Master in Small Business Management in International Markets at University of Ferrara
Two-year English-taught LM-77 master's at the University of Ferrara on managing small and medium-sized firms in international markets, with double degrees in Sweden, Germany and Spain.
Master
2 years
Ferrara
English
University of Ferrara
Small Business Management in International Markets is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's (LM-77) taught in English at the University of Ferrara, preparing managers and consultants for internationalising SMEs. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Small Business Management in International Markets is an English-taught Ferrara master. The 2026/27 regulation accepts the named economics/business degree classes or an individually checked alternative with 50 subject credits. English B2 is compulsory. The 85/110 figure attests preparation for the direct degree-class route; applicants below it and applicants from other classes can still be assessed. [1, 2]
Named degree classes and other recognised qualifications
The direct class route accepts Italian L-18 Business Administration and L-33 Economics, former classes 17/28 and the listed old four-year Economics/Business equivalents. A suitable first-cycle award is required; foreign previous careers are evaluated by the course commission for the prescribed background. The admission webpages describe the first degree as at least 180 ECTS or a suitable equivalent. Foreign grades and subjects require academic interpretation, rather than automatic conversion based on a degree title. [1, 2]
Other degree classes: the 50-credit matrix
Business: at least 30 credits; Economics: at least 10 credits; Mathematics/statistics: at least 5 credits; Law: at least 5 credits. These are separate minima adding to 50, rather than an approximate distribution. The other Ferrara economics master allocates these credits differently, so we apply this programme’s matrix. The commission evaluates the prior academic record for both subject correspondence and usable background. [1]
Business includes business administration, management, corporate finance, organisation and financial intermediaries (ECON-06/A, /07/A, /09/A, /08/A and /09/B). Economics includes economic/political geography, economics, economic policy, public finance, economic thought/history, econometrics and applied economics (GEOG-01/B; ECON-01/A, /02/A, /03/A, /05/A, /04/A; STEC-01/A and /B). [1]
Mathematics/statistics includes logic, algebra, geometry, analysis, computing, probability, statistics, economic statistics, demography/social statistics and mathematical methods for economics/finance: MATH-01/A, /02/A and /B, /03/A and /B; INFO-01/A; STAT-01/A, /02/A, /03/A and /B and /04/A. Law covers the regulation’s specified private/comparative, business, agricultural, economic, navigation, labour, constitutional/public, administrative, tax, international/EU, procedural, criminal and legal-philosophy sectors. The full transcript and course descriptions establish which examinations belong in each group. [1]
Preparation: 85/110 is an attestation route
After curricular eligibility is checked, preparation is regarded as verified for candidates in the direct-access degree classes with at least 85/110. The regulation separately describes foreign graduate preparation as verified from at least US GPA C− (1.7). That reference is not a conversion table for every national grading system; the commission assesses the actual foreign record. [1]
Candidates below the stated grade route, and candidates from classes without direct access, are examined by the competent teaching structure and may be invited to a preliminary interview. The decision is communicated electronically, with reasons for rejection and any guidance on acquiring missing foundational knowledge. A mark below 85/110 does not lead to automatic refusal. [1, 2]
Subject preparation assessed by the commission
The regulation requires foundational competence in accounting and financial statements, cost analysis for short/long-term business decisions, micro/macroeconomic scenarios, descriptive qualitative/quantitative statistics and the legal setting for business. The interview, if requested, tests the foundations appropriate to this master. Advanced programme interests, employment or a personal statement do not by themselves establish the prescribed bachelor-level subjects. We submit your complete academic record so the commission can assess both credits and preparation. [1]
English B2 and evidence alternatives
Article 4 regards B2 as established through an appropriate international certificate; a bachelor’s course taught wholly in English or with at least 30 credits in English; or a bachelor’s English examination whose syllabus demonstrates the required level. Other cases are assessed through an English interview with the commission. These are distinct accepted routes, so a certificate is not compulsory for every applicant who meets another documented route. [1]
Where you rely on academic study, we provide formal institutional evidence of English delivery/credits or the examination level and syllabus. The standing webpage also discusses native-English and previously supplied certification cases; the current regulation’s documented academic/certificate/interview routes provide the clearest basis for assessment. No universal IELTS or TOEFL score, certificate validity period or automatic waiver of academic review is specified here. English clearance and curricular eligibility are separate conditions. [1, 2]
International application: two submissions and the closed 2026 window
For non-EU applicants abroad needing a study visa, the 2026/27 procedure had two parts, which we handle: the academic application in Apply.Unife, with a non-refundable €20 application fee, and Universitaly pre-enrolment for Ferrara. The central page says only candidates completing both procedures are evaluated. Admission is an academic decision; it does not itself issue a visa. [3]
This programme was one of three English masters with the specific 12 January to 30 April 2026 window. That window is closed as of 6 October. The later June/July dates for other Ferrara degrees do not apply to this course. A subsequent interview date does not reopen the overseas application. The central page describes a separate later route for qualifying Italian/EU/EU-equivalent applicants with foreign records; it does not automatically reopen this programme’s closed international selection. No 2027/28 dates are established by these documents. [2, 3]
Foreign qualification and document checklist
The file includes the school-leaving qualification from a normally at least 12-year school system, the qualifying bachelor’s award and its full examination transcript. Ferrara requires the applicable legalisation and official Italian translation of the school and bachelor’s records. It also needs university-stamped course syllabi or a Diploma Supplement in Italian or English, together with the required language evidence. These documents establish both qualification validity and subject preparation; a CV alone cannot establish the credit matrix. [4]
A Declaration of Value or CIMEA comparability/verification is required only if Ferrara requests it. Any country-specific academic-access evidence applicable to your qualification is added. The original academic records and translations are presented to the Incoming office on arrival. The document page permits specified missing-document completion by 31 January only after academic and linguistic clearance; that administrative allowance does not waive the qualifying degree, required credits or English. [4]
Sources and verification
- University of Ferrara, Small Business Management in International Markets, Teaching Regulation 2026/27, article 4; publication date not stated in document; reviewed 6 October 2026.
- University of Ferrara Small Business Management in International Markets, Entry requirements and international admission guidance; publication date not stated; reviewed 6 October 2026.
- University of Ferrara, Enrol to a degree course, updated 25 May 2026, academic year 2026/27; reviewed 6 October 2026.
- University of Ferrara, Documents and qualifications for university admission, updated 18 December 2025; reviewed 6 October 2026.
About the programme
Small Business Management in International Markets is a two-year laurea magistrale in business economics (class LM-77) worth 120 ECTS, taught entirely in English by the Department of Economics and Management of the University of Ferrara. It prepares graduates for management and consultancy roles in small and medium-sized enterprises that trade across borders.
It suits graduates in economics or economics and management who want to combine industrial economics and business administration with a clear focus on how smaller firms grow abroad. Teaching is in person in Ferrara, and attendance is strongly recommended.
What you will study
The first year is a shared core on performance, organisation and finance in internationalising firms. The second year adds law, strategy and finance, a choice of specialist units, and a research project with dissertation. Compulsory units in the 2026/27 plan include:
- Governance and Accounting of SMEs (9 ECTS)
- International Trade and Competitiveness and Development Economics and Emerging Markets
- Economics of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
- Strategic Control and Performance Management, and Financial Management
- Consumer and Market Law, and Power, Markets and International Strategies
- A choice between Sustainable Finance for SMEs and International Marketing and Sustainability
- An internship or Spanish language unit, a research project (10 ECTS) and a dissertation
How the programme is taught
Classes use active methods in small groups, such as problem-based learning, project work, workshops and case studies. You can link your thesis research to an internship or project work with a company. Selected students can join a double degree, spending the first year at Kristianstad University (Sweden), Paderborn University (Germany) or the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain) and the second year in Ferrara. Erasmus+ and Atlante exchanges are also open.
Career paths
The department points graduates to management consultancy, general management, marketing and human resource management in small businesses, with these routes named on the course page:
- Launching a start-up or taking over a family business
- Management roles in SMEs and management consultancy
- Venture capital firms, banks and public research institutes
- PhD research in entrepreneurship and related fields
Fees and scholarships
There is no programme-specific fee: Unife charges every student on family income (ISEE, or an income document for income earned abroad) and credits earned. In 2026/27 that meant €156 to about €2,250 a year in four instalments. Unife lists a total exemption for an ISEE up to €27,000 and for students eligible for the ER.GO regional scholarship, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
The department's teaching committee assesses your bachelor's degree, CV and documents, and may ask for an interview. We apply on apply.unife.it with a one-time €20 fee and pre-enrol you on Universitaly for Ferrara, since only candidates who do both are evaluated.
In 2026/27 this master's had an early window, 12 January to 30 April 2026. Your legalised diplomas and translations are needed when you arrive; a declaration of value or CIMEA statement is needed only if Unife asks. After admission you apply for a type D study visa.
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 Ferrara's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your Apply.Unife application and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ER.GO Emilia-Romagna 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 degree classes have the direct route?
L-18 Business Administration, L-33 Economics, former classes 17/28 and the named former four-year economics/business equivalents. Foreign qualification suitability is assessed by the commission. [1]
What is the alternative credit distribution?
Business: at least 30 credits; Economics: at least 10 credits; Mathematics/statistics: at least 5 credits; Law: at least 5 credits. [1]
Is 85/110 an absolute admission floor?
No. It attests preparation for the direct degree-class route. Lower-grade candidates and candidates from other classes may undergo record assessment and a preliminary interview. [1]
Can an English-taught bachelor’s establish B2?
Yes. Article 4 accepts a bachelor’s taught wholly in English or with at least 30 English-taught credits, with appropriate evidence. [1]
Can an academic English examination count?
Yes, if its programme demonstrates B2. Other cases can be checked through the commission’s English interview. [1]
Is a Declaration of Value always required?
Ferrara requests a Declaration of Value or CIMEA statements only when needed. The degree, transcripts, translations and syllabus requirements still apply. [4]
Can someone handle my whole application to Small Business Management in International Markets at Ferrara?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Ferrara'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 Small Business Management in International Markets?
The course commission assesses your Indian degree from the full transcript and course descriptions. Outside the named Italian classes, you need at least 30 credits in business, 10 in economics, 5 in mathematics or statistics and 5 in law, plus English B2, and the commission may interview you. [1] We check your transcript, then submit your Apply.Unife application and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [3] 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 Small Business Management in International Markets are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: Apply.Unife application, commission review 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 Small Business Management in International Markets are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: Apply.Unife application, commission review 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: Apply.Unife application, commission review and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa. Read our guides for London, New York, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
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