Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

About Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore began in Milan in 1921, founded by Agostino Gemelli with Catholic intellectuals Ludovico Necchi, Francesco Olgiati, Armida Barelli and Ernesto Lombardo. It was officially inaugurated on 7 December 1921 and received Italian state recognition in 1924, enabling it to award qualifications with legal value. Its main Milan campus later moved to the historic former Cistercian monastery near Sant’Ambrogio, which remains central to the institution’s identity and daily activity. The university now operates across five Italian cities: Milan, Brescia, Cremona, Piacenza and Rome. This structure matters when comparing courses because programmes, facilities and academic environments are campus-specific. Milan is the central seat and supports a broad mix of subjects, while medicine and biomedical activity are strongly associated with Rome and the Agostino Gemelli university hospital. Applicants should verify the stated campus on every programme page rather than assume that all offerings are available in Milan. Università Cattolica is classified by the Ministry of Universities and Research as a recognized non-state university. That status distinguishes it from a public state university while confirming its place in Italy’s legally recognized higher-education system. Its Catholic foundation continues to shape the institution, but applicants should base their decision on the curriculum, language, admissions route and campus attached to their chosen degree. Official 2026–27 pages demonstrate ongoing teaching, admissions and student-service operations, with no indication that the institution has closed, merged or ceased accepting students.

Admission is programme-specific. Applicants should first identify the exact degree, campus and applicant category, then follow the corresponding official procedure. Requirements and selection methods can include academic-record review, curricular checks, admission tests or ranked competition, depending on the course. Applicants with foreign qualifications use dedicated international procedures, while holders of Italian qualifications may be directed to different enrolment pages. Citizenship, residence and the need for an Italian study visa can also change the available application round. For many 2026–27 undergraduate programmes serving international applicants, the published general rounds ran from 5 November 2025 to 25 February 2026, from 26 February to 6 May 2026, and from 7 May to 24 June 2026. The second round was generally the final one for non-EU applicants needing a visa. Important exceptions existed: psychology and primary-education programmes used admission tests and separate calendars, while high-demand courses could fill before a nominal closing date. For most two-year graduate degrees, applications opened on 16 February 2026, with rounds ending on 6 May and 24 June. Some programmes opened earlier or used their own schedule. As of August 2026, the university indicated that 2026–27 international graduate applications were closed and that 2027–28 applications would reopen in autumn 2026. Future applicants should therefore use the programme’s live page rather than reuse these expired dates.

Università Cattolica offers undergraduate, integrated-cycle and graduate degrees alongside doctoral study. Its official 2026–27 programme directories span several campuses and fields, including economics and finance, humanities, languages, law, psychology, education, mathematics and natural sciences, agriculture and food studies, and medicine. The exact portfolio varies by location, so students should use the programme filters for campus, faculty and teaching language before building a shortlist. The university publishes both Italian- and English-taught options. Italian remains important across the wider catalogue, while official graduate and doctoral directories identify selected programmes delivered in English. Examples in the 2026–27 graduate directory include Banking and Finance and Management in Milan, Agricultural and Food Economics in Cremona, and Artificial Intelligence for Banking and Finance in Brescia. These examples illustrate the range but should not be treated as a complete or permanently fixed list. Doctoral education is separately documented through an official directory of active programmes. It includes three- and four-year doctorates based in Milan, Rome, Brescia and Piacenza, with Italian- and English-language options. Listed English-taught doctorates include Criminology, Economics and Finance, Management and Innovation, Psychology, Health Systems and Service Research, and Science. Some additional doctorates operate through inter-university agreements in which another institution may hold the administrative seat. Applicants should therefore check supervision, language, duration, funding call and administrative home for the individual doctorate rather than relying only on the university-wide catalogue.

Key Highlights

• Recognized by Italy’s Ministry of Universities and Research as a non-state university
• Founded in Milan in 1921 and legally recognized by the Italian state in 1924
• Central seat in Milan, with campuses in Brescia, Cremona, Piacenza and Rome
• Operating with active 2026–27 programmes, admissions and student services

Student Life & Environment

Student services are organized both through the university and EDUCatt, its foundation for the right to study. EDUCatt’s current service portal covers scholarships, housing, dining, study materials, health support, psychological counselling and Sport InCampus. Availability and procedures can differ across campuses, so students should consult the office and call relevant to their place of study. In Milan, EDUCatt offers university colleges and city residences, while also pointing students toward short-stay accommodation and external housing platforms. Admission to university colleges and residences is competitive rather than automatic: students apply online through MyEDUCatt under an annual call. The 2026–27 residence cycle used specific application sessions and, by June 2026, Milan was publishing procedures for remaining places. Students arriving later should not assume that a university-managed room will still be available. The student portal also brings together academic administration, disability and learning-difference support, tutoring, libraries, volunteering and international-experience information. Career-related activity forms another part of campus life through internship listings, company meetings, recruiting events and career guidance. This creates several structured support channels, although students still need to confirm eligibility, deadlines and capacity for each service.

Location & Surroundings

The university’s central Milan campus is at Largo Agostino Gemelli, near the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio in the historic core of the city. Its principal setting incorporates the former Cistercian monastery acquired by the university in 1927 and opened as the main campus in 1932. Additional Milan buildings supplement this historic complex, so teaching and services may not all occur in a single structure. Milan offers access to a large urban economy and an extensive cultural and professional environment, which may be useful for students pursuing internships and employer contact. The corresponding trade-off is housing: the university’s international accommodation guidance warns that finding an apartment in Milan can be difficult and that online scams occur. Students should begin early, use vetted channels and check commuting distance before committing funds. The institution also teaches in Brescia, Cremona, Piacenza and Rome. These are not interchangeable locations. Applicants should confirm the campus printed on the programme listing, as relocation between cities affects housing, travel, services and access to specialized facilities.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For students enrolling in most programmes in 2026–27, university fees are paid in five instalments. The first instalment is €1,500. The second is generally €1,000 for undergraduate and integrated-cycle degrees and €1,200 for most graduate degrees. Later instalments vary with family income, household size and programme. The university’s general published annual range is €3,284 to €11,806, excluding Medicine and Surgery programmes, whose range is €3,232 to €18,598. Fixed-fee programmes and individual medical courses may follow different rules, so these figures are not a universal price quote. The second instalment for 2026–27 was due on 18 December 2026, followed by instalments on 29 January, 31 March and 28 May 2027. EDUCatt administers scholarships and other financial support, while selected programmes may have additional waivers. Students should obtain an individualized estimate and include accommodation, food, transport, immigration and personal expenses in their budget; no verified universal housing price was published in the sources used here. Career support includes internship and job listings, curricular-internship guidance, career sessions, company meetings, Stage and Placement events, a CV database and the Jobiri digital adviser. The JobTeaser platform includes opportunities in Italy and abroad for students and recent graduates. These services improve access to opportunities but do not guarantee an internship, salary or employment outcome.