University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia
A university dating to 1175, run as a two-city network in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, with income-based fees.
- Students
- 26,015
- International
- 4%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 18.9:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- €540
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1175
About Unimore
Unimore traces its origins to around 1175, when the jurist Pillio da Medicina was invited from Bologna to teach Roman law in Modena, which makes it one of Europe's oldest universities. After centuries of closures and refoundings under the Este dukes, it took its present name in 1998, when new faculties opened in Reggio Emilia and the university adopted a network model in which the Modena and Reggio Emilia campuses have equal status.
Teaching and research are organised in departments grouped into areas of technology, life sciences, society, health and science, including the Enzo Ferrari Department of Engineering, the Marco Biagi Department of Economics and several medical departments linked to the Modena Policlinico. Italy's ministry statistics office (USTAT) counts about 26,000 students in degree programmes for 2025/26, about 4% of them international, and THE's 2026 data give a student-staff ratio of 18.9.
All 47 bachelor's programmes listed for 2026-27 are taught in Italian, and many have programmed (limited) access with an admission test or a CISIA TOLC test, so it suits students who already speak Italian or plan to reach B2 before starting. Fees are low and income-based, and non-EU students whose income is abroad can be placed in a fee band set by their country of origin.
Why students choose Unimore
Fees are income-based: students with an ISEE of up to 30,000 euros pay only about 160 euros a year in fixed charges under the No Tax Area rule.
Engineering has deep roots here: the Enzo Ferrari Department of Engineering offers degrees such as Automotive Engineering, and former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto took his master's in automotive engineering at Modena.
Unimore is rated Class A ('Fully Satisfactory') by ANVUR, Italy's national evaluation agency.
The network model gives the Modena and Reggio Emilia campuses equal status, so you can study in either city.
Admissions
2027-28 academic year
Selectivity
No overall acceptance rate is published. Open-access bachelor's programmes admit all eligible students (with a non-selective initial knowledge test); programmed-access programmes rank applicants on an admission test or a CISIA TOLC test, and each year a set number of places is reserved for non-EU students living abroad.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign secondary school diploma | Final high-school qualification after at least 12 years of schooling, plus any university aptitude test required in the home country (e.g. Selectividad, or a minimum Gaokao score for China), with a Declaration of Value or CIMEA Certificate of Comparability |
|---|---|
| Italian language | At least B2 where required; all bachelor's programmes are taught in Italian |
Deadlines
- Open-access bachelor's enrolment (2026-27 cycle) Non-binding Next deadline · In 24 days30 October 2026
Enrolment opened on 8 July 2026; late enrolment with a surcharge is possible until 22 December 2026. Expect a similar window for 2027-28.
- Programmed-access bachelor's (2026-27 cycle) Non-bindingSee each programme's call
Registration for 2026-27 opened on 8 July 2026; for some programmes selection starts in spring, sometimes with several rounds of TOLC tests.
Universitaly pre-enrolment dates for non-EU applicants living abroad are set each year by the Italian ministry's circular; the 2027-28 dates had not been published when checked. Er.Go applications for scholarships, housing and fee reductions open in July, before enrolment.
How to apply
Non-EU applicants living abroad complete the pre-enrolment application on the Universitaly portal, uploading their diploma, Declaration of Value or CIMEA comparability certificate, any home-country aptitude test result, an Italian language certificate if held, and a photo. Unimore checks the documents and forwards validated applications to the Italian embassy or consulate, where the student applies for a study visa; they must also pass Unimore's Italian test (unless exempt) and any admission test for programmed-access courses before enrolling. EU citizens and non-EU citizens resident in Italy apply directly through Esse3 without Universitaly. Medicine and Dentistry follow a separate national procedure on Universitaly.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary school qualification after at least 12 years of schooling that gives access to university in your home country.
- Italian at B2 level for Italian-taught programmes, shown by a certificate or by passing Unimore's Italian test.
- For programmed-access programmes, a good ranking in the admission test or CISIA TOLC.
- Complete, verified documents (Declaration of Value or CIMEA certificate, translations and legalisation where needed).
Tips for applying to Unimore
- 1 Check whether your programme is open access or programmed access: programmed ones can select as early as spring.
- 2 For TOLC-based programmes you must register twice: once with CISIA for the test and once on Esse3 for Unimore's admission competition.
- 3 Apply to Er.Go from July for a scholarship, housing or fee reduction, even before you are admitted.
- 4 If you are a non-EU student with income abroad, compare the country-based fee band with submitting translated and legalised income documents; students from bracket 1 countries such as India, Nigeria or Pakistan pay the lowest fixed fee.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Fees depend on family income (ISEE), with full exemption from the all-inclusive fee up to an ISEE of 30,000 euros and further exemptions for Er.Go scholarship-eligible students, Italian government scholarship holders and students with disabilities. Er.Go, Emilia-Romagna's regional student agency, manages scholarships, housing and canteens, and Unimore adds 'Top Student' merit exemptions and paid student collaborations.
- ISEE up to 30,000 euros (pay only 159.67 euros in fixed items)
- No Tax Area threshold
- 380 euros plus fixed items (first year)
- Non-EU flat fee, Country ISEE bracket 1
- 700 euros plus fixed items
- Partial exemption contribution
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Automotive Engineering (bachelor's)
A programmed-access engineering degree from the Enzo Ferrari Department of Engineering, taught in Italian.
Medicine and Surgery (single-cycle, 6 years)
Taught with the Modena Policlinico hospital; for cohorts from 2025/26 the maximum fee for 2026-27 is 2,232 euros a year.
Law (single-cycle, 5 years)
The university's oldest discipline, going back to the law school of Pillio da Medicina around 1175.
Digital Marketing (bachelor's)
Offered by the Department of Communication and Economics with additional services supporting teaching; at up to 5,031 euros a year it is Unimore's most expensive bachelor's.
Mechatronic Engineering (bachelor's)
One of several engineering degrees alongside Mechanical, Electronic, Computer and Management Engineering.
Research
- University research groups include MicroModenaLab (microbiology and virology) and the Task Force Ceramici on ceramic materials.
- Scientific collections date back to the 18th century: the Botanical Garden (1758), the Anatomical Theatre (1773-75) and the Natural History Museum (1786).
- Unimore was rated Class A ('Fully Satisfactory') in ANVUR's periodic accreditation.
Schools & faculties
- Enzo Ferrari Department of Engineering
- Department of Sciences and Methods for Engineering
- Department of Life Sciences
- Department of Communication and Economics
- Marco Biagi Department of Economics
- Department of Education and Humanities
- Department of Law
- Department of Studies on Language and Culture
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences
- Department of Physics, Informatics and Mathematics
Student life
Unimore is a city university rather than a single campus: the historic rectorate and law school are in central Modena, science, engineering and medicine are spread across the city and the Policlinico, and Reggio Emilia hosts further departments, including new faculties opened there from 1998. Er.Go, the regional student agency, runs residences, canteens and scholarships, and the university sports club CUS Modena offers teams and courses. Student services include psychological support, an English test for first-year students and paid student collaborations inside university facilities.
- Network model with equal-status campuses in Modena and Reggio Emilia since 1998.
- Er.Go residences, canteens and scholarships for students enrolled in Emilia-Romagna.
- CUS Modena university sports club.
- University museums and the Botanical Garden, founded in 1758.
Housing. Student housing is provided by Er.Go, the Emilia-Romagna regional agency, which allocates places based on income and merit; applications open in July.
Location
Modena and Reggio Emilia are mid-sized cities in Emilia-Romagna, on the Via Emilia between Bologna and Parma. The university is part of city life in both: in Modena its rectorate, law school, museums and botanical garden sit in and around the historic centre. Bologna, with the nearest major airport, is a short train ride away.
Nearest airport: Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ)
Notable alumni
- SP Sandro PertiniPresident of the Italian Republic (1978-1985); transferred from Genoa and took his law degree at Modena in July 1923
- CG Carlo GoldoniPlaywright; studied law at the University of Modena (English sources say he graduated there; Italian sources say he completed his degree at Padua)
- LA Ludovico Antonio MuratoriHistorian and scholar; studied law, philosophy and theology at the University of Modena
- GL Giuseppe LuosiMinister of Justice of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy; law graduate of Modena (1776)
- MB Mattia BinottoEngineer and former Scuderia Ferrari team principal; master's in automotive engineering at Modena
- GF Genoveffa FranchiniHaematologist and retrovirologist; MD from Unimore in 1977
Frequently asked questions
How much are tuition fees at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia?
Fees are income-based. With an ISEE of up to 30,000 euros you pay only about 160 euros a year in fixed charges; the maximum for most bachelor's programmes is 1,975 to 2,475 euros, and 2,232 euros for Medicine and Surgery (5,031 euros for Digital Marketing).
How much do non-EU students pay at Unimore?
Non-EU students with income only abroad can use a country-based fee: students from lower-income countries such as India or Nigeria pay 380 euros plus about 160 euros in fixed charges, while those from higher-income countries such as China, Turkey or the US pay the standard maximum for their programme.
Does Unimore offer bachelor's degrees in English?
No. All 47 bachelor's programmes listed for 2026-27 are taught in Italian, so you need Italian at around B2 level.
How do non-EU students apply to Unimore?
Non-EU students living abroad complete a pre-enrolment on Universitaly, which Unimore checks and forwards to the Italian embassy for the study visa. They then take the Italian test (unless exempt) and any admission test before enrolling.
Is there an entrance exam at Unimore?
Programmed-access programmes use an admission test or a CISIA TOLC test. Open-access programmes have a non-selective initial knowledge test that can add extra first-year requirements.
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.
- Unimore: Fees and benefits
- Unimore: Extract from the Fees Resolution 2026/2027 (PDF)
- Unimore: Annex 6, Simplified Income Indicator Table 2026/2027 for non-EU students (PDF)
- Unimore: Enrolment for students with foreign qualifications
- Unimore: Bachelor's degrees with programmed access
- Unimore: Open-access bachelor's degree enrolments
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