Università degli Studi dell'Insubria
University of Insubria, one of Italy's public universities.
The University of Insubria is a public university in Lombardy, founded on 14 July 1998, with campuses in Varese, Como and Busto Arsizio. It has more than 12,000 students, 8 departments, 24 bachelor's degrees, 16 master's degrees and 3 single-cycle degrees, including Law, Medicine and Surgery, and Dentistry. It reports that 90.5% of its graduates are in work one year after graduating, and Censis 2026/27 ranks it 2nd in Italy for graduate employability.
Yes, the University of Insubria teaches 7 master's degrees entirely in English, while its bachelor's and single-cycle degrees are taught in Italian. The English-taught master's are Biomedical Sciences, Biotechnology for the Bio-Based and Health Industry, Computer Science, Global Entrepreneurship Economics and Management (GEEM), Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism Development, Mathematics and Physics. It also runs 8 double-degree programmes with partner universities abroad.
The University of Insubria admits international students with at least 12 years of schooling, and a relevant bachelor's degree for master's programmes, each checked against the programme's entry requirements. You need a CIMEA Statement of Comparability or a Declaration of Value, with official Italian translations. Bachelor's and single-cycle applicants must pass a short Italian interview unless they hold a B2 certificate. Insubria does not publish an acceptance rate for its programmes.
Applying to the University of Insubria means clearing the programme's admission check, then the visa steps and the DSU application. For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad had to submit Universitaly pre-enrolment by 30 June 2026. DSU applications ran from 24 July to 30 September 2026, and housing requests closed on 24 August. Expect a similar calendar for 2027/28, and write to foreign.students@uninsubria.it early if your case is unusual.
International students at the University of Insubria pay a €146 registration fee plus tuition set by their country's World Bank income group and their programme. Group 1 (low-income) countries pay €200 to €240 a year, group 2 (medium-income) €700 to €840, and group 3 (high-income) €3,300 to €3,960. Tuition is paid in two parts, a deposit by December and the balance by May. Waivers go through the right-to-study office, and DSU scholarship winners are exempt.
You can study at the University of Insubria with low tuition if you come from a low or medium-income country, where fees are €200 to €840 a year plus the €146 registration fee. Students from high-income countries pay €3,300 to €3,960 unless they win a DSU scholarship, which also brings a tuition waiver. In your control: your DSU application, translated and legalised income documents, and every deadline. Not in your control: your country group and the regional ranking.
The main scholarship for University of Insubria students is the Lombardy DSU grant, which Insubria runs and funds for every eligible student. For 2026/27, off-site students in the lowest bracket receive up to €7,419, commuters €3,991 and local students €2,601, with free canteen meals. The limits are an ISEE of €26,887.93 and an ISPE of €58,452.06. Winners can also request one of 233 residence beds in Varese, Como and Castellanza at a reduced €2,940 a year.
The University of Insubria is in the 601 to 800 band of the THE World University Rankings 2026, 36th among Italian universities there, and 12th among Italy's medium-sized public universities in Censis 2026/27, with a score of 83.2. We could not verify a QS 2027 position, and it has had no ARWU world rank since 2022. Censis scores it highly on employability and low on scholarships and facilities, a reminder that one number hides the detail.
Student life at the University of Insubria is split between Varese and Como, two smaller cities in the lakes of northern Lombardy, with a third site in Busto Arsizio. Life is calmer than in Milan. Insubria has 5 university residences, and DSU winners pay €2,940 for a place from October 2026 to September 2027, deducted from the grant. Off-site scholarship holders get free lunch and dinner at university canteens, which keeps the monthly budget under control.
The University of Insubria is one of Lombardy's public universities outside Milan, alongside Pavia, Bergamo and Brescia. In Censis 2026/27 it is 12th among medium-sized public universities, with Bergamo and Piemonte Orientale ahead of it. Its strengths are graduate employability and professional degrees: Censis puts its Law and Dentistry programmes 5th in Italy. Private universities charge fixed fees, while Insubria's international fees follow your country's income group.
The University of Insubria is a good choice if you want an English-taught master's in biomedical sciences, biotechnology, computer science, physics, mathematics, entrepreneurship or tourism, at modest fees, in a quieter part of Lombardy. It suits you less if you want an English-taught bachelor's, a big-city lifestyle or a strong global ranking name. Students from high-income countries should compare its €3,300 to €3,960 fee with ISEE-based options elsewhere.
ApplyAZ can build the University of Insubria into 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 your Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your DSU scholarship and prepare your visa file, and a named person owns each stage. Strong, organised students can use our roadmap to apply alone. See how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
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