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98 Best Public Universities in Italy

Of the 98 Public universities in Italy, Politecnico di Milano ranks highest at #87 in the QS World University Rankings 2027. Polytechnic Institute of Milan (QS World #87) and Sapienza University of Rome (QS World #128) complete the top three. Across the whole list there are 816 courses to choose from.

98 universities · ranked best first

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Italy

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—Tuition (indicative)
—Founded
—Students
—International
Not yet ranked No QS position or research record found

How these universities are ranked

20 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #87 (Politecnico di Milano) to #580 (Polytechnic Institute of Bari); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. Sapienza University of Rome has the largest research record in this group, with 21,051,911 citations and an h-index of 1,089. 18 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".

Public, private and where they are

The split is 98 public to 0 private institutions. By location, Lombardy (1), Lazio (1) and Emilia-Romagna (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is University of Bologna, founded in 1088. Sapienza University of Rome is the largest, with 112,000 students.

Levels, lengths and start dates

By level: 402 bachelor's, 340 master's, 27 phd / doctorate and 27 professional. The most common subjects are Engineering (140), Business & Management (106), Arts, Design & Architecture (74) and Social Sciences & Psychology (63). The usual length is 4 years and 1–2 years. 99% are full-time and 1 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (98% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (91% of courses with a stated intake). University of Calabria offers the widest choice, with 69 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 5 of these universities. University of Padua is the least expensive at USD 2,800 a year and Politecnico di Milano the most at USD 4,200; the middle of the range is about USD 3,000. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for Public in Italy?

Politecnico di Milano (QS World #87), Polytechnic Institute of Milan (QS World #87) and Sapienza University of Rome (QS World #128) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Public in Italy?

Of those with published fees, University of Padua is the least expensive at about USD 2,800 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Public in Italy?

98 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Public course take in Italy?

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 1–2 years the next most common.

When do Public courses start in Italy?

Fall is the main intake — 98% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Can I study Public online with a university in Italy?

1 of these courses are listed as online.

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