How to Choose a Public University in Italy: A Shortlist Method That Fits Your Profile
Rankings, fee rules for families abroad, DSU funding by region and a weighted worksheet to compare Italy's public universities.
No commitment
Less than 2 minutes
Limited intake, 1:1 support
international students trusted us
universities only, where study can be tuition-free for eligible students
English-taught programmes
Italian regions covered
Italy has 61 state universities, in every region except Valle d'Aosta. The right one for you is not simply the highest ranked: it is the one whose programme you meet the entry rules for, whose fee rules suit a family with income abroad, and whose region reliably funds the DSU scholarship. Rank by fit first, then use the QS, THE and ARWU tables below as one input among six.
Where things stand: 8 October 2026
Rankings below are the newest editions: QS World University Rankings 2027 (18 June 2026), THE World University Rankings 2027 (30 September 2026) and ARWU 2026 (15 August 2026). Fees are from the 2026/27 regulations.
For the full list of public universities by region, see our universities in Italy directory.
In short
- 61 state universities (MUR, updated 3 August 2026), plus public special-statute schools such as the Scuola Normale and Sant'Anna in Pisa.
- Top public universities in QS 2027: Politecnico di Milano 87th, Sapienza 111th, Bologna 123rd, Padua 204th, Politecnico di Torino 206th.
- Fees differ most for families with income abroad. Bologna offers a reduced fixed fee of EUR 500 a year, on top of a EUR 157.04 first instalment, for citizens of particularly poor countries; Politecnico di Milano does not accept the ISEE parificato for exemptions.
- DSU funding differs by region. In 2023/24 Veneto funded 79.9% of eligible students; 16 regions and autonomous provinces funded all of them.
- Use the worksheet below to score each option, and keep 20 to 30 programmes on the list.
This guide is part of our Study in Italy guide, which covers each step from choosing a programme to the visa.
Want a shortlist built around your profile? Check your eligibility first; for eligible students, we shortlist 20 to 30 public programmes where you have a real chance.
Check your eligibilityHow many public universities are there in Italy?
MUR lists 61 state universities, present in every region except Valle d'Aosta. Lombardy has the most (7), followed by Campania and Lazio (6 each). They include the polytechnics of Milan, Turin and Bari and the Polytechnic University of Marche. Alongside them are special-statute institutes such as the Scuola Normale Superiore and the Sant'Anna School in Pisa, which focus on advanced studies. MUR also lists 21 private universities teaching in person and 11 online ones, all private.
ApplyAZ works only with public universities. Our public universities guide lists all of them with their fees and English-taught offer.
Which public universities rank highest in Italy?
The three global rankings measure different things, so the order changes between them. The table shows the public universities that appear near the top of each, from the latest editions: QS 2027, THE 2027 and ARWU 2026.
| University | QS 2027 (world) | THE 2027 (world) | ARWU 2026 (band) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Politecnico di Milano | 87 | =157 | 201 to 300 |
| Sapienza University of Rome | 111 | =147 | 151 to 200 |
| University of Bologna | 123 | =111 | 201 to 300 |
| University of Padua | 204 | =224 | 151 to 200 |
| Politecnico di Torino | 206 | 401 to 450 | 701 to 800 |
| University of Milan | 270 | 351 to 375 | 201 to 300 |
| University of Pisa | 341 | 401 to 450 | 201 to 300 |
| University of Rome Tor Vergata | 342 | 326 to 350 | 401 to 500 |
| University of Florence | 409 | 351 to 375 | 301 to 400 |
| University of Naples Federico II | n/c | 376 to 400 | 201 to 300 |
n/c: not confirmed from the publisher's or the university's own page for this edition. In THE 2027, three of Italy's top nine are private (San Raffaele, Humanitas and Cattolica), and the Scuola Normale (=147) and Sant'Anna (=257) are public special-statute schools. No Italian university is in the ARWU 2026 top 100. Our best universities in Italy guide covers the rankings by subject.
How much does a public university in Italy cost for a family with income abroad?
Nationally, students with an ISEE up to EUR 22,000 are fully exempt from contributions under MUR Decree 1014 of 3 August 2021, with partial reductions up to EUR 30,000, subject to credit and on-time conditions. Universities can go further: Tuscia waives contributions up to EUR 26,000, Bologna waives the variable part up to EUR 27,000 and Padua gives total exemption up to EUR 30,000 to students on schedule. For families whose income is abroad, each university applies its own rule, and the differences are large.
| University | Rule for students with family income abroad, 2026/27 | Annual amount |
|---|---|---|
| Bologna | Reduced fixed fee by citizenship, on self-declaration, with the minimum credits | EUR 500 (bachelor's) or EUR 600 (master's) for particularly poor and developing countries; EUR 1,000 or EUR 1,200 for other non-EU, non-OECD countries; plus the EUR 157.04 first instalment |
| Padua | Fixed fee that cannot be recalculated; one third for particularly poor countries under Decree 166/2025 | EUR 2,790 or EUR 2,990 (EUR 2,998 or EUR 3,198 with the regional fee and stamp duty); EUR 930 or EUR 996.66 for particularly poor countries |
| Politecnico di Milano | Contribution scaled by credits; non-EU master's students with a foreign bachelor's pay the full contribution; the ISEEU parificato cannot be used for exemptions | EUR 723 to EUR 3,726 at the standard load; the full EUR 3,726 for non-EU master's students with a foreign degree; plus regional tax and stamp duty |
| Tuscia (Viterbo) | Fixed fee by country group for students without an ISEUP (the equivalent ISEE for income abroad) | EUR 600 to EUR 1,950 |
| Sapienza | Fixed contribution by country band, based on GDP at purchasing power parity; no ISEE parificato for income not declared in Italy | EUR 300, EUR 700 or EUR 1,500 a year by band, in three instalments |
DSU eligibility changes the picture: by national law (Legislative Decree 68/2012, article 9), every student who meets the DSU requirements is fully exempt from university contributions, even if the grant itself is not funded. Public programmes can be tuition-free for eligible students. Our cost of studying in Italy guide adds rent and living costs by city.
Does it matter which region your university is in?
Yes, because the DSU scholarship is run by regions, and not every region funds every eligible student. In 2023/24, according to the MUR statistics office, Veneto funded 79.9% of eligible students, Molise 55.6%, Lombardy 95.7%, Sicily 97.2% and Calabria 99.0%; the other 16 regions and autonomous provinces funded all of them. Lombardy and Calabria have no single regional body, so their universities run the scholarship themselves.
Our DSU scholarship guide explains the grant step by step, and every regional DSU body is compared here.
What should you compare when choosing an Italian university?
Score each programme on six criteria. The weights below are the ApplyAZ decision aid we use when building a shortlist; they are not an official ranking, and you can change them to match your priorities.
| Criterion | What matters | Where the rule is set | Weight | Your score (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programme fit | Curriculum, specialisations and taught language match your goal | Programme page and study plan | 30% | |
| Entry requirements | Your degree type, credits and grades meet the call | The programme's admission call | 20% | |
| Fees for your family | The rule for income abroad or your ISEE parificato | The university's 2026/27 fee regulation | 15% | |
| DSU reliability | Which body runs DSU and whether it funds all eligible students | Regional call and USTAT data | 15% | |
| City and living cost | Rent, transport and part-time work in that city | University housing pages | 10% | |
| Timing | Admission windows and the visa deadline | Admission call and Universitaly | 10% |
Multiply each score by its weight and add them up for a result out of 5. A programme scoring below 3 on entry requirements should leave the list, however high the university ranks.
When is a top-ranked university the wrong choice?
- When its entry rules exclude your degree. Politecnico di Milano requires at least a four-year bachelor's from some countries and, for India, considers a three-year B.Sc. only if it is an Honours programme. Our three-year degree guide compares university rules.
- When the fee rule works against you. A university that ignores the ISEE parificato can cost several thousand euros more a year than one with a reduced fixed fee.
- When the region underfunds DSU and your budget depends on the grant.
- When the programme is narrower than its name. Two degrees with the same title can differ completely in modules.
How many universities should be on your shortlist?
Enough to absorb rejections and funding gaps. For eligible students, ApplyAZ shortlists 20 to 30 public English-taught programmes where the profile has a real chance, spread across regions and admission windows. Universitaly pre-enrolment comes later, for the one programme you choose: see our Universitaly pre-enrolment guide.
How ApplyAZ helps
ApplyAZ is an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, with offices in Milan and India. We have operations across all Italian regions, because each region sets its own regulations and deadlines and they change every year. For eligible students, we build the shortlist from your profile, check each programme's entry requirements, fee rule and regional DSU body, handle every application, and help you choose among the admissions you receive.
Check your eligibility first. If you are eligible, you book a one-to-one consultation with one of our Italy experts, and after it you receive your personal Italy Roadmap, with every step ahead of you and when to do it. ApplyAZ never promises an admission, a scholarship or a visa: those decisions belong to the university, the regional body and the consulate. Our milestone payments and refund policies mean every service you pay for is either delivered or its service fee is refunded (terms apply).
Let us build your shortlist. Check your eligibility, and if you are eligible we take it from there.
Check your eligibilityThe ApplyAZ Study in Italy guide series
Each guide answers one step of studying in Italy in depth. Start with the complete guide, or jump to the step you are on.
- Study in Italy: the complete step-by-step guide
- How to choose a public university in Italy (you are here)
- A master's in Italy with a three-year bachelor's degree
- IMAT syllabus: official topics and a study checklist
- Official IMAT past papers and how to review them
- IMAT registration, step by step
- Combining scholarships: DSU, MAECI, Invest Your Talent
- Universitaly pre-enrolment: steps and common errors
- Italy student visa checklist
Frequently asked questions
How many public universities are there in Italy?
MUR lists 61 state universities, present in every region except Valle d'Aosta, plus public special-statute institutes such as the Scuola Normale Superiore and the Sant'Anna School in Pisa.
Which is the best public university in Italy?
It depends on the ranking. In QS 2027 Politecnico di Milano is first in Italy at 87th; in THE 2027 the University of Bologna is first at =111th; in ARWU 2026 Sapienza and Padua share the top Italian band, 151 to 200. The best choice for you depends on programme fit, entry rules and fees.
Are public universities in Italy free for international students?
Not automatically. Programmes can be tuition-free for eligible students: those who meet the DSU requirements are fully exempt by law, and students with an Italian ISEE up to EUR 22,000 who meet the credit and on-time conditions are exempt nationally. Families with income abroad pay under each university's own rule.
Should I choose an Italian university by ranking?
Use rankings as one input. Entry requirements, the fee rule for your family, DSU funding in that region, the city and the timing usually matter more to your outcome.
How many Italian universities should I apply to?
For eligible students, ApplyAZ shortlists 20 to 30 public English-taught programmes across regions and admission windows, so one rejection or a funding gap does not end the plan.
Sources
- MUR, Italian universities (updated 3 August 2026) and the list of state universities
- QS World University Rankings 2027, as announced by the universities: Politecnico di Milano, Sapienza, Bologna, Padua, Politecnico di Torino, Milan, Pisa, Tor Vergata, Florence
- THE World University Rankings 2027, best universities in Italy
- ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026 and its institution pages
- Sapienza, contribution amounts 2026/27
- 2026/27 fee rules: Tuscia (also citing MUR Decree 1014/2021), Bologna reduced fixed fee, Padua fees and exemptions call, Politecnico di Milano fee regulation and ISEEU parificato page, Sapienza regulation
- MUR USTAT, the right to study in 2023/24 (June 2025)
- Legislative Decree 68/2012, article 9, paragraph 2 (fee exemption for DSU-eligible students)
- Shortlist criteria and weights: ApplyAZ decision aid.
Written by İrem Yılmaz, Student Experience Lead, and reviewed by Reeya Sharma, Student Success and Partnerships, at ApplyAZ. Published on 8 October 2026. Ranks, fees and DSU data checked against the publishers' and universities' own pages on 8 October 2026.
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.
