Study in Italy: Education in Italy

Italian universities are among the oldest universities in the world. Unlike in North America or Northern Europe where discussion-based teaching is highly emphasized, the structure of the higher education system in Italy is more formal, and most teaching in Italy takes place in large lecture halls.  Students are also expected to complete a considerable amount of self-study hours outside the classroom in order to prepare for examinations.

Higher education examinations are held after the teaching period and are mainly oral exams, meaning you’ll be tested through a one-on-one conversation with your professor. Furthermore, examinations take place over a significantly longer period of 4 to 6 weeks, and students can choose when to schedule their exams within the period. Each examination is offered on several dates, and students can choose when to take their exams. Students are also entitled to turn down a mark and re-take the examination if they are not satisfied with their initial result, which is graded on a 30-point scale.

The academic year is made up of two semesters. The first semester starts in September/October and ends in January/February. The second semester starts in February and ends in July. The actual start and finish dates of semesters, degree programs and examination periods in Italy vary in every university, but each academic semester lasts for roughly 20 weeks, made up of a 14-week teaching period and a 6-week examination period.

Degree and Institution Types

Based on the Bologna Process, the education system in Italy was reformed in 1999 to create a cohesive system of education throughout Europe. Since then, Italy has implemented a 3-cycle system consisting of the following:

• First Cycle: Bachelor's degrees (3 years) and single-cycle degrees 
• Second Cycle: Master's degrees (2 years) and 1st level vocational masters
• Third Cycle: Doctorate (5-6 years) specialization school and 2nd Level vocational masters.

In terms of types of institutions, there are two broad institutional categories that make up the higher education sector in Italy: the university institutions and non-university institutions which include Higher Education in the Arts and Music (Alta formazione Artistica e Musicale or AFAM).  

Are you curious about the business degrees Italy offers? The Italian economy is the 3rd largest national economy in the European Union. An MBA in Italy is a very popular option and will enrich your knowlege about how the business world functions nowadays. 

UNIVERSITIES

The university sector is made up of 89 university institutions (as well as polytechnic institutions) classified within the following categories:  

• 58 state universities – public entities endowed with scientific, teaching, managerial, financial and book-keeping autonomy
• 17 non-state universities – legally recognized by the state
• 2 universities for foreigners – specialized in teaching/ research for development of Italian language, literature, culture
• 6 higher education schools – specialized in postgraduate university studies
• 6 distance-learning universities
• 4 polytechnical schools (politecnico)

You can use this interactive map to locate universities in different cities throughout Italy.

NON-UNVERSITY SECTOR

• AFAM institutions, including State Academies of Fine Arts, Legally recognised Academies of Fine Arts, Higher Schools of Design, State Music Conservatories, Higher Institutes for Musical Studies, National Dance Academy, National Academy of Drama.
• Higher integrated education (FIS): programs of higher technical education & training (IFTS)
• Higher education in language mediation: education institutions for language mediators
• Specific fields (e.g. archiving, military studies, restoration)