Bachelor in Management for Business and Economics at University of Pisa
Three-year English-taught L-18 bachelor's at the University of Pisa in management, economics, finance, marketing, accounting and law. Entry is by test ranking for limited places, with 50 places for non-EU applicants abroad in 2026/27 and a double degree option in Germany.
Bachelor
3 years
Pisa
English
University of Pisa
Management for Business and Economics is a three-year, 180 ECTS bachelor's degree (class L-18) taught in English at the University of Pisa. Places are limited and ranked on a CEnT, TOLC-E, SAT, GMAT or ACT score, with a minimum of 10, and the degree asks for English at B2. Students with income abroad pay a flat fee set by country, and the programme can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Pisa's Management for Business and Economics bachelor asks for a secondary school diploma or recognised foreign equivalent, English at B2, and an admission test (CEnT, TOLC-E, SAT, GMAT or ACT) with a minimum score of 10, which ranks candidates for limited places. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
School-leaving requirement
You need a secondary school diploma or a qualification obtained abroad and recognised as equivalent. For 2026/27, candidates who would obtain their diploma by 31 December 2026 could also take part. [1]
The programme page asks for a five-year Italian secondary diploma or a recognised foreign qualification. An Italian four-year diploma counts only with the extra integrative year, or the assigned learning debt where that year no longer runs. It also expects basic logic, reading, writing and quantitative skills at secondary school level. [2]
What this means for your school results
The call sets no minimum school grade and no school stream: places are ranked on your admission test score, and the test includes mathematics. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: Class 12 from CBSE, ISC or a state board, Higher Secondary results from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, or A levels, if the qualification gives access to university in your country and includes mathematics in the final years.
- Check carefully: a commerce or humanities stream without mathematics. You can still apply, but a total test score below 11.5 adds a first-year requirement (OFA2) to retake a test and reach 11.5.
- Often short: a qualification shorter than a full upper secondary course, such as a Class 10 certificate followed by a short diploma.
English
The programme requires proficient English at B2 level or higher. [2] The 2026/27 call does not make a certificate compulsory, but a certificate awarded from 1 January 2022 adds up to 5 ranking points if it meets one of these minimum scores: [1]
- IELTS Academic: 6.0
- TOEFL iBT: 90
- Cambridge B2 First (FCE), C1 Advanced (CAE) or BEC Vantage: 174
- Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) or BEC Higher: 180
Candidates who take the TOLC-E in Italian and score below 14 in its English section must pass a 6 CFU English exam (OFA1) before any other exam. There is no OFA1 for CEnT, English TOLC-E, SAT, ACT or GMAT. [1]
Admission test and ranking
You need one of these tests, taken between January 2025 and your application date, with a minimum eligibility score of 10: [1]
- CEnT (CISIA English Test), counting only the Mathematics and Reasoning on texts and data sections
- TOLC-E in Italian with the English section
- SAT, GMAT or ACT
- English TOLC-E only if you already took it from January 2025, as it is no longer delivered
Tests can be taken online. If you repeat the same test, only the most recent attempt counts; if you take different tests, the highest final score counts. SAT, GMAT, ACT and CEnT scores are converted to the TOLC-E scale. [1]
The committee ranks candidates out of 46 points: up to 36 for the test, up to 5 for an English certificate and up to 5 for passing the University of Pisa Foundation Course exam in Principles of Economics and Management with at least 27/30. Ties go to the younger candidate. [1]
2026/27 places and deadlines
For 2026/27 the degree had 50 places for non-EU citizens living abroad who need a study visa: 5 reserved for the Marco Polo project and 20 for students of the University of Pisa preparatory year in Tashkent, leaving 25 in the single session. Another 150 places went to EU and equivalent applicants. [1]
- Applications for non-EU applicants abroad: from the call's publication to 5 July 2026 at 11:59 pm. [1]
- Universitaly pre-enrolment: by the same 5 July deadline, or you are left out of the reserved ranking. [1]
- Ranking: 17 July 2026, with enrolment within 10 days of the start of 2026/27 enrolment procedures. [1]
Unfilled non-EU places pass to the EU ranking, and no further places are offered after the Universitaly visa deadline. The next call sets the 2027/28 dates. [1]
Documents and non-EU steps
- Register on the University of Pisa Alice portal and submit the admission test application by the deadline. [1]
- Upload your test certificate by the deadline, or you are left out of the ranking, and optionally your English certificate. [1]
- Submit Universitaly pre-enrolment by the same deadline. [1]
- The call applies the ministry's rules for non-EU applicants living abroad, including an Italian language test unless you are exempt. [1]
- If admitted, select the programme on the Alice portal and pay the enrolment fee by the stated deadline, unless you have applied for a DSU Toscana scholarship. [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 Pisa. Call for applicants, Bachelor's degree programme in Management for Business and Economics (L-18), academic year 2026/27, corrected version. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Pisa. Management for Business and Economics programme page (degree class, admission requirements and 2026/27 study plan). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Pisa. Tuition fees for international students, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Pisa. Reduction of tuition fees for international students, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Pisa. DSU scholarship for international students, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Management for Business and Economics (MBE) is a three-year bachelor's degree (laurea, class L-18, business administration) worth 180 ECTS, taught in English by the Department of Economics and Management of the University of Pisa. Places are limited and admission is by ranking, and classes are held in Pisa.
The degree gives an international grounding in management, economics, finance, marketing, accounting and law, and uses case analysis and group work to build leadership skills. It suits school leavers who are comfortable with maths and want a business degree taught fully in English, with the option of continuing to a master's in economics or business in Italy or abroad.
What you will study
The first year lays the foundations in economics, maths, statistics, law and accounting, plus a second language. The second and third years move to finance, marketing, strategy and control. Units in the 2026/27 plan include:
- Principles of Economics (12 ECTS) and Principles of Mathematics (9 ECTS)
- Statistics (12 ECTS) and Management and Fundamentals of Accounting (12 ECTS)
- A language elective: French, German, Spanish, Business English or Italian
- Business and Commercial Law (12 ECTS) and International Management and Marketing (12 ECTS)
- European Macroeconomics, Financial Accounting, and Financial Reporting and Analysis
- Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Auditing and Management Control, and Corporate Finance
- Banking and Financial Markets, and Quantitative Economics for Business
Third-year electives include Sustainable Development, Decision and Game Theory, and Responsible Management.
How the programme is taught
Teaching relies on case studies and group work. Students can earn credits through internships, and a double degree with Nürtingen-Geislingen University in Germany has five reserved places.
Career paths
The university lists roles as consultant, entrepreneur and junior manager in marketing, human resources, accounting, corporate finance and auditing. The degree also gives access to master's degrees in economics (LM-56) and business economics (LM-77) in Italy and abroad.
Fees and scholarships
University fees are set each year. Students whose income and assets are outside Italy pay a flat yearly amount set by their country's income category. [3][4] The regional agency DSU Toscana runs an annual scholarship and housing call, and its scholarship includes exemption from tuition fees, so this bachelor's can be tuition-free for eligible students. [5] See the fees page.
How to apply from outside the EU
MBE runs its own call with 50 places for non-EU citizens living abroad who need a visa. For 2026/27 they applied on the university's Alice portal by 5 July 2026 at 11:59 pm, uploading their test result (CEnT, TOLC-E, SAT, GMAT or ACT, minimum score 10) and, optionally, an English certificate for extra points. [1] See the 2026/27 call page.
Universitaly pre-enrolment comes before the ranking, not after it: for 2026/27 it had to be submitted by the same 5 July deadline, or the applicant was left out of the reserved ranking. The ranking followed on 17 July 2026, and admitted students then applied for a type D study visa before enrolling in Pisa. [1] The next call sets the 2027/28 dates.
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 Pisa's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your Alice portal application with your admission test result and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your DSU Toscana 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 Management for Business and Economics at Pisa?
A secondary school diploma or a foreign qualification recognised as equivalent. The call sets no minimum grade: places are ranked on your admission test score. For 2026/27, candidates finishing school by 31 December 2026 could also apply. [1][2]
Which admission test do I need, and what score?
One of CEnT (Mathematics and Reasoning sections), TOLC-E in Italian with the English section, SAT, GMAT or ACT, taken from January 2025, with a minimum eligibility score of 10 on the TOLC-E scale. English TOLC-E counts only if already taken. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at B2 or higher is required. The 2026/27 call does not make a certificate compulsory, but one from 2022 onwards adds up to 5 ranking points, for example IELTS Academic 6.0, TOEFL iBT 90 or Cambridge First 174. [1][2]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad applied on the Alice portal by 5 July 2026 at 11:59 pm and had to complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by the same date. The ranking followed on 17 July 2026. The next call sets the 2027/28 dates. [1]
Can I apply before I finish school?
Yes. For 2026/27, candidates who would obtain their secondary school diploma by 31 December 2026 could take part in the selection, using an admission test taken from January 2025 onwards. [1]
I studied commerce without maths in Class 12. Can I apply?
Possibly. The call sets no school stream, but the admission test includes mathematics. A total test score below 11.5 adds a first-year requirement: you retake a test and reach 11.5 by the end of the first-year summer session. [1]
How many places are there for non-EU students?
For 2026/27 there were 50 places for non-EU citizens living abroad who need a study visa: 5 for the Marco Polo project and 20 for the Pisa preparatory year in Tashkent, leaving 25 in the main session. [1]
How is the ranking made?
Out of 46 points: up to 36 for the admission test, up to 5 for an English certificate and up to 5 for passing the Pisa Foundation Course exam in Principles of Economics and Management with at least 27/30. Ties go to the younger candidate. [1]
Can someone handle my whole application to Management for Business and Economics at Pisa?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your school results against Pisa's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the DSU Toscana 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 Management for Business and Economics?
Indian applicants need a Class 12 or other school-leaving qualification recognised as equivalent to an Italian secondary diploma, one admission test such as CEnT, SAT or ACT with a minimum score of 10, and English at B2. The steps are the Alice portal application with your test result and Universitaly pre-enrolment, both by the call deadline. [1][2] 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 Management for Business and Economics are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: an accepted admission test, the Alice portal application and Universitaly pre-enrolment by the call deadline, 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 Management for Business and Economics are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: an accepted admission test, the Alice portal application and Universitaly pre-enrolment by the call deadline. 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 Management for Business and Economics 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: an accepted admission test, the Alice portal application and Universitaly pre-enrolment by the call deadline, 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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