Education in Italy

Education in Italy has a long history and a well-structured system, with the University of Bologna (founded in 1088) the oldest continuously operating university in the Western world. Public education is free for citizens and legal residents, managed by the Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM) and the Ministry of University and Research (MUR).

This article gives a complete picture of Italian education from early childhood to doctorate, the leading universities, the vocational training system, scholarships and study costs, and points to note for Vietnamese people who want to study in the country.

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Overview of the Italian education system

The Italian education system is organised as a free public system supplemented by the private sector. Compulsory education lasts 10 years, from ages 6 to 16, covering primary school, lower secondary school and the first 2 years of upper secondary school. After compulsory education, students can go on to university or vocational training programmes.

Italy was one of the signatories of the 1999 Bologna Declaration together with 28 European countries, establishing the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) with a three-cycle degree system. The Bologna Process has aligned Italy’s degree structure with 46 European countries, allowing students to transfer credits easily and have their degrees recognised internationally. The ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) is applied throughout.

According to the World Economic Forum, Italy’s higher education system ranked 14th in the world for competitiveness in 2024. Six Italian universities are in the global top 300 of the QS World University Rankings 2025, led by Politecnico di Milano (111th). The OECD has also rated Italy as the European country offering the highest return on investment (ROI) for international students, thanks to low tuition and a wide network of scholarships.

The Ministry of Education and Merit (Ministero dell’Istruzione e del Merito — MIM), renamed in 2022 under the Meloni government, oversees education from pre-school to secondary level. The Ministry of University and Research (Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca — MUR) is responsible for universities and scientific research. They are two separate ministries that coordinate to develop the national education strategy.

Early childhood and primary education

Early childhood education in Italy is not compulsory but serves almost all children from 3 months to 6 years old. The system has two levels: nurseries (asilo nido) for children under 3 and pre-schools (scuola dell’infanzia) for children aged 3 to 6. The aim is all-round development, preparation for formal schooling and socialisation. In major cities, international and bilingual (Italian + English) pre-schools are fairly common and particularly suitable for foreign families.

Primary school (scuola primaria, also called scuola elementare) lasts 5 years, from ages 6 to 11. It is the first compulsory level of the system and completely free at public schools. The primary curriculum covers core subjects: Italian, mathematics, history, geography, science, English (compulsory from Year 1), civic education, art, music, physical education and religion (optional).

A feature of Italian primary education is the absence of entrance exams or strict streaming. Pupils are assessed through regular tests and end-of-year reports. Many public schools offer full-day schooling (tempo pieno) of 40 hours a week, combining regular lessons and extracurricular activities. At the end of primary school, pupils receive a certificate of completion and move up to lower secondary school without an entrance exam.

Lower and upper secondary education

Lower secondary school (scuola secondaria di primo grado, also called scuola media) lasts 3 years, from ages 11 to 14. The curriculum extends the primary subjects and adds a second foreign language (usually French, German or Spanish), integrated science (biology, physics, chemistry), technology and digital skills. At the end, pupils must pass the Esame di Stato final exam to receive their diploma (diploma di scuola media), a prerequisite for upper secondary school.

Upper secondary school (scuola secondaria di secondo grado) lasts 5 years, from ages 14 to 19. Students choose one of three types of school: the liceo (academic secondary school preparing for university), the istituto tecnico (technical secondary school combining theory and practice) and the istituto professionale (specialised vocational secondary school). Each type has several branches.

The liceo has 6 main branches: classico (classical — Latin and Ancient Greek), scientifico (sciences), linguistico (languages), artistico (arts), musicale e coreutico (music and dance) and scienze umane (human sciences). The liceo classico and scientifico are the two most traditional types and are considered the best preparation for university. The istituto tecnico offers specialisations such as economics, technology, tourism, agriculture and information technology.

At the end of the 5 years of upper secondary school, students take the national Esame di Stato (also called the Maturità). The exam includes a written Italian paper, a written specialist paper depending on the type of school, and a comprehensive oral exam. The maximum score is 100, with 60 as the pass mark. The Italian upper secondary diploma is recognised across the EU as equivalent to similar qualifications in other member states and qualifies holders to apply to European universities.

Higher education: the Bologna system and three-cycle degrees

The Italian university system switched to the Bologna model from 1999, replacing the traditional single-cycle laurea of 4–6 years. The current system has 3 cycles: Bachelor’s (Laurea Triennale, 3 years, 180 ECTS credits), Master’s (Laurea Magistrale, 2 years, 120 ECTS credits) and Doctorate (Dottorato di Ricerca, 3–4 years). Some fields such as medicine, law, architecture and pharmacy still follow a single-cycle 5–6 year model called the Laurea Magistrale a Ciclo Unico.

University entrance tests vary by field. Medicine requires the IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test). STEM and economics programmes usually require the TOLC-I, TOLC-E or similar tests. Some universities accept SAT scores instead. Bocconi University requires an SAT score of 1,400 or above or its own admission test.

University tuition in Italy is among the lowest in Western Europe. At public universities, fees range from 900 to 4,000 euros a year depending on the university and programme. The ISEE (Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator) system allows students from disadvantaged backgrounds to receive substantial fee reductions or even free tuition. Non-EU international students usually pay the basic fee, which is still much cheaper than in the United Kingdom or the United States.

According to Sapienza University of Rome, one of the largest universities in Europe, tuition for bachelor’s and master’s programmes ranges from just 300 to 1,500 euros a year depending on the country of residence. These low fees are made possible by funding from the Italian Ministry of University and Research. International students can also apply for various scholarships based on academic merit or family income. Private universities such as Bocconi, LUISS and Cattolica charge higher fees, from 10,000 to 20,000 euros a year.

Italy’s leading universities

Italy has more than 90 officially recognised universities, ranging from large, long-established public universities to private universities with strong specialisations. The University of Bologna (Università di Bologna) was founded in 1088 and is the oldest continuously operating university in the Western world. It excels in law, medicine, engineering, economics and the social sciences and has about 90,000 students, making it one of the largest universities in Europe.

Politecnico di Milano is Italy’s leading technical university and in the world’s top 200 (111th in the QS 2025 rankings). It specialises in engineering, architecture and industrial design, with a strong network of industry partnerships — notably with Ferrari, Pirelli and Luxottica. In Turin, Politecnico di Torino is the second-oldest technical university and also ranks highly in mechanical engineering, automation and aerospace engineering.

Sapienza University of Rome is one of the largest public universities in Europe, with more than 110,000 students. It offers 59 bachelor’s and master’s programmes taught entirely in English and more than 240 programmes in Italian. Sapienza excels in medicine, bioengineering, archaeology, physics, languages and international relations. The University of Padua (Padova), founded in 1222, is in Italy’s top 5, with strengths in science, medicine and research.

Bocconi University in Milan is Italy’s most prestigious private university, specialising in business, economics, finance and law. Bocconi is regularly ranked in Europe’s top 10 for business and is a top destination for international students, as most of its programmes are taught in English. LUISS Guido Carli in Rome is also a leading private university in political science, international business and law. Other leading universities include the University of Milan, the University of Pisa, the University of Florence and the University of Trento.

Vocational training and higher technical education (ITS)

Italy has a vocational training system (Istruzione e Formazione Professionale — IeFP) running in parallel with general education. After finishing lower secondary school, students can choose vocational schools with 3–4 year programmes. These combine theory with practical training in companies and award a nationally recognised vocational qualification (qualifica professionale) or professional diploma (diploma professionale).

The Higher Technical Institutes (Istituti Tecnici Superiori — ITS) provide advanced vocational training after upper secondary school, at post-secondary non-tertiary level. ITS programmes last 2–3 years in 6 strategic areas: energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, new technologies for Made in Italy, information and communications technology, life technologies, and cultural heritage and tourism.

ITS programmes are designed to meet the real needs of Italian businesses, with at least 30% of teaching staff drawn from industry and compulsory internships making up 30% of programme time. The Meloni government passed an ITS reform law in 2022 (Riforma ITS) to raise the system’s profile, with the goal of increasing ITS enrolment from 21,000 (in 2022) to 100,000 by 2030. The employment rate after ITS graduation is 80% — higher than the average for traditional universities.

In addition, higher education institutions for fine arts and music are a distinctive feature of Italian education. The AFAM system (Alta Formazione Artistica Musicale) includes Academies of Fine Arts, Conservatories and schools of dance, theatre and drama. Notable institutions include the Brera Academy of Fine Arts (Milan), the Florence Academy of Fine Arts and the Santa Cecilia Conservatory (Rome).

Scholarships and the cost of studying in Italy

For international students, studying in Italy is affordable compared with Western Europe and North America. The total annual cost of tuition and living usually ranges from 8,000 to 15,000 euros depending on the city and lifestyle. Turin, Padua and Pisa are considered the cheapest, while Milan, Rome, Florence and Bologna are more expensive but offer better links with industry.

The scholarship system for international students in Italy is quite extensive. Italian Government Scholarships are awarded annually by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to foreign students, covering tuition, living expenses and health insurance. The application deadline is usually in May–June each year. Regional scholarships (Borse di Studio Regionali) under the Diritto allo Studio (Right to Study) system are managed by each region, including those with large budgets such as Lombardy, Lazio and Emilia-Romagna.

For students of medicine, architecture and fashion design, several private medical schools offer English-taught programmes specifically for international students, including Vita-Salute San Raffaele University and Humanitas University in Milan. Fees range from 7,000 to 25,000 euros a year — higher than public universities but still very competitive compared with medical schools in the United States and the United Kingdom. Many public universities such as Pavia, Bologna and Sapienza also offer English-taught medical degrees.

Applications to study in Italy are made through theUniversitaly.it— a centralised platform run by the Ministry of University and Research. Since 2022, it has been the only channel for non-EU students to apply for a student visa and pre-enrol at Italian universities. Students need to prepare: a legalised upper secondary diploma (apostille), a CILS/CELI/PLIDA Italian certificate at B1–B2 level or an IELTS 6.0+/TOEFL 80+ English certificate depending on the programme, a motivation letter and letters of recommendation.

For Vietnamese readers: studying in Italy and access to Italian education

For Vietnamese people interested in studying in Italy, there are many pathways to suit each level of study and budget. At university level, English-taught programmes at Politecnico di Milano (engineering, design), Bocconi (business, economics), Sapienza (multidisciplinary) and Bologna (multidisciplinary) are the most popular choices. Italian strengths that Vietnamese students often choose include fashion design, architecture, automotive engineering, culinary arts, fine arts and international relations.

Vietnamese students apply for Italian student visas through the Italian Embassy in Hanoi and the Italian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. A typical application includes: a letter of acceptance from the institution, proof of funds of at least 6,500 euros a year, health insurance, a return flight booking, and a hotel reservation or rental agreement in Italy. Visa processing usually takes 3–6 weeks and can take 8–10 weeks in the peak season from July to September.

After graduating, international students can apply for a job-seeking residence permit (Permesso di Soggiorno per Attesa Occupazione) valid for 12 months to look for work in Italy. If they find a job, they can switch to a work residence permit. The Italian job market has labour shortages in information technology, engineering, tourism and hospitality, and healthcare — well suited to STEM and services graduates.

For Vietnamese families living long-term in Italy, public education is free for children regardless of nationality when their parents hold a valid residence permit. Children from pre-school to the end of upper secondary school have equal access to public education. Some major cities such as Rome, Milan and Florence also have private international schools that are bilingual in Italian and English or follow the IB (International Baccalaureate) programme, suitable for families who want to keep multilingual education options open while planning long-term settlement.