Master in Fashion Theory and Practices at Sapienza University of Rome
Two-year English-taught LM-65 master's at Sapienza University of Rome, run with Unitelma Sapienza in blended mode, covering fashion theory, art history, branding, communication, digital fashion and sustainability, with an 18-credit thesis. Fixed fee, not based on income.
Master
2 years
Rome
English
Sapienza University of Rome
Fashion Theory and Practices is a two-year, 120 CFU master's degree (class LM-65) taught in English at Sapienza University of Rome, run with Unitelma Sapienza in blended mode. Entry needs a class L-3 degree or a bachelor's with 90 credits in set arts, humanities, economics, design or computing areas, plus English at B2. Every student pays the same fixed fee, whatever their income.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Sapienza's Fashion Theory and Practices master asks for a three-year bachelor's degree or recognised foreign equivalent, either in the Italian arts, music, performing arts and fashion class (L-3) or with at least 90 CFU in set subject areas, plus English at B2 and a positive check of your personal preparation. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree requirement
You need a three-year bachelor's degree or university diploma, or a foreign qualification recognised as suitable under current rules, plus specific curricular requirements. You must meet one of two conditions: [1]
- A degree in class L-3: the Italian bachelor's class for visual arts, music, performing arts and fashion, or the matching class under the earlier 1999 rules.
- Or at least 90 CFU in listed sectors: history (medieval, modern, contemporary, Eastern European and economic history, and history of religions); anthropology, aesthetics, philosophy of language and sociology, including the sociology of culture and communication; drawing, industrial design and interior design; art history, museology and art criticism, performing arts, and film, photography and television; economics, business economics and management, financial intermediaries and commodity science; and computer science.
What this means for your transcript
Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit, and Sapienza also checks how well the exams on your transcript or Diploma Supplement fit the programme. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a degree in fine or visual arts, film, media or performing arts, or a BA in History, Sociology or Art History, where most papers fall in the listed areas.
- Check carefully: a BBA, B.Com or BA in Economics, a BCA or B.Sc. in Computer Science, or a design degree. Economics, management, computing and design papers all count, but you need 90 credits across the listed areas and a good fit with fashion studies.
- Often short: a B.Tech or B.E. in engineering, or a B.Sc. in the natural sciences, without arts, humanities, economics or computing papers.
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 or higher is part of the personal preparation check. Sapienza looks for an English certificate from a recognised institution, such as IELTS or TOEFL. The call does not set minimum scores. If you do not submit a B2 certificate, you must take a language test when you arrive in Italy. [1]
Personal preparation check
The check of requirements, including English, is done through Sapienza's pre-selection site, from November of the year before the academic year of enrolment to the end of October of that academic year. It assesses: [1]
- An English certificate from a recognised institution.
- How well the exams in your bachelor's transcript of records or Diploma Supplement fit the programme.
In some cases you may be asked to an interview, in person if you are already in Italy or by phone or online, to assess your skills and motivation. The call sets no written test. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
Requests for the check of requirements on Infostud, using code 33553, 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 inter-university Master's degree programme in Fashion Theory and Practices (LM-65), run with Unitelma Sapienza in blended mode, academic year 2026-2027, Infostud code 33553. 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, Fashion Theory and Practices programme pages (presentation, 2026 study plan, professional opportunities, course details and 2026-2027 tuition fee notice). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Fashion Theory and Practices is a two-year master's degree in class LM-65, worth 120 ECTS, in which all courses and teaching activities are in English and aimed at an international audience. It is run by the SARAS department (Storia, antropologia, religioni, arte, spettacolo) in Sapienza's Faculty of Letters and Philosophy, as an inter-university degree with Unitelma Sapienza, and it is based in Rome. [1][3]
The degree studies fashion through both theory and practice, drawing on sociology, art history, anthropology, history, economics, management, communication and marketing, drawing and design, psychology, information technology, aesthetics and law. Only 30 ECTS form a compulsory core, so students shape much of their own path. [3] It suits students who want to work on the cultural, creative, communication or business side of fashion.
What you will study
The first year opens with a common base in fashion studies, art history and design, followed by groups of electives; the second year is almost entirely elective. All units in the 2026 study plan are taught in English. Units include: [3]
- Fashion in Cinema
- Fashion Branding and Consumer Experience
- Fashion Drawing and Illustration
- Social Theory of Fashion
- Fashion Journalism and Social Media
- Governance and Sustainability for Fashion
- Strategic Design for Fashion
- Fashion Anthropology
How the programme is taught
Teaching is blended, with in-person and online activities, and the university describes the mode as mostly in person. Only the first semester of the first year is fully online. [1][3]
Workshops introduce fashion research methods and connect students with the fashion industry in Rome and across Italy, and internships are arranged through the Jobsoul platform. The degree ends with an 18 ECTS thesis. Erasmus+ exchanges with European universities that study fashion, and regular visiting professors, add an international side. [3]
Career paths
Graduates are trained to link cultural knowledge of fashion with business, communication and digital tools. The university describes two professional profiles:
- Fashion strategist and trend analyst: creative direction, trend research, strategic planning and new product lines, for textile and clothing companies, trend forecasting agencies, market research and consulting firms
- Fashion culture and communication specialist: branding, media and social media management, curating, visual merchandising and editorial content, for fashion institutions, media and advertising agencies, event companies, museums and publishers
Fees and scholarships
This degree does not follow Sapienza's income-based fees. Because it is run with Unitelma Sapienza, every student pays the same fixed attendance fee, whatever their income. Enrolment is completed by paying the first instalment. [1][3]
You can still apply for the DiSCo Lazio regional scholarship, but winning it does not entitle you to a refund of these fees. [1] The region decides scholarship awards.
How to apply from outside the EU
For this degree, the check of requirements and English runs through Sapienza's online pre-selection site, from November of the year before enrolment to the end of October of the enrolment year. It looks at your English certificate and at how well the exams in your bachelor's transcript or Diploma Supplement fit the programme, sometimes with a phone or online interview. [1]
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 on Infostud had a single date for this group: 15 September 2026, using code 33553. [1][2]
After a positive outcome, you send your enrolment documents, apply for a type D study visa and enrol by paying the first fee instalment. Sapienza asks for your degree 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. [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 Fashion Theory and Practices master?
A three-year bachelor's or recognised foreign equivalent, either in the Italian class L-3 (arts, music, performing arts and fashion) or with at least 90 CFU in history, sociology, anthropology, aesthetics, design, art history, film, economics, management or computer science. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
The call sets no written test. Sapienza checks your English certificate and how well your bachelor's exams fit the programme, and in some cases holds an interview, in person or by phone or online. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2. Sapienza looks for a certificate from a recognised institution, such as IELTS or TOEFL, but the call sets no minimum scores. Without a B2 certificate, you take a language test on arrival in Italy. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants who needed a student visa had to submit the Universitaly visa request by 30 June 2026 and had one requirements-check date: 15 September 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 BBA or a B.Tech. Can I still apply?
A BBA or B.Com can count, as economics and management are on the 90-credit list, but we check how well your exams fit the programme. A B.Tech or B.E. without design, arts or economics papers is often short. Missing credits can be made up through single examinations. [1]
Is the programme online or in person?
It is blended and mostly in person. Only the first semester of the first year is fully online, and the rest of the degree mixes in-person and online teaching. [1][3]
How do the fees work?
Because the degree is run with Unitelma Sapienza, every student pays the same fixed attendance fee each year, whatever their income. Winning a DiSCo Lazio scholarship does not give a refund of these fees. [1][3]
Can someone handle my whole application to Fashion Theory and Practices 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 Fashion Theory and Practices?
A recognised three-year Indian bachelor's can fit if it is in a field such as fine or visual arts, media, history or sociology, or has enough economics, management, design or computing papers to reach 90 Italian credits in the listed areas. 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 Fashion Theory and Practices 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 Fashion Theory and Practices 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 Fashion Theory and Practices 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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