University of Messina
Università degli Studi di Messina
A Sicilian university founded in 1548 on the Strait of Messina, with low fees and a growing list of English-taught degrees.
- Students
- 25,000
- Tuition
- €156
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1548
- QS World Ranking
- 761-770
- 2027 edition
About UniME
The University of Messina was formally established by Pope Paul III in November 1548, although teaching only began in 1596. Its history has been interrupted several times: it was closed after the anti-Spanish revolt of 1678, reopened in the 19th century, and almost wiped out by the 1908 earthquake, which killed 14 of its 49 lecturers. The Faculty of Law reopened in 1909 and the university rebuilt from there.
Today UniME has more than 25,000 students, 1,075 professors and 12 departments spread across four campuses in the city: the Central Campus, the Hospital (Policlinico) Campus, the Papardo Campus for sciences and engineering, and the Annunziata Campus. It offers 108 degree programmes, 18 of them taught in English, including bachelor's degrees in Business Management, Civil Engineering, Data Analysis, Marine Biology and Blue Biotechnologies, and Political Sciences and International Relations, plus a six-year Medicine and Surgery degree in English.
For international students the main draw is cost: annual fees for applicants from outside the EU are set by country group and range from 156 to 506 euros, while Italian students pay according to family income (ISEE), with no contribution below an ISEE of 28,000 euros if they meet regularity and merit rules. It suits students who want a low-cost European degree in a Mediterranean port city and are comfortable with a large public university's self-directed style.
Why students choose UniME
Very low fees for non-EU students: 156 to 506 euros a year depending on country group, from 2025/26 onwards.
Seven English-taught bachelor's degrees, including Marine Biology and Blue Biotechnologies, which uses the Strait of Messina and the Capo Peloro lagoon as its field site.
An English-taught Medicine and Surgery degree admitting students through the national IMAT test, with clinical training at the University Hospital of Messina.
The Salvatore Pugliatti Department of Law holds the Italian ministry's Department of Excellence title for 2023-2027.
Admissions
Academic year 2027/28
Selectivity
UniME does not publish an overall admission rate. Most programmes admit applicants who meet the entry and language requirements after a pre-evaluation of documents; Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine in Italian use the national 'Semestre Aperto' route, and English-taught Medicine uses the IMAT test.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary school diploma | A diploma obtained after 12 years of schooling, plus any university entrance exam certificate required in your country. With fewer than 12 years, submit proof of a completed first university year or foundation programme, or take the UniME Foundation Course. |
|---|---|
| Early Bird call (non-EU) | Final school documents plus a Declaration of Value or CIMEA Statement of Comparability already in hand |
| Italian-taught programmes | Italian at CEFR B2 (certificate or the UniME ITA-Test), unless exempt |
| English language | IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 72 English-taught programmes require CEFR B2: IELTS 5.5+, TOEFL iBT 72+, Cambridge B2 First or higher, PTE General Level 3 or PTE Academic 59, with some categories exempt. IELTS and TOEFL results are valid for two years. |
Deadlines
- 1st Call 'Early Bird' (non-EU visa applicants) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~2 months20 December 2026
Opens 1 December 2026. Only for applicants who already have final documents and a DoV or CIMEA statement. Bachelor's, master's and Italian-taught single-cycle degrees (except Semestre Aperto programmes).
- 2nd Call (non-EU visa applicants) Non-binding In ~5 months19 March 2027
Opens 2 February 2027.
- 3rd Call (non-EU visa applicants) Non-binding In ~7 months8 May 2027
Opens 8 April 2027; may close early depending on the number of applications.
- 4th Call 'Semestre Aperto' (Italian-taught Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine) Non-binding In ~8 months15 June 2027
Opens 18 May 2027, all applicant groups; admitted applicants then pre-enrol on Universitaly.
- 6th Call (EU, EU-equivalent and Italian no-visa applicants) Non-binding In ~13 months13 November 2027
Opens 6 July 2027. English- and Italian-taught bachelor's and master's programmes.
Dates are from UniME's 2027/28 application timeline. The IMAT call for English-taught Medicine is listed only with 2026 dates (1 to 22 July 2026, now past); 2027 IMAT dates have not been published yet. UniME Foundation Course calls run 20 May to 15 July 2027 and 31 August to 21 September 2027.
How to apply
Submit up to two pre-evaluation applications: English-taught programmes via the UniME Application Portal, Italian-taught programmes via the Portale UniME dei candidati (one account covers both). A 40 euro application fee for 2027/28 covers two applications. Once admitted, non-EU applicants living abroad complete pre-enrolment for a study visa on the Universitaly portal; enrolment is confirmed only with a valid D visa issued for UniME for 2027/28.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary qualification that gives university access in your country after 12 years of schooling.
- Complete documents at submission: no documents can be added afterwards, and incomplete applications are rejected.
- Proof of English (B2) for English-taught programmes or Italian (B2) for Italian-taught programmes.
- For Medicine in English, a competitive IMAT score.
Tips for applying to UniME
- 1 If you are a non-EU applicant and already have a Declaration of Value or CIMEA statement, apply in the Early Bird call (1 to 20 December 2026) to leave time for the visa.
- 2 You get two applications for one 40 euro fee, so you can pair an English-taught and an Italian-taught programme.
- 3 Check the country-group list before budgeting: fees for non-EU students range from 156 to 506 euros a year depending on your country.
- 4 UniME notes that consulates tend to view visa applicants with an international English certificate more positively, even if you are exempt.
- 5 If your school system has fewer than 12 years, look at the UniME Foundation Course rather than applying directly.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Italian students pay nothing beyond the 156 euro tax with an ISEE up to 28,000 euros (with regularity and merit rules), get a 20% discount for paying in one instalment, and high-school graduates with 100 or 100 cum laude in 2026 are exempt. The regional agency ERSU Messina awards income-based scholarships, free accommodation and meals, and international students can be admitted to its rankings conditionally. The Casa UniME programme refunds up to 2,000 euros a year of rent for out-of-town students with a registered Messina lease.
- ISEE up to 28,000 euros, with regularity and merit requirements
- No Tax Area (Italian students)
- Up to 2,000 euros a year
- Casa UniME rent grant
- 20% off the annual contribution
- Single-payment discount
- 500 euros for first-time enrolment, 1,000 euros in later years with at least four exams passed
- STEM bonus for women
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Marine Biology and Blue Biotechnologies (Bachelor's, English)
Described by UniME as unique in Europe, using the Strait of Messina and the Capo Peloro lagoon, with an experimental internship.
Medicine and Surgery (six-year single-cycle, English)
IMAT-based admission with clinical training at the University Hospital of Messina and GP practices.
Data Analysis (Bachelor's, English)
Trains big-data specialists; graduates can sit the professional engineering licensing exams.
Transnational and European Legal Studies (Bachelor's, English)
Taught within a law school named a national Department of Excellence for 2023-2027.
Political Sciences and International Relations (Bachelor's, English)
Covers international organisations, international law and EU policy for careers in institutions and NGOs.
Heritage Innovation Engineering (Bachelor's, English)
Focuses on the sustainable regeneration of 20th-century built heritage.
Research
- The Department of Law was named a Department of Excellence 2023-2027 by Italy's Ministry of University and Research.
- UniME highlights a strong tradition in seismology and geophysics, reflected in its English-taught master's in Geophysical Sciences for Seismic Risk.
- Marine science uses the Strait of Messina and the Capo Peloro lagoon as natural laboratories.
- The university runs the Pietro Castelli botanical garden, named after one of its 17th-century professors.
Schools & faculties
- Department of Law 'Salvatore Pugliatti'
- Department of Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics and Earth Sciences (MIFT)
- Department of Ancient and Modern Civilisations (DICAM)
- Department of Economics
- Department of Engineering
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine (DIMED)
- Department of Human and Pediatric Pathology 'Gaetano Barresi' (DETEV)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dental Sciences and Morpho-functional Imaging (BIOMORF)
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences (CHIBIOFARAM)
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, Education and Cultural Studies (COSPECS)
- Department of Political and Juridical Sciences (SCIPOG)
- Department of Veterinary Sciences (VET)
Student life
UniME's four campuses sit in different parts of Messina: the historic Central Campus downtown, the Policlinico hospital campus, Papardo overlooking the Strait for science and engineering, and Annunziata, which also hosts the university sports centre with indoor and outdoor pools, pitches and horse riding. Free shuttle buses link the outer campuses, students get reduced bus and tram passes, and ERSU runs four canteens. A Welcome Point, student ambassadors and the Erasmus Student Network help new international students, and in the evenings students gather around the Duomo and along the seafront.
- University sports centre at Annunziata with pools, a multi-gym, rugby, baseball, tennis, soccer and hockey pitches.
- Free shuttle buses to the Annunziata and Papardo campuses.
- Student Ambassador Program and ESN buddy system, including pick-up at the station on arrival.
- More than 550 cooperation agreements with universities worldwide and 500+ students on mobility each year.
Housing. ERSU residences at the Annunziata and Papardo campuses have a limited number of rooms for international students, assigned by availability; ESN keeps lists of private flats, and the Casa UniME grant refunds up to 2,000 euros a year of rent.
Location
Messina is a port city on the north-eastern tip of Sicily, facing mainland Italy across the Strait of Messina, where the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas meet below the Peloritani mountains. It is a major cruise port with beaches such as Mortelle, a seafront promenade and a lively bar scene around the cathedral. Beaches stay usable into November.
Nearest airport: Reggio Calabria Airport (REG), across the Strait; Catania Airport (CTA) is the main Sicilian hub
Notable alumni
- SV Santo VersaceBusinessman and co-founder of the Versace fashion house; economics graduate (1968)
- FC Francesco La CameraDirector-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) from 2019; political science graduate
- CU Carlo UrbaniWHO physician who first identified SARS; specialised in infectious and tropical diseases at Messina
- BS Brunilde Sismondo RidgwayClassical archaeologist; classics degree (1953)
- NT Nadia TerranovaNovelist; philosophy graduate
- SD Stefano D'ArrigoWriter, author of the novel Horcynus Orca
- AC Adele CambriaJournalist and feminist writer; law graduate
Frequently asked questions
How much does the University of Messina cost for international students?
From 2025/26, annual fees for international students depend on country group: 156, 256, 356 or 506 euros, including the regional tax. Italian students pay according to ISEE, from 156 euros up to about 3,006 euros (the highest flat rate for students who do not meet regularity or merit rules).
Does the University of Messina offer bachelor's degrees in English?
Yes. English-taught bachelor's include Business Management, Civil Engineering, Data Analysis, Heritage Innovation Engineering, Marine Biology and Blue Biotechnologies, Political Sciences and International Relations, and Transnational and European Legal Studies, plus Medicine and Surgery.
When can I apply for 2027/28?
Non-EU visa applicants have three calls: 1 to 20 December 2026 (Early Bird), 2 February to 19 March 2027 and 8 April to 8 May 2027. EU and no-visa applicants apply from 6 July to 13 November 2027.
What English score do I need?
CEFR B2, for example IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 72, Cambridge B2 First or PTE Academic 59.
Do I need Universitaly?
Non-EU students living abroad must complete visa pre-enrolment on Universitaly after UniME admits them. Semestre Aperto medical programmes and English-taught Medicine (IMAT) also require a Universitaly application.
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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