Master in Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism Development at University of Insubria
Two-year English-taught LM-49 master's at the University of Insubria in Como, with Sustainable Hospitality Management and Heritage and Cultural Tourism Management curricula and an 8-credit internship. Entry needs a related bachelor's, 10 business credits and B2 in English and a second language.
Master
2 years
Como
English
University of Insubria
Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism Development is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-49) taught in English at the University of Insubria in Como. Entry needs a related three-year bachelor's with at least 10 credits in economics or business, English at B2 and a second language at B2, checked at an interview. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Insubria's Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism Development master asks for a three-year bachelor's in a related degree area or a recognised foreign equivalent, at least 10 credits in economics or business, English at B2 and a second language at B2, all checked at an interview with an admissions committee. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit rule
Access is open, with no limited number of places. You need a three-year bachelor's degree, or a foreign qualification recognised as suitable, that is coherent with the programme's subjects. The listed Italian degree classes are: [1]
- Modern languages and cultures (L-11) and language mediation (L-12)
- Tourism (L-15)
- Administration and organisation (L-16)
- Business economics and management (L-18)
- Communication (L-20)
- Economics (L-33)
- Political science and international relations (L-36)
- Legal services (L-14)
Your bachelor's must also include at least 10 CFU in economics or business subjects. Graduates from other degree classes can still be admitted after the committee assesses their preparation. [1]
What this means for your transcript
Italian degree classes do not exist abroad, so the committee looks at whether your degree is coherent with the programme and whether your transcript shows the business credits. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Com, BBA, BA in Economics, or a bachelor's in tourism, travel or hotel management, as these sit close to the business, economics and tourism classes and normally include economics or business units.
- Check carefully: a BA in English, a foreign language, Journalism and Mass Communication or Political Science, or an LLB, sits close to the languages, communication, political science or legal classes, but must still show at least 10 credits in economics or business subjects.
- Often short: a B.Tech, B.E., B.Sc. or BCA falls outside the listed classes. The committee then assesses your preparation and may set a remedial path of up to 75 hours before enrolment.
English and a second language
You need English at CEFR level B2 and B2 in a second language. The recognised second languages are German, Spanish, French, Russian and Chinese, and international students can choose Italian. The regulation does not list specific certificates or test scores. [1]
In the second year you take a 4 CFU business course in your second language for tourism and hospitality. German, Spanish and Italian are taught in class, while French, Russian and Chinese are studied through tutored self-study. [1]
Interview and remedial path
There is no entrance test. An admissions committee checks the entry requirements through an interview. [1][3]
If you come from another degree class or fall short of a requirement, you can still be admitted after the committee assesses your preparation. If needed, it sets a personalised remedial path of up to 75 hours of monitored self-study, done remotely or in the university's labs before enrolment. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad pre-enrolled on Universitaly, which Insubria also uses for its prior assessment, and applications received by 30 June 2026 were considered. Complete qualification documents and the study visa had to be in by 1 February 2027. [2]
The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. The Universitaly portal usually opens in late March or early April. [2]
Documents and non-EU steps
After admission, non-EU applicants living abroad enrol with: [2]
- The original degree certificate, with an Italian translation. Your schooling must total at least 12 years.
- A CIMEA Statement of Verification, or legalisation or an Apostille.
- A CIMEA Statement of Comparability, a Declaration of Value from the Italian mission, or an ARDI attestation where the institution's accreditation can be verified.
- An official transcript translated into Italian or another accepted language and legalised, with course syllabi if required.
Universitaly pre-enrolment is required for the type D study visa, and the visa is uploaded during enrolment. [2]
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 Insubria, Department of Law, Economics and Cultures. Course regulations, Master's degree in Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism Development (LM-49), academic year 2026/27, 2026/27 cohort. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Insubria. Enrolment for non-EU students living abroad, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Insubria, Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism Development programme page, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism Development (HoSTDe) is a two-year master's degree in tourism systems planning and management, class LM-49, run by the Department of Law, Economics and Cultures (DiDEC) at the University of Insubria. It is taught fully in English at the Como site, with lessons in person.
The degree prepares managers for hospitality and tourism in Italy and abroad: designing and marketing tourism services, developing destinations with attention to environmental sustainability, and organising cultural events. It suits graduates in tourism, economics, business, languages or communication who speak two foreign languages.
What you will study
You choose between two curricula: Sustainable Hospitality Management (SHM), for hotel and destination operations, and Heritage and Cultural Tourism Management (HCTM), for museums, cultural promotion bodies and publishing. Units in the 2026/27 plan include:
- Destination Management and Marketing
- Business English for Tourism and Hospitality and a second business language
- Sustainable Tourism Geography and Environmental and Urban Sociology
- Accounting for Sustainable Hospitality and Hotel Management for Hospitality (SHM)
- Economics of Art and Culture and Museum Studies and Heritage (HCTM)
- Administrative Law of Sustainability
- Labs in data analysis for destination development or augmented reality for cultural heritage
How the programme is taught
The second year includes an 8 ECTS curricular internship of at least 250 hours, which you can start after earning 40 ECTS, and a 6 ECTS thesis. International options on the course page include an Erasmus+ blended summer school at Fulda University of Applied Sciences in Germany, a semester at Niagara University in New York and a week-long workshop in the Maldives on tourism in fragile environments.
Career paths
The 2026/27 regulation lists these profiles:
- Manager of sustainable tourism development projects
- Hospitality business manager
- Destination manager
- Territorial communication specialist
- Marketing and event organisation expert
- Consultant for local authorities and hospitality firms
Fees and scholarships
Under the 2026/27 fee rules, families with an ISEE up to €28,000 pay no contribution, and higher incomes pay more. Non-EU students with income abroad can instead pay a flat rate by country group, with countries like India in the lowest group. Insubria runs the DSU scholarship itself: eligible students can apply, and winners pay no contribution or regional tax.
How to apply from outside the EU
Beyond your degree and 10 business credits, applicants need B2 in English and in a second language, and an admissions board interviews you. Non-EU applicants living abroad apply through Universitaly pre-enrolment, which Insubria also uses for its prior assessment. For 2026/27, applications received on Universitaly by 30 June 2026 were considered; the 2027/28 dates are not out yet. Once approved, you apply for a type D study visa.
The university asks for a CIMEA Statement of Verification or a legalised degree, a CIMEA Statement of Comparability or Declaration of Value, and transcripts and syllabi translated into Italian and legalised. Details are on the non-EU admissions page.
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 Insubria's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your Universitaly pre-enrolment and prior assessment, interview preparation and enrolment documents.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your regional DSU 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
Which bachelor's degrees can apply to Insubria's Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism master?
A three-year bachelor's or recognised foreign equivalent coherent with the programme, in areas such as tourism, business, economics, languages, mediation, communication, administration, political science or legal services, plus at least 10 credits in economics or business. Other graduates can be admitted after an assessment. [1]
Is there an entrance test?
No. Access is open. An admissions committee interviews you to check your degree, business credits and language levels, and it can set a remedial path of up to 75 hours if you fall short. [1]
What English level do I need? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2. The regulation asks for the level and does not name specific certificates or scores, so we check which proof of B2 your file can use. You also need B2 in a second language. [1]
Which second languages are accepted?
German, Spanish, French, Russian or Chinese at B2, and international students can choose Italian. In the second year you take a 4-credit business course in that language, taught in class for German, Spanish and Italian and through tutored self-study for the others. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, applications received on Universitaly by 30 June 2026 were considered, and complete documents and the study visa were due by 1 February 2027. The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. [2]
I have a B.Com or a B.Tech. Can I apply?
A B.Com sits close to the business and economics classes and normally covers the 10 business credits. A B.Tech falls outside the listed classes, so the committee assesses your preparation and may set a remedial path of up to 75 hours. [1]
What are the two curricula?
Sustainable Hospitality Management prepares hotel and destination managers, with units such as hotel management and accounting. Heritage and Cultural Tourism Management prepares managers for museums, cultural bodies and publishing. Both share destination management, business English and tourism geography. [1]
What jobs does it lead to?
The regulation lists sustainable tourism project manager, hospitality business manager, destination manager, territorial communication specialist and marketing and events expert. Graduates can also work as consultants for local authorities and hospitality firms. [1]
Can someone handle my whole application to Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism Development at Insubria?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Insubria's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the regional DSU 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 Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism Development?
A B.Com, BBA, BA in Economics or a tourism or hotel management degree sits closest to the listed degree areas, as long as your transcript shows at least 10 credits in economics or business. You also need English at B2 and a second language at B2. The steps are Universitaly pre-enrolment and prior assessment, the admission interview and enrolment. [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 Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism Development are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: Universitaly pre-enrolment and prior assessment, the admission interview and 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 Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism Development are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: Universitaly pre-enrolment and prior assessment, the admission interview and 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 Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism Development 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: Universitaly pre-enrolment and prior assessment, the admission interview and 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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