Overview
Tor Vergata was founded in the 1980s to relieve pressure on Sapienza and was designed from the start as a campus university on open land south-east of Rome. The result is something unusual in Italy: a single site with faculty buildings, a teaching hospital, student halls, sports facilities and plenty of space, rather than departments scattered across a historic centre. For students who like the campus model, it is one of the few Italian universities that offers it.
Academically the university is best known for economics and business, engineering, medicine and biotechnology, and physics and mathematics, and it has been one of the more active state universities in creating English-taught degrees, including bachelor’s programmes in economics, business, engineering and global governance as well as a long list of English master’s degrees. The international office runs its own admissions process and offers scholarships and fee reductions for selected non-EU students.
The trade-off is location. The campus is on the edge of the city, so life is split between a quiet, green campus and trips into central Rome by metro and bus. Many international students find this a good balance: lower rents and a calmer daily routine, with the capital available when they want it. The university also runs a well-attended welcome programme and has a sizeable international community.
Who it suits
Tor Vergata suits students who want Rome without the daily intensity of the centre, especially in economics, engineering, biomedical sciences and global governance. It works well for applicants who prefer a campus with everything in one place, and for those who appreciate a somewhat smaller institution with a clear international admissions pathway.
What to check before applying
- Check the application deadlines for English-taught bachelor’s and master’s programmes, which have their own rounds.
- Review the scholarship schemes for international students and their eligibility criteria.
- Apply for on-campus or DiSCo Lazio housing early, as places are limited.
- Plan your commuting route to central Rome and factor in travel time for internships.
- Confirm whether your programme requires an admission test or interview.