It depends a lot on the programme. Many bachelor's degrees at UNIBO have access by test, most often the TOLC (TOLC-E for Economics, TOLC-I for Engineering, TOLC-F for Pharmacy, TOLC-SU for Humanities) or the national Medicine test, which is the most competitive. Other programmes have open access, with no selection test, but may include an assessment of prior knowledge (OFA). For international applicants, what matters is the validation of your secondary diploma (Dichiarazione di Valore or CIMEA) plus your TOLC result where required. A good secondary-school average (8 plus) and serious preparation for the TOLC give you solid chances at most programmes.

As an EU citizen, you pay EU rates, and fees are calculated through ISEE (the family's economic indicator). With ISEE below approximately €27,000, you are exempt from the variable part and pay only the fixed fee (~€157 per year) plus regional and stamp duty, so in practice almost €0 tuition. For higher ISEE, the variable part rises gradually to around €4,000 per year. So EU tuition is between €0 and €4,000 per year depending on ISEE. Accommodation in Bologna: €350-€650 per month. Food: €200-€350 per month. Transport: ~€30 per month student pass. Total cost per year: ~€10,000-€14,000. 3-year bachelor's all-in: ~€30,000-€42,000, far below the UK (£180k plus) or the USA ($280k plus). ISEE is mandatory; without it you pay the maximum fee.

ISEE (Indicatore della Situazione Economica Equivalente) is the official Italian document that reflects your family's economic situation (income plus assets, relative to the number of members). UNIBO, like all Italian public universities, calculates tuition based on ISEE: the lower the ISEE, the lower the fees, up to a full exemption from the variable part below the threshold of approximately €27,000. For income earned abroad there is the ISEE Parificato, calculated by a CAF (tax assistance centre) based on translated income documents. Important: if you do not submit ISEE, you are automatically charged at the maximum cap (~€4,000 per year). That is why ISEE is the mandatory step in order to benefit from the reduced rates.

UNIBO has over 200 programmes, of which about 105 are international, many taught entirely in English. The English-taught offer is widest at master's level, but there are also bachelor's degrees in English (for example International Studies, Business and Economics, certain Engineering programmes). For programmes in English you need IELTS 6.0-6.5, TOEFL iBT 80-90 or equivalent. For most bachelor's degrees in Italian you need a B2 level of Italian, proven with CILS, CELI, PLIDA or UNIBO's test. UNIBO offers Italian courses for international students, useful if you want to apply to programmes in Italian.

UNIBO is renowned for: Law (the oldest law faculty in Europe), Political Science and International Relations, Economics and Management (the Bologna, Forlì, Rimini campuses), Engineering (from civil to computer science and automation), Medicine and Surgery, Humanities (History, Philology, Literature, Arts, Philosophy), Agriculture and Food Sciences (the Emilia-Romagna region is the heart of Italian gastronomy), Physics and Astronomy, Communication. UNIBO ranks number 1 in Italy in several subjects in the QS subject rankings. Many of these programmes also have English-taught versions.

Bologna is the oldest university city in the world and one of the liveliest in Italy: a medieval historic centre, porticoes (a UNESCO heritage site), famous gastronomy (tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini, mortadella), an intense student nightlife. Students make up a large part of the city's population, so the atmosphere is young and international. UNIBO has a multicampus system: Bologna (the main seat), plus Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna, Rimini. Getting around the city is done by bus (student pass ~€30 per month) or on foot and by bicycle. A solid international community: ~7,000 international students enrolled plus ~3,000 on mobility, with an active Erasmus Student Network (ESN). Accommodation through ER.GO (regional housing) or private apartments.

Yes, as an EU citizen! Unlike the United Kingdom or the USA where a work visa is needed, as an EU citizen you have the automatic right to work in Italy without a visa. Italy is the 3rd largest economy in the EU, with strong industrial and technology hubs: Emilia-Romagna ("Motor Valley", home to Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati), Milan (finance, fashion, design), the industrial north. Main industries: engineering and automotive, fashion and design, agri-food, pharma, tourism, finance. Graduate salaries (indicative, at start): Engineering/IT €28-€40k; Economics/Business €25-€35k; Law €24-€34k; Medicine variable through the residency system. With an EU degree you can work anywhere in the European Union without a visa.

Bachelor's degrees (Laurea) at UNIBO last 3 years (180 ECTS), in line with the European Bologna system, a system invented right here and named after the city. ECTS (European Credit Transfer System): 1 ECTS = ~25-30 hours of total study (lectures plus individual work). A standard academic year has 60 ECTS = 2 semesters. After the bachelor's you can continue with a Laurea Magistrale (master's, 2 years, 120 ECTS). Exceptions: Medicine and Surgery lasts 6 years (360 ECTS) as a single-cycle programme, while some programmes (for example Pharmacy, single-cycle Law) last 5 years. Advantage of the ECTS system: you can transfer credits to other European universities, useful for Erasmus exchanges, in which UNIBO is one of the most active universities in Europe.