University of Naples Federico II
Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
Founded by an emperor in 1224, a huge state university spread through Naples' UNESCO-listed historic centre.
- Students
- 80,000
- International
- 3%
- of students
- Tuition
- €0
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1224
About Federico II
The University of Naples Federico II was founded on 5 June 1224 by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, who wanted a state university to train the administrators and lawyers of his kingdom instead of sending students north to Bologna. It describes itself as the world's oldest public university, and its oldest buildings still sit inside the historic centre of Naples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is one of the largest universities in Europe: the university reports more than 80,000 enrolled students, 176 degree courses, 26 departments, more than 2,500 faculty members and 37 PhD programmes. Teaching is grouped into four schools: Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine; Humanities and Social Sciences; Medicine and Surgery; and the Polytechnic School and Basic Sciences, which covers engineering, architecture and the natural sciences.
Most teaching is in Italian, but a growing set of degrees is taught in English, including bachelor's degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering and in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Medicine and Surgery in English and, from 2026-27, a five-year Veterinary Medicine degree. Federico II also runs industry academies with Apple, Cisco and Deloitte. It suits independent students who want low fees, a big and busy city and a university woven into it rather than a closed campus.
Ad scientiarum haustum et seminarium doctrinarum
“To draw from the fountain of sciences and the nursery of knowledge” — university motto
Why students choose Federico II
Students with a university ISEE of up to 30,000 euros pay no university contribution in their first year, only the regional tax and 16 euros stamp duty.
The Apple Developer Academy, run with Apple, trains students in app development, design and start-up creation, and is open to non-programmers too.
English-taught options include Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Medicine and Surgery in English, and a new Veterinary Medicine degree with 20 places.
Classes take place in historic buildings in the centre of Naples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Admissions
2027-28 entry (dates below are from the 2026-27 cycle, for reference)
Selectivity
Federico II publishes no overall admission rate. Many bachelor's courses are open access, with a compulsory but non-selective check of basic knowledge. Restricted-access courses (for example Medicine and Surgery, Medicine and Surgery in English, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine and Architecture) admit by test score and ranking against a fixed number of places.
Typical entry requirements
| Italian diploma (maturità) | Five-year upper-secondary diploma (or four-year diploma with the supplementary year); enrol directly in open-access courses or pass the selection for restricted-access courses |
|---|---|
| Foreign secondary school diploma | A qualification equivalent to the Italian diploma, assessed by the course coordinator, with a Declaration of Value or CIMEA statement of comparability, plus translations and legalisations where needed |
| Veterinary Medicine in English (from 2026-27) | Secondary school diploma and English at CEFR B2 or above; 20 places for EU and non-EU candidates, selection via the admission call on Universitaly |
| English language | Italian-taught degrees require Italian at B2 (a CLIQ certificate or the university's own test). English-taught degrees do not require Italian; the new Veterinary Medicine degree asks for English at B2, and the university advises uploading an IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge certificate because it helps with the visa and can break ties in the Medicine ranking. No fixed IELTS or TOEFL minimum is published centrally. |
Deadlines
- Universitaly pre-enrolment, non-EU applicants living abroad Non-binding Passed15 June 2026 (2026-27 cycle)
After this date no programme changes were allowed and pre-enrolment stayed open only for restricted-access programmes.
- Enrolment in open-access courses (ordinary period) Non-binding Next deadline · In 27 days2 November 2026 (2026-27 cycle)
Online enrolment through Segrepass opened on 16 July 2026; restricted-access courses follow the dates in their own admission calls. Late enrolment carries a 50 euro surcharge until 15 January 2027 and 110 euros from 16 January 2027.
- Study visa application at Italian embassies Non-binding In 55 days30 November 2026 (2026-27 cycle)
Deadline for non-EU students to submit the visa application after validated Universitaly pre-enrolment.
Federico II has not yet published 2027-28 dates; the dates above are from the 2026-27 cycle and are past or about to pass. Expect a similar pattern: Universitaly pre-enrolment by mid-June, enrolment from mid-July to early November, and restricted-access calls in spring and summer.
How to apply
EU students, and non-EU students already living in Italy, send their documents to the coordinator of the chosen course, then enrol online through Segrepass (open-access courses) or through the course's admission call (restricted-access courses). Non-EU students living abroad must first pre-enrol on Universitaly, naming Federico II and the programme, then apply for a type D study visa, sit any required test and complete enrolment in Naples with the student office.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary qualification equivalent to the Italian diploma that gives access to university, checked by the course coordinator.
- For restricted-access courses, an admission test score high enough to place within the available places in the ranking.
- Italian at B2 for Italian-taught degrees, or adequate English (B2 for the new Veterinary Medicine degree) for English-taught ones.
- For open-access courses, adequate basic knowledge, checked by a non-selective assessment.
Tips for applying to Federico II
- 1 Non-EU applicants: finish Universitaly pre-enrolment by the mid-June deadline; after it only restricted-access programmes stay open and you cannot switch programmes.
- 2 Federico II does not issue admission letters for visas; take the validated Universitaly summary, any language certificates and your qualification documents to the embassy.
- 3 If you live in Italy, get your university ISEE from a CAF (it takes about 15 days) before enrolling: without it you pay the maximum contribution.
- 4 A diploma mark of 100 e lode halves the first-year university contribution, so check whether you qualify before paying.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Fees are income-based: first-year students with a university ISEE up to 30,000 euros pay no university contribution, and above ISEE 80,000 euros amounts stop varying with income. First-year students with a diploma mark of 100 e lode get 50% off, and students with a disability of 35% or more, refugees and some other groups are fully exempt. Right-to-study grants and housing are handled by the regional agency.
- University ISEE up to 30,000 euros: no university contribution
- No-tax area (first year)
- 2,384 euros (also charged without an ISEE)
- Maximum first-year contribution
- 50% off for a diploma mark of 100 e lode
- Merit discount
- 10,179.85 euros per year (per the international admissions page)
- Visa means of subsistence
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters: September to February and February to July
Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (BSc, English)
New from 2026-27, run by the DIETI department and covering electronics, telecommunications, robotics, AI and biomedical engineering.
Veterinary Medicine (single-cycle, English)
A five-year English-taught degree launched in 2026-27 with 20 places, taught at the new Frullone site in Naples.
Civil and Environmental Engineering (BSc, English)
One of the English-taught bachelor's degrees in the university's international course catalogue.
Medicine and Surgery in English
A restricted-access English-taught medical degree, with admission by test and national ranking.
Law
The faculty that trained three Italian presidents: Enrico De Nicola, Giovanni Leone and Giorgio Napolitano.
Apple Developer Academy
A programme run with Apple in software development, app design and start-ups, open to students from design and business as well as computing.
Research
- The university reports 43 research centres and 37 PhD programmes across 26 departments.
- Its San Giovanni a Teduccio campus, which marked 10 years in 2026, is a hub for research and innovation, and the university runs industry academies with Apple, Cisco, Deloitte and FS Italiane.
- English-taught master's programmes include Volcanology, Quantum Science and Engineering, and Autonomous Vehicle Engineering.
Schools & faculties
- School of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences
- School of Medicine and Surgery
- Polytechnic School and Basic Sciences
Student life
Federico II has no single campus: its buildings are spread across Naples, from the historic centre around Corso Umberto I to the San Giovanni a Teduccio site in the east of the city. Most students live in private flats rather than university halls. International students get help from the International Welcome Desk, which works with a partner company to find accommodation free of charge, and from the Sinapsi buddy programme that pairs them with local students. The university also has a polyphonic choir and sports facilities.
- Historic buildings in the centre of Naples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Industry academies with Apple, Cisco and Deloitte.
- The Sinapsi buddy programme pairs international students with local students.
- An International Welcome Day each year and a university polyphonic choir.
Housing. There is no guaranteed university housing; the International Welcome Desk and its partner International Students Union help international students find accommodation in Naples free of charge.
Location
Naples is southern Italy's largest city, on the Bay of Naples beneath Mount Vesuvius, with a historic centre on UNESCO's World Heritage list. It is loud, dense and full of street life, the university's sites are linked by metro and trains, and Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast and the islands of Capri and Ischia are within easy reach for weekends.
Nearest airport: Naples International Airport (NAP)
Notable alumni
- TA Thomas AquinasTheologian and philosopher; studied at the studium generale in Naples
- EN Enrico De NicolaFirst President of Italy; law graduate (1896)
- GL Giovanni LeonePresident of Italy (1971-1978); law graduate (1929)
- GN Giorgio NapolitanoPresident of Italy (2006-2015); studied law
- NA Nicola AbbagnanoExistentialist philosopher; philosophy graduate (1922)
- FF Fabrizio FredaFormer CEO of the Estée Lauder Companies; graduated in 1981
- GM Gaetano ManfrediMayor of Naples and former Minister of University and Research; former rector of the university
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to study at the University of Naples Federico II?
For Italian and EU-resident students, first-year fees depend on the university ISEE: nothing up to 30,000 euros, rising to a maximum of 2,384 euros, plus a regional tax of 130-173 euros and 16 euros stamp duty. The international admissions page lists 200 euros a year plus regional tax for EU citizens, and only the regional tax and stamp duty for non-EU citizens.
Does Federico II teach degrees in English?
Yes. English-taught bachelor's degrees include Civil and Environmental Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, and single-cycle degrees include Medicine and Surgery in English and, from 2026-27, Veterinary Medicine. Many master's degrees are also taught in English.
How do non-EU students apply to Federico II?
Pre-enrol on Universitaly for your programme (by 15 June in the 2026 cycle), apply for a type D study visa, then sit any admission test and complete enrolment in Naples. The university does not issue separate admission letters for visas.
Is there an entrance exam at Federico II?
Only for restricted-access courses such as Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine and Architecture, where admission depends on the test score and ranking. Open-access courses have a non-selective check of basic knowledge.
Do I need to speak Italian to study at Federico II?
For Italian-taught degrees you need Italian at B2, shown by a CLIQ certificate or the university's test. English-taught degrees do not require Italian.
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.
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to Federico II in the QS World University Rankings 2027.