Spain vs Italy for International Students

Tuition: flat regional bands vs income-based scales

Spain sets tuition per credit at the regional level, and each autonomous community publishes its own price list for public universities. Across the country, a bachelor's degree at a public university costs roughly €700 to €1,700 a year , according to the European Commission's Study in Europe country profile. The same degree costs more or less depending on which region you study in, since each community sets its own rate within national limits.

Italy prices differently. Public universities charge on a sliding scale tied to your family's declared income, assessed through the ISEE system, so tuition ranges from about €900 to €4,000 a year . Students from lower-income households pay toward the bottom of that range or less, while wealthier households pay closer to the top. International students submit an income declaration to access the lower bands, so it pays to gather the right paperwork before enrolling.

Financial aid: Italy's DSU system

Italy runs a formal regional grant system, DSU (Diritto allo Studio Universitario), separate from the tuition scale itself. Each region's DSU body assesses eligible students by income and merit, and qualifying students, Italian or international, receive a tuition exemption plus a cash grant and subsidized housing or canteen access. Spain does not run an equivalent national grant scheme at the same scale, though individual universities and regions offer smaller scholarships and fee waivers.

Entrance requirements: PCE vs TOLC

Spain requires international applicants without a Spanish Bachillerato to sit the Pruebas de Competencias Específicas (PCE), which tests knowledge in subjects relevant to your intended degree and produces an admission score. Students with an EU Baccalaureate-equivalent diploma sometimes qualify through equivalence processes instead, but PCE remains the standard route for most non-Spanish applicants targeting public universities.

Italy uses TOLC, a standardized admission test developed by CISIA, required for many degree programs across math, science, humanities and economics faculties. Your TOLC score, alongside your secondary school record, determines your place on competitive courses. Both tests are stricter gatekeepers than a simple diploma check, so plan for preparation time either way.

Living costs: regional spread matters more than the country average

Both countries show wide regional cost differences, which often matters more than the national average when picking where to study. Madrid and Barcelona cost noticeably more than mid-size Spanish cities such as Valencia, Salamanca or Granada, both for rent and daily expenses. Italy shows an even sharper split: Milan ranks among the most expensive cities in the country, while university towns in the south and center, such as Bologna, Padua or Bari, cost considerably less for accommodation and food.

English-taught programs

Both countries offer a limited spread of English-taught bachelor's programs compared with their much larger Spanish- or Italian-taught catalogs. The English-taught offer expands substantially at master's level in both countries, so if your target subject isn't available in English at bachelor's stage, check again for a master's option after finishing a degree in the local language, or an international foundation year designed to bridge the gap.

Language requirements for local-taught programs

Most bachelor's programs in both countries run in the local language, so if you're not applying to one of the smaller English-taught offerings, expect a language requirement before you enroll. Spanish universities generally ask for a B2 or C1 level of Spanish, verified through recognized tests such as DELE or SIELE, alongside the PCE subject exams. Italian universities set a similar bar for Italian-taught programs, typically B2, verified through tests such as CILS or CELI, and some universities run their own placement test during enrollment week instead of requiring a certificate in advance. Budget several months of language preparation if you're not already close to that level.

Degree structure and academic calendar

Both countries follow the same Bologna three-plus-two structure as the rest of the EU: a three-year bachelor's, then a two-year master's, measured in ECTS credits that transfer across the bloc. The academic year runs September to June in both countries, split into two semesters, with the second semester exam period stretching into June or, in Italy, sometimes into July depending on the university and faculty.

Quick comparison

Scholarships beyond DSU

Italy's DSU grants are the headline aid option, but general scholarships exist in Spain too, run separately by each region and by individual universities rather than through one national scheme, plus the general national scholarships run by Spain's education ministry for lower-income households. Both countries' students, EU citizens included, also qualify for Erasmus+ mobility funding for a semester or year at a partner university abroad, a separate pot of funding from either country's own domestic aid system.

Which country fits you

Choose Spain if you want a flat, predictable regional tuition rate and don't need income-based aid. Choose Italy if your household income qualifies you for a lower ISEE tuition band or a DSU grant, since the potential savings there outweigh Spain's simpler flat-rate system. Either way, pick your city as carefully as your country, since regional cost differences inside both Spain and Italy rival the difference between the two countries themselves.