How Much Does It Cost to Study in Italy? Income-Based Fees Explained

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

There is no single price for a degree at an Italian public university. Each student pays a contribution based on family income, so two people in the same lecture hall can pay very different amounts. Understanding the mechanism matters more than any headline figure.

How income-based fees work

Public universities charge a yearly contribution linked to an indicator of the family's economic situation, called the ISEE. The lower the ISEE, the lower the contribution. Students whose ISEE is up to €22,000 pay no university contribution at all: they pay only the regional student tax and stamp duty.

Above that threshold the contribution rises in steps set by each university. In our catalogue, fees at public universities run from €136 a year at the bottom to €8,811 at the very top, and the typical full fee, the one paid by families in the highest band, is €2,395.

The bill is normally split into two or three instalments across the year.

What non-EU students pay

This is where universities differ. An ISEE is calculated from Italian tax records, so a student whose family lives abroad needs a separate calculation based on translated and legalised income documents from home. Some universities accept that and place you in an income band. Others skip it and charge international students a flat amount, sometimes set by country of origin. Each university's fee regulation states which approach it takes.

In our catalogue the typical figure for a non-EU student at a public university is €2,106 a year.

Regional scholarships

Each Italian region runs a right-to-study agency that awards scholarships on economic need, and international students can apply. A scholarship usually brings a fee waiver, and it can include a place in a residence and canteen meals. Applications open in summer, before the academic year starts, and they need the same income documents as the fee calculation. Preparing those documents early is the single most useful thing a prospective student can do.

Private universities

Private universities set their own fees, usually also in income bands. In our catalogue a year costs between €1,061 and €30,190, with a typical figure of €6,580.

Housing

University residences are few compared with demand, and scholarship holders get priority. For the 21 residences with a published monthly price in our catalogue, the typical range is €212 to €264 a month. Most students rent a room privately, and Milan, Rome and Bologna are the most expensive cities.

How to keep costs down

Where to look next

Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.