University of Calabria
Università della Calabria
Italy's pioneering residential campus: about 200 hectares of hills near Cosenza, built along a single long bridge.
- Students
- 24,686
- International
- 3%
- of students
- Tuition
- €149
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1968
About UniCal
The University of Calabria was established by law in 1968 and held its first academic year in 1972-73. Its first rector, Beniamino Andreatta, wanted a residential campus on the Oxford and Cambridge model, something no Italian university had tried, and an international design competition in 1972 drew 67 projects. Vittorio Gregotti's winning plan lines the departments, lecture halls and libraries in 'cubes' along a single long bridge, with student residences on the surrounding hills.
Today UniCal covers about 200 hectares at Arcavacata di Rende, near Cosenza, with about 24,700 students in degree programmes (2025/26, ministry figures), 14 departments, about 800 professors, more than 200 lecture halls and about 1,800 residence beds. It offers 80 bachelor's, master's and single-cycle degree courses, 15 of them in English, and 10 PhD schools. Research infrastructure includes the STAR Lab, linked to the MATERIA project and its Southern Europe Thomson Back-Scattering Source, and the SILA environmental laboratories, and the TechNest incubator supports spin-offs.
Bachelor's degrees are taught in Italian and most require a CISIA TOLC test taken in Italian, so international undergraduates need solid Italian; the English-taught programmes and the generous international scholarships are at master's level. UniCal suits students who want an affordable, all-in-one campus life with housing, canteens, sport and culture on site, in a region with mountains and sea close by.
Campus for Excellence
University motto
Why students choose UniCal
It is a true residential campus: about 1,800 beds in residential districts on the hills around the university, plus canteens, a health centre, theatres, cinemas and a sports centre.
Fees are income-based and low: students with an ISEE up to 22,000 euros who meet the merit rules pay only about 149 euros a year in regional tax, stamp duty and insurance.
Non-EU students without an ISEE pay a flat 1,000 euros a year, and those from particularly poor countries pay only 16.50 euros.
The Unical Reparto Corse student team, started in 2005 by the mechanical engineering department, designs race cars that compete in European races.
Admissions
2027-28 academic year
Selectivity
UniCal does not publish an acceptance rate. Bachelor's and single-cycle programmes use a single admission call with three phases and merit rankings based on the CISIA TOLC test, with a pass threshold set per programme.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary school diploma giving university access | Admission ranked on the TOLC score for the chosen degree programme (e.g. TOLC-I for engineering), with a minimum pass threshold per programme |
|---|---|
| Italian language | Bachelor's degrees are taught in Italian; the Italian-language TOLC doubles as proof of proficiency, and a free Italian L2 course is available on moocs.unical.it |
Deadlines
- Phase 1 (only phase open to non-EU visa applicants) - 2026 cycle Non-binding Passed15 May 2026
Application and TOLC had to be completed by 15 May 2026; TOLC@UniCal sessions ran on 13, 20 and 27 March, 10 and 17 April, and 8 and 15 May 2026.
- Phases 2 and 3 (EU and resident applicants) - 2026 cycle Non-bindingSeptember 2026
Rankings and repeated reallocations of places ran through the summer, with the second Phase 3 reallocation requiring enrolment by 1 October 2026.
Dates for 2027-28 had not been published when checked. Expect Phase 1 to close in mid-May 2027, with TOLC sessions from March, so non-EU applicants should plan to take the TOLC in spring 2027.
How to apply
Register on unical.esse3.cineca.it, submit the application for one degree programme in the admission call, and book and take the required TOLC on cisiaonline (in person at UniCal or at any Italian university, or TOLC@casa) by the Phase 1 deadline. Admitted non-EU students living abroad then complete Universitaly pre-enrolment and apply for a study visa, following Appendix A of the admission call. Places left after Phase 1 are offered to EU and resident applicants in later phases.
What admissions looks for
- A good TOLC score above the programme's threshold (the English section is not counted, and for some engineering degrees the science section is not counted either).
- Italian good enough to take the TOLC and follow Italian-taught courses.
- For non-EU applicants, application in Phase 1 and a complete visa file under Appendix A of the call.
Tips for applying to UniCal
- 1 Non-EU applicants must apply in Phase 1: book your TOLC early, either at UniCal or at any Italian university, before the mid-May deadline.
- 2 Use UniCal's free Italian L2 course on moocs.unical.it to prepare for studying and taking the TOLC in Italian.
- 3 Apply for the university's right-to-study call (benefits and services) for a scholarship and a residence place, and submit your ISEE by its deadline.
- 4 If you are aiming for a master's later, UniCal's UnicalAdmission call offers English-taught master's degrees with scholarships (132 awarded for 2026-27).
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
UniCal runs its own right-to-study call for scholarships, residence places and canteen services, and applicants who meet the income and merit rules also get fee exemptions. For master's level, the UnicalAdmission call awarded 132 scholarships to international students for 2026-27, covering tuition, free board and lodging and a 3,600-euro allowance.
- ISEE up to 22,000 euros (with merit requirements)
- No Tax Area threshold
- 1,000 euros a year
- Flat fee for international students without ISEE
- 16.50 euros
- Fee for students from particularly poor countries
- 132, with free board and lodging and a 3,600-euro allowance
- International master's scholarships 2026-27
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Computer Engineering (Ingegneria Informatica)
A TOLC-based bachelor's from DIMES; Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science is also offered as an English-taught master's with scholarships.
Mechanical Engineering
From DIMEG, home of the Unical Reparto Corse racing-car team.
Marine and Navigation Technologies (Tecnologie del Mare e della Navigazione)
A bachelor's from the environmental engineering department, drawing on Calabria's coastline.
Statistics for Data Science
A bachelor's from the Giovanni Anania Department of Economics, Statistics and Finance.
Nutrition Science (Scienza della Nutrizione)
Offered by the Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, with a follow-on English master's in Nutritional Sciences.
Research
- The STAR Lab, linked to the MATERIA project, hosts the Southern Europe Thomson Back-Scattering Source for Applied Research.
- SILA, an integrated system of laboratories for the environment, is one of the campus's large inter-departmental infrastructures.
- UniCal has 32 laboratories with top-level equipment, a patent portfolio, dozens of spin-offs and the TechNest incubator.
Schools & faculties
- Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences (DiBEST)
- Chemistry and Chemical Technologies (CTC)
- Culture, Education and Society (DiCES)
- Economics, Statistics and Finance 'Giovanni Anania' (DESF)
- Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences (DFSSN)
- Physics
- Environmental Engineering (DIAm)
- Civil Engineering (DInCi)
- Computer Engineering, Modelling, Electronics and Systems (DIMES)
- Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (DIMEG)
- Mathematics and Computer Science (DeMaCS)
- Business and Legal Studies (DiSCAG)
Student life
UniCal was designed so that students and teachers live together on campus. Departments sit in the 'cubes' along the Pietro Bucci bridge, and residential districts such as Martensson, Molicelle, Monaci, Mira and San Gennaro are on the surrounding hills, with apartments of single and double rooms, shared kitchens, laundries and study spaces. The campus also has canteens with 1,290 seats, two theatres, two cinemas, a health centre, a sports centre, the MuSNob natural history museum and botanical garden, and three large libraries.
- About 1,800 beds in university residences around the campus.
- Two theatres (700 and 200 seats) and two cinemas on campus.
- Unical Reparto Corse student racing team.
- Museum centre with the Natural History Museum of Calabria and Botanical Garden.
Housing. Residence places are allocated through UniCal's annual right-to-study call, applied for online on the university's services portal.
Location
The campus is at Arcavacata, a district of Rende on the hills a few kilometres from Cosenza in northern Calabria. UniCal itself describes a place where students can enjoy the southern Italian climate and both the sea and the mountains. Some residences are further out near Castiglione Cosentino station and are linked to the campus by bus.
Nearest airport: Lamezia Terme International Airport (SUF)
Notable alumni
- RO Roberto OcchiutoPresident of the Calabria Region; master's degree in economic and social sciences from UniCal
- WF Wanda FerroUndersecretary of State at the Italian Ministry of the Interior; degree in modern letters from UniCal
- AS Antonio StaglianòCatholic bishop and president of the Pontifical Academy of Theology; philosophy degree from UniCal in 1995
- AL Anna Laura OrricoMember of the Italian Chamber of Deputies; political science graduate of UniCal
- LV Luna VoceModel and Miss Universe Italy 2013; enrolled in natural sciences at UniCal
Frequently asked questions
How much are tuition fees at the University of Calabria?
Fees depend on family income. With an ISEE up to 22,000 euros and the merit requirements you pay only about 149 euros a year; the all-inclusive contribution rises to a maximum of 2,000 euros for regular students, plus regional tax and stamp duty.
How much do international students pay at UniCal?
Non-EU students with an ISEE-U parificato pay income-based fees like Italians; otherwise the fee is a flat 1,000 euros a year. Students from particularly poor countries and Italian government scholarship holders pay 16.50 euros.
Do I need the TOLC to study at UniCal?
Yes, for most bachelor's and single-cycle programmes. The TOLC is taken in Italian, and non-EU applicants needing a visa must apply and take it in Phase 1, which closed on 15 May in 2026.
Does UniCal offer degrees in English?
UniCal offers 15 courses in English, mainly international master's degrees such as Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science, Robotics and Automation Engineering, and Health Biotechnology. Bachelor's degrees are taught in Italian.
Is there student housing at the University of Calabria?
Yes. UniCal is a residential campus with about 1,800 beds in residential districts around the university, allocated through its annual right-to-study call.
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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