Ca' Foscari University of Venice
Università Ca' Foscari Venezia
Italy's first business school, founded in 1868 in a Gothic palace on the Grand Canal, now a full university with English-taught bachelor's.
- Students
- 21,000
- 13,033 undergraduates
- International
- 9%
- of students
- Tuition
- €700
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1868
About Ca' Foscari
Ca' Foscari was founded on 6 August 1868 as the Scuola Superiore di Commercio, the first business school in Italy and the second in Europe, where the study of languages and diplomatic sciences grew alongside commerce. Its main seat is still the Gothic palace of Ca' Foscari on the Grand Canal, with other buildings across Venice's historic centre, a science campus in Mestre, a campus in Treviso and the H-Campus at Roncade for the Digital Management degree.
Today it is a public university with more than 21,000 students, about 1,500 international students a year and 1,500 faculty and staff. It is organised into seven departments, the Venice School of Management and three schools, covering economics and management, languages and cultures (including Asian and North African studies), humanities, and sciences from computer science to environmental sciences and chemistry. Four of its departments have been named Departments of Excellence by the Italian ministry.
International applicants apply online through apply.unive.it, in rounds that start in December. Eight bachelor's degrees are taught in English, including Economics and Business, Business Administration and Management, and Computer Science. Fees are low for most students, from 700 to 2,100 euros a year for non-EU citizens, although two specialised management degrees cost far more.
Why students choose Ca' Foscari
English-taught bachelor's degrees in Economics and Business, Business Administration and Management, Digital Management, Computer Science (Data Science), Hospitality Innovation and e-Tourism, Italian and Mediterranean Studies, and Philosophy, International and Economic Studies.
Flat annual fees for non-EU students in 2026/27: 700 euros for low human development countries, 1,300 euros for most others and 2,100 euros for OECD countries such as the US, UK or Japan (bachelor's).
Ca' Foscari Honours Scholarships worth 10,000 euros a year, renewable, for 8 new bachelor's students.
More than 60 double or joint degrees, over 500 mobility agreements and membership of the EUTOPIA European university alliance.
Admissions
2027/28 entry (bachelor's rounds not yet listed; 2026/27 dates shown for reference)
Selectivity
No overall admission rate is published. Applications from students with international qualifications are pre-evaluated by the Welcome Unit for eligibility; limited-access programmes also rank applicants on an entry test, such as the CEnT-S for the economics, management and computer science bachelor's.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary school diploma | At least 12 years of schooling; a national university entrance exam is not required by Ca' Foscari, but Italian consulates may ask for it for the visa and Declaration of Value |
|---|---|
| Limited-access bachelor's (economics, management, computer science) | CEnT-S entry test (Mathematics and Reasoning on texts and data sections) |
| Language certification | Certified English (or Italian) at the level required by the programme, provided at enrolment; non-EU applicants to Italian-taught programmes take an Italian language test |
| English language | Every enrolling student must have their English assessed at the level set for the programme; recognised certifications are listed by the university, and B2-level English tests are available for students without one. No single IELTS or TOEFL minimum is published on the admissions pages. |
Deadlines
- EU applicants: bachelor's with an entry test (2026/27 cycle) Non-binding Passed22 July 2026 (past)
Also applies to non-EU citizens already resident in Italy with a valid permit.
- Universitaly pre-enrolment (non-EU visa applicants, 2026/27) Non-binding Passed30 September 2026
Later pre-enrolments are not considered even for admitted students. Non-EU visa applicants could no longer apply for 2026/27 when checked.
- EU applicants: bachelor's without an entry test (2026/27 cycle) Non-binding Next deadline · In 8 days14 October 2026
Applications for 2026/27 opened on 17 December 2025.
- First 2027/28 admission round (master's programmes, non-EU visa applicants) Non-binding In ~3 months14 January 2027, 13:00 Rome time
Opens 17 December 2026 on apply.unive.it; described as the first of multiple admission rounds for 2027/28. Bachelor's rounds for 2027/28 were not yet listed when checked.
For 2026/27, applications opened on 17 December 2025 in several citizenship-based rounds. For 2027/28 the first round opens on 17 December 2026 and closes on 14 January 2027 for master's programmes; check apply.unive.it with your citizenship selected for the bachelor's rounds. Merit scholarships require applying in the first or second round.
How to apply
Register on apply.unive.it, choose up to two bachelor's or master's programmes in order of priority, upload your documents and pay the 30-euro application fee within one admission round. The Welcome Unit checks eligibility; limited-access programmes add an entry test. Admitted students receive a letter of enrolment eligibility; non-EU students needing a visa must then pre-enrol on Universitaly (by 30 September in 2026) and apply for a study visa.
What admissions looks for
- An eligible secondary qualification after at least 12 years of schooling.
- For limited-access programmes, a competitive CEnT-S or other entry-test score.
- Certified language skills at the level each programme requires.
- For scholarships, a cumulative average of 85% or higher and an application in the first two rounds.
Tips for applying to Ca' Foscari
- 1 Apply in the first or second round if you want to be considered for a 10,000-euro Honours Scholarship.
- 2 If you need a visa, take the CEnT-S in the November-January or February-March testing period; later results arrive too late.
- 3 Put your preferred programme first: your second choice is only evaluated if the first is refused, and priorities cannot be changed after submission.
- 4 Check the fee for your programme: Digital Management (about 8,934 euros a year) and Hospitality Innovation and e-Tourism (about 7,123) cost much more than other degrees.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Italian and EU-equivalent students get income-based fee reductions through the ISEE (no tuition below 25,000 euros if merit requirements are met). All students, including non-EU, can apply for regional right-to-study scholarships and automatic merit reductions of 315 euros. Ca' Foscari Honours Scholarships give 10,000 euros a year to 8 new bachelor's and 20 new master's students, and refugees and Italian government scholarship holders are exempt from tuition.
- 30 euros for up to two programmes
- Application fee
- 8 x 10,000 euros a year, renewable
- Honours Scholarships (bachelor's)
- 315 euros (e.g. first-years with a school-leaving mark of 98/100)
- Merit reduction
- 1,300 euros a year
- Non-EU flat fee (most countries)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Economics and Business (BA, English)
Taught by the Department of Economics in Venice, with CEnT-S admission and a 1,300-euro non-EU flat fee.
Business Administration and Management (BA, English)
The Venice School of Management's English bachelor's, rooted in Italy's first business school.
Digital Management (BA, English)
Taught at the H-Campus in Roncade (Treviso), at a higher fee of 8,726 euros a year.
Asian and North African languages
Ca' Foscari's Department of Asian and North African Studies teaches languages and cultures of Asia and the Mediterranean, and co-runs the English-taught Ancient Civilizations for the Contemporary World.
Computer Science - Data Science (BSc, English)
Taught at the Mestre science campus by the Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics.
Research
- Four departments recognised by the Italian ministry as 'Departments of Excellence'.
- Among Europe's top institutions for Marie Curie fellowships, with 450+ international research projects and several ERC grants.
- Research Hub for Global Challenges and doctoral programmes in climate change, polar sciences and sustainable chemistry.
- Founded Venice International University (VIU), an international network of universities, in 1995.
Schools & faculties
- Venice School of Management
- Department of Economics
- Department of Asian and North African Studies
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics
- Department of Humanities
- Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems
- Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage
- School of Economics, Languages and Entrepreneurship (Treviso)
- School for International Education
The university cites AlmaLaurea data showing internationalisation, hands-on learning and on-time graduation rates well above the national average, and has 12,000+ internship agreements.
Student life
Studying at Ca' Foscari means living in Venice itself, with lectures in buildings across the historic centre and science on the Mestre campus. The university owns two student residences in Venice (Camplus Santa Marta and DoveVivo Campus Venezia near San Giobbe) and one in Mestre next to the science campus, and its Housing Office helps students find private flats. There is a university theatre, a sports centre, a language centre and a large cultural programme, and the alumni network counts over 29,000 members.
- Two university residences in Venice and one in Mestre, plus a Housing Office for private rentals.
- A university theatre and sports centre.
- More than 60 double or joint degrees and 500+ mobility agreements; EUTOPIA alliance member.
- Ca' Foscari Alumni: 29,000+ members in 90 countries.
Housing. Ca' Foscari owns residences at Santa Marta and San Giobbe in Venice and in Via Torino, Mestre; its Housing Office also vets private rentals.
Location
Venice and its lagoon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are described by the university as an open-air laboratory for the humanities, environmental sciences and cultural heritage. The main campus faces the Grand Canal between Rialto and San Marco in the Dorsoduro district; science is taught in Mestre on the mainland, and some programmes in Treviso and Roncade.
Nearest airport: Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)
Notable alumni
- PW Paul WatzlawickPsychologist and philosopher; PhD in philosophy
- UM Ugo La MalfaItalian politician; studied diplomatic sciences
- LG Lilli GruberJournalist, author, TV presenter and politician
- GD Giuseppe De'LonghiBusinessman (De'Longhi)
- DM Damiano MichielettoOpera director
- FT Francesca TrivellatoHistorian; BA in history
- MB Michele BoldrinEconomist
- BF Barbara FraleHistorian; doctorate in the history of European society
Frequently asked questions
How much does Ca' Foscari cost for international students?
Non-EU students pay a flat annual fee in 2026/27: 700 euros if from a low human development country, 1,300 euros for most countries and 2,100 euros (bachelor's) for OECD countries such as the US or UK. Digital Management and Hospitality Innovation and e-Tourism cost about 8,934 and 7,123 euros a year.
Which bachelor's degrees at Ca' Foscari are taught in English?
Economics and Business, Business Administration and Management, Digital Management, Computer Science (Data Science), Hospitality Innovation and e-Tourism, Italian and Mediterranean Studies, Philosophy, International and Economic Studies, and the inter-university Ancient Civilizations for the Contemporary World.
When do applications open for 2027?
The first 2027/28 round on apply.unive.it opens on 17 December 2026 and closes on 14 January 2027 for master's programmes; bachelor's rounds had not been listed when checked. For 2026/27, applications opened on 17 December 2025.
Do I need to take the CEnT-S for Ca' Foscari?
Yes for the limited-access economics, management and hospitality bachelor's, and for Computer Science if you are a non-EU applicant living abroad. Visa applicants should sit it between November and March.
Does Ca' Foscari offer scholarships to international students?
Yes: 8 Honours Scholarships of 10,000 euros a year for new bachelor's students and 20 for master's students, for applicants with an average of 85% or more who apply in the first two rounds. Regional scholarships and merit fee reductions are also available.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to Ca' Foscari in the QS World University Rankings 2027.