Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
A private Catholic university founded in 1921, centred on Milan's Sant'Ambrogio cloisters, with four more campuses.
- Students
- 42,416
- Tuition
- €5,900
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1921
- QS World Ranking
- #388
- 2027 edition
About Cattolica
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore was founded in 1921 by the Franciscan friar, physician and psychologist Agostino Gemelli. Its historic Milan campus occupies the monastic complex of Sant'Ambrogio, with cloisters next to the basilica and a 20th-century facade by Giovanni Muzio, and it also has campuses in Rome, Brescia, Piacenza and Cremona.
Cattolica is a national university with 12 faculties and about 42,400 students in degree programmes (2024). The Milan campus hosts eight faculties and more than 28,000 students, while the Rome campus is home to the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and its partnership with the Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli teaching hospital. The university reports that 90.6% of its master's graduates are employed one year after graduating.
For international students, Cattolica offers nine three-year bachelor's degrees taught in English, from Economics and Management and Finance in Milan to International Business Management in Piacenza, plus six-year Medicine and Surgery programmes in Rome and Bolzano. Fees depend on where your family's income is earned rather than your nationality. It suits students who want a business, economics, psychology or communication degree in Milan with a strong professional network.
Nel cuore della realtà
“In the heart of reality” — university motto
Why students choose Cattolica
Nine English-taught bachelor's degrees, including Economics and Management, Finance, Psychology and International Relations and Global Affairs in Milan.
The Milan campus in the Sant'Ambrogio monastic complex is, in the university's words, a city campus unrivalled in Europe for size and centrality.
Non-EU students can apply for the UCSC International Scholarship, which cuts bachelor's fees from 8,800 euros to 5,900 euros a year.
90.6% of master's graduates are employed one year after graduation, and 37,384 companies and institutions use its internship and placement portal (2024).
Admissions
2027/28 entry (international applicants to English-taught bachelor's degrees)
Selectivity
Cattolica does not publish an overall admit rate. Its English-taught bachelor's degrees have limited places and describe competition as high, with some applicants placed on a waiting list.
Typical entry requirements
| IB Diploma | Economics and Management: 31 points for priority consideration, with Mathematics AA or AI at SL 5 or HL 4; Cattolica also publishes a separate IB admission policy. |
|---|---|
| A-levels | At least three A-levels in different subjects; CCC or better for priority consideration in Economics and Management. |
| US high school diploma | Two full years in a US high school plus three AP exams passed with 3 or higher (or a year of university or a recognised Italian foundation course); GPA 3.0 for priority consideration in Economics and Management. |
| Other national diplomas | At least 12 years of schooling and a diploma giving access to university in the issuing country, including any required national exam (e.g. EBAU, ENEM, Gaokao, CSAT). |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 84 B2 English required at the time of application for English-taught bachelor's degrees, with certificates dated 1 January 2024 or later: e.g. IELTS Academic 6.0, TOEFL iBT 84, or Cambridge First, Advanced or Proficiency. |
Deadlines
- Round 1 (all English-taught bachelor's) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~4 months17 February 2027
Applications open 4 November 2026; feedback within 8 weeks, with early results for outstanding applicants from mid-December 2026. Strongly recommended for non-EU students who need a visa.
- Round 2 (some programmes, if places remain) Non-binding In ~7 months5 May 2027
Opens 18 February 2027 for programmes such as International Business Management; Economics and Management has a single round closing 17 February 2027.
Dates are for 2027/28 entry to English-taught bachelor's degrees. Waiting-list applicants receive final feedback by the end of July 2027. For 2026/27, the UniversItaly pre-enrolment deadline for non-EU students was 3 July 2026.
How to apply
Apply directly to one programme (no second choice) through Cattolica's Online Application Portal: CV, motivation letter, passport, high school transcripts for the last years and any A-level, AP, IB or SAT/ACT evidence, plus the application fee. Admitted non-EU students must then submit a pre-enrolment request on the UniversItaly portal before applying for a study visa.
What admissions looks for
- High school grades, especially in Mathematics for Economics and Management.
- Overall academic performance of 75% or higher for priority consideration.
- B2-level English proven by an approved certificate at the time of application.
- A clear motivation letter for the specific programme (dedicated formats for Communication Management and Psychology).
Tips for applying to Cattolica
- 1 Apply in Round 1 (by 17 February 2027), especially if you need an Italian study visa.
- 2 Choose carefully: you cannot list a second-choice programme.
- 3 If you have not studied maths in your last two years, plan an SAT or ACT, or prepare for the Cattolica Admission Test.
- 4 Non-EU applicants should request the UCSC International Scholarship in the application itself; it cuts fees to 5,900 euros a year.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Fees depend on where family income is produced, not on citizenship. Students with Italian or EU income can apply for EDUCatt scholarships under Italy's right-to-study system; non-EU students can apply for the UCSC International Scholarship, renewed automatically for the normal length of the degree plus up to three extra years. The university also funds merit awards such as the '100 Grants + 100 Awards' scheme (2,000 euro grants), and in 2024 about 9.3% of students were exempt from fees.
- 6,570 euros (2024)
- Average annual family spend on fees (after benefits)
- 9.3% (2024)
- Students exempt from tuition fees
- 3,475 (2024)
- Students receiving scholarships
- Bachelor's fee reduced from 8,800 to 5,900 euros a year
- UCSC International Scholarship
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
BSc Economics and Management (Milan)
English-taught and maths-heavy; 93.5% of graduates were satisfied with the programme, and Cattolica is in the QS global top 250 for Economics and Econometrics (2025).
Finance (Milan)
An English-taught bachelor's in Italy's financial capital.
International Business Management (Piacenza)
English-taught, with two application rounds for 2027 entry.
Food Production Management (Piacenza)
English-taught agrifood degree on the Piacenza campus, whose faculties focus on agribusiness, environmental and economic sectors.
Medicine and Surgery (Rome and Bolzano)
Six-year programmes taught in English; the Rome faculty trains students in partnership with the Policlinico Gemelli teaching hospital.
Psychology (Milan)
English-taught bachelor's from the faculty tied to Agostino Gemelli's own discipline.
Research
- 146 research facilities and 964 active research projects in 2024.
- The Faculty of Medicine and Surgery works with the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS in Rome, where 6,066 students take part in clinical activities.
- Cattolica belongs to SACRU, the Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities, with Boston College, Sophia University and five others.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Economics
- Faculty of Economics and Law
- Faculty of Banking, Finance and Insurance Sciences
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Political and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Arts and Philosophy
- Faculty of Linguistic Sciences and Foreign Literatures
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Psychology
- Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences
- Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery "A. Gemelli"
90.6% of graduate (master's) degree graduates were employed one year after graduation in 2024; 91.9% of graduates were satisfied with their studies.
Student life
In Milan, student life centres on the cloisters of Sant'Ambrogio, a city-centre campus the university calls unrivalled in Europe for its size and centrality, next to the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio. EDUCatt, the university's student-services foundation, runs campus colleges for about 1,240 students, serves around 600,000 meals a year and offers health and counselling services. Student associations organise cultural activities and publish free magazines, and the colleges have their own traditions.
- Campus Colleges run by EDUCatt house about 1,240 students.
- About 2,700 students took part in outgoing international programmes in 2024, and the university offers 37 double degrees.
- The 'Virgins' Garden' of St Catherine of Alexandria on the Milan campus is a long-standing campus curiosity.
- The sports centre 'Rino Fenaroli' in Milan hosts university sport.
Housing. EDUCatt offers university colleges, residences and other housing options, with about 1,240 students in its Campus Colleges.
Location
Milan is Italy's business and financial capital and a European hub for fashion, design and banking. Cattolica's main campus is in the historic monastic complex beside the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio. Other campuses are in Rome (home of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery), Brescia, Piacenza and Cremona, which are smaller cities.
Nearest airport: Milan Linate Airport (LIN)
Notable alumni
- RP Romano ProdiPrime Minister of Italy and President of the European Commission; law graduate, 1961
- AF Amintore FanfaniPrime Minister of Italy several times; graduated in political and economic sciences, 1930
- OL Oscar Luigi ScalfaroPresident of Italy (1992-1999); studied law
- TA Tina AnselmiItaly's first woman cabinet minister; studied literature
- MJ Michaëlle JeanGovernor General of Canada and Secretary-General of La Francophonie; studied languages and literature
- LP Luigi PasinettiPost-Keynesian economist; laurea in economics, 1954
- NT Nicola TrussardiFashion designer who built Trussardi into an international brand; commerce and economics graduate
- RV Roberto VecchioniSinger-songwriter; graduated in classical literature, 1968
Frequently asked questions
How much does Università Cattolica cost for international students?
If your family's income is earned outside the EU, bachelor's fees are a flat 8,800 euros a year, or 5,900 euros with the UCSC International Scholarship. EU/EFTA income is charged a flat 6,580 euros, and Italian income 3,800 to 11,500 euros depending on the household.
What is the Cattolica application deadline for 2027?
For English-taught bachelor's degrees, Round 1 runs from 4 November 2026 to 17 February 2027. Some programmes, like International Business Management, open a second round until 5 May 2027 if places remain.
What IELTS score does Cattolica require?
English-taught bachelor's degrees require B2 English, such as IELTS Academic 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 84, with certificates dated 1 January 2024 or later.
Does Cattolica require the SAT?
For Economics and Management, SAT or ACT is optional for most diplomas, but required if you didn't study maths in your last two years; US and Canadian diploma holders need SAT/ACT or the Cattolica Admission Test. Minimums are 560 per SAT section or ACT 23.
Do non-EU students need Universitaly pre-enrolment for Cattolica?
Yes. After admission, non-EU students must submit a pre-enrolment request on UniversItaly before applying for a study visa; for 2026/27 the deadline was 3 July 2026.
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.
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