Università degli Studi di Sassari
University of Sassari, one of Italy's public universities.
The University of Sassari is a public university in north-west Sardinia, with roots in a 1558 bequest for a college of studies and royal university status granted by Philip III in 1617. It has over 13,000 enrolled students, more than 600 professors and researchers and 11 departments. Its 2026/27 offer lists 65 programmes: 37 bachelor's, 22 master's and 6 single-cycle degrees. Teaching is based in Sassari, with further sites in Alghero, Olbia, Nuoro and Oristano.
The University of Sassari teaches mostly in Italian, with a small English-taught offer at master's level. Two master's degrees are confirmed as taught entirely in English: Biotechnology for Human and Animal Health, and Wildlife Management, Conservation and Control, both in Veterinary Medicine. Its 2026/27 study plan also lists Biomedical Sciences for One Health and Innovation Management for Sustainable Tourism, and it runs double degrees with partners in France, Portugal, Romania and Tunisia.
The University of Sassari admits non-EU students with a qualification valid for university entry in their own country, checked through Universitaly pre-enrolment and the university's own review. For a master's, each programme checks that your degree covers its required subjects, and Italian-taught degrees expect a good level of Italian. Published guidance for degree-seeking international students is thin, so write to the international relations office at relint@uniss.it early. Sassari publishes no acceptance rate.
Applying to the University of Sassari means combining programme admission, Universitaly pre-enrolment for your visa, and an ERSU Sassari scholarship application. For 2026/27, enrolment ran from 1 August to 12 October 2026, with the first fee instalment due on 16 October. Build your ISEE parificato early, because students without an ISEE pay the highest fee band. The university's Vetrina alloggi portal lists rooms, so start your housing search there.
The University of Sassari sets tuition by family income (ISEE), paid in three instalments in 2026/27: 16 October 2026, 28 February 2027 and 12 April 2027. Students with income abroad must obtain an ISEE parificato, and anyone without an ISEE is charged the maximum income bracket. Italian law sets a no-tax area of at least €22,000 ISEE at every public university. The regional right-to-study tax, due by 28 February 2027, goes to ERSU, and its scholarship winners can ask for an exemption.
You can study at the University of Sassari with little or no tuition only if your family income qualifies and you file on time. 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. What you control: a complete ISEE parificato from translated, legalised documents, filed before the university's deadline, and an on-time ERSU application. Late ISEE declarations after 31 December 2026 bring penalties. What you do not control: your family income and the ERSU ranking.
The main scholarship for University of Sassari students is the regional right-to-study grant run by ERSU Sassari, which also manages student residences and canteens. Check the 2026/27 ERSU Sassari call for its exact figures and deadline. Nationally, the 2026/27 ISEE ceiling is €28,339.88, and the minimum grant is €7,171.11 a year for off-site students and €4,190.71 for commuters. Foreign students apply with an ISEE parificato, and winners can be exempted from the regional tax.
The University of Sassari ranks 1st among Italy's medium-sized public universities in Censis 2026/27, with 93.2 points, up three places. Globally it is in the 1,201 to 1,400 band of QS 2027, and it does not appear in THE 2026 or ARWU 2026. Censis measures services, scholarships, facilities, internationalisation and employability, which students feel directly; global tables mostly measure research. For a specialist master's, judge the programme and department first.
Student life at the University of Sassari centres on Sassari, a city in north-west Sardinia, with some programmes taught in Alghero, Olbia, Nuoro and Oristano. ERSU Sassari runs student residences and canteens, and the university's Vetrina alloggi portal lists rooms for students. ESN Sassari helps international students settle in. Check which site your programme uses before you book housing, because some departments teach outside Sassari itself and daily travel between towns takes time.
The University of Sassari is the smaller of Sardinia's two public universities; the other is the University of Cagliari in the south. Sassari has over 13,000 students and English-taught master's in veterinary and life sciences, while Cagliari has more than 24,750 students and a wider English-taught offer, including Medicine and Surgery. Both did well in Censis 2026/27: Sassari came 1st among medium-sized universities and Cagliari 3rd among large ones.
The University of Sassari is a good choice if you want an English-taught master's in veterinary or life sciences, such as Biotechnology for Human and Animal Health or Wildlife Management, at a medium-sized university with top Censis scores for services. It suits you less if you need an English-taught bachelor's or a wide choice of English programmes, or if you want big-city life. Its global rankings are modest, so weigh the programme and the support you will get.
ApplyAZ helps you apply to the University of Sassari as part of a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities. We write your CV and a tailored SOP for each, submit every application and your Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your ERSU Sassari scholarship and prepare your visa file, with a named person owning each stage. We take no university commissions, and strong, organised students can use our roadmap to apply alone. See how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
Open a programme for its entry requirements, entrance tests, fees and intake dates.
