Master in Cultural Heritage in the Near and Middle East, and in Africa at Sapienza University of Rome
Two-year English-taught LM-2 master's at Sapienza University of Rome on the archaeology and cultural heritage of the Near and Middle East and Africa, with excavation, survey and museum training. Entry needs 90 humanities credits and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Rome
English
Sapienza University of Rome
Cultural Heritage in the Near and Middle East, and in Africa is a two-year, 120 CFU master's degree (class LM-2) taught in English at Sapienza University of Rome. Entry needs a three-year bachelor's with at least 90 credits in humanities areas such as archaeology, history, philology and Oriental studies, plus English at B2. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Sapienza's Cultural Heritage in the Near and Middle East, and in Africa master asks for a three-year bachelor's degree or suitable foreign qualification with at least 90 CFU in set humanities subject areas, English at B2, a positive check of requirements and an assessment of your personal preparation. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
The 90-credit rule
You need a three-year bachelor's degree or university diploma, or a foreign qualification judged suitable. Sapienza checks your curriculum in the sciences of antiquity and Oriental studies, philology and literature, art history, history, philosophy, education and psychology, as well as law, economics, statistics and political and social sciences. [1]
Specifically, you need at least 90 CFU in a listed set of subject sectors, or equivalent subjects for degrees from universities outside Italy. The list covers: [1]
- Archaeology and the ancient world: archaeology, ancient history, classical philology and papyrology, and the history, languages, religions and art of the ancient Near East, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, including India.
- Languages and literature: Greek, Latin, Italian and comparative literature, medieval and Romance philology, English, French, Germanic, Slavic and Spanish languages and literatures, and linguistics.
- Art and performance: art history, and performing arts, film and music studies.
- History and human sciences: history, geography, philosophy, education, psychology and cultural anthropology.
The call sets no specific additional learning requirements (OFA). [1]
What this means for your transcript
Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit, and for degrees from outside Italy Sapienza looks for equivalent subjects, not just a total. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a BA in History, Archaeology, Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Sanskrit or another classical or modern language, English Literature or Philosophy, where most papers fall in these areas.
- Check carefully: a general BA that mixes history or a language with political science, economics or sociology, which are not on the 90-credit list, or a fine arts degree where studio work outweighs art history.
- Often short: a B.Sc., B.Tech, B.E., BCA, B.Com or BBA without substantial humanities coursework.
If you lack credits, you can make them up by passing single examinations, under Sapienza's single-examination rules. [1]
English
English at CEFR level B2, as the programme is taught in English. If you have no certificate, the admissions committee assesses your level. The call does not list specific tests or scores. [1]
Check of requirements and personal preparation
The check of requirements is requested on Sapienza's Infostud system (code 33541). Only applicants who meet the curricular requirements go on to the assessment of personal preparation. [1]
Admission is based on your curricular requirements and an evaluation of your university career and, where the committee considers it necessary, an interview. The call sets no written test. The committee may set a specific path through the degree based on your background, still totalling 120 CFU with no extra activities. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
Checks of requirements opened on 2 July 2026. Non-EU applicants who need a student visa had one date: 15 September 2026. Other applicants can choose 15 October, 17 November or 17 December 2026, and 14 January 2027 is reserved for applicants who have graduated, or are about to graduate, at Sapienza. [1]
Where the programme regulations allow it, applicants still finishing a degree can apply if they graduate by 19 December 2026 (other Italian or international universities) or 23 January 2027 (Sapienza). [1]
For visa applicants, the Universitaly study-visa request was due by 30 June 2026. [2]
Documents and non-EU steps
Non-EU applicants living abroad who need a student visa, and Chinese students in the Marco Polo project, must hold a pre-acceptance letter. It is obtained through Sapienza's online pre-selection on the MoveIN platform, followed by the study-visa request on Universitaly and the booking of the requirements check on Infostud. [1][2]
Your foreign first-cycle degree must be at EQF level 6, give access to second-cycle study in the country that issued it and show no substantial differences from an Italian three-year degree. For enrolment, Sapienza asks for: [2]
- Your degree certificate and transcript, with a sworn translation into Italian or English unless they were issued in English.
- For countries covered by ARDI: an ARDI statement of correspondence, plus a CIMEA statement of verification or legalisation.
- For other countries: a CIMEA statement of comparability and statement of verification or, instead, a declaration of value from the Italian mission or a Diploma Supplement, legalised or apostilled.
- Your passport, your study visa and, after arrival, the receipts of your residence permit application.
Enrolment opens only once Sapienza confirms by email that the check of requirements and personal preparation was positive. [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.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Letters and Philosophy. Admission procedure for the Master's degree programme in Cultural Heritage in the Near and Middle East, and in Africa (LM-2), with verification of requirements and personal preparation, academic year 2026-2027, Infostud code 33541. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Sapienza University of Rome, International Students Office. Enrolment procedures for students with a foreign qualification: two-year master's degrees with a pre-acceptance letter, and mandatory enrolment documents, academic year 2026-2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Cultural Heritage in the Near and Middle East, and in Africa programme pages (presentation, objectives, professional opportunities, degree class, language, duration and department). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Cultural Heritage in the Near and Middle East, and in Africa is a two-year master's degree in class LM-2, archaeology, taught entirely in English in Rome.
It belongs to Sapienza's Faculty of Letters and Philosophy and is run by the Department of Sciences of Antiquity (Scienze dell'Antichità). Teaching is in person, and access is by verification of requirements and personal preparation. [1][3]
The degree offers specialist training in the history and conservation of the cultural heritage of western Asia and of northern and eastern Africa.
It suits graduates in archaeology, history, art history or philology who want to work on these regions, in the field or in heritage organisations.
What you will study
Teaching combines a theoretical and methodological grounding with practical experience, through classes, seminars with thematic workshops and specialised hands-on training. The official description names these disciplines:
- Archaeology
- Epigraphy
- History
- History of art
- Philology and literature
- Cultural anthropology and religious studies
How the programme is taught
Laboratories, seminars, workshops and specialised internships build practical skills in field survey, excavation, conservation-oriented restoration and the study of material culture. Students also work with sources in the region's historical languages, plan museum and heritage enhancement projects and take part in excavations and fieldwork. [3]
Career paths
According to the university, graduates develop the knowledge and professional skills needed for a career in national and international organisations that promote heritage enhancement projects in the region.
Sapienza also lists research, including PhD programmes, as well as publishing, museum and exhibition design, and national and international cooperation projects. [3]
Fees and scholarships
Sapienza sets tuition by family income (ISEE). The regional scholarship body for Rome is DiSCo Lazio, and its scholarship winners also get a tuition waiver, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. The region decides scholarship awards.
How to apply from outside the EU
Non-EU applicants living abroad who need a student visa must hold a pre-acceptance letter, obtained through Sapienza's online pre-selection on MoveIN. For 2026/27, the Universitaly study-visa request was due by 30 June 2026, and the requirements check for this group had a single date: 15 September 2026. The check is requested on Sapienza's Infostud system using code 33541. [1][2]
After a positive check of requirements and personal preparation, you send your enrolment documents, apply for a type D study visa and enrol by paying the first fee instalment. For your degree, Sapienza asks for the certificate and transcript with sworn translations where needed, plus ARDI or CIMEA statements, or a declaration of value or a legalised Diploma Supplement, depending on the country that issued it. [1][2] The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published.
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 transcript against Sapienza's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your pre-acceptance request, Universitaly pre-enrolment and requirements check.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your DiSCo Lazio 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 bachelor's degree do I need for Sapienza's Cultural Heritage in the Near and Middle East, and in Africa master?
A three-year bachelor's or suitable foreign qualification with at least 90 CFU in listed humanities areas, such as archaeology, ancient history, Oriental studies, philology and literature, art history, history, geography, philosophy, education, psychology or anthropology. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
The call sets no written test. Sapienza checks your curricular requirements, then evaluates your university career, with an interview where the committee considers it necessary. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2. The 2026/27 call does not list specific tests or scores, and without a certificate the admissions committee assesses your level, so we check which proof of B2 your file can use. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants who needed a student visa had one requirements-check date: 15 September 2026. They also needed a MoveIN pre-acceptance letter and a Universitaly visa request by 30 June 2026. The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published. [1][2]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes, where the programme regulations allow it. For 2026/27, applicants finishing a degree at another Italian or international university must graduate by 19 December 2026. [1]
I have a BA in Political Science or a B.Sc. Can I still apply?
Check carefully. The 90-credit list covers humanities areas such as history, archaeology, languages and philosophy, and does not include political science, economics or science subjects, so these degrees are often short. Missing credits can be made up through single examinations. [1]
Is there fieldwork?
Yes. Laboratories, seminars, workshops and specialised internships build skills in field survey, excavation, conservation-oriented restoration and the study of material culture, and students take part in excavations and fieldwork. [3]
What can graduates do?
Sapienza points to heritage projects in the Near and Middle East and Africa, monitoring and protecting endangered heritage, museums and exhibitions, publishing, cooperation projects and research, including PhD programmes. [3]
Can someone handle my whole application to Cultural Heritage in the Near East and Africa at Sapienza?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Sapienza's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the DiSCo Lazio 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 Cultural Heritage in the Near East and Africa?
A recognised three-year Indian BA can fit if most of its papers fall in the listed humanities areas, such as history, archaeology, ancient Indian history and culture, Sanskrit, literature or philosophy, adding up to at least 90 Italian credits. You also need English at B2. The steps are MoveIN pre-selection for a pre-acceptance letter, Universitaly pre-enrolment and the requirements check. [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 Cultural Heritage in the Near East and Africa are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: MoveIN pre-selection for a pre-acceptance letter, Universitaly pre-enrolment and the requirements check, 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 Cultural Heritage in the Near East and Africa are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: MoveIN pre-selection for a pre-acceptance letter, Universitaly pre-enrolment and the requirements check. 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 Cultural Heritage in the Near East and Africa are the same whatever your nationality, and your degree is assessed like any other foreign qualification. Non-EU applicants who live abroad follow the same route: MoveIN pre-selection for a pre-acceptance letter, Universitaly pre-enrolment and the requirements check, 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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