University of Catania: Fees, Admission, Rankings and Programmes 2026/27

University of Catania at a glance

• Public university: The University of Catania is a state university in Catania, Sicily, founded in 1434, with 40,287 students enrolled in 2024/25, 480 of them international.
• Teaching in English: 12 English-taught programmes on ApplyAZ: 10 master's, 1 bachelor's and 1 single-cycle.
• Tuition for 2026/27: set by family income (ISEE) for residents of Italy, while students not resident in Italy pay a flat contribution with no ISEE. Study can be tuition-free for eligible students through a DSU scholarship from ERSU Catania.
• Rankings: In the 851 to 900 band of the QS World University Rankings 2027 (joint 26th among Italian public universities) and in the 501 to 600 band in THE 2026.
• ApplyAZ: ApplyAZ, with offices in Milan and India, works only with Italian public universities and takes care of the whole process for eligible students from countries like India: university checks, applications, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the DSU scholarship and the visa file.

Which programmes does the University of Catania teach in English?

The University of Catania has 12 English-taught programmes on ApplyAZ for the next intake: 10 master's, 1 bachelor's and 1 single-cycle degree, so most are two-year master's. Each programme page sets out its entry test, intake and requirements. The table lists them all by level, with the test each one uses.

Source: our own programme listings, counted on 9 October 2026; the counts match the programme list further down this page, and our full programme list covers every public university. Degrees with an English-taught curriculum are included. The 2027/28 calls are not out yet, so each programme page adds its deadline when the call is published, and we track every call on your shortlist.

How tuition works at the University of Catania

At the University of Catania, tuition for residents of Italy follows family income, measured by the ISEE, and an ISEE up to €22,000 falls in the no-tax area. Students not resident in Italy, such as families in India, pay a flat contribution with no ISEE, and study can be tuition-free for eligible students who win an ERSU Catania scholarship.

Students resident in Italy who file no ISEE are charged the top band. Years after the first need 10 credits (second year) or 25 credits (later years) by 10 August to stay in the no-tax area.

Source: Manifesto degli studi e Regolamento contribuzione studentesca 2026/27 and the Tasse e contributi page.

Every student not resident in Italy, from the EU or outside it, pays a flat contribution a year and does not have to authorise the ISEE import, plus the regional tax and stamp duty all students pay at enrolment. This small contribution is paid in one instalment, due by 30 November 2026 in the text of section 7.1 and by 16 December 2026 in its Table 3, so we work to the earlier date. Source: Catania, fee rules for students not resident in Italy.

Worked example: A first-year student from India whose family lives in India pays the flat contribution for students not resident in Italy, plus the regional tax and stamp duty. The ISEE parificato does not change the fee, but ERSU Catania needs one for its scholarship. We prepare the ERSU Catania scholarship application and its ISEE parificato with you.

How do non-EU students apply to the University of Catania?

Non-EU students living abroad apply to the University of Catania programme by programme, then pre-enrol on Universitaly so the consulate can issue a study visa. The windows below are the 2026/27 ones, and the 2027/28 calls are not published yet. The university decides admission, and the consulate decides the visa.

Sources: English-taught master's, non-EU applicants living abroad, Medicine and Surgery in English; Universitaly; Consulate General of Italy in Kolkata, visa checklist. For eligible students, we handle each of these steps, from the programme applications to the visa file.

Which entry tests and language levels does the University of Catania ask for?

The University of Catania uses IMAT, TOLC-E by CISIA and TOLC-SU by CISIA, depending on the programme. English-taught degrees usually ask for B2 English, and Italian-taught degrees for B2 Italian. The test for each programme is in the table above and in its call.

The table sets out what two 2026/27 calls ask for at each degree level.

Sources: English-taught master's (non-EU applicants living abroad) and Bachelor's and single-cycle enrolment calls. We prepare these documents with you; our DOV guide and Italy study visa guide cover the qualification and visa papers.

English: B2 or higher for all English-taught master's: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL 72 or Cambridge FCE for most, while Electrical Engineering for Sustainable Green Energy Transition and Agricultural Science and Technology accept IELTS 5.0, TOEFL 60 or Cambridge PET and Physics asks for TOEFL 80. The international students FAQ says Duolingo is not accepted. Source.

Italian: B2 for Italian-taught bachelor's and single-cycle degrees: CILS B2, a secondary diploma obtained in Italian, or at least 40 out of 72 on the CISIA Italian L2 test; the English-taught master's call does not ask for Italian. Source. We match each programme on your shortlist to its test and handle the registration and application steps for eligible students.

How does the University of Catania rank?

The University of Catania is in the 851 to 900 band of the QS World University Rankings 2027, joint 26th among Italian public universities, and in the 501 to 600 band of the THE World University Rankings 2026. In QS by Subject 2026 it has two subjects in the world top 200, Dentistry and Agriculture and Forestry.

Sources: QS World University Rankings 2027, published 18 June 2026, THE World University Rankings 2026 and QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. The Italy position counts the Italian public universities QS ranks; "=" marks a joint rank.

Do graduates of the University of Catania find work?

Yes, most do. Among Catania's master's graduates of 2024, 74.1% were in work about a year later, with mean net pay of €1,368 (₹1.5 lakh) a month, according to AlmaLaurea. Five years after graduating, 93.3% of the 2020 master's graduates were in work, earning €1,704 (₹1.9 lakh) a month on average.

Source: AlmaLaurea, XXVIII survey of graduate outcomes (Rapporto 2026, June 2026): 2024 graduates at 1 year and 2020 graduates at 5 years. AlmaLaurea counts anyone in paid work, including paid training, as employed.

Which DSU scholarship covers the University of Catania?

Catania students apply for the regional DSU scholarship through ERSU Catania. For 2026/27 the family ISEE limit is €25,000 (₹27.5 lakh), and the top grant for a student living away from home is €8,246.78 (₹9.1 lakh) a year. Winners are also exempt from the university's yearly contribution, so study can be tuition-free for eligible students.

Source: ERSU Catania call for 2026/27. Our ERSU Catania guide covers the scholarship in full, our DSU scholarship guide compares the regions, and we prepare the application and the family documents with you.

Catania also runs its own scholarships for non-EU students living abroad on its English-taught master's: for 2026/27, 50 two-year scholarships of €2,000 (₹2.2 lakh) a year, 5 for each of the 10 programmes, tied to the admission call that ran from 10 February to 17 March 2026 (2026/27 notice). We check each new call for the programmes on your shortlist.

Two national schemes are open to international students too: our guides to the MAECI scholarship and Invest Your Talent in Italy explain who can apply.

What does it cost to live in Catania?

For the study visa, the consulate asks you to show at least €10,179.85 (₹11.2 lakh) a year for living costs in Catania or any other Italian city. That is a floor, not a full budget: rent is the biggest cost, and a DSU residence place is much cheaper than a private room.

Our Catania city guide covers housing, transport and daily costs in detail.

How many IMAT places does the University of Catania have for 2026/27?

The University of Catania has 40 places for non-EU applicants living abroad on its English-taught Medicine and Surgery course in 2026/27, filled through the IMAT held on 29 September 2026. Anonymous scores come out on 8 October and the national ranking on 26 October; Catania publishes its own non-EU list.

Our MBBS in Italy guide compares all 16 universities with non-EU places, our IMAT exam guide covers the test and our IMAT results page the ranking lists; the Medicine and Surgery programme page covers the course itself. Our list of medical universities in Italy sets out every English-taught Medicine course side by side, and our IMAT cut-offs page gives the official last admitted scores by year.

How does the University of Catania compare with similar universities?

The table compares the University of Catania with five similar public universities: the universities of Palermo, Messina, Bari Aldo Moro, Cagliari and Calabria. It sets out their QS 2027 rank and English-taught programmes on ApplyAZ; the University of Messina is a smaller alternative in the same region, with 19 English-taught programmes.

Sources: QS World University Rankings 2027 and our own programme listings, counted on 9 October 2026. Each university's page explains how its tuition works. Our list of all 61 public universities compares every one, our best universities in Italy page sets out QS 2027 and THE side by side, and the A to Z directory lists every university.

How does ApplyAZ handle applications to the University of Catania?

For eligible students, we take care of the whole application to the University of Catania. We shortlist programmes against your profile and their entry tests, prepare the documents and the family's income papers, file each programme application, complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, handle the visa file and prepare the DSU scholarship application (ERSU Catania) with you.

We work only with Italian public universities, and we do not promise outcomes: the university decides admission, the region decides the DSU scholarship and the consulate decides the visa.

Frequently asked questions

Is the University of Catania a public university?

Yes. The University of Catania is a state university on the Ministry of University and Research's list of 61 public universities, founded in 1434 and the oldest in Sicily. Its fees follow national rules, and it had 40,287 students in 2024/25, 480 of them international.

How does tuition work at the University of Catania?

Tuition at the University of Catania follows family income, measured by the ISEE, for students resident in Italy, and an ISEE up to €22,000 falls in the no-tax area. Students not resident in Italy, from the EU or outside it, pay a flat contribution with no ISEE, and study can be tuition-free for eligible students.

Can study at the University of Catania be tuition-free for eligible students?

Yes. The University of Catania exempts ERSU Catania scholarship winners and eligible students from its yearly contribution, and ERSU refunds the regional tax, so study can be tuition-free for eligible students. The 2026/27 family limits are an ISEE of €25,000 and an ISPE of €60,000, and the top grant for a student living away from home is €8,246.78 (₹9.1 lakh).

How does tuition work for a student from India at the University of Catania?

A student from India whose family lives in India pays the flat contribution for students not resident in Italy, plus the regional tax and stamp duty. No ISEE is used for the fee, though ERSU Catania needs an ISEE parificato for its scholarship, and study can be tuition-free for eligible students who win it.

How many programmes does the University of Catania teach in English?

We list 12 English-taught programmes at the University of Catania for the next intake: 10 master's, a bachelor's in Physics and the single-cycle degree in Medicine and Surgery. The master's degrees cover engineering, physics, data science, agriculture and politics, and applicants are selected on their qualifications with an interview or test.

Which entry tests does the University of Catania use?

The University of Catania uses the IMAT for Medicine and Surgery in English, and CISIA's TOLC-E for Economics and Business Economics and TOLC-SU for Psychology and Education Sciences. English-taught master's have no national test: applicants are evaluated on their qualifications, with an interview or test. We match each programme to its test and handle the registration.

How many IMAT places does the University of Catania have?

For 2026/27 the University of Catania has 40 places for non-EU applicants living abroad on its English-taught Medicine and Surgery course, set in Table B of MUR Decree 1005. The IMAT was held on 29 September 2026, and non-EU applicants are ranked against others who chose Catania. We handle the registration and follow the ranking lists for you.

What is the University of Catania's world ranking?

The University of Catania is in the 851 to 900 band of the QS World University Rankings 2027, joint 26th among Italian public universities, and in the 501 to 600 band of the THE World University Rankings 2026. In QS by Subject 2026 its best subject is Dentistry, in the 51 to 150 band.

When do applications open at the University of Catania?

The 2027/28 calls are not published yet. For 2026/27, the English-taught master's call for non-EU applicants living abroad ran from 10 February to 17 March 2026, and bachelor's and single-cycle visa applicants pre-enrolled on Universitaly by 31 July 2026. We track the new calls and file each application in the right round.

How does ApplyAZ help with a University of Catania application?

For eligible students, we take care of everything: the shortlist, each Students' Portal application, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the IMAT registration for Medicine, the ERSU Catania scholarship with its ISEE parificato, and the visa file. The university decides admission, ERSU Catania the scholarship and the consulate the visa. Start by checking your eligibility at go.applyaz.com.

Sources

• MUR, Università statali
• Ustat, University of Catania, 2024/25
• Catania, history and the Catania website
• Manifesto degli studi e Regolamento contribuzione studentesca 2026/27 and Tasse e contributi page, Catania, 2026/27
• English-taught master's, non-EU applicants living abroad and Medicine and Surgery in English calls, 2026/27; admission tests, English requirement and Italian language requirement
• QS World University Rankings 2027, QS by Subject 2026 and THE World University Rankings 2026
• AlmaLaurea, master's data and single-cycle data, Rapporto 2026
• 50 scholarships for international students, 2026/27 notice (Catania's own scholarships)
• ERSU Catania call 2026/27
• MUR Decree 1005, Table B and the Medicine and Surgery call, 2026/27
• Immobiliare.it Insights, 3 August 2026, ERSU Catania call for 2026/27, UniCT transport page, 2026/27, our Catania city guide
• Catania, FAQ for international students (English tests)
• Catania non-EU Medicine and Surgery lists: IMAT 2025 (October 2025) and IMAT 2024
• Entry test and requirement pages: TOLC-E by CISIA and TOLC-SU by CISIA, 2026/27
• Universitaly, Kolkata consulate visa checklist and the FBIL reference rate, 21 September 2026
• All sources verified 28 September 2026. Written by İrem Yılmaz, Student Experience Lead; reviewed by Reeya Sharma. First published 3 June 2025; last updated and verified 28 September 2026.