One-Year Masters in Italy 2027/28: Master Universitario vs Laurea Magistrale

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

• One-year masters in Italy are master universitario courses: a university's own title of at least 60 ECTS, or 1,500 hours. The first level follows a bachelor's and the second level a master's. Neither is the two-year, 120-ECTS laurea magistrale.
• We verified 18 English-taught courses for 2026/27 at seven public institutions. Fees run from €2,500 to €25,000 for the whole course (about ₹2.73 lakh to ₹27.32 lakh at the ECB rate of 25 September 2026), fixed per course rather than set by family income.
• The trade-offs: no PhD access on its own, no DSU grant in the calls we read and no MAECI grant. A study visa is possible, with no fixed deadline, but never after teaching starts.
• Recognition in India is decided case by case under the UGC's 2025 equivalence regulations, which compare entry level, duration and credits. We never promise equivalence.
• 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.

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.

One-year masters in Italy: key facts for 2027/28

Figures are for 2026/27 editions unless a row says otherwise. The 2027/28 editions are pending.

What is a master universitario, Italy's one-year master's?

A master universitario is Italy's one-year master's: a postgraduate course that each university designs and awards on its own authority. It carries at least 60 ECTS, which the University of Bologna equates to 1,500 hours. The first level admits bachelor's graduates; the second level admits holders of a master's degree.

Eurydice, the EU's education information network, notes that these courses do not follow national programmes. They sit outside the bachelor's and master's degree structure. The legal basis is article 3 of Ministerial Decree 270/2004, under which Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies awards its Master Diploma (I Level).

The name causes confusion. Italy's two-year master's degree is the laurea magistrale, with 120 ECTS. The foreign ministry's Study in Italy portal says master universitari are not equivalent to it.

If you need the two-year degree, our guide to masters in Italy covers it. Our catalogue lists 433 English-taught two-year master's at 49 universities.

Which one-year masters in Italy are taught in English at public universities?

We verified 18 English-taught master universitario courses for 2026/27 at seven public institutions: Bologna, Turin, Politecnico di Torino, Pisa, Sant'Anna in Pisa, Padua and Politecnico di Milano. Each row links to the university's own page, read on 28 September 2026. Fees run from €2,500 to €25,000.

Most 2026/27 calls have closed or close by November 2026. Use the table to see what each university runs; the 2027/28 editions are pending.

Sources: each university's course page for 2026/27, read on 28 September 2026; school-run courses are labelled. Padua figures come from its 2026/27 master call, page 20. INR at the ECB rate of 25 September 2026, €1 = ₹109.2605.

We left some courses out. Bologna's TESI master charges no participation fee but is limited to residents of Adriatic-Ionian countries. Bologna's Battery Ecodesign runs on Fridays and Saturdays, and courses listed as "English, Italian" are not English-only.

We list no private universities or private business schools. We could not verify an English-taught 2026/27 course on the Sapienza or Florence sites on 28 September 2026, so neither appears.

The universities behind these courses

The table pairs each institution with its QS World University Rankings 2027 position and the English-taught two-year master's in our catalogue, in case a laurea magistrale suits you better.

Sources: QS World University Rankings 2027, published 18 June 2026; ApplyAZ catalogue counts from our programme list, computed on 28 September 2026.

How much does a one-year master's in Italy cost?

A one-year master's in Italy costs from €2,500 to €25,000 for the whole course in 2026/27, across the 17 paid courses we verified on university pages. The median is €5,000 (about ₹5.46 lakh). Bologna's Nuclear Energy master is the lowest and Politecnico di Milano's school-run Sustainability Management master the highest.

Eight of the 17 paid courses cost under €5,000. Politecnico di Torino's MiNDS master charges no participation fee, because Eni funds a scholarship for every participant.

These fees are fixed per course. The course pages we read show one amount, with no income bands, and many split it into two to four instalments.

A laurea magistrale works differently: for students with family income abroad in 2026/27, the University of Milan charges €346 or €402 a year, depending on the course area (India is in its Group A). Bologna charges €1,357.04, Padua €2,998 or €3,198, and Politecnico di Milano €3,943.04 (about ₹4.31 lakh) without an ISEE parificato. With a regional DSU grant, a laurea magistrale can be tuition-free for eligible students.

Living costs come on top. The visa asks for proof of €10,179.85 a year, set by the MUR circular. Our cost of studying in Italy guide breaks down rent and daily costs by city.

Master universitario or laurea magistrale: which one do you need?

Choose the laurea magistrale if you want a PhD, a DSU grant or Italy's recognised second-cycle degree. Choose a master universitario for a short, job-focused specialisation. The University of Bologna puts the gap plainly: 60 credits against 120, and no PhD access for the one-year course.

If the comparison points to the two-year degree, our masters in Italy guide lists the English-taught options. Science and engineering students can start with our MS in Italy guide.

Can you do a one-year master's in Italy after a three-year bachelor's?

Yes, but only a first-level master. The University of Bologna admits first-cycle graduates to first-level courses and requires a master's or single-cycle degree for the second level. Sant'Anna's Human Rights master, for example, asks for a university degree of at least three years and B2 English.

Turin's mIEL and Cultural Property masters accept any bachelor's degree. Bologna's Cybersecurity master asks for a bachelor's in information engineering or IT.

Second-level courses such as SPICES, High-Performance and Quantum Computing or Nuclear Energy ask for a master's in a set field. If your degree does not fit, the university rejects the application. We match the level to your degree before we apply.

Courses that state a level, such as Sant'Anna's Human Rights master and Bologna's High-Performance and Quantum Computing master, ask for English at B2. That is also the level the consulate checks for the visa, under the MUR circular for 2026/27 and 2027/28 (Part II, page 18). Bologna's Data Science master accepts TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge certificates, and our page on studying in Italy without IELTS covers the alternatives.

Can you get a DSU scholarship for a one-year master's in Italy?

No, not in the DSU calls we read. DSU Toscana's 2026/27 grant covers students on laurea, laurea magistrale, PhD and specialisation courses and does not list masters. POLIMI Graduate School of Management states that DSU cannot be used for its programmes, so plan to pay the course fee in full.

The Italian government's MAECI grants are not open either: the Study in Italy portal says master universitari are not compatible with them. Tuscany has a separate voucher of up to €4,500 for masters, but its 2025/26 edition needs Tuscan residence, an age of 35 or under and an ISEE up to €36,000.

Help exists at course level, and we apply for it with your application:

• Bologna cut the Nuclear Energy fee from €3,500 to €2,500 through voluntary contributions.
• Pisa offers reduced fees to a set number of students on each course: 6 on Risk Management, 5 on AI for Archaeology and 12 on SARE.
• Sant'Anna offers a limited number of partial waivers to citizens of non-OECD countries who are eligible for an Italian visa.
• Politecnico di Torino awards 4 scholarships on SEEDS, and Eni funds every MiNDS participant.

For the two-year degree, our DSU scholarship guide covers every region's income limits and deadlines.

Not sure whether a one-year or a two-year master's fits your degree and budget? 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.

Can you get an Italian student visa for a one-year master's?

Yes: the MUR circular for 2026/27 and 2027/28 requires Universitaly pre-enrolment for first- and second-level masters, the step before a study visa. There is no fixed visa deadline for masters, but Universitaly says the application cannot come after teaching starts. The funds rule is €10,179.85 a year.

The consulate decides the visa. Universitaly states that a validated pre-enrolment is no promise of an appointment or a visa. The Consulate General in Mumbai says a D visa can take up to 90 days.

Course providers advise starting early. POLIMI Graduate School of Management asks non-EU candidates to apply at least three months before the start, and Sant'Anna advises visa applicants to use its first round.

Several courses in our table start in January 2027, which leaves more time than an October start. Three Pisa courses are listed as hybrid, so we check with each course office how much teaching happens in person before we build the visa file.

Your degree also needs a CIMEA statement or a declaration of value. Padua, for example, asks non-EU applicants who need a visa to submit one by 28 February 2027. Our DOV guide explains both routes.

Some documents only your family can get: degree certificates attested by the state and apostilled, bank statements and income tax returns. We tell you exactly which documents to get, in which order, and check every page before the visa appointment. Our Italy student visa guide covers the full file.

Is a one-year master's from Italy recognised in India?

Not automatically: under the UGC's 2025 equivalence regulations, a foreign qualification needs a recognised awarding institution, a similar entry level and comparable duration and credits, judged case by case. Italy's foreign ministry itself says the master universitario is not always internationally recognised. We never promise equivalence.

The UGC regulations, published in the Gazette of India on 4 April 2025, set three conditions in regulation 3(1). The institution must be recognised in its home country, and you must follow the programme under its rules.

The entry-level requirements must also be similar to a corresponding programme in India. Under regulation 3(2), a Standing Committee compares minimum duration and, where durations differ, credits, allowing up to ten per cent variation.

A first-level master admits bachelor's graduates and carries 60 ECTS in one year, against 120 ECTS for the laurea magistrale. Whether that matches an Indian master's degree is for the Committee to decide. A second-level master comes after a master's degree, so it usually adds a specialisation rather than replacing one.

Under regulation 5(3), an equivalence certificate counts for higher education and research at institutions under the UGC. It also counts for jobs with public or other bodies that require a UGC-recognised qualification.

The regulations do not cover professional qualifications in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, law and architecture, which statutory councils regulate. If your course is in one of these fields, the UGC route does not apply to it. The Association of Indian Universities also grants academic equivalence to degrees from accredited foreign universities, on application.

If a PhD in India, a teaching post or a government job is your goal, a laurea magistrale is the safer route. We say this at the consultation, before any application. Our masters in Italy guide covers the two-year option.

Can you do a PhD after a one-year master's in Italy?

Not with a master universitario alone. The University of Bologna says its professional masters give no access to PhD programmes, and Eurydice says the same for both levels. Under DM 226/2021, Italian PhD entry needs a laurea magistrale or a suitable foreign degree, so any earlier master's degree is what counts.

A second-level master suits someone who already holds a master's and wants a specialisation. It does not strengthen PhD eligibility on paper. A first-level master holder aiming for a PhD would first need a qualifying second-cycle degree.

Can you work in Italy during and after a one-year master's?

Yes. A study permit lets you work up to 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After graduating, the job-search permit of 9 to 12 months lists the master universitario among qualifying Italian titles, according to the Ministry of Labour's integration portal.

The job-search permit follows a study permit that is about to expire, so timing matters for courses that end in early 2028. We plan the stay around the course calendar in the visa file.

When do one-year masters in Italy start, and when should you apply?

Most start between September and January, and their calls close from late summer to November. For 2026/27, final deadlines for the courses we verified ran from 24 August 2026 at Padua to 26 November 2026 at Pisa. The 2027/28 calls are pending; going by 2026, expect them from spring to summer 2027.

The table shows the 2026/27 cycle month by month, from the university pages we read. Use it to plan for 2027/28.

Plan backwards from the visa. Admission comes first, then Universitaly pre-enrolment, then the visa, which can take up to 90 days. Our guide to intakes in Italy covers degree courses.

Is a one-year masters in Italy worth it?

It is worth it for a focused, job-oriented course when you already hold the degree it builds on. It is weaker if you need a PhD route, a DSU grant or recognition as a full master's degree. On the universities' own pages, the 17 paid courses we verified have a median fee of €5,000.

It suits three kinds of student. The first holds a master's and wants a second-level specialisation, such as space missions, quantum computing or nuclear energy. The second wants a shorter stay in Italy, with the job-search permit at the end.

The third wants a practical course with an internship, such as Sant'Anna's Human Rights master. It suits less well if you need a DSU grant, plan a PhD, or need a qualification that Indian public employers must recognise.

Related subjects have their own guides: data science, finance and law. For business, compare the Master in Management and the MBA in Italy.

How does ApplyAZ help with a one-year master's in Italy?

We tell you first whether a one-year or a two-year master's fits your degree and goals, then we handle the work. For eligible students, we check each course's level and fee with the university, prepare applications, complete Universitaly pre-enrolment and build the visa file. Our Code of Practice states that we take no commission from any university.

We never promise admission, a scholarship or a visa, as our Code of Practice sets out. You approve every programme we apply to. If a laurea magistrale suits you better, we say so.

Students and their families pay our fees, which vary by country; how ApplyAZ gets paid explains the model. To compare advisers, read how to choose a study in Italy consultant.

Reality check

The university decides admission, including whether your degree fits a first- or second-level course. The region decides DSU grants, and the calls we read do not cover masters. The consulate decides the visa, and a validated pre-enrolment is no promise of one.

ApplyAZ handles the work for eligible students: we match the course level to your degree, prepare the application, complete Universitaly pre-enrolment and build the visa file. For students who choose a laurea magistrale, we also handle the DSU application.

The usual pitfalls, and what each costs:

• Applying to a second-level master with only a bachelor's. The application fails, and the year's calls may close before you switch.
• Counting on a DSU grant. Masters sit outside the calls we read, so the full fee, €2,500 to €25,000 in 2026/27, comes from your own funds. The visa still asks for €10,179.85 a year (about ₹11.12 lakh).
• Leaving the visa late. Masters have no fixed deadline, but the application cannot come after teaching starts, and processing can take up to 90 days. A missed start costs the whole year.
• Assuming the title counts as a master's degree in India. Equivalence is decided case by case by the UGC, and an Indian public job or PhD may need a recognised qualification.
• Paying before the visa. Pisa's Risk Management master asked for €2,796 by 19 July 2026, months before its November start. Sant'Anna states that fees are, as a general rule, not refunded if you withdraw.

Ready to see which route fits 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

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

No. A one-year master's is a master universitario of at least 60 ECTS, while Italy's master's degree, the laurea magistrale, lasts two years and carries 120 ECTS. The foreign ministry's Study in Italy portal says master universitari are not equivalent to the laurea magistrale and are not always recognised abroad.

Are one-year masters in Italy taught in English?

Some are: we verified 18 English-taught master universitario courses for 2026/27 at seven public institutions, including Bologna, Turin, Pisa, Padua and both Politecnici. Many other masters are taught in Italian; the University of Florence, for example, says its masters are in Italian unless stated. The 2027/28 editions are pending.

Can I get a DSU scholarship for a one-year master's in Italy?

Not in the calls we read. DSU Toscana's 2026/27 grant covers laurea, laurea magistrale, PhD and specialisation students, not masters, and POLIMI Graduate School of Management says DSU cannot be used for its programmes. Some courses offer their own help, such as four scholarships on Politecnico di Torino's SEEDS master.

Do I need IELTS for a one-year master's in Italy?

You need proof of English at B2, the level the consulate checks for the visa under the MUR circular for 2026/27 and 2027/28. Sant'Anna's Human Rights master and Bologna's Data Science master ask for B2, while Bologna's Nuclear Energy master tests English at interview. We check each course's rule before you book a test.

Is there a visa deadline for a master universitario?

There is no fixed date. Universitaly states that for masters, PhDs and other non-degree courses there is no time limit for the visa application, but it cannot come after teaching starts. Processing can take up to 90 days, so we plan the file backwards from the course's start date.

Can I stay in Italy to look for work after a one-year master's?

Yes, if you meet the conditions: the job-search permit under Italy's immigration law lists the master universitario among qualifying Italian titles, according to the Ministry of Labour's integration portal. It lasts from 9 to 12 months. During the course, a study permit allows up to 20 hours of work a week.

Is a one-year master's in Italy worth it for students from countries like India?

It can be, for a focused, job-oriented course with a shorter stay than a two-year degree. Weigh the trade-offs: no PhD access on its own, no DSU grant in the calls we read, and case-by-case recognition under the UGC's 2025 equivalence regulations. The paid courses we verified have a median fee of €5,000.

Sources

• University of Bologna, Professional Master's Programmes (current page), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Bologna, 2026/27 course pages: Nuclear Energy Fundamentals and Applications, Space Missions Science, Design and Applications, Comparative Legal Traditions and the Rule of Law, High-Performance and Quantum Computing, Cybersecurity: from Design to Operations, Data Science and Business Analytics; list of 2026/27 masters, verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Turin, 2026/27 course pages: International Trade Law, Management of Development, Institutions, Economics and Law, Cultural Property Protection in Crisis Response; list of continuing education programmes, verified 28 September 2026.
• Politecnico di Torino, 2026/27 course pages: SpacE Exploration and Development Systems, Natural Resources Development and Storage, verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Pisa, 2026/27 course pages: Artificial Intelligence for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, Risk Management, Sustainable Development and Agroecosystem Resilience; masters catalogue; Risk Management programme site, verified 28 September 2026.
• Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Master in Human Rights and Conflict Management, XXV edition (2027), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Padua: Avviso di selezione Master 2026/2027 (p. 20), English call for selection 2026/27, selection notices, verified 28 September 2026.
• Politecnico di Milano: Specialising Masters, Sustainability Management catalogue entry; POLIMI Graduate School of Management, International Master in Sustainability Management (2026/27 intake), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Florence, Professional Master's Programmes (2026/27), verified 28 September 2026.
• Eurydice, Italy: programmes outside the bachelor and master structure (updated 16 July 2024), verified 28 September 2026.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Study in Italy: Italian higher education system (current), verified 28 September 2026.
• MUR circular on international students, valid for 2026/27 and 2027/28 (pp. 3, 6, 14, 16) and Universitaly, international students, verified 28 September 2026.
• Ministerial Decree 226/2021 on PhD programmes, art. 8, verified 28 September 2026.
• DSU Toscana, borsa di studio 2026/27 and Voucher alta formazione 2025/26, verified 28 September 2026.
• Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai, Study in Italy (current), verified 28 September 2026.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FAQ: studying in Italy (current), verified 28 September 2026.
• Ministry of Labour integration portal, permit conversion after studies (7 July 2023), verified 28 September 2026.
• UGC Equivalence Portal, UGC (Recognition and Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications obtained from Foreign Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2025 (Gazette of India, 4 April 2025, regs. 3 and 5) and portal FAQ, verified 28 September 2026.
• Association of Indian Universities, Equivalence of Degree (current), verified 28 September 2026.
• Laurea magistrale fees 2026/27: University of Milan fee regulation (art. 6), University of Bologna reduced fixed fee, University of Padua fee call (Tables 1 and 4), Politecnico di Milano contribution regulation 2026/27 (art. 5), verified 28 September 2026.
• QS World University Rankings 2027, published 18 June 2026, verified 28 September 2026.
• European Central Bank, euro reference rate for INR, 25 September 2026, verified 28 September 2026.
• ApplyAZ programme catalogue (programmes), English-taught counts computed on 28 September 2026: 500 programmes at 53 universities, of which 433 two-year master's at 49 universities.

All rupee figures use the ECB reference rate of 25 September 2026, €1 = ₹109.2605, and are rounded.

One step starts it all: 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

• Masters in Italy: the two-year laurea magistrale in English
• Master in Management in Italy
• MBA in Italy at public universities
• Cost of studying in Italy
• DSU scholarship in Italy, 2026/27
• Italy student visa guide