It depends a lot on the programme. Most bachelor's degrees have admission based on a test: TOLC (TOLC-I for engineering and sciences, TOLC-E for economics, TOLC-S for sciences, TOLC-SU for humanities) or a dedicated national test for Medicine, which is the most competitive. For programmes with a numerus clausus, your test score and sometimes your Baccalaureate average matter. Humanities programmes and some of the scientific ones have more accessible thresholds. Recommendation for Romanians: prepare the TOLC test in good time and check on the programme page whether admission is open or with a numerus clausus.

As an EU citizen you pay EU fees calculated through ISEE. The first instalment is the same for everyone: the regional tax for the right to study (around 140 euro) plus the stamp duty (16 euro), so around 156 euro. The second instalment varies depending on ISEE, programme and merit. Families with an ISEE of up to around 30,000 euro fall within the no tax area and do not pay the second instalment. As the ISEE rises, the contribution rises too, up to a ceiling of about 4,000 euro per year at bachelor's level. On top of this comes the cost of living in Milan: accommodation 450-800 euro per month, food 250-400 euro per month, ATM transport 22-35 euro per month. Estimated total: roughly 10,000-16,000 euro per year, drastically below the UK or USA.

ISEE (Indicatore della Situazione Economica Equivalente) is the official indicator of the family's economic situation in Italy, used to calculate the university contribution and eligibility for grants. For Romanians with income and assets outside Italy there is the ISEE parificato, always available to EU citizens, calculated by a CAF (tax assistance centre) on the basis of income documents from Romania.

The ISEE is mandatory if you want a reduced fee or the no tax area. Without an ISEE submitted on time, the university automatically applies the programme's maximum contribution. In practice, submitting the ISEE is the step that turns the theoretical fees into the real, much lower payment for a family on a modest income.

The Borsa di studio DSU (diritto allo studio), the regional grant for the right to study, offers EU citizens with an ISEE below the threshold cash plus a contribution waiver and sometimes a place in a hall of residence and meals in the canteen. UniMi merit grants: for students with very strong academic results. Erasmus+: if you come on an exchange for 1-2 semesters, you receive a monthly grant. The grant from the Romanian Ministry of Education and the programmes of some Romanian town halls or foundations for studies abroad can be combined with the DSU if you apply in parallel. Important: the EU fees calculated through ISEE, down to the no tax area, are already a major advantage over a non-EU student.

Most bachelor's degrees at UniMi are taught in Italian, so you need a B2 level proven through CILS, CELI, PLIDA or the university's language test. There are, however, programmes in English that are growing, especially at master's level and on a few international bachelor's degrees (for example in economic, scientific and international fields). For programmes in English an IELTS 6.0-6.5 or an equivalent TOEFL iBT is usually required. Recommendation for Romanians: if you do not speak Italian, filter the English-taught programmes on the UniMi website, but also factor in an Italian course, because daily life in Milan happens in Italian.

La Statale is renowned for: Medicine and surgery (number 1 in Italy and around position 65 worldwide by subject in QS 2026, with an extensive university hospital network), Law (a historic faculty), Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Computer Science), Pharmaceutical sciences, Agricultural and food sciences, and a solid block of humanities (Letters, Philosophy, History, Languages). For competitive programmes such as Medicine, admission is through a national test with a numerus clausus, so preparation matters enormously.

The main steps for a Romanian (EU) citizen: 1) Pre-enrolment on Universitaly, the national portal where you declare your programme and upload your Baccalaureate diploma for recognition. 2) The admission test: TOLC for most bachelor's degrees or a national test for Medicine. 3) ISEE parificato to calculate the reduced contribution (mandatory for the no tax area). 4) Proof of language: CILS B2 for Italian or IELTS for programmes in English. 5) Codice fiscale and, if you stay longer than 3 months, registration with the town hall (you do not need a visa as an EU citizen). 6) Immatricolazione online plus payment of the first instalment. Deadlines differ by programme, so start in spring.

Yes, as an EU citizen. Unlike the United Kingdom or the USA, as a Romanian (EU) citizen you automatically have the right to work in Italy with no visa and no work permit. Milan is Italy's economic capital: a hub for finance, fashion and design, pharma, media and tech, with the headquarters of major companies and an active startup ecosystem. Main industries in the Milan area: banking and insurance, fashion (the headquarters of the great houses), pharmaceuticals, consulting, engineering, IT. With a degree recognised across the EU you can then work anywhere in the European Union without a visa, which makes La Statale a good starting point for a European career.