07 - Italy - Registration and/or tuition fees
Non-university tertiary education
Enrolment and attendance are not free of charge. The amount of fees and contributions, required by
the majority of institutes, is generally established by their respective boards of directors, due to their
financial autonomy. This amount changes from one institute to the other and from one year to the
other; for this reason it is not possible to provide even an approximate amount. However, contribution
in favour of students’ organisations or medical services, are not foreseen.
University tertiary education
All universities have legal status and financial autonomy; as a consequence, the amount of fees and
contribution for each study course is established by the board of directors of each university.
However, it is important to know that:
a minimum fee for enrolment is foreseen by law; it changes slightly every year. In academic year
2006/07 it was € 174,91, according to Ministerial decree of 16 February 2006.
Decree of the President of the Republic no. 306 of 25 July 1997 (Regulations on university
contributions) established a maximum contribution ceiling that students should pay to cover
management and services costs. This ceiling cannot exceed the 20% of the state funds
allocated to universities.
In 2005/06, the average fees and contributions a student has to pay was € 880 in year 2004/05 for
enrolment in laurea (L) and laurea magistrale courses. There can be a relevant difference in this
amount from one university to the other, according to their legal status (state or non-state universities),
geographical location on the national territory, various types of study courses: the non-state, legally
recognised universities 6.17. are the most expensive; furthermore, scientific faculties are more
expansive than classical faculties.
However, the trend is a gradual increase; in fact, fees have become the double in the last ten years.
The amount of enrolment fees for first-level Diploma di specializzazione and first level Master
universitario courses, is established by each university.
Postgraduate level
Usually, students do not have to pay any fees to enrol in the research Doctorate. On the contrary, the winners of the competitive exam for admission receive a monthly benefit
by the university. However, universities can announce Doctorate posts that don’t foresee any
scholarship. In this case, the students of the doctorate courses have to pay annual enrolment fees,
established by each single university.
Also the enrolment amount for second-level Diploma di specializzazione and second-level Master
universitario courses is established by each university.
Institutions:
Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR)
Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe
Date: 2009