University of Bologna: A Guide for Applicants from Abroad

The University of Bologna recruits for its English-taught bachelor's and single-cycle degrees through a separate selection for each programme, and its catalogue lists the degree programmes available for a.y. 2026/2027. Bologna has not yet published its a.y. 2027/2028 calls, so every date and fee below belongs to the 2026/2027 cycle and shows how the process works, not what the calls for your year will say.

You apply on Studenti Online, and a citizen of a non-EU country who needs a visa also pre-enrols on Universitaly. The test depends on the programme: the SAT General test for Business and Economics (CLaBE), a TOLC or CEnT-S test for several others, the IMAT for Medicine and Surgery and Veterinary Medicine. The admission tests chapter sets out each test and its places.

Bologna describes itself as the oldest university in the Western world.

Two things to keep in mind. The places and dates differ by programme and campus, so always read the page of your own degree. And the fixed fee and the maximum contribution are the ceiling of a scale: what you pay depends on your family's economic situation, as the cost chapter explains.

The University of Bologna traces its history to 1088 and calls itself the oldest university in the Western world, but this report lists no overall world-ranking position for it: Bologna's own pages name no ranking edition or position, and a ranking belongs on the publisher's table, not on a university's page.

Bologna's history page says the year 1088 is only conventionally referred to as the year in which the Studium of Bologna was founded. That is how we use the date: as the university's own convention, not as a documented founding act.

On rankings, here is exactly what we can say. Bologna describes itself as ranked among the best universities in the world and says it is regularly recognised by national and international rankings. That is the university's own claim. It gives no edition or position, and this report has not matched the claim against QS, Times Higher Education, ARWU or U.S. News. Look up the current table on each publisher's site before you rely on a number you find elsewhere, including older versions of this guide.

International Reputation

Bologna's own description of its international profile is that it has the largest international student community in Italy, with exchange programmes and global partnerships behind it. Treat this as the university's own statement.

The history page also speaks of more than 900 years of history. The campuses matter for applicants: the five sites are in different cities, so the degree you choose decides where you live.

Comparison with Other Universities

We do not rank Bologna against other universities here. Earlier versions of this guide gave rank numbers and subject counts, and none of them appears on the university's pages, so we removed them. The comparison that holds up is practical: Bologna is a large, multi-campus public university that selects English-taught bachelor's students programme by programme, with fees scaled to family income. The later chapters show what that means for places, tests and cost.

The history page links to a list of notable people; this report does not reproduce it and names no alumni.

Restricted-access degrees have a fixed number of places and a share reserved for non-EU citizens resident abroad: 32 of 190 places in Business and Economics, 40 of 130 in Economics and Finance, 50 of 120 in Economics of Tourism and Cities. Bologna does not publish how many people apply, so we cannot give an admit rate.

The places below come from each programme's own admission page. Those pages do not name an academic year next to the places, but the selection dates beside them fall in February to May 2026, so read them as the 2026/2027 cycle and check your programme's page for the year you apply. The only exceptions are the two medical-field degrees, whose figures are labelled 2026/27 on the page.

The Business and Economics figures conflict. Business and Economics shows 190 places on its programme page and 250 in the catalogue. The university does not explain the gap, so we give both and suggest you take the number from the call for your own cycle.

How places are split across intakes

Business and Economics runs more than one intake. Its first intake offers 85 places for EU and EU-assimilated citizens plus 32 for non-EU citizens residing outside Italy, and the 2nd intake offers 60 places for EU and EU-assimilated citizens only. For a non-EU applicant abroad this makes the first intake the one that matters. Other programmes set their own intakes, and some, such as Building Construction Engineering, state their quotas per selection.

Open access and the quota rule

Bologna's rule for open-access programmes is that there is no limit to the number of places. For any restricted-access programme, a portion called a contingent is reserved for citizens of non-EU countries who reside abroad.

How hard is it to get in

Bologna publishes no application counts or admit rates, and minimum scores are set per programme (EPOS asks for 1100 on the SAT), so this report quotes no overall acceptance rate. An older version of this guide gave a specific overall acceptance rate; no university page states it and we removed it. What the pages do show is the ceiling of places in the table, and that selection runs on test scores, programme by programme, as the next chapter explains.

In Business and Economics, Bologna ranks applicants by test score alone: the ranking is based solely on the score obtained in the SAT, with no minimum score required. That ranking rule does not mention essays or interviews. In a tie at International Studies priority goes to the youngest candidate.

What follows comes from the programme pages of the 2026 selections (Business and Economics, Management and Economics, International Studies, Economics of Tourism and Cities, Economics, Politics and Social Sciences). Each programme publishes its own call, so a rule shown for one programme does not automatically hold for another.

What happens after the ranking list

If you are placed on a ranking list you enrol within the deadlines of the call. Places that are not taken are made available again. In Business and Economics, any remaining places are offered again to those who state their interest in the Unallocated Places procedure, but taking part is not automatic: you must state your interest at every selection via Studenti Online. If you are not selected there, you can take part in any other available intake and apply again, respecting the requirements and deadlines of the call.

Additional learning requirements (OFA)

An OFA is a remedial task assigned when your score falls below a threshold set in the call. In Business and Economics the OFA threshold is SAT below 500/800. An OFA does not in itself prevent you from enrolling, attending lessons and sitting exams; the admission tests page adds that you must clear it by 31 March of the calendar year after your enrolment year.

Special programmes and reserved places

Business and Economics reserves 13 positions for Special Programmes: 3 for displaced students or refugees in Italy and 10 for Iranian female students residing in Iran. These are programme-specific routes, not general rights of every applicant.

Tips for International Applicants

• Read the call of your own programme: ranking rules, thresholds and deadlines differ by degree.
• Apply again if you miss out in one intake; later intakes need a new application, not an automatic transfer.
• In a programme with Unallocated Places, state your interest at every selection or you will not be considered.
• Check whether your programme's score threshold creates an OFA, and plan to clear it by the March deadline.

Bologna has no single entrance exam: each English-taught degree names its own test. Business and Economics, Management and Economics, Economics and Finance, Economics, Politics and Social Sciences, and Economics of Tourism and Cities use the SAT General test. Business and Economics and Economics and Finance set no minimum SAT score; Economics, Politics and Social Sciences sets 1100 for EPOS.

The tests below are those of the 2026 selections, the cycle the programme pages currently show. Bologna has not yet published calls for a.y. 2027/2028, so treat every date as last cycle's pattern, not as your year's calendar.

Admission exams by programme

International Studies, in Forlì, is the programme with two different tests: its first selection ran from February to 29/04/2026 and its second selection, the SAT, ran from 30/04/2026 to 3 July 2026 (both passed).

How the SAT is used

The SAT is the General test of the College Board, scored out of 1600. For Management and Economics, a score is valid if you took it starting from 1 February 2024 and Bologna receives it from the College Board by the application deadline of the intake. You must ask the College Board to forward scores to Bologna with code 6993. For International Studies, tests taken between 1 February 2024 and 3 July 2026 counted. These validity windows belong to those programmes and to the 2026 selections; read the call of your own programme and cycle.

TOLC and CEnT-S

Check the call to find out which type you need and whether it is taken at home or at a university. Bologna itself only organises in-person TOLC tests, at all its sites. As the Genomics page describes it, the TOLC-I in Italian has 50 questions and lasts 1 hour and 50 minutes. CEnT-S is the new CISIA English Test used by some international programmes with restricted access, which you can take in four periods.

The IMAT

For Veterinary Medicine in English, passing the IMAT fulfils the B2 English requirement. The Medicine chapter gives the published admission test date, places and scoring rules for Medicine and Surgery.

Practice resources

On the CISIA practice area you find practice exercises, free MOOCs, simulations and placement tests for the TOLC and other CISIA tests.

At Bologna you apply per programme on Studenti Online, in four steps: check the requirements, sit the entrance exam and selection, check the ranking, then complete matriculation (enrolment). The latest dates published are for Academic Year 2026/2027, and every application window of that cycle has now closed. Bologna has not yet published windows for a.y. 2027/2028.

Business and Economics (CLaBE) and Management and Economics (CLAME) share one call labelled Academic Year 2026/2027, and we use the Business and Economics page as the worked example. The page itself warns that the information is only a summary and the complete details and deadlines are in the official call for applications. Other programmes keep their own calls, with their own dates.

Who Can Study in Bologna?

Eligibility depends on your school-leaving qualification and, for non-EU citizens living abroad, on a visa pre-enrolment step. The foreign diplomas chapter covers which diplomas are accepted, and the Universitaly chapter covers the non-EU route.

Application Steps - A Step-by-Step Guide

The four steps on the programme page are: Requirements, Entrance exam and Selection, Ranking, Matriculation. To apply you log in and register on Studenti Online, then submit your application. Non-EU citizens living outside Italy follow a separate path, listed on Bologna's page as How to Start: entrance exam, pre-enrolment to visa, submitting your qualifications, and what to do when you arrive. Their route is the first selection only: the second intake of Business and Economics is for EU and EU-assimilated citizens (the intake split is in the places chapter).

Matriculation and the first payment

Once you are selected, you enrol on Studenti Online and pay the first tuition fee instalment or the one-off fee by the deadlines in the call. If you do not pay as specified, you are excluded. In the 2026/2027 enrolment, first-year students who submitted an ISEE or foreign income documents to obtain exemptions paid in instalments, the first of €157.04 by 24 September 2026 (passed) or by the date set by their programme. The 2027/2028 dates are not yet published.

Is there an application fee?

Business and Economics charges a selection fee of €20, paid through the PagoPA platform. The fee also covers any extraordinary selection and is not refunded under any circumstance. Other programmes may differ, so check the call.

What to expect for the next cycle: Bologna has not published an a.y. 2027/2028 call, so dates, fees and the number of selections can change. Treat the 2026 pattern (a first selection opening in February) as a guide only, and confirm everything when the new calls appear.

If you are a citizen of a non-EU country living outside Italy, you apply for the selection on Studenti Online and you also submit a pre-enrolment application, which you need to apply for an entry visa. Bologna validates it under condition, subject to verification of your qualification if you pass the entrance exam, and you can apply for the visa only when it is unconditional.

These rules come from Bologna's non-EU enrolment page; the page names a 2026/2027 document-upload call, but most of its steps carry no academic-year label. The page that applies to you may differ if you are an EU citizen or hold an Italian residence permit.

Pre-enrolment is not a place. The page says that pre-enrolment does not in itself entail admission to a degree programme: to enrol you must still pass the entrance exam of the programme. Bologna also does not issue letters of academic eligibility for a visa.

EU and EU-equivalent applicants

Bologna provides separate information for citizens of EU countries or with EU equivalent status and with a foreign qualification. This matters for the quota: a place in the non-EU quota is only for applicants who live abroad.

What the embassy checks

When it assesses your visa application, the embassy or consulate may request additional documents to verify your qualification, for example CIMEA statements, or your language skills, for example certificates proving at least a B2 level in the language of your programme. The proof of funds is also on the page: the minimum required for 2026 is € 10,179.85 (ten thousand one hundred seventy-nine euros and eighty-five cents). Bologna's residence permit page gives a different, lower amount labelled for 2025 (€ 7,000.97, seven thousand euros and ninety-seven cents), so treat the figure as the embassy's to confirm; the visa and arrival chapter explains the conflict.

Deadlines and timing

The pages give timing rules rather than one deadline. Bologna's offices are closed for a period in August and validate no pre-enrolments then, so validation is slow in that month. For one alternative way of getting unconditional validation by contacting the student administration office, the page says the procedure is valid only if all the required documents are submitted by 21 July 2026 (passed); after that date the first fee instalment must be paid instead. The document-upload call is named Matriculation for the 26_27 academic year, so these steps belong to the 2026/2027 cycle. Bologna has published no matching page for a.y. 2027/2028.

The English-taught degrees we checked ask for English at B2 level (CEFR) or higher, but how you prove it depends on the programme: some count the SAT or the admission test, others ask for a certificate. Bologna publishes no IELTS or TOEFL score table, so this report gives no IELTS or TOEFL numbers.

For non-EU citizens living abroad, the rule is simple to state and varies in practice: check the degree programme's admission notice or call for applications for the methods of fulfilling the language requirement. The examples below come from programme pages; where a page names a year, we give it.

Bologna's pages state no IELTS or TOEFL minimum. An older version of this guide named specific IELTS and TOEFL scores, an apostille, a motivation letter and recommendation letters. None of these appears on Bologna's programme pages, so we removed them. Which certificates a programme accepts is set in its call, and for International Studies it is the AICLU table kept by the University Language Centre (CLA).

Italian language requirement

This applies only to the Italian-taught degrees, not to the English-taught ones. If you are a non-EU citizen living abroad and choose a degree programme in Italian, you must meet the Italian language requirement to enrol. The Italian test has 72 questions to be completed in 120 minutes, and for the 2026/27 a.y. the minimum score is 48. The alternative is an Italian certificate of at least level B2 issued under the CLIQ quality system.

Check the call for your programme before you book an Italian language test.

To enter a first-cycle or single-cycle degree with a foreign diploma, your qualification must follow at least 12 years of schooling and give access to a similar degree at a university in the country where you earned it.

Bologna's wording is that you can be admitted if you hold a suitable foreign secondary school diploma, according to Italian law and the rules of the Italian Ministry for Universities and Research. Business and Economics repeats the rule for its own applicants: a qualification obtained abroad at the end of a school period of at least twelve years, granting access to university training.

Admission Requirements

• A diploma awarded after at least 12 years of schooling, which gives access to a similar degree in its home country.
• For U.S. High School Diplomas only, a final period of at least two years of successful attendance in a foreign educational system; the office might also check the school reports of the last two years.

If you studied fewer than 12 years

Where the local school system lasts eleven years, you must submit an academic certificate stating that you have passed all the required exams for the first year of university studies. The other route is certificates from universities attesting the successful completion of a Foundation Year. Bologna cannot give you one: it does not offer Foundation Years.

Documents and who checks them

At matriculation you must submit your original secondary school diploma, translated and supported by confirmation of authenticity. The evaluation follows the CIMEA guidelines for the evaluation of foreign qualifications, and the check is done by the Campus International Student Administration office after online matriculation. For Business and Economics, the qualification you declare is checked by the International Student Administration Office of the relevant campus after you have applied for enrolment.

An older version of this guide advised a sworn translation, an apostille and conversion of results. Bologna's pages require a translation and confirmation of authenticity, and refer you to a separate page on the value of foreign qualifications, but do not name an apostille or a sworn translator. The page does not publish a list of required grades or subjects for the IB, A-levels or other credentials, so a programme's own call is the place to look for those.

Medicine and Surgery in English at Bologna is a 6 years single-cycle degree taught in Bologna, with restricted access at national level and entry through the IMAT. The latest published call is for Academic Year 2026/2027: 140 places for Italian, EU and EU-equivalent citizens and 20 for non-EU citizens residing abroad, and the IMAT was held on 29 September 2026 (passed).

The catalogue lists the degree with 160 places available. The call for the 2026/2027 intake splits the places as above. Bologna has not yet published a call for a.y. 2027/2028, so the dates here are those of the cycle that has just run, not of your year.

The IMAT: format and scoring

The test has sixty multiple choice questions with five options, and candidates have 100 minutes. The total score is out of a maximum of ninety (90) points: 1.5 points for each correct answer, minus 0.4 for each wrong answer, zero for a question not answered. The test also assesses your English: English knowledge and skills at B2 level or higher are assessed with the admission test.

How applicants are ranked

EU citizens and non-EU citizens with EU-equivalent status must score at least twenty (20) points to be included in the national ranking.

One detail needs care. The summary of the call prints Rankings will be published on 13 October 2025, a date that falls a year before this intake. It looks like a leftover from the previous cycle, and the intended date is not clear, so check the call for the date of the ranking.

Fees and other rules

The maximum all-inclusive contribution for Medicine and Surgery in A.A. 2026/2027 is 3,315.00 € (three thousand three hundred fifteen euros). Bologna's table calls the contribution net of the regional tax for the right to study, stamp duty and the insurance premium; the fixed fee is €157.04; what you pay depends on your family's economic situation. Veterinary Medicine in English uses the same IMAT, with 50 places for the EU quota and 5 for non-EU citizens residing abroad in 2026/2027.

Check the call of the English-taught degree for the year you apply before assuming the previous admission route repeats.

Yes, you can study in English at Bologna: the catalogue for a.y. 2026/2027 lists English-taught first-cycle degrees of 3 years and single-cycle degrees of 5 years or 6 years (Medicine and Surgery).

The Bologna System in Practice

Bologna's catalogue sorts degrees by length: 3 years (1st cycle degree), 5 years and 6 years (single cycle degree). A first-cycle degree is the bachelor's level. A single-cycle degree runs as one block and combines what other systems split into a bachelor's and a master's. Bologna's programme pages give no ECTS totals for these degrees, so we state none.

Extensive Educational Offerings

The Bologna campus offers 79 first and single cycle degrees and 99 second cycle degrees across every subject area. Check the language and admission rules of the programme you choose.

English-Taught Programs

Use the places in this table with care. For Business and Economics the programme page says 190 places against the catalogue's 250; the places chapter discusses the discrepancy. The table combines catalogue and programme-page figures; the places are not a quota for international applicants.

Double, multiple and joint degrees

The catalogue lists Business and Economics as an English-taught double or multiple degree programme. Check the programme page for the details of its degree arrangements.

How Bologna differs from other Italian universities

An older version of this guide compared Bologna with Bocconi and the Politecnico di Milano and called its reputation the highest among Italian public universities. No Bologna page supports that comparison, so we do not repeat it. What is documented is a multi-campus model, covered in the campuses chapter.

The University of Bologna is a multi-campus institution covering Bologna, Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini, and the campus you live on is decided by the degree you choose, not by the university. The English-taught bachelor's degrees are spread across Bologna, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini.

The table shows where these programmes are taught. Check the programme page for its place of teaching and language.

What each campus offers

The Bologna campus is the largest: it lists 99 second cycle degrees and 79 first and single cycle degrees in every subject area, taught by 28 departments. It includes the Imola branch and the Ozzano dell'Emilia branch. Cesena has the Cesenatico branch and Ravenna has the Faenza branch. For Forlì, Cesena, Ravenna and Rimini this report describes the campuses only through the degrees in the table.

Campus matters for practical steps too. For example, Bologna only organises in-person TOLC tests, at all its sites (Bologna, Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna, Rimini), and you present your original diploma to the International Student Administration office of the campus where you will study.

Seats abroad and the Buenos Aires track

Beyond Emilia-Romagna, the university lists its Argentina representation (Centro de Altos Estudios), Brussels and Shanghai among its seats abroad. Business and Economics is the first international Bachelor's degree of the University of Bologna, with two different tracks: Bologna and Buenos Aires. Bologna's list of seats abroad names no New York seat, which older versions of this guide mentioned, so we do not list one.

Bologna shows graduate figures on its programme pages; for Business and Economics (CLaBE) the figures are 91% of graduates satisfied with their studies, 33% working and 43% with experience abroad. Bologna's pages give no employment rate for the university as a whole, no graduate salary figure and no employer-ranking position.

Career Prospects for Graduates

The programme page shows its figures as a "course in numbers" tile with no survey year, so we do not know which graduating class they describe. The page does not say what the graduates who are not working are doing, for example continuing to a master's degree, so do not read the share working as a verdict on the degree. The Management and International Studies programme pages show no satisfaction data.

Collaboration with Employers

The university describes events that bring companies and students together: the Job Board and the Job Placement Unibo app provide job opportunities, while events organised throughout the year facilitate contact with companies. An earlier version of this guide named companies that hire Bologna graduates and cited a QS employability position and an employment rate for master's graduates. No Bologna page states those, so we removed them.

Support for Entering the Job Market

The university describes internship abroad opportunities and a financial contribution for students.

Exchange and Study Abroad

Bologna describes exchange programmes and global partnerships. The Business and Economics programme page reports 43% of graduates with experience abroad; the page gives no survey year.

Alumni Experiences

The Almae Matris Alumni Association was founded at the end of 2020 and today has more than 9,000 members. The alumni page gives no individual alumni stories, so we include none.

At Bologna the yearly fee is a fixed €157.04 plus a variable part set by your family's economic situation, so what you pay ranges from a minimum of €157.04 to a maximum that varies with the programme. The published amounts are for the 2026/27 academic year; Bologna has not yet published fees for 2027/2028, so treat them as last cycle's scale.

Tuition Fees and Study Costs

The fixed fee is always due. Students in one of the exemption situations pay only that fixed amount: you are fully exempt from the variable part and pay only €157.04 if the indicator of the family unit's financial situation is equal to or lower than €27,000. If you do not submit the documents or are not entitled to an exemption, you pay the full amount. The maximum differs by degree:

The earlier version of this guide gave a rounded range and an average. Neither appears on the university's pages, so we use the scale above. The pages also say the contribution is net of the regional tax for the right to study ("al netto della Tassa regionale").

Reduced fixed fee for some non-EU families

Citizens of particularly poor and developing countries, and nationals of non-OECD countries, can pay a reduced fixed amount in the a.y. 2026/27: €500 + €157.04 for the first group and €1,000 + €157.04 for the second, for a freshman in a first-cycle or single-cycle degree; in a second-cycle programme the amounts are €600 and €1,200 + €157.04, and they are higher if you do not have the minimum number of credits. The condition is strict: you may accept the reduced fee only if your family has income and assets exclusively in a particularly poor country or in a non-OECD country.

Income documents and payment dates

For the 2026/2027 fees, applicants who have assets and income only abroad submit foreign income documentation. The data entry runs on the ER.GO website by 30 October 2026 at 18:00 or by 16 November 2026 at 18:00, with a late payment fee of 100 euro, and the documents can be uploaded by 20 November 2026.

Cost of Living - Accommodation and Food

Bologna's pages give no rent, food or monthly budget figures, so we quote none. The one living cost the university states is transport: a subsidised annual bus pass for the Bologna area at €161 for students enrolled in first-cycle, second-cycle and single-cycle degree programmes. Earlier versions of this guide gave a monthly budget, room prices, canteen prices and a monthly bus ticket; none of them has a source on the university's pages, so check current prices before you plan a budget. The housing chapter covers what the university says about accommodation.

Bologna's main aid for a first-year bachelor's student is not a merit scholarship but income-based: a full exemption from the variable fee if your family's indicator is equal to or lower than €27,000, alongside regional scholarships. The "Unibo Action 1 and 2" awards that older guides describe appear on none of the university's pages.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

The Emilia-Romagna Region provides scholarships, accommodation in university residences and catering contributions. If you are also on the reduced fixed fee and eligible for the ER.GO scholarship, you have full tax exemption and pay only the first instalment (€ 157.04).

Support for international and refugee students

The International Desk provides information on enrolment, immigration procedures, arrival services and the Unibo for Refugees project. Check the relevant call for any award you plan to apply for.

About "Unibo Action 1 and 2": an older version of this guide described a tuition waiver and a monthly stipend. Bologna's pages do not mention these names, so we do not describe them. Look for them on the university's scholarships page before relying on them.

How and when to apply for fee exemptions

You request an exemption through the ER.GO website by 30 October 2026 at 18:00 or by 16 November 2026 at 18:00, with a late payment fee of 100 euro for the 2026/2027 cycle. You can submit the exemption request even if you have not yet completed enrolment or have not yet chosen the programme. Applicants with income only abroad follow the foreign-income route in the cost chapter.

Opportunities for Part-Time Work During Studies

The university's own paid work scheme is the 150-hour collaboration: a maximum of 150 hours, with a study grant of € 8.50 per hour worked, up to a maximum of € 1,275 tax-free. 1,371 positions are available across the university's campuses for the 2026/27 academic year, and you must meet income, merit and enrolment criteria. It is paid as a study grant, not as a salary.

Whether an international student may take other jobs depends on the permit, and Bologna's pages give no wage levels or work-permit rules for students. Older versions of this guide quoted hourly wages for restaurants and shops without a source, so we removed them; ask the immigration office when you apply for your permit.

The Emilia-Romagna Region provides accommodation in university residences. This fact does not establish a housing guarantee, so confirm availability before making plans.

Accommodation: Dorms or Private Housing?

The university gives no rent levels, so we cannot say what a hall place or a private room costs. An earlier version of this guide quoted a monthly price for a double room in a hall and a range for a private room; none of those figures is on Bologna's pages, so we left them out. Ask ER.GO for the current call before you plan.

Residence permit after arrival

If you are a non-EU citizen residing outside Italy, apply for a residence permit within 8 days of arriving in Italy. The visa and arrival chapter covers the published permit steps.

Planning accommodation costs

Confirm accommodation costs and any financial support before you make a budget. The cost and scholarships chapters explain the published fees and regional support.

Student life at Bologna runs through associations, libraries and a help desk for international students, spread across five cities. Student associations and cooperatives enrolled in the university's register are run by students and carry out cultural, sports and recreational programmes independently.

Murals under the porticoes of Via Zamboni, Bologna

City and Campus Atmosphere

Bologna's own pages on student life are practical. The university offers a network of facilities, spaces, library and documentary services and free Wi-Fi in university facilities and software discounts. Earlier versions of this guide gave the city's population, daily customs, bike prices and train fares; none is on Bologna's pages, so we removed them.

Student Organizations and Culture

To be recognised, an association must have at least 100 members enrolled at the University of Bologna. The page lists the 2027 call for applications. This report gives no count of recognised associations.

Sports and Recreation

Sport is part of what the registered associations do, as the cultural, sports and recreational wording above says. This report does not describe sports facilities or prices.

Social Life and Integration

For international students, the first stop is the International Desk: general information on how to enrol, immigration procedures, guidance on arrival in Italy and on the services available at the Bologna Campus. Its on-site desk is at Via Marsala 49/A in Bologna. Bologna also runs Information Sessions for international students to learn more about enrolment procedures for non-EU citizens who live outside Italy.

Transport passes

The university states an annual public transport pass for the Bologna area at €161 for students in first-cycle, second-cycle and single-cycle degrees. With an ISEE up to €35,000 you may be eligible for an additional discount. Transport subsidies on the other campuses are not covered here, so check the page of your own campus.

If you are a non-EU citizen residing outside Italy, you must apply for a residence permit within 8 days of arriving in Italy, and a student permit may last up to 12 months at most. You also need health cover from the day you arrive: private health insurance or the Italian National Health Service.

Preparations Before Departure

Before you travel, the visa and Universitaly steps in the non-EU chapter come first. Two documents are worth sorting out early. The first is an Italian tax code, which you can obtain before arriving in Italy through a dedicated service provided by the University of Bologna. The second is proof of funds, where the university's own pages disagree.

One figure is labelled for 2026 and the other for 2025, and the university does not say which one applies to you. Plan around the higher figure and confirm it with the Italian embassy or consulate that handles your visa.

Initial Formalities Upon Arrival

Health cover

Non-EU students can only register with the national health service after arrival in Italy, so you need private insurance first. Registering with the service costs € 700.00, and for those applying for or holding a study permit the minimum cost is € 700.00 per year. To register voluntarily with the service as an EU student you must be resident in Italy and pay an annual lump sum of minimum €700.

EU students on arrival

For EU citizens the page says that after three months of residence in Italy you can register with the registry office of the municipality where you live. An older version of this guide described a mandatory registration for longer stays and an office procedure; the page does not state that, so we follow the page.

Bologna gives no guidance on banking, cash to bring or arrival dates, so we give none.

Bologna suits an applicant who wants an English-taught public degree with a fee that tops out at 2,040.00 € a year for first-cycle degrees in 2026/2027, and who can sit the test a programme asks for: the SAT, a TOLC, the CEnT-S or the IMAT. It is a poor fit if you need a guaranteed place or cannot sit a test.

The university itself says it is considered to be the oldest university in the Western world and claims the largest international student community in Italy. Treat those as the university's own statements, not as a ranking.

What to do next

• Pick the programme first: tests, places and deadlines are set per programme, not for the university.
• Check which test it uses and whether you can sit it in time; the chapter on admission tests lists them.
• Read the last published call for your programme: the calls and the catalogue are for a.y. 2026/2027, and the Business and Economics call carries the same label, Academic Year 2026/2027.
• If you are a non-EU citizen abroad, plan for the Universitaly pre-enrolment and the visa in the same months as the application.

What to watch for the a.y. 2027/2028 calls

Bologna has not published its a.y. 2027/2028 calls. The pattern from the last cycle is the only guide: Business and Economics opened its first selection on 10 February 2026 and closed it on 4 May 2026. If the next cycle follows the same rhythm, you would need your test score before the first selection opens, but that is an expectation, not a published date.

Watch the programme pages of your degree over the coming months and plan your test accordingly: in the last cycle the Business and Economics first selection opened in February. When the calls appear, compare them line by line with what this guide describes, because the places, tests, fees and deadlines here belong to the 2026/2027 cycle.

Official pages of University of Bologna (Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna), UCAS, gov.uk and the ranking publishers. Applicant reports, where shown, are self-reported and labelled.

Our history — University of Bologna · Programme enrolment: requirements, deadlines and methods — Business and Economics - Laurea - Bologna · Fees and exemptions: amounts and deadlines — University of Bologna · Importo massimo di contributo onnicomprensivo A.A. 2026/2027 · TPER and Start Romagna bus subsidies — University of Bologna · First and Single Cycle Degree Programmes — University of Bologna · Why the University of Bologna? — University of Bologna · Programme enrolment: requirements, deadlines and methods — Economics and Finance - Laurea - Bologna · Programme enrolment: requirements, deadlines and methods — Economics of Tourism and Cities - Laurea - Rimini · Programme enrolment: requirements, deadlines and methods — Medicine and Surgery - Laurea Magistrale CU - Bologna · Programme enrolment: requirements, deadlines and methods — Economics, Politics and Social Sciences - Laurea - Bologna · Programme enrolment: requirements, deadlines and methods — Building Construction Engineering - Laurea - Ravenna · Programme enrolment: requirements, deadlines and methods — Pharmacy - Laurea Magistrale CU - Rimini · Programme enrolment: requirements, deadlines and methods — Veterinary Medicine - Laurea Magistrale CU - Bologna · Enrolling in a first cycle or single cycle degree programme if you come from a non-EU country — University of Bologna · Programme enrolment: requirements, deadlines and methods — International studies - Laurea - Forlì · Admission tests — University of Bologna · What is OFA (Additional Learning Requirement) and how to fulfil it — Business and Economics - Laurea - Bologna · Programme enrolment: requirements, deadlines and methods — Management and Economics - Laurea - Forlì · https://corsi.unibo.it/1cycle/Genomics/how-to-enrol · Call for Applications for the admissions to the Bachelor’s Degree Programmes in Business and · Enrolling in a first cycle or single cycle degree programme if you come from an EU member country or have EU equivalent · Residence permit — University of Bologna · Italian language test and certificate for enrolment in a degree programme — University of Bologna · Enrolling in a first cycle or single cycle degree programme - foreign qualification — University of Bologna · SUMMARY of the Call for applications for the Single-Cycle Degree Programme in · First and Single Cycle Degree Programmes — University of Bologna · Bologna Campus — University of Bologna · Organisations and campuses — University of Bologna · Overview — Business and Economics - Laurea - Bologna · From study to work: how to prepare — University of Bologna · Incoming and outgoing international mobility — University of Bologna · Alumni — University of Bologna · Reduced fixed fee for citizens of particularly poor and developing countries or non-EU, non-OECD countries — University · Submitting the ISEE or documents for foreign income for University fee exemptions — University of Bologna · Contacts for international students — University of Bologna · Call for applications and ranking lists for student collaboration activities - 150 hours — University of Bologna · Student Associations and Cooperatives — University of Bologna · Life at university and in the city — University of Bologna

Photos: Courtyard of the Archiginnasio, Bologna, at dusk: photo Wwikiwalter, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · Murals under the porticoes of Via Zamboni, Bologna: photo sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons