Master in Fashion Studies at University of Bologna

Detailed entry requirements

Bologna's Fashion Studies master asks for a three-year bachelor's or recognised foreign equivalent with at least 50 credits across two of five listed subject groups, English at B2 by the application deadline, adequate Italian or Italian activities in the study plan, and a committee score of at least 65 out of 100, or 50 to 64 plus an online interview. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]

Degree and credit requirements

You need a three-year university degree, or a foreign qualification recognised as eligible that gives access to a similar programme in the country where it was awarded. [1]

For Italian degrees, the call sets two conditions: [1]

• Degree class: cultural heritage, visual and performing arts and fashion studies, philosophy, humanities, modern languages, business administration, communication, economics, sociology or history (L-1, L-3, L-5, L-10, L-11, L-18, L-20, L-33, L-40, L-42), or industrial design, architecture or computer science (L-4, L-17, L-31).
• At least 50 credits in subject areas from at least two of five groups: English and Anglo-American literature; history of architecture and contemporary art, museology and art criticism; design, interior design and staging, performing arts, and cinema, photography and television; computer science, aesthetics, philosophy of language, contemporary history, general sociology and sociology of culture and communication; business administration and management, management, finance and organisation studies.

For a foreign degree, the committee checks whether your qualification corresponds to these requirements, based on your degree and list of exams. If it does not, the committee looks for credits equivalent to the 50 credits in the listed subject groups. [1][2]

Missing credits can be made up by passing single exams in the listed subject areas, with proof submitted by the application deadline. If you do not meet all the curricular requirements, you cannot register for the programme. [1]

What this means for your transcript

Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit, and the committee looks at the subjects you studied, not just the total. As a guide, based on the rule above:

• Usually a fit: a BA or B.Des in Fashion Design, Fashion Communication, Fine Arts or Visual Communication, a BA in Mass Communication or English Literature with media or sociology papers, or a B.Arch, since these often cover two of the five groups.
• Check carefully: a BBA, B.Com, BCA, B.Sc. or B.Tech in Computer Science, or a BA in History, Philosophy or Economics, where most credits may fall in a single group.
• Often short: degrees in other engineering fields, pure or life sciences, nursing or pharmacy, which rarely include subjects from two of the listed groups.

English and Italian

English at CEFR level B2 or higher, proved by the application deadline with one of the certificates the call lists: [1]

• IELTS Academic or General Training at 5.5 or higher. IELTS Academic online is not accepted.
• TOEFL iBT at 80 or higher.
• PTE Academic at 59 or higher. Online PTE tests are not accepted.
• Cambridge B2 First at grade B or C (160 to 179) or another listed Cambridge B2 result, Trinity ISE II with all four components, or IGCSE English as a Second Language at grade C or above.

You do not need a certificate if your degree is taught in English or is in English language and literature, but you must upload a document that states this clearly, such as one from your university confirming that teaching was in English. University language tests and exams in your study plan do not count. Without valid proof by the deadline, you are not admitted to the assessment. [1]

The call also asks for adequate Italian. It accepts Italian certificates, study completed in Italian and other listed proofs, and international students who do not meet the requirement add Italian learning activities to their study plan. [1]

Selection and scoring

There is no written test. A committee scores your application out of 100 from the documents you upload: [1]

• Degree class, up to 35 points: 35 for visual and performing arts and fashion, communication, sociology or industrial design; 30 for architecture; 25 for cultural heritage; 20 for philosophy or humanities; 15 for modern languages or history; 10 for business administration, economics or computer science.
• Final mark, up to 50 points: 50 for 105/110 or higher, 35 for 100 to 104, 25 for 90 to 99 and none for 89 or lower. Students still finishing are scored on their weighted average.
• Fashion experience, up to 15 points: 5 points for each fashion-related experience of at least three months listed in your CV, such as further study, work, an internship or volunteering.

With 65 points or more you are admitted. With 50 to 64 points you are invited to an online interview on Microsoft Teams about your knowledge of fashion. With 49 or fewer you are not admitted. The call does not say how foreign degrees and marks are converted to these points. [1]

2026/27 intakes and deadlines

• Intake 1, non-EU citizens only: applications 2 to 26 February 2026 at 13:00, interviews 2 April 2026, results from 9 April 2026.
• Intake 2, open to all: applications 13 April to 7 May 2026 at 13:00, interviews 8 June 2026, results from 15 June 2026.
• Intake 3, EU and equivalent applicants only: applications 7 July to 4 September 2026 at 13:00.

If you do not pass the assessment in one intake, you cannot take part in a later intake in the same year. You could apply before graduating if you had at least 50 credits, with the degree completed by 31 December 2026. The 2027/28 call sets the next dates. [1]

Documents and non-EU steps

On Studenti Online you upload, by the deadline: [1]

• A valid identity document, or your passport if your ID has no English translation.
• Your degree certificate translated into Italian or English, with a transcript and Diploma Supplement where available showing the programme name, final mark and list of exams. If you have not graduated yet, your transcript and overall average where available.
• Your English certificate, or the document proving an English-taught degree.
• A CV in English on the template attached to the call.
• Optionally, certificates of the fashion experience in your CV, proof of Italian and your residence permit if you hold one.

Missing or partly uploaded required documents at the deadline mean your application is not considered. Non-EU citizens living abroad must also pre-enrol on Universitaly and apply for an entry visa for study. After admission you enrol on Studenti Online, pay the first instalment and upload your degree and entry visa. Your documents must be translated and their authenticity and value verified where required, and you show the originals at the International Desk of the Rimini Campus. Career activation had to be completed by 26 February 2027. [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.

1. University of Bologna, Department of the Arts. Admission notice for the second-cycle degree programme in Fashion Studies (class LM-65, code 6780), academic year 2026/27, courtesy translation. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
2. University of Bologna, Fashion Studies programme website: home, overview and programme enrolment pages (campus, degree class, director, curricula and non-EU steps), academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
3. University of Bologna. Tuition fees and exemptions, reduced fixed fee for non-OECD citizens and table of maximum contribution amounts, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.

What bachelor's degree do I need for Fashion Studies at Bologna?

A three-year bachelor's or recognised foreign equivalent. Italian degrees must be in a listed class, such as arts, communication, sociology, design, architecture, economics or computer science, with 50 credits across at least two listed subject groups. For a foreign degree, the committee checks the same content from your list of exams. [1][2]

Is there an entrance exam?

No written test. A committee scores your documents out of 100: up to 35 for your degree subject, 50 for your final mark and 15 for fashion experience. With 65 points you are admitted, with 50 to 64 you have an online interview, and with 49 or fewer you are not admitted. [1]

What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?

English at B2. IELTS from 5.5, TOEFL iBT from 80, PTE Academic from 59, Cambridge B2 First and Trinity ISE II are accepted, but IELTS Academic online and online PTE tests are not. A degree taught in English also counts if a university document states it, so we check your documents. [1]

Do I need to speak Italian?

Teaching is in English, but the 2026/27 call also asks for adequate Italian. If you have no Italian certificate or other listed proof, you add Italian learning activities to your study plan instead. [1]

When is the deadline for non-EU students?

For 2026/27, the first intake, from 2 to 26 February 2026, was reserved for non-EU citizens, and the second, from 13 April to 7 May 2026, was open to all. The September intake was only for EU and equivalent applicants. The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. [1]

Can I apply before I graduate?

Yes, if you have already earned at least 50 credits. If you were admitted, you had to complete your degree by 31 December 2026, or your enrolment was cancelled. [1]

I have a BBA or a B.Tech. Can I apply?

A BBA usually covers the management and finance group, and a B.Tech in computer science the computing group, but both need credits in a second listed group, such as design, media or sociology. In the scoring, the Italian business and computer science classes earn 10 of the 35 degree points, so we check your transcript first. [1]

Which curricula can I choose?

Two: Strategic Management for the Fashion System, and Communication Strategies for Fashion Design. Both lead to the same two-year degree, taught in English on the Rimini campus, and the university also lists it as a double or multiple degree programme. [2]

Can someone handle my whole application to Fashion Studies at Bologna?

Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Bologna's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ER.GO Emilia-Romagna 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 Studies?

Indian degrees in fashion design, fine arts, mass communication, English literature, sociology or architecture can match the listed subject groups, while a BBA, B.Com or BCA often needs credits in a second group. The committee scores your degree, final mark and fashion experience, and you need English at B2. The steps are the Studenti Online application, a possible online interview 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 Fashion Studies are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: Studenti Online application, committee scoring with a possible online interview, 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 Fashion Studies are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: Studenti Online application, committee scoring with a possible online interview, 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 Fashion Studies 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: Studenti Online application, committee scoring with a possible online interview, 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.