University of Genoa
Università degli Studi di Genova
A port-city university dating to 1481, with income-based fees and an English-taught Computer Engineering bachelor's.
- Students
- 36,000
- International
- 9%
- of students
- Tuition
- €136
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1481
About UniGe
The University of Genoa (UniGe) traces its foundation to 1481 and is one of Italy's larger public universities, with about 36,000 students, more than 3,000 of them international, 1,335 PhD students and around 2,500 staff. Teaching and research are organised into five schools and 22 departments, spread across several campuses in Genoa (including the historic Via Balbi palaces, the Albaro engineering campus and the San Martino medical campus) and satellite campuses in Savona, Imperia and La Spezia.
Genoa's identity is tied to the sea. The university's Royal School of Naval Engineering was founded in 1870 and its School of Economics in 1885, and today it runs maritime programmes such as port economics and management. Its Department of Mathematics is funded as a national Department of Excellence for 2023-2027, and the university works closely with the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT).
Most bachelor's degrees are taught in Italian and require Italian at B2. For 2027-28 the English-taught bachelor's option is Computer Engineering on the Imperia campus; Maritime Science and Technology, which trains deck and engineer officers in English, will not take new first-year students in 2027-28, the university announced in September 2026. Fees are low by international standards and scale with family income (ISEE-U), from 136 euros to about 3,436 euros a year. UniGe suits students who want a large, affordable Italian public university in a historic port city and are ready for Italy's multi-step enrolment process.
Why students choose UniGe
Income-based fees: at most 3,300 euros a year in university contribution plus stamp duty and regional tax, and as little as 136 euros for low-ISEE students.
English-taught master's programmes in computing and bioengineering build on Genoa's strength in robotics and informatics (DIBRIS).
Computer Engineering is an English-taught, three-year bachelor's on the Imperia campus, with no admission cap.
Close collaboration with the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) since its founding in 2005.
Admissions
2027-28 entry (dates below are from the 2026-27 cycle unless stated)
Selectivity
UniGe publishes no overall admission rate. Most bachelor's programmes are free access (open enrolment for qualified applicants). Programmes with scheduled access (numero programmato), such as Medicine and Surgery, select through an entrance test and ranking. All applicants with a non-Italian qualification must first pass UniGeApply pre-selection.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign secondary school qualification | Pre-assessed through UniGeApply; after pre-enrolment you upload final documentation to confirm enrolment |
|---|---|
| Italian (Italian-taught programmes) | B2 level: certificates such as CILS, CELI or PLIDA exempt you from UniGe's Italian test; not required for courses taught in English |
| English-taught bachelor's | Computer Engineering (Imperia) is free access; Maritime Science and Technology (Genoa) is not taking new first-year students in 2027-28. Check each programme's admission rules for English proof |
Deadlines
- UniGeApply early closure: Computer Engineering, English-taught bachelor's (2026-27 cycle, past) Non-binding Passed8 March 2026
Imperia campus.
- UniGeApply pre-selection, visa-applicant students (2026-27 cycle, past) Non-binding Passed20 March 2026
Opened 26 November 2025. The 2027-28 selection is expected to open in November 2026.
- UniGeApply, resident students, bachelor's and single-cycle degrees (2026-27 cycle, past) Non-binding Passed25 September 2026
For Italian and EU citizens and non-EU citizens already legally in Italy; opened 9 April 2026. Scheduled-access courses close earlier, per their calls.
UniGe has not yet published 2027-28 dates. It says the visa-applicant UniGeApply session for 2027-28 is expected to open in November 2026; in the 2026-27 cycle it ran from 26 November 2025 to 20 March 2026, with earlier closures for some English-taught programmes. Universitaly visa applications opened in May 2026.
How to apply
Applicants with a non-Italian qualification (Italian, EU or non-EU) start on UniGeApply, UniGe's international pre-selection portal. Non-EU students living abroad who need a visa then submit the same course on Universitaly, which UniGe validates and forwards to the Italian embassy, apply for a study visa, pre-enrol on UniGe Online Services, and complete enrolment and final document upload after arriving in Italy. Fees are paid in three instalments; to get a reduced fee, non-resident international students obtain an ISEE-U Parificato through a university-affiliated CAF (free service).
What admissions looks for
- A secondary school qualification that gives access to university study, validated through UniGeApply and final document checks.
- Italian at B2 for Italian-taught free-access programmes (not needed for English-taught courses).
- For scheduled-access programmes such as Medicine and Surgery, a strong entrance-test result and ranking.
- Completed steps in the right order: UniGeApply, Universitaly (visa applicants), pre-enrolment and enrolment.
Tips for applying to UniGe
- 1 Apply on UniGeApply as soon as the 2027-28 session opens (expected November 2026); in 2026 the English-taught Computer Engineering bachelor's closed on 8 March, earlier than the general 20 March deadline.
- 2 Choose the same course on Universitaly as on UniGeApply: you can only select one Italian university and course there.
- 3 Book an appointment with a UniGe-affiliated CAF for your ISEE-U Parificato by 31 October to avoid late charges of 100-200 euros; without it you pay the top fee.
- 4 Contact a Uni-Italia centre if you need help with admission and visa procedures from abroad.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Fees are graduated by family income and wealth (ISEE-U), with full exemptions for some students. Students who apply for a regional study grant from ALISEO Liguria pay only the 16-euro stamp duty upfront. Merit awards cut 200 euros from first-year fees for students entering with top marks, and 200-400 euros in later years for the best performers.
- 136 euros (16 stamp duty + 120 regional tax), due 5 October 2026 for bachelor's
- First instalment (2026-27)
- 0-3,300 euros a year depending on ISEE-U
- University contribution range
- 200-euro fee reduction for top entry marks
- Merit award, first year
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Maritime Science and Technology (BSc, English)
English-taught bachelor's with deck officer and engineer/electro-technical officer curricula; not offered to new first-year students in 2027-28 (announced 18 September 2026), though enrolled students continue.
Computer Engineering (BSc, English, Imperia)
A free-access, English-taught engineering degree run by the Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS).
Medicine and Surgery (single-cycle, 6 years)
Scheduled-access programme taught on the San Martino medical campus.
Maritime and Port Economics and Management (master's)
A master's in port economics and management, building on a School of Economics founded in 1885.
Computer Science and Bioengineering (master's, English)
English-taught master's programmes in Genoa's strong computing and robotics area.
Research
- Department of Mathematics (DIMA) funded as a national Department of Excellence for 2023-2027; Physics and DINOGMI (neuroscience) were funded for 2018-2022.
- Close collaboration with the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) since 2005.
- Maritime expertise dating to the Royal School of Naval Engineering (1870).
Schools & faculties
- Scuola di Scienze Matematiche, Fisiche e Naturali
- Scuola di Scienze Mediche e Farmaceutiche
- Scuola di Scienze Sociali
- Scuola di Scienze Umanistiche
- Scuola Politecnica
Student life
UniGe is a city university: departments occupy historic palaces on Via Balbi in the old town, including the 1640 main building designed by Bartolomeo Bianco, as well as modern campuses at Albaro, Valletta Puggia and San Martino. The university's botanical garden sits just above the main building. The Welcome Office helps international students with residence permits, tax codes, accommodation searches, healthcare, bank accounts, bus passes and university canteens, and a Welcome Day for first-year students opens the academic year.
- Historic Via Balbi palaces, including the Palazzo dell'Università (1640).
- University botanical garden in the city centre.
- Welcome Office support for residence permits, housing searches and healthcare.
- Satellite campuses in Savona, Imperia and La Spezia.
Location
Genoa lies on the Italian Riviera in Liguria, north-western Italy, and the university's long maritime tradition reflects the city's seafaring history. The university's historic core is in the old town on Via Balbi, while engineering, science and medicine are on separate campuses across the city. Satellite campuses in Savona, Imperia and La Spezia place some programmes, such as English-taught Computer Engineering, elsewhere along the Ligurian coast.
Nearest airport: Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA)
Notable alumni
- SP Sandro Pertini7th President of the Italian Republic
- GM Giuseppe MazziniLeader of Italian unification
- GD Giacomo Della ChiesaLater Pope Benedict XV
- FM Franco MalerbaFirst Italian astronaut
- EP Enrico PiaggioIndustrialist who launched the Vespa scooter; economics graduate (1927)
- TP Tomaso PoggioNeuroscientist and Eugene McDermott professor at MIT
- FF Fabio FazioTelevision presenter
- OB Ornella BarraPharmaceutical entrepreneur and Alliance Healthcare executive
Frequently asked questions
How much are tuition fees at the University of Genoa?
Fees depend on family income (ISEE-U): from 136 euros a year (stamp duty and minimum regional tax) up to about 3,436 euros. International students without an ISEE-U Parificato pay the top rate.
Does the University of Genoa offer bachelor's degrees in English?
For 2027-28, Computer Engineering on the Imperia campus is taught in English. Maritime Science and Technology, also English-taught, will not take new first-year students in 2027-28. Other bachelor's programmes are taught in Italian.
How do non-EU students apply to UniGe?
Start on UniGeApply, then submit the same course on Universitaly for your visa, pre-enrol on UniGe Online Services and complete enrolment after arriving in Italy.
When is the UniGe application deadline for 2027-28?
Not yet published. The visa-applicant UniGeApply session is expected to open in November 2026; in the 2026-27 cycle it closed on 20 March 2026, with earlier dates for some English-taught programmes (8 March for Computer Engineering).
Do I need to speak Italian to study at Genoa?
Not for English-taught courses. For Italian-taught free-access courses you need Italian at B2, shown by a certificate such as CILS, CELI or PLIDA or by UniGe's Italian test.
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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