University of Brescia
Università degli Studi di Brescia
A 1982 public university built around medicine, engineering, economics and law in one of Italy's most industrial provinces.
- Students
- 16,456
- 14,199 undergraduates
- International
- 4%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 24.3:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- €1,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1982
About UniBS
The University of Brescia was founded by law on 14 August 1982, bringing together engineering and medical courses that had run in the city since 1969-71 under the Politecnico di Milano and the universities of Milan and Parma, and an economics school that dated back to 1964. It began with three faculties, Medicine, Engineering and Business and Economics, and later added Law.
Today it is organised into eight departments: Economics and Management; Law; Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics; Information Engineering; Mechanical and Industrial Engineering; and three medical departments, alongside a Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. Engineering sits on the Via Branze campus, medicine next to the Spedali Civili hospital on Viale Europa, and economics and law in historic buildings around Via San Faustino, including a former monastery. The rectorate is in Palazzo Martinengo Palatini on Piazza del Mercato.
Most bachelor's degrees are taught in Italian; the main English-taught option is the bachelor's in Business and Economics. Fees are income-based, with a no-fee band for families with an ISEE up to 28,000 euros from 2026/27. It suits students who want a mid-sized public university with strong ties to industry and healthcare, in an industrial city with a historic centre.
Why students choose UniBS
The English-taught Bachelor's in Business and Economics admits students with B2 English and a non-selective CEnT-S maths test, with no Italian required to enrol.
From 2026/27, students with a family ISEE up to 28,000 euros pay no university contribution, only the regional fee and stamp duty.
Engineering degrees range from Industrial Automation (including a double-degree track) to Medical Engineering and Physical and Mathematical Engineering.
Medicine and the health professions are taught at the Viale Europa site beside the Spedali Civili hospital.
Admissions
2027/28 entry (dates below are from the 2026/27 cycle)
Selectivity
No overall admission rate is published. Every bachelor's and single-cycle degree requires an admission test, which is only indicative for some courses (for example the CEnT-S for Business and Economics) and selective for others. Non-EU applicants living abroad can only be admitted to places reserved for them on each course.
Typical entry requirements
| Italian diploma or foreign secondary qualification | At least 12 years of schooling, with the final two years in the system that awarded the diploma, giving access to university in that country (including any national eligibility exam); US high school diplomas and UK GCE qualifications have specific requirements |
|---|---|
| Qualification after 10 or 11 years of schooling | One or two years of university exams, a post-secondary qualification in a related subject, or a foundation course; UniBS runs its own Foundation Year |
| Italian-taught degrees (non-EU living abroad) | Italian at B2 (CLIQ-certified) or a pass in the university's Italian language test, before taking the admission test |
| Business and Economics (English-taught) | English at B2 through a recognised certificate or the Language Centre test, plus the CEnT-S Mathematics section |
| English language | For the English-taught Business and Economics degree, English at CEFR B2 is required, shown with a certificate on the department's recognised list or the Language Teaching Centre (CLA) test. Graduates of fully English-taught programmes, native speakers from listed countries and Foundation Year students are exempt. |
Deadlines
- Universitaly pre-enrolment and study visa (non-EU living abroad) Non-binding Passed31 August 2026 (2026/27 cycle, past)
Portal registration opened from March 2026 and Italian language requirements from April 2026.
- International grants (STAR, LMINT) Non-bindingJanuary-March 2026 (2026/27 cycle, past)
UniBS listed January-March 2026 for international scholarship applications; the 2026/27 STAR and LMINT master's calls closed on 15 March 2026.
- Regional grants, residences and canteen Non-bindingJuly-September 2026 (2026/27 cycle, past)
Right-to-study applications for scholarships, accommodation and catering.
UniBS had not published its 2027/28 timetable when checked; dates shown are from the 2026/27 cycle. Its step-by-step guide for non-EU candidates living abroad placed course choice and admission registration from February, portal registration from March and Universitaly pre-enrolment by 31 August, so expect a similar pattern for 2027.
How to apply
Choose a degree and check whether it is open or limited access, then register on the UniBS portal and sign up for the required admission test. Non-EU applicants living abroad also prove Italian at B2 (for Italian-taught degrees) and must pre-enrol on Universitaly to apply for a study visa. Admitted students complete online enrolment, pay the first instalment and then submit their foreign qualification documents (with a CIMEA statement or Declaration of Value) at the International Students Admission desk after arrival.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary qualification from at least 12 years of schooling that gives access to university in its home system.
- Italian at B2 for Italian-taught degrees, or English at B2 for Business and Economics.
- Adequate preparation shown in the compulsory admission test; for Business and Economics, the CEnT-S maths section.
- For limited-access courses, a high enough ranking in the selective test.
Tips for applying to UniBS
- 1 If you want to study in English, focus on Business and Economics: most other bachelor's degrees are taught in Italian.
- 2 Take the CEnT-S early and aim for 11 or more in Mathematics to avoid Additional Learning Requirements in your first year.
- 3 Non-EU applicants from lower-middle income countries should request an ISEE parificato: it caps the annual contribution at 1,000 euros.
- 4 Get your CIMEA statement or Declaration of Value started early, as you must present your foreign qualification documents after arrival.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Fees depend on family income (ISEE): from 2026/27 there is no university contribution up to an ISEE of 28,000 euros, and reductions apply up to 70,000 euros. Regional right-to-study scholarships, residence places and canteen access are awarded on ISEE and merit. UniBS funds international STAR (Students at Risk) and LMINT scholarships for non-EU candidates, which exempt winners from the university contribution; Nursing students get a 25% fee reduction.
- Up to 28,000 euros
- No-fee ISEE threshold (2026/27)
- 1,000 euros a year maximum
- Lower-middle income countries (non-EU)
- 130, 160 or 190 euros depending on ISEE
- Regional right-to-study fee (2026/27)
- 13
- LMINT scholarships for English-taught master's (2026/27)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Business and Economics (BSc, taught in English)
A three-year degree balancing economics, business, law and quantitative methods for companies in international markets, with Italian classes for foreign students.
Industrial Automation Engineering
Offered alongside a double-degree track, in a province known for manufacturing.
Medical Engineering
Links the engineering departments with the university's medical faculty and teaching hospital.
Medicine and the health professions
Taught at the Viale Europa site next to the Spedali Civili, with degrees from Nursing and Physiotherapy to Midwifery and Dental Hygiene.
Building Engineering and Architecture (single-cycle)
A single-cycle integrated master's combining engineering and architecture.
Research
- Eight departments carry out research across engineering, medicine, economics and law.
- Its development cooperation work includes a UNESCO Chair and the CeTAmb centre.
- UniBS is part of the UNITA European University alliance and has mobility agreements with more than 150 foreign universities.
Schools & faculties
- Department of Economics and Management
- Department of Law
- Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics
- Department of Information Engineering
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences
- Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
Student life
UniBS is a city university: its sites are spread across Brescia, from the historic centre around Piazza del Mercato and Via San Faustino to the Via Branze engineering campus, which has university residences and a canteen. The university runs its own residences and guesthouses, a university sports centre (CUS Brescia), a university choir (Chorus Universitatis Brixiae) and student associations. Each year around 160 students go abroad on Erasmus+ and about 100 Erasmus students arrive.
- University residences, guesthouses and canteens, with places and meal discounts based on ISEE and merit.
- CUS Brescia university sports centre.
- Chorus Universitatis Brixiae, the university choir, plus student associations and student-run cultural activities.
- Erasmus+ and double-degree links with more than 150 foreign universities.
Housing. UniBS manages its own residences and guesthouses, with regional right-to-study accommodation awarded by ISEE and merit (applications July to September).
Location
Brescia lies in eastern Lombardy between Milan and Lake Garda, with a Roman and medieval centre and a strong industrial economy. University sites are linked by the city's metro: from Brescia railway station, the underground reaches Vittoria for the rectorate and San Faustino for economics and law. The A4 Milan-Venice motorway runs past the city.
Nearest airport: Milan Bergamo Airport (BGY)
Notable alumni
- MG Mariastella GelminiItalian Minister of Education in the Berlusconi IV cabinet; law graduate
- DT Danilo ToninelliItalian Minister of Infrastructure and Transport (2018-2019); law graduate
- RA Riccardo AdamiFerrari engineer, former Formula One race engineer and manager of the Ferrari Driver Academy
- CS Cristina SilvanoComputer engineer, professor at the Politecnico di Milano (PhD at UniBS, 1999)
- MP Maria PrandiniControl engineer, professor at the Politecnico di Milano (PhD at UniBS, 1998)
- MB Marzia BolpagniEngineer specialising in building information modelling (BIM)
- SG Sveva GereviniItalian heptathlon champion; graduated in medical radiology techniques
Frequently asked questions
Does the University of Brescia offer bachelor's degrees in English?
Yes, the Bachelor's in Business and Economics is taught in English and requires B2 English plus the CEnT-S maths test. Most other bachelor's degrees are taught in Italian and require Italian at B2 for non-EU applicants.
How much are tuition fees at the University of Brescia?
Fees depend on family income. In 2026/27, students with an ISEE up to 28,000 euros pay only about 146 euros, while the maximum for a first-year bachelor's or single-cycle student ranges from about 1,766 euros (Nursing) to 3,246 euros (Pharmacy). Non-EU students from lower-middle income countries pay at most 1,000 euros a year.
How do non-EU students apply to UniBS?
Register on the UniBS portal, sign up for the admission test, prove the language of instruction, and pre-enrol on Universitaly to apply for a study visa (by 31 August in 2026). Places for non-EU applicants living abroad are reserved per course.
Is there an entrance exam?
Yes, every bachelor's and single-cycle degree has an admission test, which is non-selective for some courses and selective for others. For Business and Economics it is the CEnT-S, where only the Mathematics section counts.
Are there scholarships for international students?
UniBS funds STAR (Students at Risk) grants for candidates from developing and priority countries and LMINT grants for English-taught master's, both exempting winners from the university contribution. Regional right-to-study scholarships are awarded on ISEE and merit.
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.
- UniBS: Admission of international students (archived)
- UniBS: Non-EU candidates living abroad, steps for 2026 (archived)
- UniBS: Non-EU candidates living abroad, bachelor's and integrated master's requirements (archived)
- UniBS: Tuition fees for international students (archived)
- UniBS: Table of contributions for non-EU degree-seeking students (PDF)
- UniBS: Fees and contributions a.y. 2026/2027 (archived)
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