Overview
The University of Bologna is the institution most international students have already heard of before they start researching Italy, and for good reason: it is the oldest continuously operating university in the Western world and one of the largest in the country. What matters more for an applicant, though, is the sheer breadth of what it teaches. Almost every discipline you can name has a department here, from law and economics to engineering, veterinary science, agriculture and the humanities, and that breadth makes it a safe first search for students who have not yet narrowed their field.
The university is multi-campus. Bologna itself holds the bulk of the teaching, while Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini host specific schools: aerospace and biomedical engineering in Forlì and Cesena, cultural heritage in Ravenna, tourism and fashion in Rimini. We always tell students to read where a programme is actually delivered, because a smaller Romagna town is a very different daily life from the main city.
For non-EU students the appeal is practical: a long list of English-taught degrees at both bachelor’s and master’s level, a well-organised international desk, and a city that is used to foreign students. The flip side is competition. Popular English-taught programmes receive far more applications than places, and the university assesses applicants carefully on prior transcripts and motivation.
Who it suits
We recommend Bologna to students who want options, who are comfortable in a busy but human-scale city, and who are prepared to compete on the strength of their academic record. It suits applicants in economics, law, engineering and the life sciences particularly well, and it is a good fit for anyone who plans to continue to a PhD, since the research culture is deep across most faculties.
What to check before applying
- Confirm which campus your programme sits on and look at that town’s housing before you accept.
- Read the programme-specific admission requirements, including any curriculum prerequisites for master’s degrees.
- Note the application rounds for your degree: some close earlier than you might expect.
- Prepare your ISEE-parificato paperwork early if you want to benefit from reduced fees.
- Check whether an Italian language certificate is required for Italian-taught options.