Heading
Heading
University of Padua
Why the University of Padua stands out
If you want to study in Italy in English at one of the most respected public Italian universities, the University of Padua (Università degli Studi di Padova) is a prime option. Founded in 1222, it is one of Europe’s oldest universities and still leads on research and innovation today. It regularly features near the top of national rankings and is well placed globally. The university offers a growing catalogue of English-taught programs in Italy, making it easier for international students to access world-class teaching and labs without a language barrier. Because Padua follows the same income-based fee rules used across tuition-free universities Italy, many students can study at low or even zero tuition, especially when they combine fee waivers with the DSU grant and other scholarships for international students in Italy.
A quick snapshot
- Over eight centuries of academic excellence.
- Strong international research networks and doctoral schools.
- Wide range of STEM, social sciences, medicine, agriculture, and humanities programmes.
- Multiple English-medium bachelor’s and master’s tracks.
- Transparent, income-linked tuition with generous funding options.
- A vibrant student city with a compact centre, safe streets, and a dynamic cultural calendar.
Academic strengths and key departments
Padua covers almost every subject. Areas with particularly strong reputations include:
- Medicine and Surgery, with linked university hospitals and cutting-edge research centres.
- Engineering and ICT (Information and Communication Technologies), including AI, automation, data science, cybersecurity, and aerospace.
- Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, supported by national and European research collaborations.
- Agricultural, Food, and Forest Sciences, with a focus on sustainability and climate action.
- Economics, Management, and Political Science, offering international tracks and data-driven training.
- Psychology, Neuroscience, and Cognitive Science, with advanced laboratories and clinical exposure.
- Environmental Sciences, Geosciences, and Earth Observation, tied to European green policy agendas.
Most faculties now offer at least one path in English. This increases mobility and allows students to work on multinational research projects from the first semester.
English-taught programs in Italy: how Padua meets your needs
Choosing a university with English-medium instruction allows you to:
- Start studying immediately, without waiting to reach C1 Italian.
- Access international professors and visiting lecturers.
- Prepare for PhD or global career paths where English is the working language.
- Join multinational research teams and publish early in your master’s journey.
At the same time, the university offers free or low-cost Italian language courses so you can integrate locally, apply for internships, and expand your job options after graduation.
Costs, DSU grant, and scholarships for international students in Italy
Padua follows the national model that has made tuition-free universities Italy a realistic dream for many. Tuition scales with household income: students below a threshold pay nothing, and even at the top of the scale, fees are far lower than in many other European systems. Combine this with the DSU grant—financial support that can include accommodation, meals, and study materials—and the total cost of study becomes highly competitive.
Funding options include:
- DSU grant (Diritto allo Studio Universitario): income-based, with merit requirements for renewals.
- University merit scholarships for top applicants or high-performing students.
- National scholarships for international students in Italy, which may include monthly stipends and health insurance.
- Fee reductions linked to credit completion and grades.
- Part-time campus work (international students can typically work up to 20 hours per week).
Padua, the city: liveable, connected, and student-centred
Padua is a medium-sized, safe, and bike-friendly city. It offers a calm lifestyle compared with bigger Italian urban centres, yet it is close to Venice, Verona, and the Dolomites. This balance makes study and research easier while still giving quick access to travel options.
Climate
The climate is temperate. Summers are warm, winters are cool but not extreme. You can cycle much of the year, and public parks and riverside paths are popular with students.
Public transport
Padua has an efficient tram line, frequent buses, and well-marked bike routes. Students enjoy discounted monthly passes. Trains connect the city to Milan, Bologna, and Florence within a few hours. Venice Marco Polo Airport and Treviso Airport are close, making European travel easy and often cheap.
Affordability
While cheaper than Milan or Rome, Padua is still a northern Italian city, so plan your budget. Shared flats near the university cost less than in bigger hubs, but you should apply early—especially if you want university residence halls that are often subsidised. The DSU grant can dramatically reduce your monthly spend on food and housing.
Culture and student life
Padua’s historic centre is lively and compact, filled with cafés, libraries, theatres, and student clubs. ESN (Erasmus Student Network) and faculty associations organise social events, language tandems, and short trips. Historic landmarks—such as the Scrovegni Chapel and the University’s anatomical theatre—coexist with modern science parks and incubators.
Job and internship opportunities
Padua is part of the Veneto region, one of Italy’s most industrial and export-oriented areas. This means strong links to:
- Advanced manufacturing and mechatronics.
- ICT, data science, and software engineering.
- Biomedical devices, pharma, biotech, and clinical research.
- Agriculture, food tech, and environmental engineering.
- Financial services, consulting, and logistics.
- Cultural heritage and tourism management.
The university’s Career Service and departmental offices organise internships and placement fairs. Many programmes include compulsory work experience, often paid. English-medium programmes attract companies that operate globally and welcome multilingual talent.
Innovation hubs and tech transfer
Padua has a growing start-up scene, supported by university incubators, regional funds, and EU projects. Students in engineering, biosciences, data science, and economics often join cross-disciplinary teams to test business ideas. Access to wet labs, prototyping spaces, HPC clusters, and mentoring makes translation from research to market more realistic.
How international students benefit
- A clear admissions timeline with transparent requirements.
- English-taught entry exams and interviews for many courses.
- Dedicated international desks to help with enrolment, residence permits, and health insurance.
- Italian language courses to support internships and daily life.
- Networking through international student associations, alumni clubs, and research groups.
What industries you can target by field of study
- Engineering, Automation, and ICT: software, embedded systems, AI, robotics, cybersecurity, Industry 4.0.
- Life Sciences and Medicine: biotech, medical devices, clinical data analysis, pharma.
- Environmental Sciences: climate modelling, green finance, smart cities, renewable energy.
- Economics and Management: consulting, private equity, corporate strategy, policy think-tanks.
- Humanities and Social Sciences: cultural heritage management, publishing, diplomacy, NGOs.
- Psychology and Neuroscience: clinical research, UX research, HR analytics, cognitive tech.
- Agriculture and Food Sciences: precision agriculture, sustainable food systems, agribusiness management.
International outlook
Padua participates in European university alliances, Erasmus+ exchanges, joint degrees, and doctoral networks. You can spend a semester abroad or co-supervise your thesis with a partner institution. The academic calendar aligns with European standards, so credits and grants transfer easily.
Student support and wellbeing
The university invests in counselling, disability support, mentorship, and career coaching. You can attend workshops on academic writing, CVs, pitch decks, and interview practice. Research students access grant-writing labs and peer-review training—essential if you want to publish or apply for doctoral funding.
Admissions: what you should prepare
While requirements vary, expect to provide:
- Academic transcripts and diploma(s).
- English-language certificate (often B2 or higher).
- A motivation letter and CV (structured and concise).
- For some programmes: GRE/GMAT, a portfolio, or coding/math tests.
- For art, design, or architecture: sample projects or research proposals.
Most master’s programmes offer a pre-evaluation stage; applying early increases your chance of fee waivers and scholarships.
Why University of Padua + Padua city is a strong combination
- A long academic tradition plus modern labs and funding.
- A city that feels safe and manageable, with quick access to major Italian and EU hubs.
- English-taught programs in Italy that are carefully designed for international learners.
- An income-based fee system that makes high-quality education within reach, characteristic of tuition-free universities Italy.
- Real career prospects in one of Europe’s industrial powerhouses, across disciplines and levels of study.
Final words
The University of Padua gives you history, research strength, and a clear path to a career or PhD. The city supports your studies with a student-centred lifestyle, strong transport, and a vibrant cultural scene. With income-based fees, the DSU grant, and multiple scholarships for international students in Italy, you can focus on learning, building a strong portfolio, and starting your future with confidence.
In two minutes we’ll confirm whether you meet the basic entry rules for tuition-free, English-taught degrees in Italy. We’ll then quickly see if we still have space for you this month. If so, you’ll get a personalised offer. Accept it, and our experts hand-craft a shortlist of majors that fit your grades, goals, and career plans. Upload your documents once; we submit every university and scholarship application, line up multiple admission letters, and guide you through the visa process—backed by our admission-and-scholarship guarantee.
Management for Sustainable Firms (LM‑77) at University of Padua
Management for Sustainable Firms (LM‑77) at the University of Padua (Università degli Studi di Padova) lets you study in Italy in English inside one of the most established public Italian universities. It stands out among English-taught programs in Italy because it connects strategy, finance, operations, data, and law with sustainability metrics you can actually measure. Thanks to the income‑based model behind tuition-free universities Italy, plus the DSU grant and scholarships for international students in Italy, you can focus on learning how to redesign companies for long‑term value, resilience, and social impact.
Why study in Italy in English for sustainable management
Choosing to study in Italy in English gives you two clear benefits. First, you learn the global language of sustainability, finance, and policy. Second, you can access a respected public Italian university where fees are linked to income, not a flat sticker price. This combination explains why so many applicants target English-taught programs in Italy and rely on national and regional funding, including the DSU grant.
In this LM‑77 degree you will:
- Master ESG (environmental, social, governance) strategy and reporting frameworks.
- Learn how to finance the transition using impact investing, green bonds, and blended finance.
- Redesign operations and supply chains for circularity and low emissions.
- Use data, LCA (life‑cycle assessment), and assurance processes to avoid greenwashing.
- Align corporate purpose with law, risk, and stakeholder engagement.
Study in Italy in English: programme structure and learning design
The programme usually spans two years (120 ECTS). You start with a shared core in management, sustainability accounting, and quantitative tools. You then add electives that match your career path, and you finish with a thesis or internship that proves your skills in a real firm, NGO, or research lab.
Core academic pillars
Sustainable strategy and corporate purpose
You study how companies shift from short‑term profit to long‑term value creation. Topics include stakeholder capitalism, double materiality (financial and impact), shared value, and mission‑driven governance.
ESG accounting, reporting, and assurance
You work with sustainability standards (for example, the European CSRD logic and global frameworks). You practice how to build KPIs, design data collection systems, and manage external assurance. You learn how to disclose risks, opportunities, and transition plans.
Impact finance and sustainable investing
You explore green bonds, sustainability‑linked loans, transition finance, blended finance, and impact funds. You learn valuation with carbon pricing, climate scenarios, and stranded asset risk. You examine how investors price climate, biodiversity, and social risk.
Circular economy and sustainable operations
You design loops that reduce waste and resource intensity. You learn to evaluate reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and recycling options using life‑cycle assessment and cost curves. You model the economic trade‑offs of circular strategies.
Sustainable supply chain and procurement
You map supply chains, run risk and hotspot analyses, and craft supplier engagement plans. You integrate traceability, human rights due diligence, and Scope 3 emissions management.
Policy, regulation, and legal compliance
You learn how European and international laws drive disclosure, taxonomy classification, due diligence, and transition planning. You align sustainability plans with legal obligations to reduce litigation risk.
Data, analytics, and verification
You learn to quantify emissions, water, waste, biodiversity, and social indicators with transparent, auditable methods. You practice dashboards, assurance-ready processes, and data governance. You also learn to talk to auditors, regulators, and rating agencies.
Innovation and entrepreneurship
You study how start‑ups and incumbents create sustainable business models. You learn how to use design thinking, lean start‑up, and systems thinking to scale impact technology and services.
Quantitative tools you will actually use
- Life‑cycle assessment (LCA) for carbon, water, and toxicity footprints
- Cost–benefit and cost‑effectiveness analysis for sustainability projects
- Econometrics and causal inference to measure real impact, not correlation
- Multi‑criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for complex trade‑offs
- Carbon accounting and scenario analysis aligned with 1.5°C/2°C pathways
- Risk modelling for climate, biodiversity, and social disruptions
- Data visualisation and dashboarding for decision support
- Basics of machine learning applied to non‑financial data quality, anomaly detection, or forecasting
Possible elective tracks
- Impact finance and sustainable investing: portfolio decarbonisation, ESG integration, climate stress testing.
- Circular operations and industrial symbiosis: materials flows, product‑service systems, extended producer responsibility.
- Sustainability analytics and reporting: data architecture, internal controls, assurance readiness.
- Sustainable marketing and behaviour change: ethical nudges, transparency, and credible claims.
- Social sustainability and human rights: living wages, inclusion, supply‑chain due diligence, social impact measurement.
- Energy transition and decarbonisation management: carbon markets, power purchase agreements (PPAs), efficiency economics.
- Sustainable entrepreneurship: venture design, impact metrics, and financing for climate and social start‑ups.
Thesis or internship
Your final semester often centres on a research thesis (or an internship with a substantial report). Typical topics include:
- Designing and measuring a net‑zero strategy for a manufacturing firm with LCA and cost curves.
- Building an ESG data pipeline and internal control framework for external assurance.
- Pricing climate transition risk in a bank’s loan portfolio.
- Constructing a circular business model with financial and impact metrics.
- Applying MCDA to choose between nature‑based and engineered climate solutions.
- Creating a supplier engagement programme to cut Scope 3 emissions in a complex value chain.
- Designing a social impact measurement framework for a fair‑trade or inclusive finance initiative.
Careers: where LM‑77 in Management for Sustainable Firms can take you
Corporate sustainability and ESG
- Sustainability manager or director
- ESG reporting and assurance coordinator
- Net‑zero and transition plan strategist
- Scope 3 and supply‑chain decarbonisation lead
Finance and investment
- ESG analyst or portfolio manager
- Impact investment associate
- Climate risk and scenario analyst in banks or insurers
- Sustainable finance product specialist (green bonds, SLBs)
Consulting and advisory
- Sustainability and decarbonisation consultant
- Circular economy and eco‑design strategist
- Risk and compliance advisor (ESG regulation, due diligence)
- Data and reporting consultant for assurance‑ready ESG disclosures
Entrepreneurship and innovation
- Founder or product lead in climate‑tech or social‑tech
- Venture capital analyst focused on impact start‑ups
- Corporate innovation manager directing sustainability pilots
Public sector, NGOs, and international organisations
- Policy analyst for climate, circular economy, or social inclusion
- Programme officer in development banks or UN‑linked agencies
- Monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) specialist
Research and PhD
- Sustainable finance, accounting, and governance
- Circular economy and life‑cycle sustainability assessment
- Climate risk, scenario analysis, and transition planning
- Behavioural change and sustainable marketing
- Social impact measurement and inclusive business models
What employers will see on your CV
- Capability to build sustainability strategies that work financially and legally.
- Fluency in ESG reporting, data validation, and assurance processes.
- Skill in LCA, carbon accounting, and impact measurement.
- Understanding of climate finance, risk management, and transition mechanisms.
- Experience with multi‑criteria decisions under uncertainty.
- Ability to write policy‑aware, investor‑ready documents.
- Clear, concise English for cross‑border stakeholders.
- Project management skills for change programmes and transformations.
Funding: how public Italian universities, tuition-free universities Italy, the DSU grant, and scholarships support you
Because the University of Padua is one of the major public Italian universities, tuition is linked to family income. Many students pay low or zero fees after assessment, which is why tuition-free universities Italy is a practical route, not just a marketing phrase.
Your main channels:
- DSU grant (Diritto allo Studio Universitario): can cover accommodation, meals, and study materials; awarded by income and merit.
- Scholarships for international students in Italy: national and university calls offering stipends and fee waivers.
- Merit-based reductions: progress well, and the second‑year fee can drop.
- Part‑time work: non‑EU students can usually work up to 20 hours per week. Common roles include ESG analyst intern, sustainability data assistant, or research support for LCA or policy projects.
Admissions: who should apply
This master’s welcomes graduates in:
- Management, business, economics, or finance
- Engineering or science with strong interest in sustainability management
- Law or social sciences with quantitative readiness and motivation to build data skills
You should show:
- English at CEFR B2 or higher
- Solid basics in accounting, finance, strategy, or operations (or readiness to bridge)
- Motivation to manage sustainability using data, policy, and rigorous methods
- (Sometimes) a pre‑evaluation or interview to align your profile with the course
Ethics, integrity, and responsible management
Sustainability without integrity is just branding. The programme trains you to:
- Avoid greenwashing using standard, verifiable metrics.
- Report uncertainty, data gaps, and model limits honestly.
- Respect human rights and equity in supply chains and business models.
- Build transparent, traceable ESG data architectures.
- Link executive incentives to measurable, auditable sustainability outcomes.
Soft skills that matter
- Writing concise, evidence‑based sustainability reports and board memos.
- Translating climate science and regulation into business actions.
- Running stakeholder dialogues and materiality assessments.
- Managing multi‑disciplinary projects with clear timelines and budgets.
- Communicating trade‑offs and uncertainty to non‑technical decision‑makers.
- Negotiating with suppliers, lenders, and investors on sustainability terms.
From master’s to PhD or advanced specialist roles
If you plan to continue your studies, LM‑77 gives you:
- Strong grounding in sustainability accounting, finance, and policy.
- Quantitative tools for LCA, risk, and decision science.
- Supervisors linked to EU‑funded research on ESG, circular economy, and climate policy.
- A thesis that can become a conference paper, policy brief, or journal article.
- A clear pathway to doctoral programmes in management, finance, or sustainability sciences.
Continuous professional development (after graduation)
To stay competitive, consider micro‑credentials in:
- Advanced LCA (including social LCA) and scope 3 carbon accounting
- Climate scenario analysis, TCFD/ISSB‑aligned reporting, and EU taxonomy compliance
- Impact measurement and management (IMM) frameworks
- Sustainable finance instruments, blended finance, and transition plans
- Supply‑chain traceability and human rights due diligence
- Machine learning for ESG data quality and anomaly detection
- Nature‑related risk and TNFD (Taskforce on Nature‑related Financial Disclosures) logic
- Circular design, product‑service systems, and eco‑innovation
Final perspective
Management for Sustainable Firms (LM‑77) at the University of Padua (Università degli Studi di Padova) gives you the complete toolkit to turn sustainability into a measurable, auditable, and profitable business strategy. As one of the advanced English-taught programs in Italy in a leading public Italian university, it mixes rigorous management training with real sustainability metrics—and it stays financially accessible through tuition-free universities Italy paths, the DSU grant, and scholarships for international students in Italy. If you want to study in Italy in English and graduate able to lead credible, data‑driven sustainability transformations, this programme is a precise fit.
Ready for this programme?
If you qualify and we still have a spot this month, we’ll reserve your place with ApplyAZ. Our team will tailor a set of best-fit majors—including this course—and handle every form and deadline for you. One upload, many applications, guaranteed offers, DSU grant support, and visa coaching: that’s the ApplyAZ promise. Start now and secure your spot before this month’s intake fills up.
They Began right where you are
