Study in Italy

Study in Italy

ABOUT ITALY 

Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea in Southern Europe, the Italian Republic has been the centre of historic evolution and cultural innovation. It shares its territorial borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Vatican City and San Marino, and its maritime borders with Tunisia.  Its location makes it experience a typical Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Besides its capital Rome, Italy is home to some of the finest and beautiful cities such as Milan, Naples, Turin and Florence. While its ancient roman history is known to all, Italy in the 21st century has grown to become one of the largest economies in the world with some of the largest national wealth and central bank gold reserves. It continues to hold very high rankings in the quality of life, healthcare and education. Its contributions to the international society comes from it becoming the founding member of the famous European Union and its role in multilateral organizations like the United Nations, NATO, OECD, OSCE, WTO, G7, G20, Union for the Mediterranean, Latin Union and the Council of Europe.

 

HIGHER EDUCATION STRUCTURE 

With the onset of the Bologna process, the Higher Education structure is now a culmination of three different cycles. They are:

The Bachelor’s or the first cycle: For students graduating fresh out of school, Italy provides a variety of programs through a bachelor’s degree which include applied sciences, arts, business management, IT, engineering, design, fashion, hospitality, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and tourism. The degree might take upto 3 years to complete depending on the course.

Requirement to study Bachelor’s in Italy: 

  • Successful completion of class 12 with 60% and above
  • IELTS academic score of 5.5 and above, a TOEFL PBT score of 507 and above or a TOEFL CBT score of 180 and above.

Master’s or the second cycle: After the successful completion of their bachelor’s degree, students may choose a variety of master’s courses that Italy provides based on their subject of interest and career ahead. These include, applied sciences, arts, architecture, business management, IT, engineering, hospitality, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and world politics. While the degree may take upto 2 years to complete depending on the course, students are often taught through seminars, exercises, practical workshops, field trips and research. These help them to not only prepare for a professional career but also an academic career if they choose to.

Requirement to study Master’s in Italy: 

  • Successful completion of class 12 with 60% and above
  • Successful completion of bachelor’s with 60% and above
  • IELTS academic score of 5.5 and above, a TOEFL PBT score of 507 and above or a TOEFL CBT score of 180 and above.

Doctoral degree or the third cycle: After the successful completion of their master’s, international students in Italy can also apply for a doctoral degree which all public and private universities offer in the country. Students are expected to conduct independent research under an academic supervision which is later subject to approval by a panel of experts appointed by the university. While the degree may take upto 5 years to complete, students are also given financial grants that will help them sustain themselves in the country.

Requirement to study PhD in Italy: 

  • Successful completion of class 12 with 60% and above
  • Successful completion of bachelor’s with 60% and above
  • Successful completion of master’s with 60% and above
  • Independent research idea
  • IELTS academic score of 5.5 and above, a TOEFL PBT score of 507 and above or a TOEFL CBT score of 180 and above.

 

Cost of studying in Italy

While the tuition fee for public universities may range between EUR 900 – 4000 (around INR ) per year, average tuition fee for private universities is EUR 6000- 20000 (around INR) per year. The average cost of living in an Italian city for students usually ranges between EUR 900 – 1100 (around INR) per month. Cities like Milan and Rome may go even go upto EUR 1500 (around INR) per month for students to incur.

 

WORK OPPORTUNITIES

International students are allowed to take up part time work opportunities 20 hours a week. Students may find employment opportunities mainly in the service sector which include, restaurants, cafes, hotels and even offices. Students may also apply for part time job positions in the university that they are studying. This will not only help contribute to their academic profile but also save time since they would be working in the university itself. However, it is advisable to be acquainted with Italian to be able to work effectively with the people there. In addition, students will also need to apply for a work permit in order to be eligible for any opportunity in the country.

After successful completion of their graduation, students are allowed to stay in the country for another 6-12 months in order to find employment opportunities that suit them the best. Once they do find a job, students can only apply for a full-time work permit after they have been able to secure an employment opportunity.

 

VISA REQUIREMENT 

To obtain a student visa for Italy, students are required to submit:

  • A valid passport that does not expire within 3 months beyond the planned stay
  • A letter of acceptance from the university
  • Proof of payment to the university
  • Poof of no criminal record
  • Proof of accommodation
  • Proof of financial capability to sustain stay in the country
  • Proof of health insurance

 

SCHOLARSHIPS

While Universities have their own set of scholarships, the government provides financial assistance through very different ways for students to study in the country. Most notably, the Italian Government Scholarships for International students and the Erasmus Scholarship have been availed by many international students to finance their education in the country.