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Sapienza University of Rome

Italy Italy

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THE World Ranking: 181

Overview

Overview

Located in Italy’s beautiful capital city, the Sapienza University of Rome is one of the oldest universities in the world. Founded in 1303 by Pope Boniface VIII, this institution has been teaching a range of quality programmes and courses to tomorrow’s leaders for more than 700 years.

 

The Sapienza vision? To make the world a better place with research, hard work and teamwork. The Sapienza promise? Lots of great educational opportunities and experiences for every student who attends, whether international or domestic.

 

There are over 110,000 students enrolled at this university, making it the largest in Europe. Nearly 10,000 of these students are international, about ten per cent of the student population. The culture on campus is welcoming and full of variety, perfect for students who want to expand their horizons and learn more about the world in and out of their classrooms.

 

The Sapienza University of Rome was originally called the Studium Urbis (until about 1660). The Sapienza motto is, ‘Il future è passato di qui,’ which roughly translates to, ‘Here, the future is the past’. This is a way of thinking that has always inspired Sapienza students and staff to discover and try new things, never afraid to look ahead.

 

Research at this university is focused on helping humanity, making steps towards understanding more about the world. Lecturers, students and expert researchers discover new findings and contribute to the scientific community every academic year across lots of exciting fields. To give some examples, current research includes prostate cancer treatment, COVID-19 severity and cystic fibrosis therapy.

 

Excellent standards of teaching combine with important research at the university. Sapienza is rated highly worldwide for a range of subjects, even leading in some, so its reputation as a top institution is no surprise.

 

Students at this university are supported completely. There are multiple scholarship options, promising employment prospects and outstanding standards of teaching across all programmes. Overall, the university is aiming to make the student experience a great one, and it’s succeeding. The large campus in the famous city waits to welcome new students from across the globe and quickly makes them feel at home.

 

Learn more about studying Sapienza:

 

Teaching quality

Entry requirements

Scholarships & funding

University structure

Facilities

Student support

Graduate outcomes

 

Teaching Quality

This university is proud of its academic success and high-quality teaching. According to the QS World University Rankings, Sapienza is the best in the world for classics and ancient history (with a score of 99.2) and in the top 50 for several other subjects, including archaeology (for which it ranks tenth), physics and astronomy (36th) and law (46th).

 

According to ARTU 2021, Sapienza is the best university in Italy and 155 th best globally. These exciting positions have all been earned by a university filled with talented, caring teachers who want their students to enjoy bright and exciting futures. Between the successful alumni and the staff at Sapienza, there are six Nobel Prize winners. There’s a full list of all the university’s amazing staff and alumni on the Sapienza website.

 

Rankings show how strong the teaching quality is at this university and how much students enjoy the Sapienza learning experience. Quality teaching isn’t just available on good days or in certain faculties, it’s expected of all tutors and lecturers, in all subject areas, all the time.

 

The university’s dedication to employing great faculty members, doing important research and supporting students through their academic journey is impossible to beat. Sapienza studies are changing the world in multiple fields, including medicine, neuroscience and astronomy. Its reputation for innovation is completely earned.

 

Entry Requirements

The Sapienza University of Rome is a competitive university to get into, and the institution receives thousands of applications every year. The general entry requirements for Sapienza are a GPA of at least 2.8/the equivalent for international students and a certain English score for English-speaking courses (to prove an applicant has enough understanding of the language).

 

Other university entry requirements will apply depending on the chosen course and the level of study a person is applying for. For more detailed information on what is expected of each applicant and which university requirements might only be there for certain programmes of study, visit the Sapienza University of Rome website.

 

Undergraduates will need a high school diploma/12 prior years of study before applying to Sapienza (and proof of this), while postgraduates applying to MA programmes will need to share evidence of their previous university qualifications (at least a three-year BA degree from a recognised university in a subject relevant to their chosen programme of study).

 

English Score Required

If an international applicant wants to study a programme at Sapienza that’s delivered in English (there are 35 English courses in total), they’ll need to show that they can achieve a certain English score. This score will show that they understand English well enough to make it through a degree that’s assessed in the language.

 

To be admitted successfully, every Sapienza applicant to an English programme needs a language certificate at B2 level from an internationally valid English exam. Common tests accepted by the university as proof of English understanding include the IELTS and the TOEFL. Undergraduates will need a minimum overall band score of 6 in the IELTS and an overall score of at least 74 in the TOEFL.

 

It’s important to note that depending on the desired programme of study, required test scores may change. Applicants should do their research to make sure they meet the standards. Once they’ve been able to prove they understand English through one of Sapienza’s accepted methods, they’ll become eligible to study at the university.

 

Admission

There are different procedures at the Sapienza University of Rome for EU passport holders, non-EU passport holders and international students who need a visa. The university understands that the student application and admission process can be confusing and stressful, so help is offered every step of the way — especially to international students who have a more complex admission journey.

 

Students can find out more about the details of the process through the website’s international admissions section, but generally speaking, the university admission process will begin when an applicant goes online and completes a pre-selection application,  this may not be available for all programmes. If it’s not available for a programme that an applicant is interested in, they’re encouraged to contact the programme coordinator instead.

 

What is a pre-selection application? It’s a way for international students to be assessed before the call for true applications. It’s especially useful for people applying for a student visa. The pre-selection application will ask for:

 

  • A passport
  • A high school/university diploma
  • A transcript of academic records
  • A language certificate
  • Reference letters
  • Any additional supporting documents that are relevant

 

Pre-selection will be followed by an actual application, and when every document has been shared by an applicant they’ll wait to hear from the university about a final decision. They can then accept or reject an offer if they’re given one or learn about their rejection if they haven’t been given one.

 

Standard tuition fees (paid in three instalments) for BA and MA programmes are only EUR 1,000 per year, or EUR 500 per year for students coming over from developing countries. Sapienza is proud of the affordability of its fees, and thanks the Italian Ministry of Higher Education for providing public funding.

 

Once a student’s application is complete and submitted, and all requested documents have been sent, the decision will then be made by the university’s admissions team. Applicants will be notified of the institution’s decision as soon as possible.

 

Scholarships & Funding

The Sapienza University of Rome helps students with fees as much as it can. International students struggling with funding can see if they’re eligible to apply for any university scholarships. Scholarships at Sapienza range from need-based to merit-based, and each one has its own set of requirements for application.

 

Students who may be interested are encouraged to check out the university website and find out more. Common documents needed for application to scholarships include:

 

  • A CV
  • An up-to-date transcript
  • A certain GPA (in some cases)
  • A letter of recommendation (in some cases)

 

One example of a Sapienza scholarship is the Merit Scholarship for International Students, with a value of EUR 4,300 per year as well as free tuition. This two-year award is offered to graduates of universities outside of Italy who wish to study for an MA at Sapienza.

 

The Student Collaboration Scholarship, another potential option for financial aid, offers EUR 1,095 to students enrolled in their second year or higher in a BA programme. It’s also available to first-year MA students. For this scholarship, students must be willing to work for around two to four hours per day (150 hours in total) at any of the facilities at the university. This includes libraries and laboratories, for example.

 

At Sapienza, students facing issues with fees have lots of opportunities (like the ones listed above) to change their educational journey and adjust their finances. The university is happy to reward students from all backgrounds for their academic hard work and positive contributions to the university.

 

University Structure

At this university, over 300 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in total are offered to prospective students. Although most courses at Sapienza are taught in Italian, 35 of them are taught in English. Sapienza’s educational structure is organised into 11 faculties, each containing multiple departments. They are:

 

  • The Faculty of Architecture
  • The Faculty of Arts and Humanities
  • The Faculty of Civil and Industrial Engineering
  • The Faculty of Economics
  • The Faculty of Information Engineering, Computer Science, and Statistics
  • The Faculty of Law
  • The Faculty of Mathematics, Physics, and Natural Sciences
  • The Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
  • The Faculty of Medicine and Psychology
  • The Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine
  • The Faculty of Political Science, Sociology, and Communication Service

 

There’s also a School of Aerospace Engineering at the Sapienza University of Rome. It was actually one of the first institutions in the world to offer an aerospace engineering qualification. The university website has a more detailed guide to the 58 departments inside the 11 faculties and the programmes offered by these departments.

 

Facilities

On Sapienza’s historical campus, beautiful green spaces mix with exciting architecture and useful, modern facilities. There are lots of places for students to enjoy, grab a bite to eat, make memories and study hard, from the campus museum to the lecture theatres to the comfortable and welcoming campus café.

 

The canteens and cafés at this university are real student life centres, filled with hungry learners and interesting conversations. The DiSCo LAZIO University Canteens, for example, are placed near other university facilities to be as convenient to students as possible. There’s also the Rita Service in the Marco Polo building, which offers amenities like a coffee shop and a pizza parlour. Students can enjoy good meals and socialise with new friends on campus between classes.

 

Students at Sapienza who love sports will never be disappointed by the exercise facilities on campus. The Tor di Quinto student recreation centre offers tennis, rugby, basketball, martial arts, soccer, archery, swimming, overall fitness/gym facilities and more.

 

The libraries at Sapienza are another kind of student activity centre, exercising minds. There are over 50 libraries with almost three 3-million books and scientific journals, over 150 librarians and 6,000 seats for studying and reading. Students can access reading rooms and computer stations all day and all night, and the libraries also host fun extracurricular activities like book clubs. There are also over 500,000 online resources. Sapienza’s university library collection is the largest in the country. 

 

No student will ever be bored at the Sapienza University of Rome. The facilities on and around campus never stop, providing an endless supply of entertainment and support to busy, hard-working students whether they want to study or relax over a few slices of pizza with friends.

 

Accommodation

Students enrolled at Sapienza get the chance to live in one of the most beautiful, historic cities in the world, the special city of Rome. Student accommodation at this university is mainly found in convenient locations around the Sapienza campus, letting everyone enjoy learning and living in Rome as much as possible.

 

Sapienza has partnerships with public and private rental agencies to ensure that all student accommodation is high quality and meets the right safety standards. The university wants students to get the best out of their university experience, and this includes their university accommodation.

 

As an example, DoveVivo offers just over 100 beds to Sapienza students, all found close to the university. Students have access to residential buildings in lots of different areas around the city, like Via Santa Costanza, Via Padre Semeria and Via Asmara. For a single room, the monthly rental cost (which also covers heating, Wi-Fi and more) is around EUR 480 to 640 (depending on the room). For a double room, this cost would be around EUR 360 to 380 per student.

 

Also on the list of available accommodation is the Camplus facility in the Pietralata neighbourhood, which has rooms for male and female students. This residence is near the Line B Pietralata Subway stop, which students can use to get to the university for classes each day.

 

For a more detailed look at student houses offered to Sapienza’s students, the university website has a lot of information about the options available. Wherever they choose to stay, enrolling at this institution gives students an exciting life right in the capital of Italy.

 

Student Support

Sapienza University of Rome students are always looked after and cared for. The university provides a range of student support services that help to keep undergraduate, graduate, domestic and international students happy, healthy and comfortable. No student should ever feel lost, left out or unable to access the help they need.

 

For example, Sapienza Salute is a health and wellness counselling service offered to students and other members of the Sapienza community (including faculty and other staff members). Student services accessible through Sapienza Salute include mental health counselling with a dedicated student guide who can deal with feelings of isolation or being ignored.

 

For anyone with disabilities or specific learning difficulties, or anyone simply struggling with their studies, there is also lots of student support on the academic side of things. Sapienza cares about equal opportunities and wants every student to recognise their own unique strengths.

 

For international students, the Hello International Student help desk can offer lots of helpful information and assistance when students are first getting settled in, and also later in their studies. Anyone interested in these services can find out more about Hello International Student on the Sapienza website.

 

Graduate Outcomes

The Sapienza University of Rome realises how important it is to think ahead. It understands that students benefit from having a good plan, if they can, of where they want to go next and how they can get there. That’s why the career services at the university are in place, so that students can have all the help they need to explore their career options, prepare for what’s next and find the right path.

 

Sapienza offers a personalised consulting service for checking students’ CVs to make sure that they properly represent the student and their skills. This service should improve their chances of getting interviews and jobs after graduation. Additional documents like cover letters can also be reviewed in these consultations.

 

Also, recruiting and placement events happen often, and the world of work is not ignored or forgotten about in any single class. Students and graduates alike can attend these Sapienza-organised events, networking and making connections every moment.

 

To explore more of Sapienza’s great employment services in detail, including the full online portal and the range of helpful skills workshops, potential future students should visit the relevant pages on the university’s website.

 

Job prospects for Sapienza graduates, with all these great career services, are as good as expected. The QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020 placed Sapienza third in the country and 93rd in the world based on its career services.

 

Exciting professional journeys wait for alumni after their time at the Sapienza University of Rome. Past students love to tell the world that they’ve graduated from Italy’s best university, and potential future students would struggle to find a higher-quality institution in a more beautiful location.

 

Subjects you can study at Sapienza University of Rome

  • Applied and Pure Sciences Applied and Pure Sciences
  • Architecture and Construction Architecture and Construction
  • Business and Management Business and Management
  • Computer Science and IT Computer Science and IT
  • Creative Arts and Design Creative Arts and Design
  • Education and Training Education and Training
  • Engineering Engineering
  • Health and Medicine Health and Medicine
  • Humanities Humanities
  • Law Law
  • Social Studies and Media Social Studies and Media
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Key facts and figures at Sapienza University of Rome

Rankings

Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
Source: THE

181

OVERALL SCORE

60%

TEACHING

53.5%

INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK

46.5%

INDUSTRY INCOME

85.4%

RESEARCH

48.1%

CITATIONS

77.9%
QS World University Rankings 2025
Source: QS

132

Academic Ranking of World Universities 2024
Source: ARWU

101

Student life in numbers

COSTS PER YEAR
LIVING COSTS
Source: Study in Italy

€15,000

CAMPUS ACCOMMODATION

€5,400

AVERAGE TUITION FEE PER YEAR

POSTGRADUATE

€1,780

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