University of Milano-Bicocca

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.

About the University of Milano-Bicocca

The University of Milano-Bicocca (Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, also called UniMiB) was set up by ministerial decree on 10 June 1998 as the “Seconda Università degli Studi di Milano” and renamed Milano-Bicocca in 1999. Its first courses started in the academic year 1998–99.^[1] The campus stands on a former industrial area in the Bicocca district in the north of Milan, chosen in the 1990s to relieve the overcrowded University of Milan.^[3]

The university has 14 departments and a School of Science, and 36,263 students were enrolled in 2024/25.^[1] The Italian-language medical course is taught in Monza; the English-language medical course is taught at the Papa Giovanni XXIII hospital in Bergamo.^[3]

How is the University of Milano-Bicocca ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, the University of Milano-Bicocca is listed at 544th with a score of 30.4. A press report places it in the Italian top 20, between the University of Genoa (502nd) and the University of Siena (572nd).^[2] The English Wikipedia article gives the shared 542nd place for the previous QS edition, so the university slipped by two places.^[3]

We read these positions in a press report, not on the QS website, which blocks automated access. Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at the University of Milano-Bicocca?

The 14 departments cover economics and statistics, business and law, psychology and education, sociology, medicine and surgery, and the sciences: biotechnology, physics, computer science, mathematics, materials science, and environmental and earth sciences.^[1] The international application portal offers bachelor’s, master’s and single-cycle master’s degrees.^[6]

The university runs a scholarship for the top student of every bachelor’s and master’s programme taught in English, single-cycle programmes included, so English-taught programmes exist at each level. We did not read a full list or count of them.^[8] Search the programme list on the application portal.

How much does the University of Milano-Bicocca cost in 2026/27?

The university’s fees page, which states that it describes the 2026/27 academic year, sets out the costs for international students (non-Italian citizenship, qualification obtained abroad and residence abroad):^[4]

Countries are classed in three groups by national GDP, and programmes in two areas. The university points to its Contribution Guide for the amounts, which we could not open because the university’s site blocked our automated access, so we do not state a figure for the fixed fee.^[4][5] The balance of the regional tax is set by the ISEE, the Italian family income and assets indicator.^[4]

Scholarships

The Bicocca International Scholarship pays €10,000 a year (gross) plus an exemption from tuition fees to the top student of each English-taught bachelor’s and master’s programme. No separate application is needed: all applicants to eligible programmes are considered.^[8] Separately, the right-to-study benefits (DSU) cover a scholarship, housing, canteen and an extraordinary grant, with the amount depending on financial situation and travel time.^[8]

For rent and living costs in Milan, see our Italy guide and the Study in Italy guide.

How do you apply to the University of Milano-Bicocca?

Applicants with a qualification from outside Italy use the university’s DreamApply portal; applicants with an Italian qualification follow the programme’s call for applications on the main website instead.^[6]

• Bachelor’s and single-cycle master’s: you need a secondary-school diploma after at least 12 years of schooling, the TOLC or CEnT-S admission test, and an application on DreamApply. Taking the test alone is not enough.^[9][7]
• Master’s: you need a first-cycle degree (EQF level 6), a CV in English, transcripts, a passport and an English certificate or other language proof where the call asks for it. The application fee is €30.^[10][4]
• Non-EU applicants who need a visa: a pre-enrolment on the Universitaly portal and the entry visa are also required.^[9]
• Entry requirements by country: the university publishes a country-by-country document with minimum eligibility criteria and GPA thresholds; meeting them does not guarantee admission.^[11] From 2027/28 specific entry requirements apply to international students, depending on the country of education.^[12]

Applications run in admission calls. Programmes with unlimited places and programmes with limited places have separate calls.^[12] We give no deadlines because they change every year; check the calls page before you start, and allow time for the visa.

Which language level do you need?

The level depends on the programme’s language of teaching, and each call can add its own rules. For non-EU applicants who apply for a student visa, the university asks for the following:

• Bachelor’s and single-cycle: Italian at level B2 (the upper-intermediate level on the European scale, A1 to C2), from the certificates the university accepts.^[9]
• Master’s: English or Italian at level B2 from the accepted certificates, or a TOLC ITA L2 result.^[10]

For the 2027/28 calls the university lists an Italian certificate or a TOLC ITA L2 result with a minimum score of 48. English certificates are valid for five years, and the university publishes a list of accepted English certificates.^[12] Check the call of your programme: a certificate is only required where the call asks for it.^[10]

More about studying in Italy

• Italy: best universities
• Study in Italy: complete guide
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

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