Institute of Tourism Studies

Key Highlights

• Public specialist institution established in 1987
• Licensed in Malta to provide higher-education programmes
• Operating with a published 2026–2027 prospectus
• Programmes span MQF/EQF Levels 2 through 7
• Campuses listed in Ħal Luqa and Qala, Gozo

Student Life & Environment

Student life at ITS is shaped by a small, professionally focused campus environment rather than the breadth of a large multidisciplinary university. At the Malta campus, students have access to training restaurants, culinary and beverage laboratories, a rooms-division lab, a computer lab and a Youth Hub. These spaces support both practical coursework and interaction among students preparing for closely related industries. The Gozo campus has its own training facilities and a hostel, although applicants should confirm eligibility and availability directly rather than assume that housing is included with admission. The institution provides confidential wellbeing sessions, including online support for students completing foreign work placements. Its student-support team also discusses academic or placement-related concerns and helps students prepare for international internships. Career guidance is available to prospective and current students and covers programme choice, career planning, CV feedback, mock interviews and employability development. Learning Associates support students with individual needs, learning challenges and specific difficulties. ITS asks applicants who need this assistance to disclose their needs during the application process. Support may include access arrangements, adaptations for lectures or practical sessions, study assistance and additional explanations. The institution also promotes orientation, Freshers activities, open-day events and Erasmus mobility, but students should consult the current events calendar for dates rather than rely on recurring event names.

Location & Surroundings

The official campus address places the principal Malta site at Aviation Park on Aviation Avenue in Ħal Luqa, close to Malta International Airport. This is not a central St. Julian’s location, so applicants should plan housing and commuting around Luqa and verify transport connections for their timetable. The airport-area setting may suit an institution focused on tourism and hospitality, but students seeking a city-centre campus experience should examine the surrounding area before enrolling. ITS also operates a campus on Triq l-Isqof Buttigieg in Qala, Gozo. Its facilities include individual kitchens, training restaurants, a hostel and diving-safety teaching infrastructure. Gozo is a separate island from Malta, and travel between the two involves a ferry connection; students should therefore identify the actual teaching campus for their programme before arranging accommodation. The Malta campus’s listed facilities include pastry and individual kitchens, training restaurants, wine and bar laboratories, a rooms-division lab and a computer lab. Campus location is programme-sensitive: the presence of specialised diving facilities in Gozo does not mean every ITS student studies there, and the institution’s overseas activity in China should not be confused with admission to its Malta-based programmes.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Tuition is not presented as one institution-wide figure. ITS states that fees vary by programme and directs applicants to the relevant course page and tariff tables. International students may pay tuition for the academic year in full or by semester. Because the official fee interface is course-specific and the published page does not provide a single 2026–2027 total, applicants should obtain the exact written fee for their programme, nationality and study mode before accepting an offer. Application or registration charges are additional. The current admissions page lists a non-refundable fee of €25 for Maltese and EU applicants and €100 for non-EU applicants who need visas or permits. International students must also budget for possible course-related items such as uniforms, aprons and kitchen tools. Housing, transport and ordinary living expenses are separate considerations. ITS states that tuition can be refunded following a formal visa refusal when the required refusal document is supplied, while application fees remain non-refundable. Career preparation is integrated into the specialist curriculum through practical facilities, work placements and internship opportunities. Career-advising services help students explore pathways, review CVs and prepare for interviews. The programme catalogue connects study to hospitality management, culinary work, tourism services, heritage interpretation and diving-safety roles, but no current official graduate salary or independently verified placement-rate figure was found. Students should evaluate likely outcomes by examining the precise qualification level, placement structure, professional requirements and geographic portability of each programme rather than relying on general employment claims.