Università degli Studi di Parma

About Università degli Studi di Parma

The University of Parma is an operating state university whose formal Italian name is Università degli Studi di Parma. The Ministry of University and Research includes it among Italy’s state universities, while the institution uses “University of Parma” in English. Official figures updated in April 2026 describe an academic community of more than 37,000 people, including about 35,000 students and more than 2,000 teaching, research and technical-administrative staff. The university is comprehensive rather than narrowly specialized. Its reported 2026 portfolio comprises 109 degree courses: 51 first-cycle programs, seven single-cycle programs and 51 second-cycle programs. It also reports 23 PhD programs and a broader range of specialization schools, professional master programs and advanced courses. These figures make it important to distinguish an Italian second-cycle laurea magistrale from a professional “Master” qualification when comparing credentials internationally. The institution is organized across 10 departments and multiple sites. Humanities, law and other activities occupy buildings in Parma’s urban fabric, while scientific departments are concentrated at the Science and Technology Campus. Medicine and veterinary studies use dedicated complexes, and some health-related teaching operates in Piacenza and Fiorenzuola d’Arda. Prospective students should therefore evaluate the location, teaching language and access rules of their specific course rather than treating the university as a single-campus experience. The institution is actively enrolling for 2026/27, with current degree and doctoral calls confirming continued operation.

Admissions are course- and applicant-specific. For 2026/27, non-EU applicants residing abroad who require a study visa followed dedicated calls rather than the deadlines used for Italian, EU or equivalent applicants. The general call for bachelor’s and single-cycle programs without limited admission ran from 24 February to 24 April 2026. Limited-admission programs were excluded from that call and followed their own university or national procedures. By the profile date, that general application window had closed. For second-cycle study, applicants normally need an appropriate prior degree and must satisfy the academic and language requirements of the chosen program. The university’s 2026/27 international instructions required materials such as a curriculum vitae, degree documentation, transcripts and language evidence. Applicants receiving a positive assessment still had to complete the relevant university enrollment steps; visa applicants also had to pre-enrol through Universitaly and pursue the immigration process independently. Admission methods can include TOLC tests, other entrance examinations, interviews or evaluation of qualifications. Nationally or locally scheduled courses have separate calls, available places and deadlines, so no single institutional acceptance rate or universal deadline is meaningful. Doctoral programs use a separate competitive call. Applicants should consult the live course page and official call immediately before applying, verify whether they fall under EU-equivalent or visa-requiring rules, and distinguish academic admission from visa issuance. A positive university decision does not itself guarantee a visa or accommodation.

The 2026 academic portfolio covers first-cycle bachelor-level study, long single-cycle degrees, second-cycle master-level study and research doctorates. The university reports 51 first-cycle courses, seven single-cycle courses and 51 second-cycle courses. It also identifies 18 degree courses taught in English and 32 double-degree arrangements. Applicants should verify the current language and curriculum in the individual course catalogue because English-taught availability is program-specific and the database record’s general language field should not be applied to every course. Teaching and research extend across 10 departments. The university’s sites reflect major subject groupings: science and technology facilities occupy the large campus at Parco Area delle Scienze; medicine uses the Gramsci and integrated biotechnology complexes; veterinary teaching has its own Cornocchio complex; and humanities, languages, law and related fields use several city-centre locations. This structure can affect commuting, access to laboratories and where students use libraries or administrative services. Admission design also varies by course. Some programs are open-access, while others use a TOLC assessment, entrance examination, interview, evaluation of qualifications or nationally regulated selection. A positive international pre-evaluation does not remove any course-specific selection requirement. Doctoral study is separately competitive: the official PhD page describes three-year programs centered substantially on research, supervised work and possible periods abroad or placements with public or private organizations. The university published its XLII-cycle call for 2026/27, confirming active doctoral provision. Students comparing options should consult the individual course page for prerequisites, teaching language, syllabus, access category and any compulsory practical component.

Key Highlights

• Public state university recognized by Italy’s Ministry of University and Research
• About 35,000 students reported in the university’s April 2026 figures
• 109 degree courses and 23 PhD programs reported for 2026
• Teaching and research distributed across Parma and selected sites in the Piacenza area

Student Life & Environment

Student life is spread between central Parma and the Science and Technology Campus, so daily routines depend strongly on the course location. The 77-hectare science campus contains teaching facilities, libraries, dining provision and sports infrastructure, while other students study in historic urban complexes close to city services. University libraries are organized by subject area, and the institution also provides student information and administrative support through its city and campus locations. Housing is not automatically included with admission. For 2026/27, the university states that more than 2,200 accommodation places will be available, around 750 more than in the preceding year. Almost 1,000 are reserved for students benefiting from right-to-study support. ER.GO, the Emilia-Romagna regional agency, administers income-based accommodation opportunities, while the university’s Vetrina Alloggi platform advertises rentals from companies and private owners. Eligibility, application timing and availability differ, so students should not assume that a university place guarantees a room. International and exchange students can use the Welcome Office for practical assistance. University guidance covers arrival administration and access to accommodation information, while incoming exchange activities include semester welcome events. Students seeking clubs, sport or cultural participation should check the current university service pages and their department, since activities and access conditions may change between academic years.

Location & Surroundings

Parma is in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, but the university does not occupy one enclosed site. Its headquarters at Via Università 12 contains the rectorate, central administration and law facilities. Humanities and languages use the D’Azeglio, Del Prato and San Michele complexes, while medical teaching is associated with the Gramsci and integrated biotechnology sites. Veterinary facilities are at the Cornocchio complex. The Science and Technology Campus at Parco Area delle Scienze is the university’s largest concentrated site. Official information describes 77 hectares with scientific departments, classrooms, libraries, canteens and other facilities. Students in these subjects should account for travel between the campus and central Parma when choosing housing. The university also reports teaching locations outside Parma. Its Piacenza campus hosts Medicine and Surgery classes, while nursing and physiotherapy activity is associated with Piacenza and Fiorenzuola d’Arda sites. Applicants to health programs should confirm the actual teaching location in the course notice rather than relying on the database city alone. Housing, transport and placement arrangements may differ substantially between Parma and the Piacenza-area locations.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For full-time degree students in 2026/27, the annual charge consists of a €140 regional right-to-study tax, a €16 stamp duty and a university contribution calculated individually. The contribution depends on economic status measured through ISEE, subject area, academic progress and years of enrollment. Students who do not submit the required economic information, or whose ISEE exceeds €70,000, are charged the applicable maximum contribution for their category. This means a single tuition figure would be misleading, especially for international students whose income documentation may follow different rules. The published payment structure uses three instalments. The first is the €156 regional tax and stamp duty; the second and third divide the personalized university contribution. Exact deadlines and amounts depend on enrollment status and the applicable 2026/27 notice. Scholarships, fee concessions and subsidized housing may be available through the university and ER.GO, subject to separate eligibility rules and applications. Prospective students should budget independently for rent, food, transport, health coverage and immigration expenses. Career preparation can include curricular internships where they form part of the study plan. The university states that these placements may take place with an external organization or internally and contribute academic credits; students are responsible for identifying a host, while the activation process is handled through the university system. Because internship requirements and professional outcomes differ by program, applicants should inspect the course curriculum rather than assume every degree includes a placement. No institution-wide salary or employment outcome is presented here because the reviewed official sources did not support one.