Università degli Studi Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria
Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, one of Italy's public universities.
Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria is a small public university in Calabria that began as a free institute of architecture in 1967, gained legal recognition in 1968 and became a state university in 1982. It took its current name in 2001. It had 5,079 enrolled students in 2024/25 (ANVUR) and runs 28 degree courses, 14 bachelor's, 11 master's and 3 single-cycle, across agriculture, architecture, design, economics, law, engineering, nursing and sport sciences.
Mediterranea University teaches almost all its degrees in Italian, with one English-taught option: the Civil Engineering curriculum of its bachelor's in Civil and Environmental Engineering for Sustainable Development (class L-7), run by its DICEAM department. Its international student pages list no English-taught master's. For every other programme you study in Italian, so non-EU visa students take the ITA-L2 Italian test, which needs at least 49 points.
Mediterranea University asks non-EU applicants for a qualification valid for university entry in Italy and a pre-evaluation of that qualification by its International Student Admission office, done alongside Universitaly pre-enrolment with the same documents. For Italian-taught degrees you also take the ITA-L2 test; in 2026 it ran on 25 June, 17 July and 18 September. Mediterranea publishes no acceptance rate, so contact the office early if your qualification is unusual.
Applying to Mediterranea University from abroad means pre-evaluation, Universitaly and your visa, then enrolment in Reggio Calabria. For 2026/27, enrolment with the first instalment is due by 30 September 2026, so the whole process needs to start in spring. Students are enrolled conditionally until their earlier qualification is recognised, and receive a student number once they pay, which unlocks exam booking and a university email account.
Mediterranea University charges non-EU students with a study visa a small contribution set by country group in 2026/27: nothing for the poorest countries, €54 a year for lower-middle income, €150 for upper-middle income and €300 for high-income countries, plus the regional tax (from €130) and €16 stamp duty. Other students pay by family income (ISEE), up to €2,165.29 a year at the top, and students without a valid ISEE go straight to the maximum band.
Yes, Mediterranea University keeps fees very low for non-EU visa students, but not at zero for everyone. Tuition is set by family income (ISEE); students from lower-income families can pay little or nothing beyond the regional tax, and a DSU scholarship winner also gets a tuition waiver. First-year students with an ISEE up to €22,000 are fully exempt from the contribution. In your control: your documents, your ISEE parificato and every deadline. Not in your control: your country group and the ranking.
Mediterranea University runs its own right-to-study (DSU) scholarships through its Right to Study and University Residences office, with about 1,400 grants a year. For 2026/27 the base grant is €7,171.11 for off-site students, €4,190.71 for commuters and €2,890.16 for students living at home, with extra amounts for women in STEM, students with disabilities and EU mobility. Winners can also use residences and subsidised meals. The call is usually published by July.
Mediterranea University is 3rd among Italy's small public universities in Censis 2026/27, with 86.0 points, up three places on the year before, and first in its group for scholarships. It does not appear in the QS 2027, THE 2026 or ARWU 2026 world tables, which mostly reward large research universities. For a small university, the Censis view of services, scholarships and facilities says more than global tables. Judge the programme and your language fit first.
Student life at Mediterranea University centres on its Cittadella Universitaria in Reggio Calabria, a coastal city on the Strait of Messina. For scholarship winners, the university offers residences, subsidised canteen meals and contributions towards housing and intercity transport, so the DSU call is your main housing route. With about 5,000 students, it is a compact university to navigate. We found no official rent figures for the city, so compare listings and visit or video-call before paying a deposit.
Mediterranea University is the smallest of Calabria's three public universities and the one rooted in architecture, engineering and agriculture. The University of Calabria near Cosenza is larger, with 24,052 students in 2024/25, a residential campus and 11 English-taught master's. Magna Graecia University in Catanzaro focuses on medicine and health sciences. In Censis 2026/27 all three came first in their size groups for scholarships. Private universities charge fixed fees, not income-based ones.
Mediterranea University is a good choice if you want a small public university with very low fees for non-EU students, and you can study in Italian or want its English-taught civil engineering bachelor's. It suits architecture, engineering and agriculture students who prefer a smaller university with about 5,000 students. It suits you less if you need a master's in English or a large international student community. Plan for Italian: the ITA-L2 test and most notices are in Italian.
ApplyAZ can include Mediterranea University's English-taught civil engineering bachelor's in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at public universities, if it fits you. We are independent and take no commissions. We write your CV and tailored SOPs, submit each application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your DSU scholarship and prepare your visa file, and a named person owns each stage. Strong, organised students can apply alone. see how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
Open a programme for its entry requirements, entrance tests, fees and intake dates.
