Master in Global Politics and Euro-Mediterranean Relations at University of Catania
Two-year English-taught political science master's (LM-62 R) at the University of Catania on global politics, EU governance and Euro-Mediterranean relations, with compulsory attendance, interactive teaching and double degrees with Liège, UPEC and Flensburg.
Master
2 years
Catania
English
University of Catania
Global Politics and Euro-Mediterranean Relations (GLOPEM) is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-62 R) taught in English at the University of Catania in Sicily. Non-EU applicants need a bachelor's, preferably in politics, international relations, humanities, languages, law or economics, plus English at B2 (IELTS 5.5). Fees are low, and the programme can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Catania's GLOPEM master asks non-EU applicants living abroad for a bachelor's or higher degree, preferably in politics, international relations, area or development studies, humanities, languages, or international or EU law or economics, plus English at B2 and a file score of at least 50 out of 100. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree requirement
Non-EU applicants living abroad need a bachelor's or higher degree awarded abroad. The 2026/27 call lists these preferred backgrounds: [1]
- Political science, EU studies, international relations, diplomatic studies, area studies and development studies
- Cultural and social studies, humanities and history, communication studies and modern languages
- International or EU law, and international or EU economics
Candidates with a different academic background may also be considered if they are seconded from international organisations or national foreign services and have relevant professional experience. [1]
The course regulations also name the Italian degree classes that give direct access, and ask graduates of other classes for at least 42 CFU spread across at least three subject sectors in geography, modern and contemporary history, law, economics, and political and social sciences. Graduates with relevant work experience in public or private bodies can be admitted after a check of their preparation. [2]
What this means for your transcript
The board looks at what you studied, and the relevance of your previous studies and experience carries up to 40 of the 100 points. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a BA in Political Science, International Relations, History, Sociology or Economics, a BA in a modern language, or a law degree with international or EU law.
- Check carefully: a BA in Mass Communication, Philosophy or Geography, or a B.Com or BBA. These sit near the listed fields, so we count your politics, history, law and economics units before you apply.
- Often short: a B.Tech, B.E., B.Sc. or BCA with few social science, history, law or economics units, unless you hold a relevant role in an international organisation or foreign service.
English
English at CEFR level B2 or higher. The 2026/27 call accepts IELTS with an overall score of at least 5.5, TOEFL with a total of at least 72, or Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE) or higher. [1]
You are exempt if you are a native English speaker (with a self-declaration), or if the university that awarded your bachelor's or master's degree declares that English was the official language of the course. Without a certificate, the admission board may check your B2 level in an interview. [1][2]
Selection
There is no written entrance exam. The admission board scores each file out of 100: [1]
- Academic record: up to 50 points
- Relevance of previous studies and experience: up to 40 points
- Reference letter: up to 5 points
- Statement of purpose: up to 5 points
Applicants with 50 or more are considered suitable and are ranked. Some applicants may be invited to an online interview or test. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad applied on the Smartedu portal from 10 February 2026 (12:00) to 17 March 2026 (23:59, GMT+1), with a €10 fee per course. Rankings were due by 6 May 2026; the GLOPEM ranking is dated 20 May 2026. [1]
Final-year students could apply if they obtained their bachelor's degree before 31 July 2026. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]
Documents and non-EU steps
The 2026/27 application asked for: [1]
- Passport (personal data pages)
- Bachelor's degree certificate, or an enrolment certificate showing the expected graduation date
- Transcript of exams with grades, and a syllabus describing each exam, on official letterhead or stamped by the university
- CV in English in the European format
- Reference letter, preferably from a university lecturer
- English certificate
- Statement of purpose, up to 4,000 characters including spaces
- Summary sheet
Admitted students confirm their place with a non-refundable €75 payment within 15 days of the admission notice, which is deducted from the annual fee. Universitaly pre-enrolment is compulsory for the study visa. To complete enrolment you deliver an ENIC-NARIC statement of comparability or a Declaration of Value for your bachelor's degree, which can also be uploaded with the application. [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.
- University of Catania. Public selection for the admission of non-EU students living abroad to English-taught master's degree programmes, academic year 2026/27, with the annex on academic, curricular and language requirements. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Catania, Department of Political and Social Sciences. Teaching regulations of the Master's degree in Global Politics and Euro-Mediterranean Relations (class LM-62 R), 2025/26 cohort, approved by the Academic Senate on 22 July 2025. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Catania, Department of Political and Social Sciences. Global Politics and Euro-Mediterranean Relations course overview page (undated). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Global Politics and Euro-Mediterranean Relations, known as GLOPEM, is a two-year master's degree in political science (class LM-62 R) run by the Department of Political and Social Sciences of the University of Catania. It carries 120 ECTS and is taught entirely in English in Catania, Sicily. [2][3]
The course brings together three fields: the politics of the global system, European governance and relations across the Euro-Mediterranean area. It is full time and attendance is compulsory, for at least 70% of each unit's teaching hours, because teaching relies on class discussion, papers, case studies, student presentations and simulation exercises. [2][3] It suits graduates in political science, international relations, European studies, law, economics, history or languages who want an international career.
What you will study
The first year gives you the general and methodological grounding: how political systems, states and international institutions work, and how to design and carry out empirical political research. The second year completes that knowledge and trains you to plan and run independent research projects, ending with a research-based final thesis. First-year units in the 2025/26 study plan include: [2]
- World Institutions and Policies
- Mediterranean Politics
- European Security and Defence Policy
- Democracy and Authoritarianism: Global and European Dynamics
- Global Justice and Cities and Globalization
- Methodology of Political Research
- Second-year options such as International Human Rights Law, Migration and International Protection Policy, Global History, Analysis of Political Discourse, and Research Design and Data Analysis in Political Science
How the programme is taught
Alongside interactive classes, the course includes internships and study periods abroad. The department's internship office holds more than 400 agreements with organisations matched to its degree profiles. A double degree programme with the University of Liège, the University Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) and the University of Flensburg lets you spend the whole second year, or one semester of it, at a partner university. Some partner units are taught in French. [2][3]
Career paths
The degree prepares graduates for work in public and private institutions, administrations and organisations, including consultancy and media firms and research and study centres, often in international and multicultural settings. The department lists these professional profiles:
- Specialists in public relations and similar professions
- Specialists in political science
- Researchers and postdoctoral graduates in political and social sciences
Fees and scholarships
For 2026/27, non-EU students living abroad paid a flat €306 for the year: a €150 university contribution, the €140 regional tax and €16 stamp duty. The five best-ranked candidates in the GLOPEM ranking were offered €2,000 a year for two years. [1] ERSU Catania, the Sicilian regional body, awards scholarships on merit and family income, so the programme can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
Catania admits non-EU applicants living abroad through one call for its English-taught master's. We register you on the Smartedu portal and upload your degree and transcript, course syllabus, European-format CV, reference letter, statement of purpose and English certificate, plus a €10 fee. The board marks your file out of 100 and needs 50 to rank you. For 2026/27 the window ran from 10 February to 17 March 2026, with results by 6 May. [1]
Admitted students confirm their place with a €75 payment, pre-enrol on Universitaly and apply for a type D study visa. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]
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 Catania's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your Smartedu application and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ERSU Catania 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 GLOPEM at Catania?
A bachelor's or higher degree. Preferred fields are political science, EU studies, international relations, diplomatic, area and development studies, cultural and social studies, humanities and history, communication, modern languages, and international or EU law or economics. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
No written exam. The board scores your file out of 100: up to 50 for your academic record, 40 for the relevance of your studies and experience, 5 for the reference letter and 5 for the statement of purpose. You need 50 to be suitable, and some applicants are invited to an online interview or test. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2: IELTS 5.5 overall, TOEFL 72 total, or Cambridge FCE or higher. Native speakers are exempt with a self-declaration, as are graduates whose university declares that English was the official language of their degree. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad applied on Smartedu between 10 February and 17 March 2026, with a €10 fee. The 2027/28 call is not yet published, and we track it for eligible students. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. For 2026/27, final-year students could apply if they obtained their bachelor's degree before 31 July 2026, uploading an enrolment certificate that shows the expected graduation date. [1]
I have a B.Com or a B.Tech. Can I apply?
Possibly. Commerce and engineering are not among the preferred fields, and the relevance of your previous studies carries up to 40 of the 100 points. We check how much politics, history, law or economics your transcript holds before you apply. [1]
Can I study part of the degree abroad?
Yes. Double degree tracks with the University of Liège, Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) and the University of Flensburg let you spend the full second year, or six months of it, at a partner university. Some partner units are taught in French. [2][3]
How much does it cost?
For 2026/27, non-EU students living abroad paid €306 for the year: a €150 contribution, €140 regional tax and €16 stamp duty. The top five in each ranking were offered €2,000 a year for two years, renewed with at least 30 ECTS by 15 October 2027. [1]
Can someone handle my whole application to GLOPEM at Catania?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Catania's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ERSU Catania 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 GLOPEM?
Indian degrees in political science, international relations, history, sociology, economics, modern languages or international law sit within the preferred backgrounds, and you need English at B2, such as IELTS 5.5. The steps are the Smartedu application with your syllabus, CV, reference letter and statement of purpose, the €75 place confirmation 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 GLOPEM are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application on Smartedu, the €75 place confirmation 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 GLOPEM are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application on Smartedu, the €75 place confirmation and Universitaly pre-enrolment. Read our guides for Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.
I'm applying from the UK, US, Canada, Singapore or Malaysia. Is anything different?
The academic rules are identical. Non-EU applicants who live abroad, including citizens of these countries, follow the same route: online application on Smartedu, the €75 place confirmation and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa. Read our guides for London, New York, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
More English-taught programmes at this university
Other public universities in this city
They began right where you are
