Bachelor in Economics, Politics and Social Sciences at University of Bologna
Three-year English-taught interclass bachelor in Bologna combining economics, politics, law and management with maths, statistics and programming. Entry is by Digital SAT (minimum 1100), with 35 places for non-EU applicants living abroad.
Bachelor
3 years
Bologna
English
University of Bologna
Economics, Politics and Social Sciences is a three-year, 180 ECTS interclass bachelor's degree (L-33 and L-36) taught in English at the University of Bologna. Entry is by the Digital SAT, with a minimum score of 1100, plus English at B2 and twelve years of schooling. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Bologna's Economics, Politics and Social Sciences bachelor asks for a school-leaving qualification after twelve years of schooling, a Digital SAT score of at least 1100 sent by College Board, and English at B2. Non-EU citizens living abroad apply only in the first intake, for 35 reserved places. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
School-leaving requirement
You need an upper secondary school diploma. A qualification from abroad must come after twelve years of schooling and give access to university, and to this programme, in the country where it was issued, under the Ministry rules published each year. [1]
Final-year students can apply. For 2026/27, the diploma and any required integration had to be obtained by 31 December 2026, or enrolment was cancelled. The call sets no minimum school grade: the ranking depends only on the SAT. [1]
What this means for your school results
As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a completed Class 12 or Higher Secondary certificate, or A levels, that gives access to university in your country, together with a SAT score of 1100 or more.
- Check carefully: a Class 12 result that will only arrive late in the year, since it must be in hand by the call's diploma deadline, or a weaker maths record, since a SAT Math score below 500/800 brings an additional learning requirement.
- Often short: a Class 10, SSC or O level certificate on its own, or any school system with fewer than twelve years, unless the missing years are made up as the Ministry rules require.
English
You need English at CEFR B2 or higher, held at the same time as you take the SAT. The 2026/27 call does not list accepted certificates or scores such as IELTS or TOEFL. [1]
For the visa, the embassy may also ask for a certificate proving at least B2 in the language of the programme. [3]
Selection: the Digital SAT
Places are given in order of SAT score. [1]
- Test: the Digital SAT by College Board, taken from 1 February 2024 onwards. The essay is not needed.
- Score reporting: College Board must send your official scores to the University of Bologna using code 6993, and they must arrive by the intake deadline. No other way of sending scores is accepted.
- Minimum score: candidates below 1100 are declared ineligible. If you send several valid scores, the highest counts. In a tie, the younger candidate ranks first.
- Maths: a score below 500/800 in the SAT Math section brings an additional learning requirement (OFA). For 2026/27 it had to be completed by 31 March 2028, or the student repeats the first year.
- Application: on Studenti Online. Your name, date and place of birth must match your SAT record, and one of your email addresses must match the one you used with College Board.
2026/27 deadlines
Non-EU citizens living abroad who applied for the reserved quota could take part in the first intake only: applications and SAT scores from 10 February to 4 May 2026, 1 pm Italian time. Rankings came out on 26 May 2026 and admitted candidates enrolled from 29 May to 5 June 2026. Unfilled quota places passed to EU and equivalent candidates in the second intake. [1]
The second intake ran from 5 May to 3 July 2026. A third intake, with 8 places, ran from 3 to 11 September 2026. Both were open to EU and equivalent candidates and to non-EU citizens living abroad who compete with EU students. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1][4]
Documents and non-EU steps
When you apply, you upload a copy of your passport. You also pre-enrol on Universitaly. After you pass the selection, Bologna validates the pre-enrolment under condition, subject to checking your qualification. The visa needs an unconditional validation, and none are validated during the August office closure. The embassy also asks for proof of financial means. Bologna does not issue letters of academic eligibility for visa purposes. [1][3]
Your school qualification needs a translation, legalisation and a declaration of value where required, and the embassy may ask for extra documents such as a CIMEA statement. At enrolment you upload your qualification documents and study visa, then show the originals at the Student Office after you arrive. The International Student Office verifies the qualification before enrolment is complete. You apply for a residence permit within eight days of arrival. [1][3]
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, Economics, Management and Statistics Student Office. Call for applications, Bachelor's degree in Economics, Politics and Social Sciences (EPOS, L-33 and L-36), academic year 2026/27, English translation. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Bologna, Economics, Politics and Social Sciences. How to enrol, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Bologna. Enrolling in a first-cycle or single-cycle degree programme if you come from a non-EU country, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Bologna, Economics, Management and Statistics Student Office. Notice of the third intake, Economics, Politics and Social Sciences, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Economics, Politics and Social Sciences (EPOS) is a three-year laurea (first-cycle degree) that belongs to two classes at once: L-33 R, Economics, and L-36 R, Political science and international relations. It is run by the Department of Economics (DSE) in Bologna, is worth 180 ECTS and is delivered entirely in English. Access is restricted: for 2026/27 the call admitted 125 students, 35 of them in places reserved for non-EU citizens living abroad, plus 5 places for special programmes. Matteo Dian is the degree programme director. [1]
The university describes a multidisciplinary approach to contemporary problems through economic, political, legal and managerial studies, backed by sound quantitative training. Because the degree is interclass, students can graduate in either economics or politics. It suits school leavers who want to understand economic, political and social change in a globalised world without closing either route too early.
What you will study
Courses cover economics, political science, law and management, together with quantitative subjects such as mathematics, statistics, econometrics, programming and big data. In the third year you choose a track: Data Analysis, Global Political Economy, Public Economics or Management. First-year units on the degree's timetable include:
- Mathematics for Social Sciences, with a crash course in mathematics
- Microeconomics
- Statistics and Programming (a statistics module and a programming module)
- Accounting and Financial Statements
- Political Behavior and Institutions
- Principles of Public Law
- Global Connections: A Long-Term History
The course structure diagram for students enrolling in 2026/27 is published on the degree website.
How the programme is taught
Lectures are held in Bologna and link theory with the analysis of empirical data. Students can join exchange programmes to study, do an internship or write their thesis abroad, through Erasmus+ or overseas agreements, and the degree reports that 45% of its graduates have spent time abroad and 88% are satisfied with their studies. Students who score below 500/800 in the SAT Math section are admitted with an additional learning requirement (OFA), which the 2026/27 intake must complete by 31 March 2028. [1]
Career paths
The university says EPOS builds the skills for qualified roles in private companies and in public administration, with a focus on managing public bodies and firms in complex, globalised settings. It is also designed as a base for master's degrees in social sciences, economics, management, politics, law and statistics, several of which the University of Bologna teaches in English.
Fees and scholarships
EPOS follows the standard first-cycle fee rules for 2026/27. The contribution follows family income, and a family ISEE of €27,000 or less adds nothing, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. Non-OECD citizens whose family income is only abroad, from countries like India, can choose a reduced flat fee. ER.GO, the regional right-to-study body, runs the scholarship, and its winners are exempt from the contribution.
How to apply from outside the EU
Selection is based only on the Digital SAT, with a minimum score of 1100. For 2026/27, non-EU citizens living abroad competed for 35 reserved places in the first intake only: the Studenti Online application and the official SAT scores had to arrive between 10 February and 4 May 2026. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]
Once admitted, you enrol and pay the first instalment on Studenti Online. If you need a visa, we file the Universitaly pre-enrolment: the consulate needs the university's unconditional validation, which is not issued during the August closure, and proof of financial means. Your school qualification needs a translation, legalisation and a declaration of value, and you apply for a residence permit within eight days of arrival. [3]
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 SAT score reporting, Studenti Online application 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, Politics and Social Sciences at Bologna?
A school-leaving qualification after twelve years of schooling that gives access to university in your country. The call sets no minimum school grade: the ranking depends only on your SAT score, with 1100 as the minimum. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
Yes. Selection uses the Digital SAT, taken from 1 February 2024 onwards, with official scores sent by College Board to code 6993. Candidates below 1100 are ineligible, and places go in score order. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2 or higher. The 2026/27 call does not list accepted certificates or IELTS scores, so we check which proof your file can use. For the visa, the embassy may also ask for a B2 certificate. [1][3]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU citizens living abroad could apply only in the first intake, from 10 February to 4 May 2026, with official SAT scores received by the same date. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]
Can I apply before I finish Class 12?
Yes. For 2026/27, final-year students could apply, but the diploma and any required integration had to be obtained by 31 December 2026, or enrolment was cancelled. [1]
I studied commerce or humanities in Class 12. Can I apply?
Possibly. The call sets no school stream, only twelve years of schooling and a SAT score of at least 1100. Maths still matters: a SAT Math score below 500/800 brings an additional learning requirement in your first years. [1]
How many places are there?
For 2026/27, the call admitted 125 students: 55 and 35 places for EU and equivalent candidates in the first two intakes and 35 for non-EU citizens living abroad, plus 5 places for special programmes. [1]
Can I graduate in economics or in politics?
Yes. The degree is interclass, in L-33 Economics and L-36 Political science and international relations, so students can graduate in either economics or politics.
Can someone handle my whole application to Economics, Politics and Social Sciences 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, Politics and Social Sciences?
You need a Class 12 certificate after twelve years of schooling that gives access to university in India, a Digital SAT score of at least 1100 and English at B2. You apply on Studenti Online in the first intake for the non-EU quota, then pre-enrol on Universitaly. [1][3] 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, Politics and Social Sciences are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: Digital SAT, a Studenti Online application in the first intake 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, Politics and Social Sciences are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: Digital SAT, a Studenti Online application in the first intake 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, Politics and Social Sciences 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, a Studenti Online application in the first intake 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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