MBA in Italy 2027/28: English-Taught Programmes, Fees, Eligibility and Deadlines

Written by İrem Yılmaz, Student Experience Lead. Reviewed by Reeya Sharma, Student Success and Partnerships. Published 6 September 2026. Updated 28 September 2026.

In short

• English-taught MBAs in Italy are mostly run by business schools, and two ranked ones are linked to public universities: POLIMI Graduate School of Management (59th, QS Global MBA Rankings 2027) and Bologna Business School (201 to 250). Both are full-fee courses, and neither is covered by the DSU scholarship.
• The route that can be tuition-free for eligible students is a two-year English-taught master's in business administration or management: our catalogue lists 44 at 29 public universities for 2027/28, and few ask for the GMAT. Tuition follows family income, and DSU scholarship winners are exempt from tuition. The regional DSU grant paid at least €7,171.11 a year (₹7.84 lakh) to students living away from home.
• Who qualifies and when: both MBAs ask for three years of work experience; the public master's asks for none. A degree from countries like India must be a first-cycle degree that opens a master's at home, plus B2 English. The earliest 2027/28 deadline published so far is the University of Padua's first round, closing on 15 November 2026; visa applications close on 31 October 2027.
• ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, helps eligible students by handling the applications, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the DSU scholarship application and the visa file.

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.

MBA in Italy 2027/28: key facts

This table puts the two routes side by side: the MBAs linked to public universities and the two-year master's in business administration or management. Every figure carries its academic year, and the sources are listed at the end of the page.

Do public universities in Italy offer an MBA in English?

Only as full-fee courses outside the degree system. The University of Bologna's Global MBA is a 60-credit master universitario run with the Bologna Business School foundation, and Politecnico di Milano's MBA is run by a consortium company. On their own sites, Tor Vergata, Turin, Pisa, Padua and Florence list no English-taught MBA for 2026/27.

Names can mislead. Several courses called "Business Administration" at public universities are either two-year master's degrees taught in English or professional courses taught in Italian. The table sorts them, from each university's own pages.

So an "MBA in Italy in English" at a public university means one of two things. It is either a full-fee course run with a business school, or a two-year master's in business administration with public-university fees. This page covers both, and our MBA colleges in Italy list compares the schools in full.

Which are the best MBA colleges in Italy?

By the QS Global MBA Rankings 2027, published on 16 September 2026, the highest-ranked MBA linked to a public university is POLIMI Graduate School of Management, 59th in the world. Bologna Business School sits in the 201 to 250 band. Both are full-fee schools, so rank alone should not decide your route.

QS ranks six Italian schools in this edition, out of 423 worldwide. The other four are private, and ApplyAZ does not work with private schools. The table gives the facts for the two schools linked to public universities, from their own programme pages.

Sources: QS Global MBA Rankings 2027 (global and Europe tables); POLIMI Graduate School of Management programme and fees pages; University of Bologna Global MBA page. Verified on 28 September 2026.

These are facts, not recommendations: both schools sit outside the public-university fee rules and the DSU scholarship. For the degree route, see how Italy's public universities rank for business and management further down this page.

How tuition works for an MBA in Italy

An MBA in Italy linked to a public university is a full-fee course, priced by the school itself and outside the public fee rules. A two-year public master's in management follows family income (ISEE), so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.

Living costs come on top for every route. Politecnico di Milano puts a month in Milan at €400 to €700 for housing, €150 to €200 for food and €20 to €30 for transport. Our sum of all its ranges is €680 to €1,160 a month (about ₹74,300 to ₹1.27 lakh).

In Bologna, the university gives an average of €400 a month for a single room in a shared flat, plus utilities, and €27 for a student bus pass. For the visa you show €10,179.85 a year (₹11.12 lakh), whichever course you choose. Our cost of studying in Italy guide builds the full budget.

Can an MBA in Italy be funded by a DSU scholarship?

No. POLIMI Graduate School of Management states that the DSU and Italian Government scholarships "cannot be used" for its programmes, and regional DSU calls fund degree courses. A two-year public master's is eligible: for 2026/27 the minimum grant was €7,171.11 a year (₹7.84 lakh) for students living away from home.

The DSU Toscana call for 2026/27 shows the rule. It covers bachelor's, laurea magistrale, PhD and specialisation courses, so a master universitario such as Bologna's Global MBA falls outside it. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs adds that master universitari are not compatible with a MAECI grant.

On the degree route, the grant depends on your family's ISEE, which must sit under the regional limit within the national cap of €28,339.88 (₹30.96 lakh) for 2026/27. Each region sets its own call, window and documents. Our DSU scholarship guide and DSU deadlines page cover every region, and we prepare the application for eligible students.

Is GMAT required for an MBA in Italy?

No, not strictly. Bologna's Global MBA accepts GMAT 600 or more, the GRE equivalent, or its own written aptitude test, and POLIMI uses its own online test and an interview. In our catalogue, the public master's in management rarely ask for the GMAT, and a few mention it, usually as optional.

If you are looking for an MBA in Italy without GMAT, the public master's route usually needs none. Selection varies by university: CV and grades only, the university's own admission test, an interview, or a grade threshold that waives the test. We check each programme's method for you.

A few mention GMAT, and only as a bonus: Master in International Management and Master in Innovation Management at Trento list it as optional, and Padua's Master in Management for Sustainable Firms encourages GMAT or GRE. Outside this list, Pavia's Master in International Business and Entrepreneurship gives direct admission with a GMAT over 550, by our catalogue record.

A score can help where it is optional, but it replaces none of the credit rules each programme sets.

Do you need work experience for an MBA in Italy?

Yes, for both MBAs linked to public universities. POLIMI asks for at least three years of professional experience and Bologna for three years of cumulative work experience before the start, by their 2026/27 pages. The two-year public master's asks for none, which is why recent graduates usually start there.

An MBA is built around what students bring from work. A laurea magistrale admits you on your degree, credits and English. If you finished your bachelor's in the last year or two, the master's in management is the realistic first step, and an MBA can follow later in a career.

Which English-taught business administration and management master's can you study at a public university?

Our catalogue lists 44 English-taught two-year master's with business administration or management in the name, at 29 public universities, for 2027/28. Many are in class LM-77, the Italian degree class for business and economic sciences. Each university runs its own selection, and we check your credits against each one.

By focus, they range from business administration and international management to innovation, sustainability, tourism and finance. Our business and management guide, hospitality and tourism guide and finance guide list the related master's as well.

Our Master in Management guide lists most of these programmes with their selection method and 2027/28 deadlines.

Our catalogue has 107 English-taught business master's in all, at 42 public universities, including finance and economics. See our guides to business and management, finance and economics, and our list of public universities in Italy.

How do Italy's public universities rank for business and management?

Politecnico di Milano ranks highest among Italian public universities in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 for Business and Management Studies, at =66, followed by the University of Bologna at =126. QS lists 17 Italian institutions in this subject, and 14 of them are public.

Source: QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, Business and Management Studies, published 25 March 2026; our catalogue, counted on 9 October 2026.

A high subject rank does not always mean an English business master's for this intake. Our catalogue lists none at Politecnico di Milano or Politecnico di Torino for 2027/28. Our best universities in Italy guide covers the wider rankings.

Can students from countries like India apply with a 3-year degree?

Yes, for many public master's in management, if the degree is a first-cycle degree that opens a master's at home, as the MUR circular for 2026/27 and 2027/28 requires. Some universities are stricter: Padua's 2027/28 rules for India want a 3-year Honours degree, or a pass degree plus a postgraduate qualification.

The table shows what each qualification opens, for the public master's and for the two MBAs.

Sources: MUR circular for 2026/27 and 2027/28; University of Padua entry requirements per country, 2027/28; University of Milan programme page; POLIMI and Bologna programme pages. Verified on 28 September 2026.

We check your degree, marks and credits against each programme before we suggest it. Our masters in Italy guide and our page on studying in Italy without IELTS cover the entry rules in more depth.

Not sure your degree and credits fit? 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.

How tuition works on a public master's in management for a family in India

It can be tuition-free for eligible students. Tuition follows family income (ISEE). Families with income abroad can file an ISEE or request the flat fee for their country, and DSU scholarship winners are exempt from tuition. At Bologna, for example, an ISEE up to €27,000 falls in the no-tax area.

Sources: University of Milan fee regulation 2026/27 (Article 6 and Annex 2); University of Bologna fee pages 2026/27; University of Padua Call for Student Fees and Exemptions 2026/27 (Tables 1 and 4). Verified on 28 September 2026.

Which route costs least depends on your family's income and assets, which we check against each university's fee rules. An ISEE parificato can open the DSU grant and, at some universities, a lower fee band. Our ISEE parificato guide explains the document, and we tell you exactly which family documents to get, in which order.

When are the deadlines for 2027/28?

The first 2027/28 round is already open: the University of Padua takes applications from 15 September to 15 November 2026. Other universities' 2027/28 dates are still pending, and visa applications close on 31 October 2027 for this intake under the MUR circular.

The MBAs run on their own calendars. For 2026/27, POLIMI ran rolling rounds, with early-bird rounds up to 30 June 2026, and Bologna's Global MBA closed on 6 July 2026; their 2027/28 dates are pending. For master universitario courses, the MUR circular sets no fixed visa date, but the application cannot come after teaching starts.

Our intakes in Italy guide and student visa guide cover the calendar and the visa file in full.

MBA or MIM in Italy: which fits me?

A master's in management (MIM) fits most recent graduates, while an MBA fits professionals with at least three years of work experience. In Italy the MIM route is usually a two-year laurea magistrale with public-university fees and DSU access. The two public-university-linked MBAs are full-fee courses outside the public fee rules.

Sources: POLIMI and Bologna programme pages; University of Bologna Professional Master page; studyinitaly.esteri.it; MUR circular for 2026/27 and 2027/28; Ministry of Labour integration portal. Verified on 28 September 2026.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs adds that a master universitario is not equivalent to a laurea magistrale and is not always internationally recognised. Our Master in Management guide compares the management degrees in depth, and our one-year master's guide covers how recognition, DSU and the visa differ.

What do business and management graduates earn in Italy?

We found no official survey of MBA salaries in Italy, so we use AlmaLaurea's data for two-year master's graduates in its economics group. In the 2025 survey, 86.3% were employed one year after graduating, earning €1,581 net a month on average. After five years, 96.3% were employed, earning €2,006.

Source: AlmaLaurea graduate outcomes, survey 2025 (Rapporto 2026), two-year master's (laurea magistrale biennale), economics group. Verified on 28 September 2026.

Pay is net of tax and averaged across Italy. MBA salary figures that circulate online rarely name a source or a year, so we do not repeat them.

Can you stay and work in Italy after an MBA or a master's?

Yes, if you earn an Italian qualification. Graduates of a laurea magistrale or a master universitario obtained in Italy can ask for a job-search permit of 9 to 12 months, according to the Ministry of Labour's integration portal. While studying, you can work up to 20 hours a week, or 1,040 hours a year.

The permit is for work that matches what you studied. POLIMI's programme page does not state which qualification its MBA awards, so its status for the permit is pending. With a job offer, a study permit can be converted into a work permit through the immigration desk (SUI), as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains.

How does ApplyAZ help with the public route?

We help eligible students from countries like India apply to English-taught master's in business administration and management at public universities. Our shortlist of 20 to 30 programmes, set out in How ApplyAZ Gets Paid, gives each one a DSU scholarship path, which the MBAs lack. The university decides admission, the region the DSU grant and the consulate the visa.

• A shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at public universities, each with a DSU scholarship path, checked against your degree and credits.
• Your CV in a European format and a statement of purpose for each programme.
• Your applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
• Your DSU scholarship application: we tell you exactly which documents to get, in which order, and check every page before the visa appointment.
• Your visa file, appointment booking and interview preparation.
• A named person responsible for each stage.

We take no commission from any university, so the shortlist follows your profile. Our Code of Practice lists the ten commitments we work to. How ApplyAZ Gets Paid explains our fees, which vary by country.

Reality check

Three decisions are not ours to make. The university decides admission, the region decides the DSU grant and the consulate decides the visa. We handle the work around each one and never promise an outcome.

What we handle: the shortlist, the applications, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the DSU application and the visa file. These are the usual pitfalls, and what each one costs.

• Counting on DSU for an MBA: the grant does not apply, so the full MBA fee falls on the family.
• Missing credits: applying without the credits a programme asks for, such as Milan's 24 ECTS in business, economics and maths or statistics, ends in a refusal and often a lost intake.
• Mistaking an Italian-taught "MBA" for an English one: Pisa's and Turin's first-level masters in business administration are taught in Italian, so the course cannot be followed in English.
• Missing Padua's first round: after 15 November 2026 you wait for a later round, if the programme opens one, and compete for the places that remain.
• Late DSU documents: the grant is lost for the year, at least €7,171.11 (₹7.84 lakh) at 2026/27 amounts.
• Weak proof of funds: without €10,179.85 a year (₹11.12 lakh) shown, the visa can be refused, and the 31 October 2027 deadline leaves little room to reapply.

Ready to see which of the 44 fit your degree? 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.

Frequently asked questions

How does tuition work for an MBA in Italy?

The two MBAs linked to public universities are full-fee courses, priced by each school and outside the public fee rules. Living costs and the €10,179.85 a year visa funds come on top. A two-year public master's in management follows family income (ISEE) and can be tuition-free for eligible students.

Is GMAT required for an MBA in Italy?

Not strictly. Bologna's Global MBA accepts GMAT 600 or more, the GRE equivalent or its own aptitude test, and POLIMI uses its own online test with an interview. Among the English-taught public master's in management in our catalogue, a few mention the GMAT, usually as optional: Trento lists it as optional and Padua encourages GMAT or GRE.

Which are the best MBA colleges in Italy?

In the QS Global MBA Rankings 2027, the schools linked to Italian public universities are POLIMI Graduate School of Management, 59th in the world, and Bologna Business School, in the 201 to 250 band. ApplyAZ does not work with private schools. For recent graduates, a public master's in management is usually the stronger route.

Do public universities in Italy offer an MBA in English?

Only as full-fee courses outside the degree system. Bologna's Global MBA is a University of Bologna master universitario run with a foundation, as a full-fee course. The English "Master in Business Administration" at Tor Vergata and Turin is a two-year laurea magistrale, which can be tuition-free for eligible students and needs no work experience.

MBA or MIM in Italy: which fits me?

If you graduated recently, a master's in management usually fits: our catalogue lists 44 English-taught options at public universities, with no work experience needed and DSU access. An MBA suits professionals with at least three years of experience who can pay a full MBA fee. Our MIM guide compares the two in detail.

Do Italian MBAs admit students without work experience?

Not at the two MBAs linked to public universities: POLIMI asks for at least three years of professional experience and Bologna for three years of work before the course starts. A two-year master's in business administration or management at a public university needs no work experience and admits you on your degree, credits and B2 English.

Can the DSU scholarship pay for an MBA in Italy?

No. POLIMI Graduate School of Management says DSU and Italian Government scholarships cannot be used for its programmes, and DSU calls fund degree courses, not master universitari such as Bologna's Global MBA. A two-year public master's is eligible: the 2026/27 minimum grant was €7,171.11 a year for students living away from home.

Is a one-year MBA from Italy the same as a master's degree?

No. Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says master universitari are not equivalent to a laurea magistrale and are not always internationally recognised. Bologna's Global MBA is one, with 60 ECTS, while a laurea magistrale carries 120 ECTS over two years. A professional master also does not give access to a PhD.

Can an MBA graduate stay in Italy to work?

Yes, if the course gives an Italian qualification on the legal list, such as a master universitario or a laurea magistrale. Graduates can ask for a job-search permit of 9 to 12 months. POLIMI does not state which qualification its MBA awards, so its status is pending; Bologna's Global MBA is a master universitario.

Is Bologna Business School part of the University of Bologna?

Its Global MBA is a University of Bologna first-level master, code 8881, managed by the university's Department of Management with the Bologna University Business School Foundation. It is a full-fee course, and QS ranks the school 201 to 250 in its Global MBA Rankings 2027. It is outside the DSU scholarship.

Does ApplyAZ help with MBA applications?

Not as part of our full service, which starts from a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at public universities, each with a DSU scholarship path; the MBAs have none. We help eligible students with master's in business administration and management, from applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment to the DSU scholarship application and the visa file.

Sources

• QS Global MBA Rankings 2027, global table (published 16 September 2026), verified 28 September 2026.
• QS Global MBA Rankings 2027, Europe table (published 16 September 2026), verified 28 September 2026.
• QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026: Business and Management Studies (published 25 March 2026), verified 28 September 2026.
• POLIMI Graduate School of Management, International Full-Time MBA page (2026/27 intake), verified 28 September 2026.
• POLIMI Graduate School of Management, fees and benefits page (2026/27 intake), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Bologna, Global Master in Business Administration, code 8881 (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Bologna, Professional Master page (current), verified 28 September 2026.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Study in Italy: the Italian higher education system (current), verified 28 September 2026.
• MUR circular on international students for 2026/27 and 2027/28 (visa deadlines, funds, Universitaly, B2 English), verified 28 September 2026.
• Universitaly, international students page (2026/27 and 2027/28), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Milan, Universitaly pre-enrolment news, 6 May 2026 (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• MUR Directorial Decree 175 of 10 February 2026, DSU minimum grants (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• MUR Directorial Decree 176 of 10 February 2026, DSU ISEE and ISPE limits (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• DSU Toscana, borsa di studio 2026/27 (eligible courses and window), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Rome Tor Vergata, Master of Science in Business Administration, about the programme (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Rome Tor Vergata, MSc Business Administration home, 2026/27 windows, verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Rome Tor Vergata, Executive MBA, 13th edition (2026), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Turin, Business Administration laurea magistrale (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Turin, Business Administration first-level master, code M11128 (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Pisa, Master in Business Administration & Accounting, 23rd edition (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Padua, Department of Economics, Business Administration laurea magistrale brochure (current), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Florence, master courses (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Milan, Management of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2026/27 admission), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Milan, fee regulation 2026/27, Article 6, verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Milan, fee regulation 2026/27, Annex 2 country groups, verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Bologna, tuition fees and exemptions (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Bologna, reduced fixed fee for non-OECD citizens (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Bologna, International Management (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Padua, Call for Student Fees and Exemptions 2026/27, section 5.B and Table 4, verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Padua, entry requirements per country, 2027/28 (updated 15 September 2026), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Padua, admission of international students, 2027/28 first round, verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Padua, Management for Sustainable Firms (current), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Trento, International Management (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Pavia, International Business and Entrepreneurship (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• Integrazione Migranti (Ministry of Labour portal), job-search permit after graduating, 7 July 2023, verified 28 September 2026.
• AlmaLaurea, graduate outcomes tool, survey 2025 (Rapporto 2026), two-year master's, economics group, 1 and 5 years after graduating, verified 28 September 2026.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FAQ on studying in Italy (work while studying), verified 28 September 2026.
• Politecnico di Milano, cost of living in Milan (undated page), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Bologna, living costs in Bologna (undated page), verified 28 September 2026.
• European Central Bank, euro reference rate for INR, 25 September 2026, verified 28 September 2026.
• Our catalogue of English-taught programmes at Italian public universities: ApplyAZ programmes, counted on 9 October 2026.

INR amounts use the ECB euro reference rate of 25 September 2026: €1 = ₹109.2605.

Ready to start? Check your eligibility. 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.

Further reading

• MBA colleges in Italy: the public-university schools
• Master in Management (MIM) in Italy
• Masters in Italy: English-taught programmes and fees
• Study business and management in Italy
• One-year master's in Italy (master universitario)
• Cost of studying in Italy