Study Medicine in Italy in English 🇮🇹

Italy is one of the main European destinations for students who want to study Medicine or Dentistry in English. The core public admission test is IMAT, used for Medicine, Dentistry and, in the latest checked MUR decree, Veterinary Medicine. Private universities usually run separate admission calls.

Use this page as the country overview. It explains where IMAT fits, which universities appear in the latest checked official seat table, what is different about private universities, and how to plan costs, documents and preparation.

The university browser shows the Italian profiles currently built inside IMAT Mentor. The comparison table below is broader: it includes the latest checked MUR 2025/2026 English-language seat table plus selected Pharmacy programs that are relevant for students searching for health-science degrees in English in Italy.

Why Italy?

Italy combines English-taught medical degrees, public university fee models, a wide choice of cities and a competitive national entrance exam. It is attractive, but it is not simple: students need a strong exam plan, a realistic preference strategy and careful document planning.

Key advantages:

• Many English-taught Medicine programs across northern, central and southern Italy
• Public IMAT universities where tuition can be much lower than private Medicine tuition
• Private university alternatives with separate admissions, calls and timelines
• English-taught Dentistry options listed in the latest checked MUR table
• Selected English Pharmacy programs outside IMAT admissions, with local access procedures
• Strong student-city range, from Milan and Rome to Pavia, Siena, Bari, Messina and other cities

Entry Requirements

Applicants normally need a secondary-school qualification that gives access to university in the country where it was issued and is accepted for Italian higher education. Document assessment is handled by the university, and non-EU applicants who need a study visa must follow the Universitaly pre-enrollment and visa-linked procedure.

For public English-taught admissions, the key academic hurdle is the admission test. The latest completed MUR decree checked for this page listed 60 questions in 100 minutes: 4 Reading and General Knowledge questions, 5 Logical Reasoning and Problems questions, 23 Biology questions, 15 Chemistry questions and 13 Physics and Maths questions.

Private universities need separate checking. Humanitas, Cattolica, San Raffaele, Campus Bio-Medico and UniCamillus can set their own admission calls, test formats, seat categories, deadlines and fees.

How IMAT Mentor Helps

IMAT Mentor is focused on the preparation layer: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, logical reasoning, reading practice, timed simulations and revision discipline. It also gives students practical context for Italy: public versus private admissions, university preferences, official deadlines and document steps.

We do not promise admission or replace the official calls. The goal is to help students prepare seriously, understand the process and avoid weak planning before the ranking and enrollment phase.

Application Process, Universitaly and Student Visa

A typical public IMAT application means choosing target universities, checking the active MUR decree and university notices, registering for the English admission test, preparing documents, sitting the test and following ranking/enrollment instructions. Non-EU applicants resident abroad must also plan pre-enrollment and visa steps carefully.

Universitaly states that students applying for study programs in Italy complete the pre-enrollment application after creating an account, uploading the qualifications and documents required by the chosen institution. This is separate from exam study, so applicants should track both the exam timeline and the document/visa timeline.

Costs in Italy

Public Italian universities do not all use one fixed Medicine tuition price. Fees can depend on university rules, ISEE or equivalent financial documentation, citizenship/residence category, regional tax, exemptions and the academic year. Always use the current official fee page before budgeting.

Private universities are different: tuition is normally published in the annual call or fee regulations and can be much higher than public university fees. For living costs, a practical planning range is often about EUR 800-1,500/month, with Milan and Rome usually requiring more cautious housing budgets than smaller university cities.

Extra costs can include test registration, application fees, translations, legalization or apostille, visa/residence paperwork, health insurance, flights, deposits, textbooks, lab materials and local transport.

What About Pharmacy in English?

Pharmacy uses a separate admission process from IMAT. Bologna lists an English-taught five-year Pharmacy course at the Rimini campus with restricted local access, and Tor Vergata lists an English-taught Pharmacy course in Rome with its own call. These programs can be relevant for students searching health-science degrees in Italy, but they need separate admission planning.

Recognition and Licensing

Italy is an EU member state, but professional recognition is still not something to treat as automatic for every destination. Graduates need to follow the licensing, internship, language and registration rules of the country where they want to practise. CIMEA and the target professional regulator are the right places to check recognition logic.

Clinical training and patient contact make Italian language progress important even when the degree is taught in English. For students who want to work in Italy after graduation, Italian is not optional in practice.

Student Life in Italy

Italy gives applicants very different study environments. Milan and Rome offer the largest-city experience and many private or public admission options. Pavia and Siena feel more compact and student-focused. Bari, Messina, Cagliari and other cities can be attractive for students who want public universities outside the most expensive metropolitan centers.

The best city is not only the most famous one. Students should compare expected score competitiveness, seat category, living costs, clinical language reality, travel, support network and backup choices before locking university preferences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• MUR 2025/2026 English Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary admission decree
• MUR 2025/2026 Table B seats for English-taught programs
• Universitaly international student procedures
• CIMEA academic recognition guidance
• University of Bologna Pharmacy in English
• Tor Vergata Pharmacy call for applications

Last updated: May 2026.