University of Bologna
Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna
The oldest university in continuous operation, now a five-campus public university with 92 English-taught degrees.
- Students
- 97,235
- International
- 12%
- of students
- Tuition
- €657
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1088
About Unibo
The University of Bologna dates its founding to 1088 and is widely regarded as the oldest university in continuous operation. Its Latin name, Alma Mater Studiorum, is still part of its official title. It taught Copernicus, Petrarch and Laura Bassi, the first woman to earn a doctorate in science and hold a salaried professorship.
Today it is a large public university of 97,235 students, including 11,302 international students, spread across five campuses: Bologna, Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini. Teaching and research are organised in 31 departments, 11 of which were recognised as departments of excellence by the Italian ministry in 2023. For 2025-26 it offered 103 first-cycle (bachelor's), 142 second-cycle and 15 single-cycle degrees, of which 92 are taught entirely in English, including Economics and Finance, Business and Economics, Genomics, Pharmacy and Medicine and Surgery.
Most programmes are either open access or have a fixed number of places filled by ranking on an entrance test such as TOLC or the SAT. Fees depend on family income, with a full waiver of the variable part up to an ISEE of 27,000 euros. Bologna suits students who want a serious academic programme at low cost in a compact, walkable student city.
Alma Mater Studiorum
“Nourishing mother of studies” — university motto
Why students choose Unibo
92 degree programmes are taught entirely in English, and several bachelor's degrees reserve places for non-EU applicants living abroad.
Fees for 2026-27 start at a fixed 157.04 euros a year, with the variable part waived for families with an ISEE up to 27,000 euros.
Citizens of non-OECD and developing countries whose families have income only outside Italy can pay a reduced flat fee of 500 or 1,000 euros plus 157.04 euros.
Five campuses in Emilia-Romagna, 24 libraries and 16 museums, including the collections of Palazzo Poggi.
Admissions
2027-28 entry (procedures and dates below are from the 2026-27 cycle)
Selectivity
Bologna publishes no overall admission rate. Programmes are either open access or restricted access with a fixed number of places; for example, the English-taught Economics and Finance BSc had 130 places in 2026-27, 40 of them reserved for non-EU citizens living abroad, allocated by SAT ranking.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign secondary qualification | A school-leaving qualification after at least 12 years of schooling that gives access to university under Italian rules (MUR circular on Universitaly) |
|---|---|
| Italian diploma | Five-year upper secondary diploma (or four-year specialist diploma); entry via each programme's call for applications |
| English language | International (English-taught) programmes require proof of English, typically at B2 level; accepted certificates and scores are set in each programme's call for applications. |
Deadlines
- Economics and Finance: first selection Non-binding Passed4 May 2026, 1:00 pm (2026-27 cycle)
Opened 10 February 2026; 50 places for EU and equivalent applicants plus 40 for non-EU applicants residing abroad.
- Economics and Finance: second selection Non-binding Passed3 July 2026, 1:00 pm (2026-27 cycle)
40 places for EU and equivalent applicants.
- Economics and Finance: extraordinary selection Non-binding Passed11 September 2026, 1:00 pm (2026-27 cycle)
Held only if places remain, for EU and equivalent applicants.
- Open-access programmes: fee payment and enrolment Non-binding Passed24 September 2026 (2026-27 cycle)
Late enrolment with a surcharge until 19 November 2026.
Each programme publishes its own call and deadlines; 2027-28 calls are not yet out. The dates shown are from the 2026-27 cycle for the English-taught Economics and Finance BSc and for open-access programmes, and indicate the usual pattern (first selections from February to May).
How to apply
Choose a programme and read its call for applications on the programme website. Register on Studenti Online, submit the application for the selection round and pay the application fee (20 euros for Economics and Finance), and sit the required test. Non-EU applicants living abroad must also complete pre-enrolment on Universitaly after being admitted, to obtain a study visa, and have their foreign qualification checked by the International Student Administration Office.
What admissions looks for
- A school-leaving qualification valid for university entry in Italy after at least 12 years of schooling.
- A strong result on the programme's entrance test: for Economics and Finance the ranking is based solely on the SAT score.
- Proof of the teaching language: English for international programmes, Italian for Italian-taught ones.
- Complete, verifiable documents for any foreign qualification before enrolment.
Tips for applying to Unibo
- 1 Aim for the first selection round: for Economics and Finance it is the only round with places reserved for non-EU applicants living abroad.
- 2 For SAT-ranked programmes there is no minimum score, but places are allocated strictly in score order, so a strong SAT matters; ties go to the younger candidate.
- 3 Submit your family income documents (ISEE, or the foreign-income documentation) on time, even before enrolling, or you will be charged the full fee.
- 4 Check whether your country qualifies for the reduced flat fee for non-OECD or developing countries, and apply to ER.GO for regional scholarships and residence places.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Fees are income-based: the variable part is fully waived for an ISEE of up to 27,000 euros and partially reduced above that, with sibling discounts up to 60,000 euros. The Emilia-Romagna regional agency ER.GO awards scholarships, residence places and meal support, and international students can apply for Italian government (MAECI) scholarships and the reduced flat fee for non-OECD and developing countries.
- ISEE up to 27,000 euros (pay only 157.04 euros)
- Full waiver of variable fee
- 1,000 euros + 157.04 euros
- Reduced flat fee, non-OECD countries (first-cycle freshers)
- 500 euros + 157.04 euros
- Reduced flat fee, particularly poor and developing countries (first-cycle freshers)
Academics
Economics and Finance (BSc, in English)
A three-year degree in Bologna with 130 places, allocated by SAT score, and a quantitative focus on markets, policy and finance.
Business and Economics (BSc, in English)
An English-taught first-cycle degree in economics and management, offered alongside Economics and Finance.
Genomics (BSc, in English)
An English-taught life sciences bachelor's degree, in the university's higher fee band (variable part up to 2,805 euros).
Medicine and Surgery (single-cycle, in English)
A six-year English-taught medical degree with restricted access at national level; the number of places and the admission procedure are set each year by Italian ministry decree.
Pharmacy (single-cycle, in English)
An English-taught single-cycle professional degree alongside the Italian-taught pharmacy programmes.
Research
- Over 370 EU-funded, 781 national and 344 regional research projects, plus 128 approved NRRP projects (figures to 31 December 2025).
- 56 active spin-offs and start-ups and 900 patents and plant varieties.
- 11 of 31 departments were named departments of excellence by the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research in 2023.
Schools & faculties
- Bologna Campus
- Cesena Campus
- Forlì Campus
- Ravenna Campus
- Rimini Campus
Student life
Bologna is a university city in the full sense: the main campus is spread along the arcaded streets of the historic centre around Via Zamboni and Palazzo Poggi, rather than on a separate site. Students study in 24 university libraries, visit the 16 university museums and share the city's long porticoes. The university also runs campuses in Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini, which are smaller and quieter. In 2024-25, 3,484 exchange students came to Bologna, and nearly 3,900 Unibo students spent time abroad.
- Palazzo Poggi, the university headquarters, houses museum collections open to the public.
- 24 libraries and 16 museums across the university.
- First-year students at the Collegio Superiore are exempt from the variable part of the fee.
- Around 3,900 students a year study abroad through exchange programmes.
Housing. The university does not guarantee accommodation; students rent privately or apply to the regional agency ER.GO for residence places, and non-EU students need accommodation to apply for their residence permit.
Location
Bologna is the capital of Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, a mid-sized city known for its medieval towers, kilometres of porticoes and its food. It is a major rail hub, with fast trains to Milan, Florence and Rome. The historic centre is compact and walkable, and the university's buildings are spread through it, so student life and city life overlap.
Nearest airport: Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ)
Notable alumni
- NC Nicolaus CopernicusAstronomer who proposed the heliocentric model; studied in Bologna
- P PetrarchPoet and humanist; studied law in Bologna
- LB Laura BassiPhysicist; first woman to earn a doctorate in science and hold a salaried university professorship
- LG Luigi GalvaniPhysician and physicist who discovered bioelectricity (galvanism)
- PP Pier Paolo PasoliniFilm director, poet and novelist
- CR Carlo RovelliTheoretical physicist and science writer, co-founder of loop quantum gravity
- PF Pier Ferdinando CasiniPolitician and President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies
Frequently asked questions
How much does the University of Bologna cost for international students?
For 2026-27, every student pays a fixed 157.04 euros plus an income-based variable part of up to 2,040 euros for most bachelor's degrees. Citizens of non-OECD countries whose families have income only abroad can pay a reduced flat fee of 1,000 euros plus 157.04 euros, or 500 euros plus 157.04 euros for particularly poor and developing countries.
Does the University of Bologna offer bachelor's degrees in English?
Yes. 92 of its degree programmes are taught entirely in English, including bachelor's degrees such as Economics and Finance, Business and Economics and Genomics, and single-cycle degrees in Medicine and Surgery and Pharmacy.
Does the University of Bologna require the SAT?
Some programmes do. The English-taught Economics and Finance BSc ranks non-EU applicants solely on SAT score, while other restricted-access programmes use TOLC or other tests set in their call for applications.
When is the application deadline for the University of Bologna?
Each programme sets its own deadlines. In the 2026-27 cycle, Economics and Finance ran a first selection from 10 February to 4 May 2026 and a second until 3 July; 2027-28 calls have not yet been published.
Is the University of Bologna free?
Not entirely, but it is low-cost: students with an ISEE of up to 27,000 euros pay only the fixed 157.04 euro fee, and regional ER.GO scholarships can cover living costs for eligible students.
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.
- QS World University Rankings 2027 (topuniversities.com)
- THE World University Rankings 2026
- ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026
- University of Bologna: The University of Bologna in figures
- University of Bologna: Enrolling in first cycle and single cycle degree programmes
- University of Bologna: Fees and exemptions, amounts and deadlines 2026-27
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