English-Taught Programmes in Italy 2027/28: Every Degree by Level, Subject and City
500 English-only degrees at 53 public universities in our catalogue, sorted by level, subject, city and entry test for 2027/28.
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Written by İrem Yılmaz, Student Experience Lead. Reviewed by Reeya Sharma, Student Success and Partnerships. Published 28 September 2026. Updated 28 September 2026.
In short
- How many: our catalogue lists 500 English-taught programmes for 2027/28 at 53 Italian public universities: 43 bachelor's, 433 two-year master's and 24 single-cycle degrees such as medicine.
- What counts: we include only degrees that Universitaly, the ministry's official portal, lists as taught in English only. Another 77 programmes are listed in Italian and English together, so we leave them out.
- No entrance test: 251 of the 500 select on your CV, grades, degree or an interview, with no entrance test. Another 40 test you only if your grades fall below a threshold.
- Where and what: Padua (58), Rome (51) and Milan (38) host the most, and engineering is the largest subject area with 156 programmes. Most programmes ask for English at B2, the level the consulate checks for the visa.
- ApplyAZ, an independent study-in-Italy consultancy with offices in Milan and India, works only with Italian public universities and takes no commission from them. For eligible students, we handle the applications, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the DSU scholarship application and the visa file.
Found a programme that interests you? Check your eligibility first; if you are eligible, one of our Italy experts meets you one to one, and from there we take care of everything.
English-taught programmes in Italy: key facts for 2027/28
Every count below comes from our programme catalogue on 28 September 2026. Money is shown in euros and in rupees at the ECB reference rate of 25 September 2026 (€1 = ₹109.2605).
| Topic | English-taught programmes in Italy |
|---|---|
| Programmes in our catalogue | 500 English-only programmes for 2027/28: 43 bachelor's, 433 master's, 24 single-cycle. |
| Universities | 53 public universities, out of the 61 state universities that Ustat lists. |
| Left out of the count | 77 programmes Universitaly lists in more than one language (75 master's, 2 bachelor's). |
| Largest subject area | Engineering, 156 programmes at 33 universities. |
| Cities | 50 cities; Padua 58, Rome 51, Milan 38. |
| No entrance test | 251 programmes; 40 more only below a grade threshold. |
| English level | B2 (CEFR) for most programmes (3 record B1); B2 in the teaching language is checked by the consulate at the visa stage (MUR circular 2026/27 and 2027/28, Parte II, p. 18). |
| Tuition, 2026/27 examples | Can be tuition-free for eligible students; for a family with income in India, from €346 to €3,943.04 a year (₹37,800 to ₹4.31 lakh). |
| DSU scholarship, 2026/27 | National minimum value €7,171.11 a year (₹7.84 lakh) for students living away from home; the cash share depends on the region. |
| Intake | Autumn 2027: 439 of 500 list a September, October or autumn start; none lists February. |
| Visa deadline | 31 October 2027 for 2027/28; funds of €10,179.85 a year (₹11.12 lakh). |
How many English-taught programmes are there in Italy?
Our catalogue counts 500 English-taught programmes at 53 Italian public universities for 2027/28, counting only degrees that Universitaly lists as taught in English alone. Universitaly's own search, filtered for English on 28 September 2026, returned 130 pages of results, because that filter also returns courses marked MU, taught in more than one language.
Those 53 universities are part of the 69 state institutions that Ustat, the ministry's statistics portal, lists: 61 universities and 8 higher schools. In 2024/25, state universities had 1,588,485 students, of whom 96,341 were international (Ustat, state universities).
Most of the choice sits at master's level. A Class XII student can start one of the 43 bachelor's or 24 single-cycle degrees; a graduate applies to the 433 master's.
| Level | English-taught | Universities | Listed as mixed (not counted) | Length | Who can apply | Read next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's (laurea) | 43 | 23 | 2 | 3 years, 180 ECTS | Class XII, 12 years of schooling | Bachelor's hub, after 12th |
| Master's (laurea magistrale) | 433 | 49 | 75 | 2 years, 120 ECTS | A first-cycle degree | Master's hub, MS in Italy |
| Single-cycle master's | 24 | 18 | 0 | 5 or 6 years, 300 or 360 ECTS | Class XII, plus IMAT for most | Medicine in Italy, IMAT |
| All levels | 500 | 53 | 77 | Programmes A to Z |
Source: our catalogue, counted on 28 September 2026. Lengths and credits from Study in Italy, Italian higher education system (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Why do some Italian programmes not count as English-taught?
A programme counts only when Universitaly lists its language as English alone. In our file, 77 programmes are listed as mixed Italian and English, so we leave them out of every count on this page. The clearest example is Politecnico di Torino: all 10 of its programmes in our file are listed as mixed.
Universitaly's course search marks each result EN for English or MU for more than one language (Universitaly, What to study). A mixed listing means part of the degree may run in Italian. Of the 77, 75 are master's and 2 are bachelor's, spread across 21 universities.
Sapienza (17), Padua (11) and Politecnico di Torino (10) have the most mixed listings. For any mixed programme you still want, we confirm with the department which curriculum is taught in English before you apply.
Which subjects can you study in English in Italy?
Engineering leads with 156 of the 500 English-taught programmes in our catalogue, followed by natural sciences (75), business (72) and health sciences (62). Architecture and design is the smallest area, with 8 master's at 6 universities. Bachelor's choice is narrow in every area.
| Subject area | Bachelor's | Master's | Single-cycle | Total | Universities | Guides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering | 10 | 146 | 0 | 156 | 33 | MS in Italy, BTech in Italy, mechanical engineering. |
| Natural sciences | 7 | 68 | 0 | 75 | 30 | master's hub, programmes A to Z. |
| Business | 12 | 60 | 0 | 72 | 36 | business and management, economics, finance, hospitality, BBA in Italy. |
| Health sciences | 5 | 35 | 22 | 62 | 32 | pharmacy and biotechnology, medicine in Italy. |
| Social sciences | 5 | 46 | 0 | 51 | 24 | psychology, law, economics. |
| Computer science | 1 | 32 | 0 | 33 | 21 | computer science, data science, artificial intelligence. |
| Agriculture and veterinary | 1 | 21 | 2 | 24 | 14 | programmes A to Z. |
| Arts and humanities | 2 | 17 | 0 | 19 | 14 | programmes A to Z. |
| Architecture and design | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 6 | architecture and design. |
| All subjects | 43 | 433 | 24 | 500 | 53 | programmes A to Z |
Subject areas follow our catalogue. Our subject guides list every programme in the field with its university, level and entry test. Where a guide is not built yet, the whole list is in our programmes A to Z.
Which Italian universities teach in English?
In our catalogue, 53 Italian public universities teach at least one full degree in English. The University of Padua has the most, with 58, then Sapienza (34), Bologna (27), Trento (24) and Federico II in Naples (23). Of the 53, 12 sit in the top 500 of the QS World University Rankings 2027.
Counts: our catalogue, 28 September 2026. Ranks: QS World University Rankings 2027, published 18 June 2026, Italy table.
A high rank does not mean more choice in English. Politecnico di Milano, first in Italy at =87, has 15 English-only programmes in our file; Padua, at 204, has 58. Compare them all on our university pages or in the best universities in Italy.
Shortlisted a university or two? Check your eligibility, and if you are eligible, book a one-to-one consultation with one of our Italy experts; from there we take care of everything.
Which Italian cities have the most English-taught programmes?
Padua has the most English-taught programmes of any Italian city in our catalogue, 58, all at its university. Rome follows with 51 across 4 universities, then Milan with 38 across 3. English-taught degrees run in 50 cities in all, from Trieste in the north to Palermo in Sicily.
A city count follows where teaching happens, so a university with several campuses appears under each. Living costs differ sharply between these cities; our cost of studying in Italy guide compares them.
Which English-taught programmes in Italy have no entrance test?
In our catalogue, 251 of the 500 English-taught programmes have no entrance test: they select on your CV, grades, degree or an interview. Almost all are master's (245); only 6 are bachelor's. Another 40 master's test or interview you only if your grades fall below the university's threshold.
| Entry route (our catalogue) | Bachelor's | Master's | Single-cycle | Total | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No entrance test: selection on CV, grades, interview, video or portfolio | 6 | 245 | 0 | 251 | Your record is ranked; an interview or video may be added. |
| No test if your grades meet the threshold, otherwise an interview or test | 0 | 40 | 0 | 40 | Strong grades skip the test or interview. |
| Open access with a preparation check or a test that does not rank you | 11 | 22 | 0 | 33 | You are admitted if you meet the requirements; weak areas bring catch-up credits. |
| The university's own admission test | 9 | 55 | 2 | 66 | A written or online test set by the university, sometimes with an interview. |
| A CISIA test (TOLC or CEnT) or the SAT | 17 | 0 | 2 | 19 | CEnT-S or TOLC from CISIA, or the SAT; mainly bachelor's. |
| IMAT or the national medicine test in English | 0 | 0 | 18 | 18 | Medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine with limited places. |
| Limited places, selection method set in the yearly call | 0 | 11 | 2 | 13 | Limited places; the method appears in the yearly call. |
| Entry route not yet recorded in our catalogue | 0 | 60 | 0 | 60 | We read the call for you before you apply. |
| All programmes | 43 | 433 | 24 | 500 |
By subject, the no-test programmes are mostly in engineering (74), natural sciences (45), social sciences (31) and business (29). No test does not mean easy entry: your grades are still ranked against other applicants, and many master's ask for set credits in maths or the subject.
Bachelor's work the other way: 17 of the 43 name a CISIA test or the SAT, and 9 set their own test. Our study in Italy after 12th guide lists each one. Medicine goes through IMAT or the national test in English: see our IMAT guide.
What English level do English-taught programmes in Italy ask for?
Most English-taught programmes ask for English at B2; three in our catalogue record B1. The B2 floor in the MUR circular for 2026/27 and 2027/28 applies at the visa stage, where the consulate checks English in the teaching language. How you prove it varies: 20 programmes in our catalogue accept a medium-of-instruction letter, while 7 refuse one outright.
Another 58 programmes accept earlier study in English, such as an English-taught degree or school diploma, in place of a test.
Three programmes, at Teramo, Bergamo and Politecnico di Bari, record B1 for entry. For the visa, the circular still asks the consulate to check B2 (MUR circular 2026/27 and 2027/28, page 18).
The visa file has its own rule. For courses taught in English, the Kolkata consulate's 2026 to 2028 checklist asks for a B2 certificate or an equivalent medium-of-education letter (Consulate General of Italy, Kolkata, study visa checklist). Our study in Italy without IELTS guide goes university by university.
What does an English-taught degree cost at a public university?
At a public university, study can be tuition-free for eligible students, and the fee rules we read depend on family income and country, not on the teaching language. For a family with income in India in 2026/27, yearly fees ran from €346 at the University of Milan to €3,943.04 at Politecnico di Milano (₹37,800 to ₹4.31 lakh).
In between, 2026/27 figures: Bologna charged non-OECD students with family income abroad €1,157.04 for a bachelor's and €1,357.04 for a master's (University of Bologna, reduced fixed fee). Padua charged a fixed €2,998 or €3,198 including regional fee and stamp duty (University of Padua, fee call 2026/27). The 2027/28 tables are pending, usually published in the summer before the year.
In 2026/27, MUR set €7,171.11 (₹7.84 lakh) as the minimum value of the DSU grant for students living away from home; how much of it is paid in cash depends on the region. Regions could set the family ISEE limit up to €28,339.88 (MUR decrees 175 and 176 of 10 February 2026). Our cost guide and DSU scholarship guide cover living costs and every region.
Italian government (MAECI) scholarships are a separate route; our MAECI scholarship guide explains them.
When do English-taught programmes start, and when do applications open?
English-taught programmes start once a year, in September or October 2027, for applicants living abroad. In our catalogue, 439 of the 500 list an autumn, September or October start, 60 have no intake recorded yet, and none lists February. Applications open early: Padua's first 2027/28 call runs from 15 September to 15 November 2026.
Padua's dates come from its admission page for international students. Most other universities have not published their 2027/28 dates yet, so those are pending.
After admission comes pre-enrolment, which goes only through Universitaly, and then the visa. Visa applications for 2027/28 close on 31 October 2027, and universities may set earlier dates (Universitaly, foreign students). Our intakes guide has the month-by-month view.
Which guide should you read next?
Pick the guide that matches your stage. Class XII students should go to our after-12th guide and the bachelor's hub; graduates should go to the master's hub, the MS hub or a subject guide. Each one draws on the same catalogue of 500 English-taught programmes, with fees, tests and deadlines for 2027/28.
- Study in Italy after 12th and bachelor's degrees in Italy, with BBA and BTech guides.
- Master's in Italy, MS in Italy, Master in Management and one-year master's.
- MBA in Italy and MBA colleges at public universities.
- Medicine in Italy and the IMAT exam.
- Subject guides: computer science, data science, AI, mechanical engineering, business, economics, finance, architecture, psychology, pharmacy, law, hospitality.
How ApplyAZ handles an English-taught application
We start from your record, not from a brochure. We match your marks, degree and English proof against each programme's call and tell you which ones fit. For a mixed-language listing, we confirm with the department what is taught in English.
For eligible students we then handle the applications, the Universitaly pre-enrolment, the DSU scholarship application and the visa file. Some documents only your family can obtain: attested and apostilled certificates, bank statements and ITRs. For those, we tell you exactly which documents to get, in which order, and check every page before the visa appointment.
How we are paid is set out in How ApplyAZ Gets Paid, and our standards in the ApplyAZ Code of Practice.
Reality check
The university decides admission and judges your qualification. The region decides the DSU scholarship, and the consulate decides the visa. Validation of your pre-enrolment is no promise of a visa appointment or a visa (Universitaly).
What we handle: shortlisting against each call, applications, pre-enrolment, the DSU application and the visa file. What we cannot do is change a ranking, a region's decision or a consulate's.
The usual pitfalls, and what each one costs:
- Choosing a mixed-language programme by mistake: part of the course in Italian you did not plan for, and possibly a lost year if you switch.
- Missing an early first call: Padua's first 2027/28 call closes on 15 November 2026; after that you depend on a later call, if the programme runs one.
- An English certificate below B2, or not on the university's list: a rejected application, a new test and a lost round.
- Missing the DSU window: a grant with a national minimum value of €7,171.11 (₹7.84 lakh) for the year, if you are eligible.
- Leaving the visa late: applications close on 31 October 2027 and can take up to 90 days, so a late file can cost the whole year.
Ready to turn this list into a shortlist? Check your eligibility, book your one-to-one consultation if you are eligible, and we take care of everything after that.
Frequently asked questions
Can I complete a whole degree in Italy in English?
Yes: all 500 programmes in our catalogue are listed by Universitaly as taught in English only, at 53 public universities for 2027/28. They include 43 bachelor's, 433 master's and 24 single-cycle degrees. Italian still helps with daily life and part-time work, which a study permit allows for up to 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year.
Do English-taught programmes in Italy have a February intake?
Not in our catalogue. Of the 500 English-taught programmes, 439 list a September, October or autumn 2027 start, 60 have no intake recorded yet and one runs its own consortium round. None lists February, so plan for a single autumn start and apply in the rounds that open from September 2026.
Is an English-taught programme more expensive than an Italian-taught one?
Not under the 2026/27 fee rules we read. Public universities set fees from family income, the student's country group or the programme's fee area, not from the teaching language. For a family with income in India, yearly examples ran from €346 at the University of Milan to €3,943.04 at Politecnico di Milano.
How can I tell whether a programme is taught fully in English?
Universitaly shows each course's language: EN means English only and MU means more than one language. Our catalogue lists only EN programmes as English-taught. For a mixed programme you still like, we confirm with the department which curriculum runs in English, and we tell you before any application goes in.
Which English-taught programmes need IMAT?
In our catalogue, 12 English-taught single-cycle degrees name IMAT and 6 more name the national medicine test in English set by MUR. They cover medicine and surgery, dentistry and veterinary medicine. Places are limited, and our IMAT guide explains how the test and the ranking work for 2027/28.
Are there English-taught bachelor's degrees in Italy?
Yes, but far fewer than master's: our catalogue lists 43 bachelor's taught in English, at 23 public universities, for 2027/28, against 433 master's. Business (12) and engineering (10) have the most. Most bachelor's use an entrance test, such as a CISIA test, the SAT or the university's own exam.
Why does this count differ from other lists of English programmes?
Because we count only public-university degrees that Universitaly lists as English only. Totals that also include private schools, mixed-language courses or one-year professional masters come out larger. On 28 September 2026 our count was 500 programmes at 53 universities, with 77 mixed-language programmes left out.
Sources
- Universitaly, Foreign students: procedures valid for 2026/27 and 2027/28 (visa deadlines, pre-enrolment only through Universitaly, validation is no promise of a visa), verified 28 September 2026.
- Universitaly, What to study (course search with course-language filter), search for English run on 28 September 2026, verified 28 September 2026.
- MUR circular on international students, 2026/27 and 2027/28 (B2 checked by the consulate at the visa stage, Parte II, page 18; means of €10,179.85 a year, page 16), verified 28 September 2026.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Study in Italy FAQ (work on a study permit: 20 hours a week, 1,040 hours a year), verified 28 September 2026.
- Study in Italy (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Italian higher education system (degree lengths and credits), verified 28 September 2026.
- Ustat (MUR), state universities (69 state institutions; 2024/25 enrolment), verified 28 September 2026.
- QS World University Rankings 2027, Italy table, published 18 June 2026, verified 28 September 2026.
- MUR directorial decree 175 of 10 February 2026 (DSU minimum grants 2026/27) and decree 176 of 10 February 2026 (ISEE and ISPE ceilings), verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Milan, fees 2026/27 and country groups, Allegato 2, verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Bologna, reduced fixed fee for non-OECD nationals, 2026/27, verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Padua, Call for Student Fees and Exemptions 2026/27, verified 28 September 2026.
- Politecnico di Milano, student contribution regulation 2026/27, verified 28 September 2026.
- University of Padua, admission of international students 2027/28, verified 28 September 2026.
- Consulate General of Italy, Kolkata, study visa checklist 2026 to 2028, verified 28 September 2026.
- ApplyAZ programme catalogue (programmes A to Z), English-only programmes counted on 28 September 2026.
Exchange rate: €1 = ₹109.2605, ECB euro reference rate of 25 September 2026.
Check your eligibility first. If you are eligible, you book a one-to-one consultation with one of our Italy experts, and from there we take care of everything.
Where they're studying now
Students who started exactly where you are
English-taught programmes that can be tuition-free for eligible students, and the DSU grant landing in their account every year. The funding mechanics are identical at every Italian public university: the same ISEE Parificato, the same regional bando, the same ranking. Only the authority and the dates change.
They began right where you are
Now they're studying at Italian public universities, where a degree can be tuition-free for eligible students, with DSU scholarships of up to about €8,250 a year for students living away from home, depending on the region.
