It is true that English is not very widely spoken in Italy but, there are some universities in Italy that teach in English. At Study Abroad Nations, we will be listing the top 9 of them. Interested to find out more about these schools? Follow us as we take you down the aisle.
Italy is a very beautiful country that has a population of about 60 million people with spectacular cities, ancient ruins, wonderful museums, soaring mountains, great beaches, and beautiful natural scenery.
Being a non-English speaking country, It is dependent on its local language – Italian. The percentage of Italians who are fluent in English is about 30%, and they are mostly found in big cities like Rome, Milan, Florence, or Venice.
It offers quality higher education with more affordable tuition fees than other Western European countries. There are around 32,000 international students in Italy, including independent students and those on exchange programs.
The cost of tuition will vary at each institution. However, you should expect to pay more if you choose to attend a private university. A bachelor’s course will, on average, cost €900 to €4,000 per year at a public institution.
Fees at a private institution usually cost, on average, €6,000 to €20,000 per year. If you are from the EU or EEA, you probably won’t pay more than Italian citizens. Other international students should expect higher course costs.
We all know that Italy is not an English-speaking country, but the good thing is that they are doing everything possible to help their citizens develop more proficiency in the language by teaching them English in some specific ways.
Just like in Japan, there are methods that they imply to teach their students English in order to make it easier for them to develop speaking and writing skills in the language. In China too, there are also ways outlined for teaching their citizens English.
If you wish to study/are studying in any of the universities in Italy that teach in English we have provided in this post, then we recommend that you get some pdf English test with answers, or even enroll in some online English tests with certificates for free, it will go a far way in helping you develop your accent in English
Continue reading to find out about these universities in Italy that teach in English.
Before we proceed, you can quickly check out some cheap universities in Europe that teach in English
Why Do Some Italian Universities Teach in English?
It is true that English is the most used and preferred language for businesses, scientific research, education, etc and there is no doubt that no country wants to lag in any of these areas and neither does Italy.
So, in order for them to fit in, they teach their students to become bilingual and improve their knowledge of a target culture. It makes students more competitive when applying for jobs in foreign countries.
Another reason is that they may want to spread their own culture throughout the world or have political reasons for adopting English as a medium for communication and instruction, such as nation-building and adjusting their country with English-speaking neighbors.
Requirements for Italian Universities
Before you can get admission into any Italian university, you have to meet the following requirements:
- Hold a foreign high-school diploma/bachelor’s degree (for graduate students) that proves that you qualify for university education in Italy with a minimum of 59% in your last two years of study.
- English or Italian language proficiency depending on the program you want to apply for. TOEFL and IELTS are the generally accepted English exams.
- Specific programs require particular scores in specific subjects
- Specific universities also have entrance exams for different programs.
- Academic transcript of records or grades
The above-listed requirements are the general requirements for any university in Italy, any other requirements are based on the institution or the department of interest.
9 Universities in Italy that Teach in English
Here is a list our list of Universities in Italy that teach in English, let’s find out more about them.
1. Politecnico di Milano
Here is the first university in our list of universities in Italy that teach in English Politecnico di Milano is one of the most outstanding technical universities in Europe and the most populated in the whole of Italy. It was established in 1863 and it is currently the most populated university in Milan, Italy.
The school is organized into 4 Departments and 4 schools that offer innovative programs at all academic levels. Almost the entire postgraduate academic offer is taught in English, thus attracting an ever-increasing number of international students, coming from over 100 countries.
The list of programs offered here includes Aerospace Engineering, Architectural Design, Automation Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Building and Construction Engineering, Building Engineering/Architecture (5 years program), Automation Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Building, and Construction Engineering, Building Engineering/Architecture (5 years program, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering for Risk Mitigation, Communication Design, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Energy Engineering, Engineering of Computing Systems, Environmental and Land Planning Engineering, Fashion Design, Urban Planning.
Poletecnico the Milano has seven campuses: Milano Leonardo, Milano Bovisa, Como, Lecco, Cremona, Mantova, and Piacenza.
2. Universita di Bologna
The second university in our list of universities in Italy that teach in English is “University di Bologna”
The University of Bologna, also known as UNIBO the oldest university in the world and was established in 1808.
UNIBO is renowned for preparing such students as Dante, Petrarca, and Carducci and, more recently, for having in its employ as professors the author Umberto Eco and the former Prime Minister Romano Prodi, to name a few. With such famous students, you might find yourself inspired to be the next great.
3. Politecnico di Torino
Most of these courses are taught in English and we have listed a few of these courses which are available for international students. They are Aerospace Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Building Engineering, Chemical, and Food Engineering, Cinema and Media Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Business, and Management.
4. University of Trento
The University of Trento is the 4th on our list of universities in Italy that teach in English. The school was founded in 1962 and it currently has a total number of about 16,000 students that study in their various programs.
It has a total of 11 Departments and 3 Centres, the University of Trento offers international students a wide choice of courses at Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. levels.
- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AREA – Courses in English 2021-22
- PSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITIVE SCIENCE AREA – Courses in English 2021-2022
- SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES AREA – Courses in English 2021-2022.
Some of the courses taught in English in this school include Food production, Agric-food Law, Mathematics, Industrial Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Plant Physiology.
5. Sapienza University of Rome
The Sapienza University of Rome or Sapienza Universita di Roma, a public university in Rome happens to be the fifth on our list of universities in Italy that teach in English. It is the largest and oldest university in Europe, founded in 1303, and it is a top-ranked English-taught institution in Italy and the world at large.
The University is known for its excellence in Classics & Ancient History, Archaeology, Physics and Astronomy, Environmental Studies, Nanotechnology, and many other areas.
Sapienza offer about a hundred undergraduate and master’s degree programs around 51 are taught exclusively in English, and a few more are delivered partly in English. This provides many international students with diverse options, including biochemistry, bioinformatics, applied computer science & artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence & robotics.
Location: Rome, Italy
University type: Public
Degrees offered: Undergraduates, master’s, and Ph.D
Visit Sapienza University of Rome
6. University of Padua
The University of Padua founded in 1222 is the sixth on our list of universities in Italy that teach in English. It is the second oldest university in Italy and the fifth in the world.
It offers some English-taught undergraduate and postgraduate programs to a population of over 60,000 students.
Some of these programs include Animal care, Information Engineering, Psychological Science, Biotechnology, Food and Health, Forest Science, Business Administration, Economics and Finance, Computer Science, Cyber Security, Medicine and Surgery, Astrophysics, and Data Science.
Location: Padua, Italy
University type: Public
Degrees offered in English: Undergraduates and master’s degree.
7. University of Naples – Federico II
The 7th on our list of universities in Italy that teach in English is the University of Naples which was founded in 1224, and is the oldest public non-sectarian university in the world. Presently, made up of 26 departments, offering postgraduate and undergraduate degrees.
The University provides 155 MS degrees through its 3 Schools and 26 Departments, which operate as semi-independent entities for teaching and research activities.
Some of the courses taught in English in this school include Architecture, Chemical Engineering, Data Science, Economics and Finance, Hospitality Management, Industrial Bioengineering, International Relations, Mathematical Engineering, and Biology.
Location: Naples, Italy
University type: Public
Degrees offered in English: Undergraduates and master’s degree.
Visit University of Naples Federico II
8. Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele was founded in 1996 and is organized into three departments, namely; Medicine, Philosophy, and Psychology. These departments offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs which are not only taught in Italian but also in English.
Biotechnology and Medical Biology, Political Science, Psychology, Philosophy, and Public Affairs are among the English Programs taught at this university.
Location: Milan, Italy
University type: Private
Visit Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele
9. University of Pisa
The University of Pisa is the last on our list of universities in Italy that teach in English. The public research university was founded in 1343 and it is the 19th oldest extant university in the world and the 10th oldest in Italy.
The Renowned university offers both undergraduate and postgraduate programs to a population of over 45,000 students.
The following courses are a few that are taught in English. These courses are Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Engineering, Health Sciences, Mathematical, Physical, and Natural Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
Location: Pisa, Italy
University Type: Public
Degrees: Bachelor, Masters, Ph.D
Conclusion
We wrote only about 9 universities in Italy that teach in English but it doesn’t mean that’s the total number of such universities in Italy. There are more of them that we didn’t write about.
If you really wish to study at any of these universities in Italy that teach in English, then remember to take some of the English tests that we recommended earlier in this blog post as they will go a long way in helping you as you journey through study.
Universities in Italy that Teach in English – FAQs
Do Italian Universities Teach in English?
Some Italian universities offer study programs taught both in Italian and English, and some fully in English. However, most English study programs are available at the Undergraduate and postgraduate levels (Master’s degrees and Ph.D.)
Can I Study Bachelor in Italy in English?
Yes, you can.
Some universities in Italy offer English-taught Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degrees and the 9 universities in Italy that teach in English we wrote about in this post offer study programs taught in English.
How Much Does it Cost to Study in Italy in English?
Studying English in Italy in English, on average costs €900 to €4,000 per year at a public institution.
Fees at a private institution usually cost, on average, €6,000 to €20,000 per year. If you are from the EU or EEA, you probably won’t pay more than Italian citizens. Other international students should anticipate more increased course costs.