Heading
Heading
University of Naples Federico II (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II)
Choosing where to study in Italy in English can feel overwhelming. The University of Naples Federico II (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II) makes the decision easier. Founded in 1224, it is one of the oldest public Italian universities and a pioneer of modern research. Today, the institution offers an expanding portfolio of English‑taught programs in Italy, paired with policies that let eligible applicants access tuition‑free universities Italy schemes and the DSU grant—one of the best scholarships for international students in Italy.
Why choose University of Naples Federico II for English‑taught programs in Italy
The University of Naples Federico II combines heritage with forward thinking. It sits consistently in the world’s top 300 on global academic rankings while placing even higher in subject‑specific tables for engineering, medicine, agriculture, and computer science. Its membership in the SEA‑EU Alliance links it to six coastal universities, opening joint degrees and mobility options—an advantage if you want to study in Italy in English and still explore other European labs.
Key departments include:
- School of Medicine and Surgery – renowned for translational research and partnerships with major hospitals.
- Faculty of Engineering – strong in aerospace, civil, and environmental disciplines.
- Department of Agricultural Sciences – focused on Mediterranean food systems and sustainable farming.
- Faculty of Economics and Business – ideal for data analytics, international management, and fintech.
- Department of Computer Science – recognised for AI and cybersecurity expertise.
Most of these areas now run English‑taught programs in Italy at bachelor and master level. These courses keep class sizes small, making it easier to interact with professors, build local contacts, and practise language skills. Because the university belongs to the national network of public Italian universities, tuition fees are low and often waived altogether through income‑based rules. Pair that with the DSU grant—financial aid that covers meals, accommodation, and books—and you can cut yearly costs to a fraction of what you might pay elsewhere in Europe.
A living laboratory: life in Naples
Naples, or Napoli, offers a unique setting for anyone looking to study in Italy in English without losing immersion in authentic Italian life. The city hugs the Bay of Naples under the gaze of Mount Vesuvius. Winters are mild (average 10 °C), summers warm yet breezy (around 30 °C), so you can enjoy outdoor study sessions all year.
Public transport is efficient and cheap. A single metro ride costs little more than a cup of espresso, and integrated tickets cover buses and funiculars that climb the city’s hills. As an enrolled student at a public Italian university, you qualify for reduced monthly passes, making daily commutes easy on a lean budget.
Student life thrives in the historical centre. Cobbled streets offer pizzerias, bookshops, and open‑air markets. Federiciani—students of Federico II—meet at Piazza Bellini for affordable aperitivo, swap language tips, and form project groups that span disciplines. If you crave cultural weekends, you can reach Pompeii in thirty minutes, the Amalfi Coast in one hour, and Rome in just over sixty minutes by high‑speed train.
Naples also ranks among Italy’s most affordable big cities. Shared flats near the main campus cost roughly €250–€350 per month, lower than Milan or Florence. Street food—think pizza margherita or fried pasta balls—keeps lunch under €5. Combine that with DSU grant canteen vouchers, and daily living costs stay manageable, reinforcing the “tuition‑free universities Italy” advantage.
Affordable living and tuition‑free universities Italy: how costs add up
Many prospective learners search for tuition‑free universities Italy as a way to limit debt. Federico II fits that goal because fees link to family income and citizenship. If your household earnings sit below set thresholds, you pay zero tuition. Even if you pay full rate, yearly fees rarely exceed €2,400.
Additional savings:
- DSU grant (Diritto allo Studio Universitario) – covers up to €7,000 per year across rent, food, travel, and study materials.
- University accommodation – single rooms start from €180 per month.
- Free Italian language courses – help you integrate and widen part‑time job options.
These numbers matter when you compare Naples to other European tech hubs. Living in a city where overhead is low lets you allocate money towards conferences, side projects, or weekend explorations—key parts of every study in Italy in English journey.
Public Italian universities and career opportunities in Campania
The Campus of San Giovanni a Teduccio, once a factory district, now anchors the regional innovation wave. It hosts Apple Developer Academy, Cisco networking labs, and an Advanced Manufacturing Institute. Engineering and computer‑science students gain first‑hand exposure to agile methods and can pitch prototypes directly to global mentors.
Beyond tech, Naples has a diversified economy.
- Maritime logistics – Port of Naples handles over 20 million tonnes of cargo annually; internships here suit mechanical, civil, and maritime‑engineering students.
- Aerospace – Leonardo Aircraft Division and Avio Aero run production plants near Pomigliano d’Arco; they hire federiciani for R&D and quality control.
- Agri‑food and biotech – Campania is Europe’s “fruit and vegetable garden”. Firms like Mutti, La Doria, and agritech start‑ups cluster near the Department of Agricultural Sciences, giving nutrition and chemistry majors field projects.
- Cultural heritage and tourism – Restoration labs around Pompeii and the city’s museums need art‑history, geology, and digital‑humanities profiles.
Thanks to Erasmus+ traineeships, Curricular Internships, and strong alumni links, you can secure placements even if you only study in Italy in English and speak beginner‑level Italian. Employers value technical skills, and many operate internationally, so English communication works day to day.
Career support highlights
- Career Services Office runs CV workshops, mock interviews, and job fairs twice per year.
- “Contamination Lab” fosters interdisciplinary start‑ups; past teams launched sustainable‑fashion brands and AI‑driven transport tools.
- Visa‑extension pathways allow non‑EU graduates to stay up to 12 months to seek work, turning a successful internship into a full‑time contract.
These services amplify the advantage that public Italian universities already provide: low costs, strong networks, and government policies welcoming talent.
Broader industries and how they boost your field
Whatever your major, Naples offers industry connections:
- Computer Science & Data – Smart‑city analytics with Enel X, fintech projects in the city’s new Innovation District, blockchain pilots for port customs.
- Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering – Wind‑tunnel testing at CIRA (Italian Aerospace Research Centre) in nearby Capua.
- Biomedical Sciences – Oncology and gene‑therapy trials at CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate.
- Environmental Science – Volcanology and marine‑biology research around Vesuvius National Park and the Gulf of Naples.
- Design & Architecture – Urban regeneration projects funded by the European Green Deal; student studios collaborate on waterfront re‑planning.
Federico II partners directly with these bodies, weaving applied modules into English‑taught programs in Italy. That means your coursework often solves live business problems, not hypothetical case studies.
Cultural dimension: more than just courses
Studying at the University of Naples Federico II is not only academic. The university runs over 50 student clubs—ranging from robotics to Mediterranean cooking—plus free sports at CUS Napoli. The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) organises Italian conversation cafés, tandem exchanges, and low‑cost trips across the peninsula.
Naples’ culture thrives on music and theatre. Students can attend rehearsals at Teatro di San Carlo for €10 or less. Summer festivals in neighbouring islands—Ischia, Procida, Capri—offer film screenings under the stars. Such events help you practise Italian organically, complementing your study in Italy in English formal classes.
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.
Economics and Finance (LM‑56) at University of Naples Federico II
Economics and Finance (LM‑56) is a rigorous, career‑focused master’s that lets you study in Italy in English inside one of the most respected public Italian universities. It belongs to the expanding family of English-taught programs in Italy and takes full advantage of the national model of tuition-free universities Italy, together with funding routes like the DSU grant and other scholarships for international students in Italy. This guide explains the structure, skills, admissions, and careers—so you can judge if it fits your goals.
Why study in Italy in English for Economics and Finance
Choosing to study in Italy in English gives you access to European economic thinking, transparent regulation, and strong quantitative training, without a language barrier slowing your progress. The programme’s working language is English, which means you read cutting‑edge research, present to international faculty, and write a thesis that is ready for global recruiters or PhD committees.
At the same time, optional Italian or other language courses help you broaden your professional scope. This blend—English for academic depth and an additional language for market access—is now common across top English-taught programs in Italy and is valued by employers with cross‑border operations.
Where this master fits among English-taught programs in Italy
Economics and Finance (LM‑56) trains you to model markets, measure risk, and read policy impacts with a quantitative mindset. It stands out among English-taught programs in Italy because it combines:
- Advanced microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics.
- Specialised finance tracks, such as asset pricing, corporate finance, and risk management.
- Policy and regulation modules that connect theory to real institutions.
- Data science components that teach you to work with large, messy datasets.
Since it is offered by one of the oldest public Italian universities, you benefit from stable fees, transparent admissions, and recognised academic standards aligned with the Bologna Process.
Programme structure: two years, 120 ECTS
The master’s lasts four semesters and awards 120 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System). It is designed to let you specialise without losing the core economic and financial toolkit.
Core economics and finance (Year 1)
- Advanced Microeconomics: consumer theory, game theory, mechanism design.
- Advanced Macroeconomics: growth, DSGE (dynamic stochastic general equilibrium) models, monetary policy.
- Econometrics I: regression, panel data, causal inference.
- Corporate Finance: capital structure, agency problems, valuation.
- Financial Markets and Instruments: derivatives, fixed income, portfolio basics.
Quantitative depth and specialisation (Year 2)
- Econometrics II or Time‑Series Analysis: cointegration, volatility models, state‑space methods.
- Asset Pricing: factor models, stochastic discount factors, empirical tests.
- Risk Management and Regulation: Basel rules, stress testing, credit risk modelling.
- Development Economics, Public Economics, or Behavioural Finance (electives).
- Data Science for Economics and Finance: Python or R for data cleaning, modelling, and visualisation.
Capstone: internship or thesis
The final semester centres on an original research thesis or an internship project. You can work with a faculty supervisor on a data‑rich academic study or join a bank, consulting firm, or research institute for applied analysis. Either track builds a strong, verifiable portfolio for employers.
Learning methods and assessment
To ensure practice and theory stay close, the programme mixes:
- Problem sets that force you to apply models to real data.
- Case studies on corporate valuation, risk hedging, and monetary policy.
- Policy memos that translate technical insights into decision‑maker language.
- Coding assignments using R, Python, Stata, or MATLAB.
- Thesis or internship reports, defended before an academic panel.
The result is a graduate who can switch between mathematical rigour and clear communication—precisely what high‑impact roles demand.
Mathematical and data skills you will gain
Graduates exit with a toolbox that covers:
- Optimisation techniques for firm behaviour, consumer choice, and equilibrium.
- Time‑series econometrics for forecasting and volatility modelling.
- Event studies for policy and corporate actions.
- Portfolio optimisation under constraints, factor modelling, and risk parity.
- Credit risk, operational risk, and market risk measurement frameworks.
- Statistical programming for reproducible analysis and visualisation.
These skills make you competitive for both professional roles and doctoral programmes worldwide.
Professional outcomes: where you can work
Economics and Finance (LM‑56) prepares you for positions in:
- Investment banking and corporate finance (valuation, M&A, ECM, DCM).
- Asset management and hedge funds (quantitative research, risk, portfolio construction).
- Central banks, regulators, and treasury departments.
- Consulting (economic, financial, policy analysis).
- International organisations and research institutes (macroeconomic policy, development, competition).
- Data science roles in fintech, insurtech, and ESG analytics.
- PhD programmes in economics, finance, econometrics, or data science.
Employers value the LM‑56 classification and the programme’s quantitative depth, which match the expectations of modern finance and policy labs.
Public Italian universities: accountability, quality, and recognition
As part of the public Italian universities system, University of Naples Federico II follows strict national quality controls. Curricula are reviewed to align with current research, digital finance trends, and regulatory changes. This accountability ensures continuity and international recognition—an important factor if you plan to pursue CFA, FRM, or a PhD.
Funding your study: tuition-free universities Italy and beyond
The financial model is one of the biggest draws. The university applies a sliding scale for tuition based on family income. Many students pay very little or zero tuition, confirming the practical benefits of tuition-free universities Italy.
DSU grant: the cornerstone
The DSU grant (Diritto allo Studio Universitario) is a regional package that can cover accommodation, meals, and academic materials. It targets lower‑income learners and is awarded on income and merit. Combined with low fees, it can reduce your total cost of study to a minimum.
Other scholarships for international students in Italy
- Government scholarships that include monthly stipends and health coverage.
- Excellence awards for the top entrants or top performers after the first year.
- Fee reductions linked to credit completion and GPA.
By layering these aids, many students avoid debt, freeing them to focus on internships, certifications, and research.
Study in Italy in English: how the programme supports you
All core modules, exams, and thesis activities are in English. This enables an international classroom where group projects benefit from diverse viewpoints. At the same time, you can pick up Italian during your stay, which is useful for internships and interviews with domestic firms. Language support is usually available through the university’s language centre.
Research culture and academic mentorship
The department hosts research groups on:
- Monetary and fiscal policy in advanced and emerging markets.
- Microstructure of financial markets and algorithmic trading.
- Inequality, labour markets, and public finance.
- Climate finance, ESG (environmental, social, governance) metrics, and sustainable investment.
You can join these groups as a research assistant, present at departmental seminars, and co‑author papers. Early research exposure raises your profile for PhD applications or analytical roles in policy institutions.
Data, coding, and reproducibility
Modern economics and finance are data‑intensive. The programme trains you to:
- Clean and merge large datasets from central banks, stock exchanges, and statistical agencies.
- Build reproducible pipelines with version control (Git).
- Perform causal inference using natural experiments, difference‑in‑differences, synthetic control, or instrumental variables.
- Visualise results for non‑technical audiences, which is key for policy and boardroom communication.
Ethics, compliance, and responsible finance
Courses cover:
- Market abuse regulation and MiFID II compliance.
- ESG reporting standards, greenwashing risks, and impact evaluation.
- Data privacy (GDPR) and ethical use of microdata.
- Algorithmic bias and fairness in credit scoring and automated trading.
These insights are essential as regulators and investors demand transparency and measurable impact.
Internships and applied learning
A structured internship path lets you apply classroom knowledge. You might:
- Evaluate portfolio risk with a VAR or expected shortfall model.
- Build a factor model to explain equities in a specific market.
- Perform policy simulations to forecast the macroeconomic effects of new tax rules.
- Run stress tests that meet regulatory templates.
These experiences often lead to thesis topics and job offers, proving the practical value of English-taught programs in Italy for quantitative careers.
Pathways to a PhD
If you aim for a PhD, this master’s provides:
- Advanced econometrics and theory modules needed for doctoral coursework.
- Research seminars where you learn peer‑review standards.
- Thesis supervision from academics with strong publication records.
- Guidance for funding bids and doctoral applications.
Graduates often enter PhDs in economics, finance, or statistics across Europe and beyond.
Certifications and professional development
You can prepare for professional exams:
- CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst): Modules in asset pricing, corporate finance, and ethics offer a strong base.
- FRM (Financial Risk Manager): Risk management and econometrics courses match the exam’s quantitative needs.
- CQF (Certificate in Quantitative Finance): Electives in stochastic processes and numerical methods provide useful theory.
Workshops on CVs, interviews, and case studies help with recruitment cycles in banking, consulting, and fintech.
Soft skills for high‑pressure environments
The programme builds soft skills that employers rate highly:
- Clear writing for policy briefs and equity research notes.
- Presentation and storytelling using charts and dashboards.
- Team leadership in multicultural project groups.
- Negotiation and stakeholder management in policy simulations.
- Time management to meet tight reporting deadlines.
These skills matter as much as technical strength in fast‑moving work settings.
Building a thesis that employers respect
Your thesis can follow three models:
- Empirical finance: Test asset‑pricing anomalies using cross‑sectional or time‑series data.
- Policy analysis: Model the macroeconomic effects of a fiscal or monetary intervention.
- Risk and regulation: Design and backtest stress‑testing frameworks or credit‑risk models under regulatory constraints.
Each path proves you can design an analytical project from end to end, a signal of independence and reliability.
Lifelong learning and alumni network
After graduation, alumni often return for micro‑credentials in:
- Machine learning for finance and economics.
- ESG analytics and climate risk.
- Advanced Bayesian econometrics.
- Blockchain, tokenisation, and decentralised finance.
An active alumni network shares job openings, mentoring, and industry updates, giving you a professional support system for years.
Final take
Economics and Finance (LM‑56) at University of Naples Federico II (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II) brings together academic rigour, quantitative depth, and real‑world impact. As one of the English-taught programs in Italy offered by public Italian universities, it couples transparency and recognised quality with the affordability mechanisms of tuition-free universities Italy. With DSU grant opportunities and scholarships for international students in Italy, you can focus on learning, research, and career building—without the financial weight many master’s degrees carry.
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.
They Began right where you are
