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Situated in Mediterranean Europe, Italy has land frontiers with France in the north-west, Switzerland and Austria in the north and Slovenia in the north-east. There is a great deal of variety in the landscape in Italy, although it is characterized predominantly by two mountain chains of extraordinary beauty: the Alps and the Apennines. From the sunny southern slopes of the Alps to the lush orange groves of Sicilia, Italy offers enormous variety in its natural scenery and historical backgrounds.
 Italian culture is deeply rooted in the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations which flourished on the peninsula for over a millennium and left their imprint everywhere in the country in so many works of art and traditions. The interplay of the ancient and the modern is evident on every street where ancient monuments and modern buildings coexistence, especially in the major cities. But it is for its culture that Italy is most well-known and beloved. Italian houses of high fashion like Prada and Gucci, musicians, artists and, of course, there is the food, which is considered by many to be the best in the entire world.
 The miracle of Italy is that all its treasures come packaged in a gorgeous country of majestic mountains, placid lakes, idyllic islands, splendid cities and wonderful walled villages. An ideal climate plus warm and gracious people make Italy a perfect destination for any international student.
Why Italy?
Italy has played an important role in European higher education: it is one of the four countries that first engaged to create the so-called "European Area of Higher Education" (Sorbonne Declaration, May 1998), thus starting that type of higher education reform which, known as "Bologna Process" (Bologna Declaration, June 1999) is being implemented all over Europe. Today Italy ranks among the 8 most industrialized countries in the world.
The Italian Higher Education System Italian higher education is structured in a binary system, consisting of two main articulations: the university sector and the non-university sector.
At present, the university sector is made up of 89 university institutions which are classified in:
The non-university sector includes 4 education typologies with their institutions:
- higher schools of design: polytechnics for the arts, academies of fine arts, higher
institutes for applied arts, music conservatories and recognised music institutes, higher institutes for musical and choreographic studies, national academies
- higher education in language mediation: higher schools for language mediators
- higher integrated education (FIS): programmes of higher technical education & training
(IFTS)
- a few specific fields (e.g. archiving, diplomatics, restoration, military studies, which, along with their respective institutions, fall under the supervision of ministries other than that of Education.
etc.)
The 5 great subject areas
The 5 great subject areas covering the whole of university education are: health, humanities, sciences, social studies, technology. Each area is subdivided in the following main subject sectors:
1. Health: dentistry, pharmacy, human medicine & surgery, midwifery, nursing, physio-and-rehabilitation therapy, preventive care, technical sanitary assistance;
2. Humanities: arts (performing, visual, fashion, music), cultural heritage, education, geography, history; Italian and classical/oriental studies, language mediation (applied foreign languages, interpreting, translating), modern languages and cultures (glottology, linguistics, literature, philology, etc.),
3. Sciences: agriculture, animal production & husbandry, biology, biotechnology, chemistry, environmental sciences, food industry & forestry, maths, natural sciences, physics, statistics, etc.;
4. Social sudies: administration, business, communication, cooperation & development, defence & security, economics, law, physical education & sports, psichology, political science and international relations, social service & sociology, tourism;
5. Technology: architecture & building engineering, design (industrial), engineering (civil, industrial, information), regional & environmental planning, urban planning, etc.
Exchange programmes
Many European students studying at Italian universities on exchange agreements are doing so under the European Community Socrates Erasmus programme. In all universities there will be a European Office or European Officer dedicated to the management of this programme. Other exchange students from outside Europe are able to attend through bilateral agreements between their university and the host institution in Italy and are generally handled in the same way as European exchange students.
The Erasmus Mundus programme
The Erasmus Mundus Programme allows EU and non-EU students to attend an integrated, high-quality European master course and to hold a scholarship. The Erasmus Mundus programme is a co-operation and mobility programme in the field of higher education which promotes the European Union as a centre of excellence in learning around the world. It will provide scholarships for some 6,000 graduate students from third countries to follow these Masters Courses, and for more than 4,000 EU graduate students involved in these courses to study in third countries. The programme will also offer teaching or research scholarships in Europe for over 1,000 incoming third-country academics and for a similar number of outgoing EU scholars. Last but not least, Erasmus Mundus will support about 60 partnerships between Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses and higher education institutions in third countries.
http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/mundus/index_en.html
Mundus Masters
Teaching and Assessment
Most teaching still takes place in large lecture halls but this will depend very much on the single course of study. Students are also expected to carry out a considerable amount of self study outside the classroom in order to prepare for exams.
Exams are held after the teaching period and are mainly oral exams although some courses will have written tests taking place during the semester or before the oral exam. Each exam will have a number of dates offered during the exam period and students can choose which date they wish to take the exam. They are also entitled to turn down a mark and take the exam again if they are not satisfied with the result. Rules apply as to how often a student can take an exam within an examination period.
Academic Calendar
The academic year in Italy is made up of two semesters. The first semester starts in September/October and ends in January/February. The second semester starts in February and ends in July. The actual start and finish dates will vary in the different universities but each semester lasts around 20 weeks and is made up of a teaching period lasting around 14 weeks and an exam period lasting around 6 weeks.
Study Visa
EU citizens may enter Italy with a passport or ID card and are entitled to stay for study or work as long as like. You are however required to register with the Questura (police station) in order to obtain residence and therefore you should ensure that you have all the documents requested for this procedure before you leave your home country.
Non EU Citizens are required to apply for a study visa prior to leaving. Applications should be made at your nearest Italian Embassy or Consulate. Always start these procedures well in advance of your planned visit to Italy. These procedures are subject to change so it is worthwhile telephoning the embassy or checking the website for information before going personally to the visa office.
The study visa will be issued only against demonstration that you have a suitable accommodation in Italy; may dispose of enough financial means to support yourself; are entitled to medical care in Italy and possess the amount of money necessary to travel back to your country, or have already purchased a valid return-ticket.
Tuition fees
Universities and other Higher Education Institutes establish their own fees but in the case of university education there is a legal minimum fee for enrolment and maximum level for student contributions to costs and services, which cannot exceed 20% of state funding. The average fees a student has to pay is somewhere between 850 euro and 1,000 euro per year since this varies from one university to another and also depends on the chosen course of study. Private universities are clearly much more expensive.
Admission to "master universitari" and other specialisation courses also have much higher fees. Doctoral students who receive a grant from the university do not pay fees, but non- grant holders are required to pay the fees, which will vary again according to the university chosen.
Costs of living
Prices can vary considerably depending on where you live. All the tourist areas and the main cities, especially in the North of Italy are more expensive than smaller towns. Considering accommodation, food, telephone, local travel and leisure costs, students should consider a monthly budget of 1000 / 1500 euros depending on the location.
Housing
Universities have a housing office or officer managing university accommodation, and can also provide information on renting student apartments, which are generally cheaper than the cost of accommodation on the private market. Student accommodation will give you the option to rent a room rather than the whole apartment. Most universities in Italy do not have halls of residence.
Renting an apartment in cities and large towns will be more expensive and can range from 300 euros to 1000 euros a month, depending on the size and the area where you choose to stay. If you wish to make your own arrangements, housing for rent appears in local newspapers or you can go to a real estate agency. These can be very helpful but they will charge a fee for finding the accommodation. The minimum rent period is usually one year but furnished rooms in university towns are available for shorter periods.
Language
 Italian is the language of the majority of the population but there are minorities speaking German, French, Slovene and Ladino. If you are coming to study in Italy, then no doubt you will also want to learn or improve your Italian while you are here. Clearly, the more you know the language the easier it will be for you to meet the people and experience the culture. The people you meet at the International Office and many of the students will be able to speak to you in English, but be aware that English is not always widely spoken in Italy, especially amongst older people. If you travel away from the busier areas, it is really better to have some Italian language knowledge to help you communicate and make the most of your stay.
Italian Lifestyle
Italians are warm, welcoming people who love to relax, celebrate and socialize with family and friends. And celebration and relaxation usually take place around the table either at home or in a restaurant, where they can enjoy the traditions of the Italian cuisine.
From the largest cities to the most rural of villages, there is one place that remains the central meeting point of Italian culture – the piazza (square). No matter how big or small a piazza may be, you can be sure there will always be a people sitting, strolling, walking, talking and interacting with one another. Piazzas are also the main focal points for festivals, gatherings, celebrations and political events. The only times during the day that the piazzas and streets around Italy may be deserted are around 12.30-14.00 and 19.30-21.30. These are the times when Italians are home enjoying a meal. After dinner, the streets come to life again as Italians stroll around the piazza to work off their meal or head off for their evening engagements.
Working in Italy
Many Italian students have some form of part time employment to help support themselves while studying. If you are a citizen of a EU member state you are eligible to work in Italy without a work permit. All other students from outside the EU will require a work permit which is quite difficult to obtain. The employer is required to produce a letter of employment to the Italian Police Station “Questura” but the bureaucracy can take quite a long time and your visa status may not allow you to work in Italy in any case.
For more information, go to:
www.study-in-italy.it
MIUR (Ministry of Education, University and Research)
www.italiantourism.com
Italian Government Tourist Board
http://ec.europa.eu/education/
European Commission
Search for educations in Italy here.
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