Three Reasons to Study Abroad in Italy and How to Do So

The global higher education market isn’t just vast, it’s also growing rapidly. Fortune Business Insights valued the market at USD 77.66 billion in 2020, while projecting it will exhibit a compound annual growth rate of 10.3% to reach a value of USD 169.72 billion by 2028.

Behind the headline, figures are individual students seeking to further their education abroad. One country popular with international students is Italy. Around 32,000 international students are currently studying there, having come to Italy from Greece, Albania, Croatia, Germany, France, Cameroon, Israel, and elsewhere.

If you are currently considering studying abroad in Italy, read on. We’ll share three compelling reasons why you should, then provide some practical tips for making your dream of a university education in Italy come true.

Cost

Italy is known internationally for the excellent value of its higher education system. Many Italian universities are funded by the state and some even provide free accommodation for international students. There are also several scholarships available for international students in Italy, so it’s well worth checking to see if you are eligible to access funding as part of your studies there.

Culture

The birthplace of the Renaissance, Italy to this day is associated with fine art, gourmet food, stunning architecture and some of the world’s best classical and opera music. If you want to immerse yourself in a country rich in culture and steeped in history, Italy certainly makes a compelling case.

Italy is, of course, also known as a global leader on the fashion scene, so if you’re after couture as well as culture, it is a superb location to spend your university years. You can even combine your love of fashion with your education, by enrolling in a globally renowned fashion school.

Language

The most direct living descendant of Latin, Italian is a Romance language with around 85 million speakers, some 67 million of whom speak it as their native tongue. As well as being an official language in Italy, Italian also has official status in one form or another in Ticino and the Grisons in Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, Croatia and Slovenia. More than 700,000 Americans also speak it (and the word ‘America’ itself comes from the name of Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci). 

Many English words are borrowed from Italian, though some have changed their meaning whilst on loan. ‘Latte’ for example, means ‘milk’ in Italy, while in English it is used to describe a milky coffee. Likewise, ‘bimbo’ refers to an unintelligent but attractive woman in English, while in Italian it means ‘kid’ (male). ‘Confetti’ is another example – it means ‘sugared almonds’ in Italy, rather than the small pieces of paper that are thrown over just-married couples. 

How to Study Abroad in Italy

If the combination of a cost-effective education, rich culture, and the desire to learn the Italian language has your mind made up about studying in Italy, then it’s time to deal with some practicalities.

First and foremost, you’ll need to identify which university you want to apply to, factoring in what you want to study, where you want to live, and what scholarships and/or free accommodation offers may come with the establishment in question.

You’ll likely need to undertake some Italian translation as part of the process. After all, the most comprehensive reviews of universities, courses, accommodation, city life, and so on will all be written in Italian. For this kind of research, you don’t need a professional Italian translator – a free machine translation service should suffice when it comes to delivering Italian translations that are at least understandable, if not particularly grammatically accurate. 

However, when it comes to your university application, you will need a native speaker who can deliver accurate, high-quality translations that ensure your university application stands out from the crowd (and for all the right reasons, not due to its poor grammar and frequent spelling mistakes). Using professional Italian translation services delivered by native speakers is the best way forward at this point.  

Requirements That May Need English to Italian Translation

You will need to submit a variety of documents as part of your application, including: 

  • an identity document (usually your passport)
  • an official SAT or ACT score
  • an academic transcript
  • a CV
  • details of your language proficiency (in Italian, English or both) 
  • details of the hours of study and/or training that you have already completed through other courses and programmes
  • letters of recommendation and motivation 

You might be wondering if you need certified Italian translations for your documents. If your documents aren’t in English or Italian, you must translate them by a professional native translator accredited in providing Italian translation services. Some academic institutions will accept English documents, but in the end, it will depend on their discretion if they will accept them. Be sure to check with your chosen place of study well in advance so that you have time to arrange translations with professionals.

Depending on the subject you want to study, you might also need to produce other documents. If you want to study architecture, for example, you will need to provide a portfolio. An Italian translation will most likely be well received.

The same applies if you want to undertake a design course. For other subjects (medicine and engineering are two examples), you may also need to pass an exam before you are accepted onto the course.

It can be useful to use your Italian translation company here. Your translator can help you understand the requirements of the university and ensure that you don’t miss anything in terms of understanding the paperwork and what you need to do to secure your place on the course of your choice.

Italian translation may also come in handy when it comes to an understanding of the terms of scholarship funding and of any accommodation opportunities that may be available. 

Final Thoughts

Setting out to complete your education in another country can be an incredible adventure and doing so in Italy brings with it a huge range of exciting opportunities to immerse yourself in the Italian language and culture.

You do need to get the paperwork side of the experience right, so put some time and effort into finding the right Italian translation company to meet your needs (and your budget). Doing so means that you can enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that you’ve done all you can to ensure the application process runs smoothly. Then you can sit back, relax and enjoy the excitement of spending the next chapter of your life in Italy.

Is Italian hard to learn? 

That depends on your starting point. If you speak English already, then learning Italian shouldn’t pose too many problems. And if you’re immersed in the language due to living in Italy while you study, you should pick it up much faster.

What is the most accurate Italian translation? 

For research where a word-perfect outcome isn’t essential, Google Translate is a decent enough option. However, it’s best to use a professional human translator if you’re seeking accurate, high-quality translation. 

What is the difference between machine translation and human translation?

As the name indicates, machine translation is a translation that is completed by a computer. Human translation is done by a person, though they may use translation tools as part of that process.