The professional roles it points to span private companies and public institutions.
Fees and scholarships
The 2026/27 fee rules give two routes. On the income-based route, a family ISEE of €27,000 or less means this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. On the flat route, open to non-OECD citizens whose family income is only abroad (countries like India are on the list), the reduced flat fee applies. ER.GO scholarship winners pay only the fixed charges.
How to apply from outside the EU
Access is restricted and places go by Digital SAT ranking. In 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad could only take part in the first selection, which ran from 10 February to 4 May 2026. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. You apply for the selection and enrol on Studenti Online.
After admission, applicants who need a visa file the Universitaly pre-enrolment; the university's unconditional validation, which is not given during the August closure, is what the consulate needs, together with proof of financial means. Your school qualification is checked with its translations and legalisation, and you apply for a residence permit within eight days of arrival.
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 with your official SAT score, 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 Economics and Finance at Bologna?
A school-leaving qualification that gives access to university, from at least 12 years of schooling. The call sets no minimum grade or required subjects: your place depends on your SAT ranking. You can apply before finishing school if you get your diploma by 31 December 2026. [1]
Which entrance test is required? Is there a minimum SAT score?
The Digital SAT, taken from 1 February 2024 onwards, with the official score sent to Bologna by the College Board using code 6993. The programme page states no minimum score: you are ranked by total score. A SAT Math score below 500 adds an extra maths requirement. [1][2]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
The call asks for English at CEFR B2 or higher and checks it through the SAT, which is taken in English. It lists no separate certificate such as IELTS or TOEFL for this programme. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad could only apply in the first selection, from 10 February to 4 May 2026, and their official SAT score had to reach Bologna by 4 May. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]
How many places are there for non-EU students?
For 2026/27 the programme had 130 places, 40 of them reserved for non-EU applicants living abroad in the first selection. The rest went to Italian, EU and equivalent applicants, and unused non-EU places passed to the second selection. [1]
I studied Commerce or Humanities in Class 12. Can I apply?
The call sets no required school subjects, so your stream is not a bar in itself. Your SAT score decides your rank, and a SAT Math score below 500 out of 800 adds an extra maths requirement to pass by 31 March 2028. [1]
Can I apply to both Economics and Finance and Economics of Tourism and Cities?
Yes. The two degrees share one call, and you can list both in order of preference. If your first choice is full, you can be offered your second, but your preferences are binding once the deadline passes. [1]
Can I study abroad during the degree?
Yes. Options include a semester at the University of Bologna's Buenos Aires campus, an exchange with Dickinson College, Erasmus+ study and internships abroad, including in international organisations.
Can someone handle my whole application to Economics and Finance 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 Economics and Finance?
Bologna asks for a school-leaving qualification from at least 12 years of schooling that gives access to university, so we check your Class 12 or Higher Secondary certificate against that rule. You also need a Digital SAT score sent to Bologna, which also checks English at B2. The steps are the SAT, the Studenti Online application in the first selection, a place in the ranking 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 Economics and Finance are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: Digital SAT, Studenti Online application in the first selection, a place in the ranking 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 Economics and Finance are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: Digital SAT, Studenti Online application in the first selection, a place in the ranking 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 Economics and Finance 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: Digital SAT, Studenti Online application in the first selection, a place in the ranking 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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