University of Pisa

Key facts

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

About the University of Pisa

The university was officially founded in 1343, when Pope Clement VI’s bull In Supremae Dignitatis recognised it as a Studio Generale; its origins probably go back to the 11th century. In 1473 Lorenzo de’ Medici strengthened it and founded the Palazzo della Sapienza, its historic seat, and in 1543 Cosimo I de’ Medici founded what is now the Botanical Garden.^[1]

The university’s own figures list 20 departments, 17 libraries and 13 museums and collections. In 2023/24 it counted 45,794 students in bachelor’s and master’s programmes and 1,104 in PhD programmes; as of 31 December 2023 it had 1,724 lecturers and 1,561 technical-administrative staff.^[2] Wikipedia describes it as a public research university whose buildings are spread across the city centre, and says it forms the Pisa University System with the Scuola Normale Superiore and the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies.^[7]

How is the University of Pisa ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, the University of Pisa is 341st in the world. A press report lists it seventh among Italian universities, just ahead of Roma Tor Vergata (342nd).^[3] A second report gives the same position with a score of 42.5 points.^[4] We read the position in Italian press, because topuniversities.com 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 Pisa?

The university lists 59 bachelor’s, 73 master’s and 9 single-cycle master’s degree courses, 25 PhD courses and 49 specialty schools; the page gives no reference year for these counts.^[2]

Most teaching is in Italian. The page on programmes taught in English mentions 17 master’s programmes and an MBA taught in English, plus some courses in English in a few other degrees; it names no bachelor’s programme fully in English.^[8] For bachelor’s and single-cycle degrees, the university distinguishes open-admission courses, with a non-selective entry test, from regulated-admission courses with a fixed number of places.^[9]

How much does the University of Pisa cost in 2026/27?

These figures are from the university’s fee page for 2026/27.^[5] For regular students the fee depends on ISEE and academic progress; the page lists further ISEE steps, for example €280 at €27,000 and €2,444 at €70,000.^[5]

Non-EU and foreign-income students

For students with income or assets abroad, and for non-resident foreign nationals, the maximum fee of €2,900 is multiplied by a fixed coefficient that depends on the income group of the country of origin. The totals above exclude the €140 regional tax and, for new enrolments, the €16 stamp duty.^[5] The page does not list which country is in which group; the university links a separate foreign-income table for that, so check it for your country. Merit-based reductions do not apply to qualifications obtained outside Italy.^[5]

Instalments and extras

Tuition is paid in five instalments.^[5] Late enrolment carries fees of €50 to €150, and late instalments a 5% penalty.^[5] The page shows two apparent typos: a fourth instalment of “€7250” in the high-income table, which only adds up to €2,900 if it is €725, and a 2027 date for the second instalment.^[5] Check the table PDF before paying.

Living costs are not part of the fee. See our Italy guide and the Study in Italy guide.

How do you apply to the University of Pisa?

The route depends on citizenship and where you live. We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by programme; the programme’s call shows the current dates.

• Non-EU citizens who need a visa: you must first pre-enrol on the Ministry’s Universitaly portal for the programme you want. After the university validates it, the Italian diplomatic office in your country contacts you about a type D study visa. Pre-enrolment and admission do not guarantee a visa, and you cannot enrol at a different university or programme than the one you chose. The university states a total of 4,500 places for non-EU students who need a visa, with a cap for each programme.^[10]
• Bachelor’s and single-cycle degrees: check whether the course is open or regulated. For regulated courses some calls reserve places for non-EU applicants who need a visa. After pre-enrolment you register on the Alice portal, choose the course and register for the test or competition.^[9]
• Master’s taught in Italian: the application needs an admission decision from the degree programme board, a bachelor’s degree, transcripts and an Italian B2 certificate.^[10]
• Master’s taught in English: you need an admission letter from the programme and no Italian B2 certificate; an English certificate at B2 or higher is listed as an optional document.^[10]

Bachelor’s applicants need at least 12 years of schooling in total, including the last two years of successful study in the foreign system.^[11] The Ministry’s circular sets the national rules for pre-enrolment for 2026/27 and 2027/28.^[12]

Which language level do you need?

Non-EU applicants who need a study visa must show Italian at level B2 or higher for Italian-taught bachelor’s, master’s and single-cycle programmes. B2 is upper-intermediate on the CEFR scale (the European scale from A1 to C2).^[6]

The university tests this in two stages, and both must be passed: the online TEST ITA L2 run by CISIA, with a minimum score of 55 out of 72 and a fee of €35, and then an online oral interview with the university’s Language Centre, also €35, which can be taken once. Applicants with a B2 CLIQ certificate are exempt; certificates issued by Italian Cultural Institutes are not valid for this purpose.^[6] The page does not cover English-taught programmes, so ask your programme about English requirements. For English-taught master’s degrees the pre-enrolment documents list no Italian certificate.^[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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