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STUDYING IN ITALY

Reader question: Where can I take an English-speaking degree in Italy?

Many Italian universities offer degree programmes in English across a wide array of disciplines, allowing more students to take advantage of the perks of studying here.

Published: 17 November 2023 11:08 CET
Reader question: Where can I take an English-speaking degree in Italy?
Italy is home to some of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious universities. Photo by Davide Cantelli on Unsplash

Studying, and particularly studying in a new country, is no small feat. Throw studying in another language to the mix and things become even harder.

If you dream of studying in Italy, the good news is that there are a whole host of options when it comes to English-taught degrees at public universities.

This may come as a surprise considering Italy is known for not being a particularly anglophone country (it regularly ranks among the countries in Europe with the lowest levels of proficiency in English).

Italy’s universities also offer a relatively low cost of tuition, which has an upper limit of €3,000, while living expenses are also generally cheaper than in other western countries such as the US, Canada and the UK.

READ ALSO: What studying in Italy is really like and what you should expect

What’s more, the price of the course does not increase drastically for overseas students, unlike in Britain for example where fees can almost double.

That’s not to say there aren’t issues. According to the latest Times Higher Education ranking, only 26 of the country’s universities were in the top 500 for 2024. The country attracted 80,000 foreign students in 2020, which is lower than its western European counterparts.

Nevertheless, Italy does provide a more affordable option for those who don’t want to be lumbered with copious amounts of student debt.

Below we’ve listed just some of your best 2024 options.

  • University of Bologna

It should come as no surprise that this academic landmark tops the list. Founded in 1088, it’s known as the oldest university in the world.

Famous alumni include poet Petrarch and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini. It’s highly regarded across the globe and is Italy’s highest-ranking university, currently placed at 155 on The Times’ list.

At present Bologna has a whopping 89 courses taught in English, with the majority of those being in the Engineering and Architecture, Economics and Management and Sciences departments. 

For more information, see here.

  • La Sapienza of Rome

The Eternal City isn’t just about The Colosseum and The Vatican you know. Its principal university is pretty big news amongst academics and it’s currently number 181 on the Times’ list, third only to Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa.

 A lot of masters courses ranging from data science to economics are taught in English here as are bachelor’s degrees such as classics and global humanities. 

Find more details here.

  • Politecnico di Milano

Strictly speaking, as the name suggests, this was founded as a polytechnic and not a university back in 1863. However, it’s since become known as one of the country’s leading science-technology universities, which is perfect for aspiring engineers and industrial designers.

There are not any English-only courses at Bachelor level, but at Masters level too, with only three of the 46 courses available held only in Italian.

For more information, click on the link here.

  • University of Padua

As the second-oldest university in the country (founded in 1222), it would be odd to not include the University of Padua on this list.

With teaching alumni including Galileo Galilei, it’s well-known throughout the globe. Padua city itself is full of international students, despite its much smaller size compared to the other three cities mentioned above.

READ ALSO: Five things to know before you apply for an Italian student visa

There are only seven Bachelor’s degrees on offer here, but it makes up for that shortfall in its Master’s programmes of which there are 48. Its human rights and multi-level governance course is often said to be one of the best.

For more information, click on the link here

  • Tor Vergata University of Rome

Another Rome entry, Tor Vergata, is well-regarded for its computer science subjects. The university lies just outside of central Rome meaning the cost of living is that bit cheaper for those on a budget. The university has 21 English-taught courses ranging from mechatronics engineering to business administration. 

For more information, see here

Special mentions

There are also a host of private universities in Italy that shouldn’t be ignored. They tend to be a lot more expensive than their public counterparts, but the majority of them have English courses available.

Università Bocconi in Milan is perhaps the most esteemed of the bunch, with LUISS University in Rome coming in at a close second. Both these institutions excel in law, economics, politics and finance.

Humanitas University in Milan offers the only medicine and surgery course in Italy taught in English. The university currently ranks at number 251 on the Times’ list.

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For members

PROPERTY

Can you still buy Italy’s one-euro homes in 2024?

A lot has changed since Italy's 'one-euro' home offers first made international headlines, so are they still available - or worth considering?

Published: 14 May 2024 10:27 CEST
Updated: 18 May 2024 07:39 CEST
Can you still buy Italy’s one-euro homes in 2024?

The prospect of buying a house in Italy for less than the price of a caffè normale at the local bar caused a sensation back in 2019, when news of one-euro home schemes hit the international headlines.

There was a property stampede in Sicilian towns in particular, with local mayors reporting being overwhelmed with enquiries in English and other languages.

MAP: Where in Italy can you buy homes for one euro?

Even sceptics couldn’t contain their curiosity: Was it a joke? What condition were these houses in? And how much was this really going to cost?

Several years later, we know that these schemes are legitimate attempts to breathe new life into depopulated areas and unburden local authorities of old, unwanted properties that would otherwise be left to fall apart. And in some cases, at least, it has worked – and proved very lucrative for the towns involved.

We know most of these houses are in a very poor state of repair, requiring major investments from their new owners. And we know the costs can be high, with reports of some international buyers spending hundreds of thousands of euros on renovations – many times more than the property’s potential market value.

READ ALSO: Six things to know about Italy’s one-euro homes

But we’ve also heard from some readers who tell us that, while these homes do of course cost more than one euro, for a sensible buyer they can be a worthwhile investment.

Not only are Italy’s one-euro home offers still going strong in 2024, but new towns are joining the scheme, while others continue to announce similar ‘cheap home’ projects such as the rental programme in Ollolai, Sardinia aimed at remote workers – one scheme that’s expected to take off following the introduction of Italy’s new digital nomad visa in 2024.

So what do you need to know if you’re curious about these Italian property bargains?

As ever, if you’re interested in buying a one-euro home you’ll need to meet certain requirements which vary depending on the local authority. After all, this is not a nationwide scheme but a series of small initiatives run by local councils in each town or village, so you’ll need to carefully check the terms and conditions of every offer you consider.

Generally though, the following will apply:

  • Foreign nationals can buy one-euro houses, whether they’re EU or non-EU citizens – but remember owning one will not give you any residency rights in Italy, and visa rules will still apply to non-EU nationals.
  • The prospective buyer can’t just make vague promises about doing the place up: you’ll need to present a renovation plan within 2, 3 or 6 months depending on the village.
  • Buying a one-euro home to turn into a tourist rental business is generally allowed, but you’ll need to let the local authority know your plans when you apply.
  • The cost of the house, all renovation costs, and all notary, legal, transfer and other fees are the responsibility of the buyer.

Some things have however changed in the past few years which make buying and renovating a one-euro home less affordable than it once was.

Many buyers in recent years were further tempted by generous state subsidies available to cover the cost of renovation work – most famously the ‘superbonus 110’ which covered up to 110 per cent of qualifying expenditures.

READ ALSO: What taxes do you need to pay if you own a second home in Italy?

Though the superbonus is now winding down and is no longer open to new applications, it has had a knock-on effect which means renovations in Italy generally take longer and cost more than they used to.

The superbonus scheme’s enormous popularity led to an ongoing shortage of building contractors in Italy, who were booked up months, or even years, in advance.

And as the popularity of these offers has exploded, the most viable properties in some areas now often become the subject of a bidding war, with the sale price rising from one euro to tens of thousands.

Find a map of the towns currently offering one-euro homes in Italy here.

Have you bought a property through a one-euro home scheme in Italy? We’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch by email or in the comments section below to let us know about your experience.

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