Institute of Tourism Studies

About Institute of Tourism Studies

The Institute of Tourism Studies is a specialist public institution rather than a comprehensive university. Maltese legislation establishes it to provide further- and higher-education programmes, practical training and work experience leading to recognised qualifications for tourism, restaurants, catering and related services. The institution states that it was established in 1987, while its international-student website identifies MFHEA licence 2017-008 for higher-education provision. ITS remains operational for the 2026–2027 academic year. Its prospectus announcement confirms programmes from MQF/EQF Level 2 through Level 7 and applications for programmes beginning in September 2026. The academic range includes culinary arts, rooms division, events, travel and tourism, tourist guiding, hospitality management, heritage interpretation and diving safety management. This narrow sector focus is important for decision-making: students seeking broad disciplinary choice may find the institution restrictive, while those committed to hospitality or tourism gain a curriculum designed around those industries. The main Malta campus is in Aviation Park, Ħal Luqa, near Malta International Airport, and ITS also operates in Qala, Gozo. Practical facilities listed for the Malta campus include individual kitchens, training restaurants, pastry, wine, bar and rooms-division laboratories. The Gozo campus includes kitchens, training restaurants, a hostel and the International School of Diving Safety and Management. Programme availability should be checked individually because not every course is offered at every site or in the same attendance format.

Admission is programme-specific and based on the published entry criteria for the chosen qualification. ITS assesses accredited academic credentials and may also consider work experience through Recognition of Prior Learning. Its rules allow certain cases to be referred to the Admissions Board and indicate that an interview, personal profiling exercise or other assessment may be used where appropriate. Applicants should therefore rely on the individual 2026–2027 course page rather than treat general requirements as a guarantee of entry. The standard online application asks for identity documentation, prior certificates or transcripts, a Europass-format CV and a suitable identification photograph. A food-handling licence is required for courses involving practical kitchen, restaurant or event sessions, although ITS says applicants without one may have an opportunity to take the relevant course. The application page lists a non-refundable registration fee of €25 for Maltese and EU nationals and €100 for non-EU nationals who require visas or permits. For September 2026 entry, the institution announced a regular application deadline of 10 August 2026, with late submissions accepted after publication of MATSEC or SEC resit results. That date is specific to the 2026 intake and should not be carried forward to later years. International applicants must document the EQF level of their qualifications, potentially through MQRIC recognition. The current general English table places bachelor’s study at CEFR B2 and master’s study at C1, with accepted IELTS and TOEFL score bands shown online. Individual programmes may impose additional academic or practical conditions.

ITS organises its provision as a progression pathway from foundation and vocational study to degree level. For 2026–2027, the institution reports qualifications up to MQF/EQF Level 7. Its current programme catalogue includes Level 6 bachelor’s degrees and Level 7 master’s degrees, alongside certificates, diplomas and undergraduate diplomas. The database’s listed doctoral level is not supported by current official material and should not be used when comparing degree options. Current degree examples include the Bachelor in Culinary Arts (Honours), delivered in collaboration with Institut Lyfe; the Bachelor in International Hospitality Management (Honours) with specialisations, delivered with Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences; and the Bachelor of Science in Diving Safety Management, offered in full-time and part-time formats with DAN Europe. Current postgraduate listings include the Master of Arts in Heritage Interpretation and full-time or part-time versions of the MBA in International Hospitality Management. Delivery varies: the catalogue identifies on-campus, blended and online options, so applicants need to examine the page for the exact programme they intend to enter. Practical learning is central to the academic model. ITS describes specialised kitchens and hospitality laboratories, internships, work experience and Erasmus opportunities. Some courses contain local or international placements, but placement structure should not be assumed to be identical across programmes. Prospective students should compare ECTS totals, attendance mode, progression or exit awards, practical requirements and any partner-institution arrangements. Programme-specific pages and the 2026–2027 prospectus are the appropriate sources for final curriculum and eligibility decisions.

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.