Public university · Lombardy · Founded 1998

University of Milano-Bicocca for International Students

Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca

Founded
1998
City
Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo, 1, 20126, Milano, MI, Italy
Students
About 36,800 (5.8% international, 2024/25)
Nearest hub
Milano Greco Pirelli station opposite campus; bus 87 to Milano Centrale
Scholarship body
Milano-Bicocca Right to Study Office (Lombardy Region DSU)
University of Milano-Bicocca campus

University of Milano-Bicocca, one of Italy's public universities.

In short: Yes, the University of Milano-Bicocca teaches 13 degree programmes fully in English. International students living abroad pay a fixed fee by country group, from €30 to €3,600 a year plus a €146 first instalment (2026/27). Students resident in Italy pay by family income (ISEE), and DSU winners get up to €7,419 and a tuition waiver.

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İrem Yılmaz

Written by İrem Yılmaz, Student Experience Lead · Reviewed by Reeya Sharma · Last verified

What is the University of Milano-Bicocca known for, and is it public?

The University of Milano-Bicocca is a public university in Milan, Lombardy, founded in 1998 and built around a single modern campus in the north of the city, with its medical campus in Monza. It had 36,764 students in 2024/25, 5.8% of them international. Its 14 departments, eight recognised as departments of excellence, run 84 degree programmes across economics and statistics, law, sciences, medicine, sociology, psychology and education.

Can international students study at Milano-Bicocca in English?

Yes, the University of Milano-Bicocca teaches 13 degree programmes entirely in English, out of 84 in total, plus several dual-language degrees. English-taught options include Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Astrophysics and Space Physics, Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Marine Sciences, International Economics, Economics and Technologies for Sustainability, Applied Experimental Psychological Sciences, Optometry and Vision Science, and an English-taught School of Medicine and Surgery.

What are the admission requirements at Milano-Bicocca?

The University of Milano-Bicocca asks international applicants for 12 years of schooling for a bachelor's degree, or a relevant first degree for a master's, plus B2 English for English-taught programmes. Native speakers and students educated fully in English are exempt from the certificate. Applications run through the Apply.UNIMIB portal, where you also upload CIMEA documents. Limited-place programmes select through their own calls, and Bicocca does not publish an acceptance rate.

How do you apply to the University of Milano-Bicocca, step by step?

Applying to the University of Milano-Bicocca runs on three tracks: admission, Universitaly pre-enrolment for your visa and the DSU scholarship. For 2026/27, the first call for open-access programmes ran from 7 November 2025 to 16 January 2026, and limited-place programmes opened on 10 February 2026. Non-EU visa applicants had to complete Universitaly by 31 July 2026. Expect similar timing for 2027/28, but confirm every date on Apply.UNIMIB.

  1. Choose your programme and read its admission call on Apply.UNIMIB.
  2. Apply in an early call with your diploma or degree, transcripts, English certificate and CIMEA documents.
  3. Once admitted, complete Universitaly pre-enrolment (by 31 July 2026 for the 2026/27 intake).
  4. Apply for DSU housing and the scholarship (20 August and 30 September 2026 for 2026/27).
  5. Apply for your type D study visa, then enrol and pay the first instalment.

How much does Milano-Bicocca cost for international students?

The University of Milano-Bicocca charges international students with a foreign qualification who live abroad a fixed fee set by country group and subject area. For 2026/27, everyone pays a €146 first instalment. On top of it, group 1 countries pay €30, group 2 countries €900 to €1,100, and group 3 countries, including high-income and unlisted ones, €2,990 to €3,600. Foreign students resident in Italy follow the ISEE system, with a no-tax area up to an ISEE of €30,000.

Can you study at Milano-Bicocca with little or no tuition?

You can study at the University of Milano-Bicocca for very little if you come from a group 1 country, where the fixed fee is €30 on top of the €146 first instalment. Otherwise the fixed fee applies, and the main routes to lower costs are the DSU scholarship, which brings a tuition waiver, or a Bicocca International Scholarship. For students resident in Italy, tuition is set by family income (ISEE). In your control: early applications and deadlines. Not in your control: your country group.

Which scholarship covers Milano-Bicocca, and how much is it worth?

The main scholarship for University of Milano-Bicocca students is the Lombardy DSU grant, which Bicocca runs itself. For 2026/27, off-site students in the lowest income bracket receive €7,419 in cash plus free canteen meals, if their ISEE is €26,887.93 or less and their ISPE €58,452.06 or less. Bicocca also awards 100 Bicocca International Scholarships of €10,000 a year plus a fee waiver, 5 per English-taught programme, to applicants living outside Italy.

How good is Milano-Bicocca in the rankings, and do they matter?

The University of Milano-Bicocca is 544th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and joint 6th among Italy's large public universities in Censis 2026/27, with a score of 84.5. It is in the 401 to 500 band in THE 2026 and 301 to 400 in ARWU 2026, a solid research profile for a university founded in 1998. Rankings measure whole institutions, so weigh them after the programme, its entry rules and your chance of a scholarship.

  • QS World University Rankings 2027: 544th worldwide
  • Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026: 401 to 500 band
  • ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026: 301 to 400 band
  • Censis 2026/27: joint 6th among Italy's large public universities (score 84.5)

What is student life like at Milano-Bicocca, and what does it cost?

Student life at the University of Milano-Bicocca centres on a compact campus in north Milan, with Milano Greco Pirelli station opposite the first buildings, two M5 metro stops and tram 7 on site, and bus 87 to Milano Centrale. Milan is one of Italy's most expensive cities for rent, so plan housing early. Bicocca runs its own residences, and for 2026/27 DSU winners who take a place have €2,816 withheld from the grant to cover rent for the year.

How does Milano-Bicocca compare with other universities in Milan?

The University of Milano-Bicocca is Milan's younger public generalist university, alongside the University of Milan (Statale) and the Politecnico di Milano, while private universities in the city charge fixed, high fees. In Censis 2026/27 it is joint 6th among Italy's large public universities. It suits students who want one modern campus and English-taught degrees in data science, AI, physics, materials, economics or psychology, with a scholarship built for international applicants.

Is the University of Milano-Bicocca a good choice for you?

The University of Milano-Bicocca is a good choice if you want an English-taught degree in data science, AI, physics, materials, economics or psychology on a modern campus in Italy's business capital. It suits you less if you come from a group 3 country and need the lowest fees, since the fixed fee reaches €3,600 plus the first instalment, or if you need a small-town budget. Milan rents are high, so compare the DSU grant and the Bicocca International Scholarship first.

How can ApplyAZ help with Milano-Bicocca, and when should you go alone?

ApplyAZ can build the University of Milano-Bicocca 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.

English-taught programmes at this university

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