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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.
Philosophy, International and Economic Studies at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Università “Ca’ Foscari” Venezia)
Earn a global‐minded degree in Philosophy, International and Economic Studies at Ca’ Foscari. Study in English, pay low public fees, and live in iconic Venice—apply with ApplyAZ.
Choosing one of the English-taught programs in Italy is a clever way to build both knowledge and employability while keeping costs under control. The bachelor’s in Philosophy, International and Economic Studies (often called “PISE”) at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Università “Ca’ Foscari” Venezia) lets you study in Italy in English, benefit from the fairness of public Italian universities, and even qualify for tuition-free universities Italy backs through grants. With ApplyAZ guiding every form—right down to the DSU grant—you spend your energy on debates, field projects, and lagoon sunsets rather than on red tape.
A fresh spin on the liberal arts inside a public Italian university
Founded in 1868, Ca’ Foscari rose from a merchants’ school into a world-ranked hub for economics, languages, and cultural heritage. The Philosophy, International and Economic Studies degree draws on that mix, offering an interdisciplinary path that explores how ideas shape markets and policies. All core modules run in English, and elective clusters let you dive into history, sustainability, or data literacy without losing the link between theory and real-world change.
Five features that make this English-taught program in Italy stand out
- Three perspectives, one degree – philosophy sharpens critical thinking, international relations adds global context, and economics supplies analytic tools.
- Small seminars – courses average twenty-five students, so you take part rather than hide behind laptops.
- Hands-on fieldwork – group visits to NGOs or EU offices in Brussels, plus local case studies on overtourism and climate resilience.
- Research-active professors – many staff advise UNESCO or the European Commission and invite undergraduates into projects early.
- Smooth Erasmus+ links – over four hundred partner universities welcome exchange, thanks to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).
Because you learn inside a public Italian university, fees tie to family income, making Venice surprisingly accessible even before scholarships arrive.
Curriculum journey: from ancient ethics to modern data
The PISE track lasts three academic years and awards 180 ECTS. Each semester blends lecture content with tutorials, debates, and short project sprints, so you practise reasoning, speaking, and numeric analysis together.
Year 1 – Foundations of thought and society
- Introduction to Philosophy: logic, argument mapping, and ethical theories.
- Microeconomics: supply, demand, and welfare analysis.
- World History since 1500: empire, decolonisation, and globalisation.
- Mathematics for Social Science: calculus basics and probability.
- Academic Writing in English: how to structure essays and reference sources.
Weekly debate labs ask you to test classical ideas against modern dilemmas such as data privacy or vaccine equity.
Year 2 – Bridging ideas and institutions
- Macroeconomics: growth models, fiscal policy, and currency unions.
- Political Philosophy: justice, equality, and deliberative democracy.
- International Relations: realist, liberal, and constructivist lenses on world order.
- Statistics for Policy: regression, correlation, and causal inference.
- Two electives drawn from languages, environmental studies, or digital culture.
A mid-year study trip to the Italian Parliament in Rome links textbook theories to live policy sessions.
Year 3 – Specialisation and professional launch
Choose an elective bundle:
- Global Governance and Sustainability – climate treaties, circular economy, and environmental ethics.
- Finance and Development – impact investing, poverty metrics, and behavioural economics.
- Culture, Heritage, and Diplomacy – soft power, museum management, and UNESCO law.
During the final semester you complete:
- A three-month internship with an NGO, think tank, or Venetian start-up.
- A bachelor thesis of roughly 12,000 words, defended in a public session.
Supervisors encourage you to merge empirical data with philosophical framing—ideal prep for master’s study or policy careers.
Learning environment: canals, code, and conversation
Ca’ Foscari’s humanities campus lies in the Santa Marta zone, a ten-minute vaporetto ride from Rialto Bridge yet tucked away from heavy crowds. Study spaces include a modern library, riverside cafés, and cloistered courtyards where philosophy students debate after class.
Daily life perks
- No cars – Venice is pedestrian-first, so you walk or boat between lectures, keeping stress low.
- Multilingual community – the university hosts over two thousand international students; language-exchange cafés pop up nightly.
- Affordable culture – student passes grant entry to Biennale art shows, film festivals, and opera rehearsals for under €10.
Living costs stay realistic when you use local tips:
- Shared room in mainland Mestre: €350–€450.
- Groceries and spritz socials: about €260 monthly.
- Transport pass covering buses and boats: €25 for under-26s.
Add books and occasional train trips, and many students thrive on €800 to €900 each month—competitive with other northern cities yet with a world-heritage setting.
Scholarships for international students in Italy: turning ambition into action
Because Ca’ Foscari is part of the national network of public Italian universities, its tuition policy follows income bands: official fees range up to roughly €2,900 per year, but most non-EU learners pay between €900 and €1,600 after standard cuts. You can lower that further through:
- DSU grant – full tuition waiver, free or discounted meals, rent subsidy up to €2,000, and a yearly cash allowance near €1,900.
- Merit awards – half or full fee reduction if you land in the top ten percent of your cohort.
- Invest Your Talent in Italy – €900 monthly stipend for students from selected countries who enrol in high-impact programmes.
- Department fellowships – paid peer-tutor hours or research assistantships, adding both income and CV weight.
Career outlook: ideas meet impact
A Philosophy, International and Economic Studies graduate develops transferable skill sets—critical reasoning, data literacy, and clear communication—that thrive in many fields. Venice’s position inside the Veneto industrial belt adds practical opportunity.
Top employment routes
- International organisations – policy analyst, project assistant, or junior consultant at EU agencies, UNESCO, or global NGOs.
- Sustainable business – ESG reporting, stakeholder engagement, and ethical supply-chain monitoring for fashion or food companies.
- Financial services – risk analyst roles in impact funds and ethical-bank branches across northern Italy.
- Cultural management – curatorial or audience-development posts in museums, heritage start-ups, and festival teams.
- Media and communication – research-driven journalism, public-affairs writing, or content strategy for think-tank blogs.
Internships often springboard into contracts. Italian visa rules allow students to work up to twenty hours weekly and grant a twelve-month “search-year” permit after graduation. ApplyAZ coaching sessions cover CV design, LinkedIn networking, and mock interviews so you stand out.
Why this English-taught program in Italy fits tomorrow’s world
Global problems—from climate change to algorithmic bias—demand thinkers who can connect moral arguments, policy frameworks, and economic incentives. The PISE curriculum lets you read Kant in the morning, model carbon taxes by lunch, and simulate UN negotiations before dinner, all while living in a city that has balanced trade, art, and diplomacy for a thousand years. Lecturers push you to ask “Why?” as well as “How?” and then to back answers with data you collect yourself.
You will:
- Analyse supply chains that underpin gondola tourism and propose sustainable fixes.
- Debate AI ethics on floating stages at the Biennale.
- Design development models for lagoon islands threatened by rising seas.
- Present findings to peers from five continents, learning cultural agility by experience.
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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