Master in Economics at Sapienza University of Rome
Two-year LM-56 master at Sapienza in Rome with two English curricula, Macroeconomics and Finance and Applied Economics and Policy, covering advanced micro, macro and econometrics, banking, labour and competition policy, and an 18 ECTS dissertation. Entry needs an economics degree or 72 set credits, plus B2 English.
Master
2 years
Rome
Multiple
Sapienza University of Rome
Economics (Economia politica) is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-56) at Sapienza University of Rome, with two curricula taught in English: Macroeconomics and Finance, and Applied Economics and Policy. Entry needs an economics or business bachelor's, or at least 72 credits in set subjects with 18 in economics, plus English at B2. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Sapienza's Economics master asks for a bachelor's in economics or business (class L-18 or L-33) or at least 72 CFU in set subjects with 18 in economics, English at B2, a positive eligibility check and a personal knowledge assessment. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and the 72-credit rule
You meet the degree requirement in one of two ways: [1]
- An Italian bachelor's in class L-18 or L-33 (business economics or economics), or the matching older classes.
- Any other degree with at least 72 CFU in the listed subject sectors: economics and business (including agricultural economics and economic history), law, statistics, mathematics, computer science, telecommunications, automation and computer engineering, manufacturing technology, management engineering and economic geography. These credits must cover at least three subject areas, with at least 18 CFU in economics.
What this means for your transcript
Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit, and Sapienza looks at your subjects, not just your total. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Com, BBA, or BA or B.Sc. in Economics that includes solid units in economics, plus some statistics, maths or law.
- Check carefully: a BBA or B.Com with few economics units can fall short on the 18 credits in economics. A B.Sc. in Mathematics or Statistics, or a B.Tech or BCA in Computer Science, covers quantitative credits but needs economics units to reach 18 credits and three subject areas.
- Often short: a BA in humanities or social sciences, or a B.Sc. in a natural science, with few economics, statistics or maths units.
Missing credits can be made up by passing single examinations, under Sapienza's single-examination rules. [1]
English
English at CEFR level B2 or higher is part of the personal knowledge assessment. It is met by an official CEFR certificate or at least 3 CFU earned for an English language proficiency qualification. [1]
It also counts as shown if you are a native English speaker, hold an International Baccalaureate, GCSE or equivalent, or hold a diploma or degree taught in English from an accredited institution in the EU, EEA or Schengen area, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States or another country on the university's list. Degrees from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are not on this list. Without any of these, your English is checked by interview. The call does not list specific test scores such as IELTS or TOEFL. [1]
Eligibility check and personal knowledge assessment
There is no written entrance test. The eligibility check is requested on Sapienza's Infostud system (code 33440). If you meet the entry requirements, a personal knowledge assessment follows: an individual interview or a review of your academic record, with attention to exams in the core subject areas and to your English. [1]
You are exempt from the assessment if you hold an Italian L-18 or L-33 bachelor's (or the older 17 and 28 classes), or a degree in another class with a final mark of at least 90/110. You can enrol only after the Student Affairs Office confirms by email that both checks are positive. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
Eligibility checks 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 students who have graduated or are about to graduate at Sapienza. [1]
Applicants still finishing a degree could apply if they graduate by 19 December 2026 (other Italian or international universities) or 23 January 2027 (Sapienza). [1]
Non-EU applicants living abroad
Non-EU citizens who live abroad and apply for a student visa must hold a pre-acceptance letter to join an English-language curriculum. The Italian-taught curriculum instead requires Italian at B2. After a positive eligibility check or the pre-acceptance letter, applicants with a foreign qualification complete Sapienza's enrolment procedure for two-year master's degrees and pay the first fee instalment. [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 Economics. Admission procedure for the Master's degree programme in Economics (Economia politica, LM-56) with assessment of entry requirements and personal knowledge, academic year 2026-2027, Infostud code 33440. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Economics (33440) programme pages: study plan for the 2026 cohort, announcements, international experiences and professional opportunities. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Economics (Economia politica in Italian) is a two-year master's degree in class LM-56, worth 120 ECTS, run by the Department of Economics and Law in Sapienza's Faculty of Economics and taught in person in Rome.
It has three curricula: Economia politica in Italian, and Macroeconomics and Finance and Applied Economics and Policy, both taught fully in English. This page describes the two English curricula.
The degree trains specialists with advanced knowledge of economic analysis, able to study how markets and institutions work, to predict the behaviour of individuals and organisations, and to design proposals for economic policy and business strategy.
It suits graduates in economics who want careers in research, policy, finance or consulting.
What you will study
Both English curricula share advanced microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics and mathematics for economics and finance, and every unit is taught in English in the 2026/27 study plan.
Macroeconomics and Finance then turns to macro theory, banking and finance, while Applied Economics and Policy covers labour markets, competition, business policy and policy evaluation. Units include:
- Advanced Macroeconomics and Advanced Microeconomics
- Advanced Econometrics
- Macroeconomic Theory and Policy
- Computational Tools for Macroeconomics
- Banking and Financial Regulation
- Artificial Intelligence in Banking and Finance
- Labour Economics and Policy
- Competition Law and Business Policy
How the programme is taught
Both English curricula share core units in the first semester, then follow their own paths. [2]
Teaching combines lectures with seminars and laboratory work, including a group of lab units in the first year, and the degree offers internships at public administrations, private companies and international organisations.
Each curriculum ends with an 18 ECTS dissertation.
Before classes, the Faculty of Economics runs crash courses in macroeconomics and mathematics in English for new master's students. [2]
The degree also offers an Italian-Belgian double degree, in which selected students study partly at Sapienza and partly at a Belgian partner university, plus Erasmus+, overseas exchanges and the CIVIS European alliance.
Career paths
The degree prepares graduates to support strategic decisions in private companies, especially in the financial sector, and in public administration. The professional profiles listed are:
- Economist: market analysis, forecasting, monetary and fiscal policy analysis and research in financial institutions and public bodies
- Financial analyst: evaluating financial data, modelling risk and assessing economic and financial performance
- Market analyst: studying market trends, competition and foreign markets to support internationalisation
- Data analyst: economic and financial data analysis and predictive models for business planning
Fees and scholarships
Sapienza sets tuition by family income (ISEE). Students whose income comes from abroad and who have no Italian ISEE pay a fixed yearly amount based on their country, set in each year's fee regulations.
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
Admission runs in two steps: an eligibility check of your degree credits, then a personal knowledge assessment of your academic record and English, by review or interview. The check is requested through Sapienza's Infostud system using code 33440. [1]
Non-EU applicants living abroad who need a student visa must hold a pre-acceptance letter from Sapienza's international admissions process to join an English-taught curriculum. For 2026/27, their only eligibility-check date was 15 September 2026; the 2027/28 calendar is not yet published. [1]
With the pre-acceptance letter we complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, and you apply for a type D study visa and enrol by paying the first fee instalment. [1] Sapienza accepts CIMEA statements, and some countries need a declaration of value.
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 eligibility check, pre-acceptance request and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- 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 Master in Economics?
An Italian bachelor's in class L-18 or L-33, or any degree with at least 72 CFU in set economics, business, law, statistics, maths, computing or engineering subjects. Those credits must cover three subject areas and include at least 18 CFU in economics. [1]
Is the Master in Economics taught in English?
Two of its three curricula are: Macroeconomics and Finance, and Applied Economics and Policy, where every unit and the dissertation are in English. The third curriculum, Economia politica, is taught in Italian. [2]
Is there an entrance exam?
No written test. After the eligibility check, a personal knowledge assessment reviews your academic record or uses an interview. Holders of an L-18 or L-33 degree, or another degree with a final mark of at least 90/110, are exempt. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2 or higher, shown by an official CEFR certificate, 3 CFU of English, IB or GCSE, or an English-taught degree from listed countries, and otherwise checked by interview. The 2026/27 call does not list IELTS or TOEFL scores, so we check which proof 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 eligibility-check date: 15 September 2026, and they also need a pre-acceptance letter. The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes, if you graduate in time. For 2026/27, applicants finishing a degree at another Italian or international university had to graduate by 19 December 2026, and Sapienza students by 23 January 2027. [1]
I have a B.Tech or a B.Sc. in Mathematics. Can I apply?
Possibly. These degrees often cover maths, statistics or computing credits but can fall short on the 18 credits in economics and the three subject areas the rule asks for. Missing credits can be made up through single examinations before enrolment. [1]
What jobs do graduates do?
The university lists economist, financial analyst, market analyst and data analyst roles, supporting decisions in private companies, especially in finance, and in public administration and research. [2]
Can someone handle my whole application to Economics 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 Economics?
A recognised Indian bachelor's such as a B.Com, BBA or BA in Economics can meet the entry rule if it includes at least 72 credits in economics, business, law, statistics, maths or related subjects across three subject areas, with at least 18 in economics. You also need English at B2. The steps are the eligibility check, a pre-acceptance letter and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1] 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 are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: eligibility check, pre-acceptance letter 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 are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: eligibility check, pre-acceptance letter 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 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: eligibility check, pre-acceptance letter 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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