The University of Bologna (Alma Mater Studiorum) is a public university with campuses in Bologna, Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini. It reports 97,235 students, of whom 11,302 are international.[1] It is ranked 123rd in the QS World University Rankings 2027.[2]
For 2026/27 every student pays a fixed €157.04 plus a variable part set by programme and family income. The standard maximum contribution is €2,040 for a bachelor’s, €2,244 for a single-cycle degree and €2,550 for a master’s, with higher amounts for some programmes.[3][4] Citizens of non-OECD and developing countries whose family income and assets are only abroad can pay a flat €500 to €1,400 instead.[5] Italian-taught programmes require Italian; English-taught programmes set their own language proof.[6]
Key facts
| Official name | Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna (University of Bologna, also Unibo)[7] |
| Location | Bologna, Italy (main address Via Zamboni 33, 40126 Bologna); campuses also in Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini[1] |
| Type | Public research university[8] |
| Founded | 1088, a conventional date for the Studium of Bologna[7] |
| Students | 97,235, of which 11,302 international (the page gives no reference year)[1] |
| Degree programmes 2025/26 | 103 first-cycle, 142 second-cycle and 15 single-cycle; 92 taught in English and 115 international[9] |
| Structure | 31 departments and 24 centres; 24 libraries; 16 museums[9] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | 123rd[2] |
| Tuition 2026/27, fixed part | €157.04 a year, plus a variable part by programme and family income[3] |
| Tuition 2026/27, standard maximum contribution | €2,040 first cycle · €2,244 single cycle · €2,550 second cycle (some programmes higher)[4] |
| Tuition 2026/27, flat rate for some non-EU students | €500–€1,400 plus €157.04, for citizens of poor, developing or non-OECD countries with family income and assets only abroad[5] |
| Pre-enrolment | Non-EU applicants living abroad pre-enrol on Universitaly; validation must become unconditional before the visa application[10] |
| Visa funds, 2026 | Minimum economic resources of €10,179.85 listed for the study visa[6] |
| Official website | unibo.it |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About the University of Bologna
The university’s own history page gives 1088 as the year the Studium of Bologna was “conventionally” founded and calls it the oldest university in the Western world.[7] Wikipedia is more cautious: teaching began around 1088, an imperial charter followed in 1158, and a historian it cites argues the institution may not have qualified as a university until the 1150s or 1180s.[8] The formal name, Alma Mater Studiorum, is Latin for “nourishing mother of studies”.[8]
The university has five campuses, in Bologna, Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini, and 31 departments.[1][9] Its figures page lists 56 active spin-offs and start-ups and over 370 European-funded research projects.[9]
How is the University of Bologna ranked?
In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, the University of Bologna is 123rd in the world. In the same Italian press report, Politecnico di Milano is 87th and Sapienza 111th, and the University of Milan is 270th.[2] Wikipedia marks the position as tied (=123).[8]
Wikipedia’s ranking table also lists THE World University Rankings 2027 (tied 111th), ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2024 (201–300th), CWUR 2024 (201st) and U.S. News Global 2026–27 (tied 150th).[8] Rankings differ by publisher and year. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at the University of Bologna?
For 2025/26 the university lists 103 first-cycle (bachelor’s), 142 second-cycle (master’s) and 15 single-cycle degree programmes, 92 of them taught in English and 115 classed as international. It also lists 51 PhD programmes, 59 specialisation schools and 92 professional master’s degrees.[9] The 2026/27 catalogue shows 118 first-cycle and single-cycle programmes and 143 second-cycle programmes, filterable by area, campus and teaching language.[11]
A programme counts as “international” if it is taught entirely in a foreign language, leads to a double, multiple or joint degree, or has an international curriculum.[11] Check each programme website for its language, admission call and any admission test.
How much does the University of Bologna cost in 2026/27?
Tuition has a fixed instalment of €157.04 and a variable part that depends on the programme and on the family’s economic situation. The minimum is €157.04 a year.[3] The standard maximum contributions for 2026/27 are, net of regional tax, stamp duty and insurance (covered by the €157.04):[4]
| Level | Standard maximum contribution | Higher amounts for some programmes |
|---|---|---|
| First cycle (bachelor’s) | €2,040 | €2,550 (translation and interpreting, intercultural linguistic mediation); €2,805 (Genomics) |
| Single cycle | €2,244 | Medicine and Surgery €3,315; Pharmacy €3,060; Dentistry €4,080; Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage €5,916 |
| Second cycle (master’s) | €2,550 | Artificial Intelligence €3,060; Civil Engineering €3,315; Bioinformatics €3,825; some up to €4,080 |
Students without an ISEE (the Italian family income indicator) pay the maximum for their programme plus €157.04, in one payment or in three instalments.[3] The page lists first-year exemptions from the variable part for an indicator up to €27,000.[3]
International students with income abroad
If the family’s income and assets are only outside Italy, you submit documents through the ER.GO portal instead of an ISEE. The documents must be translated into Italian and legalised or apostilled, and show the family’s 2025 income and assets. Without them you pay the full amount.[12]
Citizens of countries on the university’s lists of particularly poor or developing countries, or of non-OECD countries, whose family income and assets are only abroad, can instead pay a reduced flat fee on top of the €157.04 first instalment:[5]
| Country list | First or single cycle | Second cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Poor or developing countries | €500 (€600 if you lack the credits) | €600 (€700) |
| Non-OECD countries | €1,000 (€1,200) | €1,200 (€1,400) |
The flat fee needs enrolment for no more than the standard course length plus one year and cannot be combined with the income-based exemption. ER.GO scholarship holders pay only the €157.04.[5] The pages do not list the country lists in text; they are PDFs on the university site.
How do you apply to the University of Bologna?
Deadlines change each year and each programme publishes its own call, so we give none. Non-EU citizens who live abroad follow these steps.
Bachelor’s and single-cycle degrees
- Check that your qualification is eligible and prepare translations, legalisation and a declaration of value if needed.[6]
- Get your @studio.unibo.it credentials and register for the entrance exam in Studenti Online. Restricted-access programmes reserve a quota for non-EU applicants living abroad; selection may use a TOLC, the SAT General Test or another English test, or a programme-specific exam. Open-access programmes have no limit on places but still have access requirements.[6]
- Meet the language requirement (see below).
- Pre-enrol on Universitaly. If you passed the entrance exam, the pre-enrolment is validated conditionally; for the visa you need unconditional validation, which requires your qualification documents. Pre-enrolment alone does not guarantee admission.[6]
- Apply for a “study – university enrolment” visa. Required items include the validated Universitaly summary, proof of at least €10,179.85 in resources for 2026, health insurance and your translated qualification. The university does not issue letters of academic eligibility for visas.[6]
Programmes with restricted access at national level, such as Medicine and Surgery, have their own admission tests, described in each call.[11]
Master’s degrees
Master’s applicants follow a similar route: pre-enrol on Universitaly, meet the programme’s admission requirements and upload qualification documents through Studenti Online. Restricted-access programmes reserve part of their places for non-EU applicants abroad, and some international programmes require a GRE or an English proficiency test.[10] Pre-enrolment does not guarantee admission.[10]
Which language level do you need?
For Italian-taught programmes, non-EU applicants can take the university’s online Italian test, submit a language certificate or submit an Italian qualification.[6][10] Embassies may also ask for a certificate showing at least B2 on the CEFR scale (the European scale from A1 to C2).[10] For English-taught or other programmes, the programme’s call for applications states how to prove your language; some master’s programmes ask for the GRE or an English test.[6][10]
The pages we read give no single English score for the whole university, so read the call of your programme before booking a test.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are the tuition fees at the University of Bologna?
Do non-EU students pay a different fee at Bologna?
How is the University of Bologna ranked?
123rd in the QS World University Rankings 2027. In the same press report Politecnico di Milano is 87th and Sapienza 111th.[2]
Do I need to pre-enrol on Universitaly?
More about studying in Italy
- Italy: best universities
- Study in Italy: complete guide
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Italy
- Bocconi University
- LUISS Guido Carli
- Politecnico di Milano
- Politecnico di Torino
- Sapienza University of Rome
- Scuola Normale Superiore
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
- University of Florence
- University of Genoa
- University of Milan
- University of Milano-Bicocca
- University of Naples Federico II
- University of Padua
- University of Pavia
- University of Pisa
- University of Rome Tor Vergata
- University of Siena
- University of Trento
- University of Turin
Sources
[1] University of Bologna: Who we are (page without a date; footer 2026)
[2] L’Adige: Classifica QS, bene gli atenei italiani (press report of 18 Jun 2026; QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access)
[3] University of Bologna: Fees and exemptions, amounts and deadlines (page without a date; states academic year 2026/27)
[4] University of Bologna: Table of maximum contributions 2026/2027 (PDF, Italian) (document for academic year 2026/2027)
[5] University of Bologna: Reduced flat fee for citizens of poor, developing or non-OECD countries (page without a date; academic year 2026/27)
[6] University of Bologna: Enrolling in a first-cycle or single-cycle degree if you come from a non-EU country (page without a date; 2026/27)
[7] University of Bologna: Our history (page without a date)
[8] Wikipedia: University of Bologna (history and other rankings (secondary source))
[9] University of Bologna: The University of Bologna in figures (page updated 31 Dec 2025)
[10] University of Bologna: Enrolling in a second-cycle degree if you come from a non-EU country (page without a date; 2026/27)
[11] University of Bologna: Enrolling in first-cycle and single-cycle degree programmes (page without a date)
[12] University of Bologna: Submitting the ISEE or documents for foreign income (page without a date; academic year 2026/27)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.