University of Siena
Università degli Studi di Siena
A university founded in 1240 inside a UNESCO-listed medieval city, with English-taught degrees in economics, bioengineering and dentistry.
- Students
- 14,833
- 11,409 undergraduates
- International
- 10%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 16.8:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- €656
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1240
About UniSi
The University of Siena grew out of the Studium Senese, established in 1240, and is one of the oldest universities in Italy. It is a medium-sized public university in a small city: its buildings are spread through Siena's UNESCO-listed historic centre, from the San Francesco complex (economics and management) and Palazzo San Niccolò (engineering, mathematics and social sciences) to Palazzo San Galgano (history and cultural heritage), with medicine based at the Santa Maria alle Scotte teaching hospital.
Teaching and research are organised in departments grouped into four areas: biomedical and medical sciences; economics, law and political sciences; experimental sciences; and literature, history, philosophy and the arts. The School of Economics and Management and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences run many of the degree programmes. The university says it attracts students from over 100 countries.
Most bachelor's degrees are taught in Italian, but three first-degree programmes are fully in English: Economics and Management, Biotech Engineering for Health (new in 2025-26) and the six-year single-cycle degree in Dentistry and Dental Prosthodontics. International applicants apply online through apply.unisi.it, and fees depend on family income or, for students without Italian income, on their country of origin.
Why students choose UniSi
Three English-taught first degrees: Economics and Management (with Banking and Finance, Business and Management, and Economics and Social Sciences curricula), Biotech Engineering for Health, and Dentistry and Dental Prosthodontics.
Low fees for students from many countries: the university's simulator gives 656 euros for a first year in 2026-27 for students from countries such as India, Nigeria or Pakistan without Italian income.
A walkable UNESCO World Heritage city where many university buildings are reached on foot and living costs are lower than in Rome or Milan.
Siena's Palio, held on 2 July and 16 August in Piazza del Campo, plus the Chigiana International Festival and Siena Jazz summer workshop.
Admissions
2027/28 entry (calendar below is from the 2026/27 cycle)
Selectivity
No overall admission rate is published. International applications through apply.unisi.it are assessed by a selection board on a competitive basis: relevance of the applicant's school record, language proficiency and preparation. Most decisions are made on documents alone; the committee may call applicants to an online test or interview.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary school diploma | A high school qualification giving access to a bachelor's or single-cycle degree; official transcripts in Italian or English (or with certified translation), legalised documents only after admission |
|---|---|
| English-taught programmes | English at B2 with a recognised certificate (citizens of listed English-speaking countries and graduates of English-taught schools may be exempt) |
| Italian-taught programmes | Italian at B2: pass the university's online Italian test or hold a CLIQ certificate at B2; English at A2 |
| English language | English-taught programmes require B2, shown with a recognised certificate. Citizens of the UK, USA, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and other listed countries, and applicants schooled entirely in English, can be exempt. Siena also offers a 30-euro online English interview for B2-level applicants without a certificate. |
Deadlines
- Biotech Engineering for Health: first selection (non-EU visa applicants) Non-binding Passed30 April 2026 (2026/27 cycle, past)
EU and EU-equated applicants had until 22 May 2026 for the first selection and until 18 September 2026 for the second.
- Bachelor's and single-cycle degrees: winter intake (all categories, including non-EU visa applicants) Non-binding Passed6 May 2026 (2026/27 cycle, past)
The only intake open to non-EU applicants who need a study visa.
- Bachelor's and single-cycle degrees: summer intake (EU, EU-equated and non-EU without visa) Non-binding Passed30 September 2026 (2026/27 cycle)
Ran from 7 May to 30 September 2026; not available to applicants who need a visa.
Siena had not published its 2027/28 admission calendar when checked; the dates shown are from the 2026/27 cycle. If you need a visa, plan on applying well before early May 2027. Admissions for 2026-27 were described as open on the admission portal, with a summer intake for EU students.
How to apply
Register on apply.unisi.it, choose up to two or three programmes (each with its own admission fee), and upload your passport, CV, school transcripts and language certificates. After the selection board's decision you receive a Letter of Eligibility for Enrollment; non-EU applicants who need a visa then pre-enrol on Universitaly and apply for a study visa before enrolling and paying the first fee instalment.
What admissions looks for
- A curriculum relevant to the chosen programme.
- Adequate proficiency in the language of instruction: B2 English for English-taught programmes, B2 Italian for Italian-taught ones.
- Sufficient preparation, which the committee may test online or in an interview.
- The qualifications required for enrolment, backed by complete, official documents.
Tips for applying to UniSi
- 1 If you need a visa, apply in the winter intake: the summer intake is closed to visa applicants.
- 2 Upload a recognised language certificate; without one, book Siena's 30-euro online English interview or plan to take the Italian online test.
- 3 Use the university's fee simulator: fees for students without Italian income depend on your country and range from about 656 euros to 4,496 euros for a first year.
- 4 Apply to DSU Toscana by its early September deadline for regional scholarships, free canteen access and residence places.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
DSU Toscana, the regional student welfare agency, awards income- and merit-based scholarships that include free canteen meals and free accommodation for out-of-town winners, subject to availability; the 2026-27 call closed on 7 September 2026. Siena International Excellence Scholarships support selected master's students, and the university also takes part in schemes for refugees and students from crisis areas.
- Per programme, non-refundable; up to two or three applications
- Admission fee
- 30 euros
- English interview (if no certificate)
- 7 September 2026, 1 p.m.
- DSU Toscana scholarship deadline (2026-27)
- 9,636-21,666 euros
- Indicative total yearly budget (incl. tuition)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Economics and Management (BSc, English)
Three-year degree at the School of Economics and Management with curricula in Banking and Finance, Business and Management, and Economics and Social Sciences.
Biotech Engineering for Health (BSc, English)
Launched in 2025-26, it combines biotechnology and information engineering for human health, taught at Palazzo San Niccolò.
Dentistry and Dental Prosthodontics (English)
A six-year single-cycle degree taught in English at the Santa Maria alle Scotte hospital site.
Medicine and Surgery
A six-year single-cycle degree in Italian at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, beside the Policlinico Santa Maria alle Scotte.
Law (Giurisprudenza)
A five-year single-cycle law degree in one of Italy's oldest law schools, where Cino da Pistoia taught in the 14th century.
Research
- The university reports ranking 288th in the world for research citations in QS 2026.
- Collaboration agreements with 239 universities worldwide and 72 foreign universities for international doctorates.
- An astronomical observatory in the Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment and a university museum of historical medical instruments.
Schools & faculties
- School of Economics and Management
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy
- Department of Business and Law
- Department of Economics and Statistics
- Department of History and Cultural Heritage
- Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics
- Department of Law
- Department of Life Sciences
- Department of Philology and Literary Criticism
- Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment
- Department of Political and International Sciences
Student life
Siena is small and largely pedestrian, and most university buildings are within walking distance in the historic centre. Students rent privately (the university and DSU run the cercoalloggio.com listings service) or win places in DSU Toscana residences, which are free for out-of-town scholarship holders. CUS Siena organises rugby, football, volleyball, basketball, fencing, climbing, cycling and more, and student associations run events and help international students settle in. The city's Palio, music festivals and museums fill the calendar.
- The Palio di Siena, run in Piazza del Campo on 2 July and 16 August.
- CUS Siena university sports, from rugby and fencing to climbing and mountain biking.
- Italian language courses (A1-A2) for enrolled international students.
- Subsidised DSU canteens, free for scholarship winners.
Housing. DSU Toscana residences are allocated on income and merit (free for out-of-town scholarship holders); a room in a shared flat costs about 300-450 euros a month.
Location
Siena is a medieval hill city in the heart of Tuscany and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dominated by the black-and-white marble cathedral and the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo. The historic centre is one of Europe's largest pedestrian areas, and the university describes living costs as lower than in Rome or Milan, with shared rooms from about 300 euros a month.
Nearest airport: Florence (FLR) or Pisa (PSA); the university also lists Bologna and Rome
Notable alumni
- PJ Pope Julius IIIPope from 1550 to 1555; studied law at Siena
- CR Carlo RosselliAnti-fascist leader, journalist and historian; graduated from Siena in 1923
- CC Carlo CottarelliEconomist and former director at the International Monetary Fund; economics and banking graduate
- RR Rino RappuoliVaccine scientist, former chief scientist at GSK Vaccines; bachelor's and doctorate in biological sciences
- GN Gianna NanniniRock singer-songwriter; philosophy graduate
- LM Luigi MarattinEconomist and Italian politician; PhD in political economy
- YG Yusuf Garaad OmarJournalist and former Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs; graduate studies in anthropology
- SC Stefano CaselliEconomist and professor at SDA Bocconi; PhD in finance
Frequently asked questions
Does the University of Siena teach bachelor's degrees in English?
Yes: Economics and Management, Biotech Engineering for Health, and the six-year Dentistry and Dental Prosthodontics degree are taught entirely in English. Other bachelor's degrees are in Italian and need B2 Italian.
How much does the University of Siena cost for international students?
For students without Italian income, first-year fees in 2026-27 depend on citizenship: about 656 euros for many lower-income countries, up to about 2,406-2,846 euros for higher-income countries, and 4,496 euros for Dentistry. Students with an Italian ISEE pay income-based fees.
When is the application deadline at Siena?
For 2026-27, applicants who needed a visa had to apply in the winter intake by 6 May 2026, while EU and no-visa applicants could also use the summer intake until 30 September 2026. The 2027-28 calendar had not been published when checked.
Is there an entrance exam?
Usually not for international applicants: most decisions are made on documents, although coordinators can call applicants to an online test or interview. Italian-taught programmes require the online Italian test unless you hold a CLIQ B2 certificate.
How much does it cost to live in Siena?
The admission portal estimates 9,636 to 21,666 euros a year including tuition, or roughly 800 to 1,800 euros a month; a room in a shared flat costs about 300-450 euros a month.
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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