Studying in Bologna: universities, costs, housing and student life

The University of Bologna

The University of Bologna, founded in 1088, is widely recognized as the oldest continuously operating university in the Western world. It remains one of Italy's largest and most respected institutions, with strong programs across law, medicine, engineering, humanities and sciences, plus satellite campuses in Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini alongside the main Bologna site. Its degree structure follows the standard Italian and EU pattern, a 3-year laurea triennale followed by a 2-year laurea magistrale, with a growing number of English-taught options in engineering, economics and international relations alongside the much larger Italian-taught offering.

The university took in 26,748 new students for the 2024/25 academic year, a 3% rise from 25,937 the year before, and total enrollment across all campuses is projected to pass 90,000 students in 2025. International enrollment grew 23% year on year in 2024/25, an acceleration from 11% growth the previous year, with notable increases from Pakistan, Turkey, Spain, Germany and China, according to the university's own reporting .

Tuition fees and ER.GO grants

Bologna is a public university, so it follows Italy's national right-to-study rules. Students with an ISEE at or below 22,000 EUR pay no tuition at all, according to a national student guide to the current thresholds. Students with an ISEE between 22,000 and 30,000 EUR pay reduced fees on a tiered scale (roughly 80% reduction up to 24,000, 50% up to 26,000, 25% up to 28,000, 10% up to 30,000 EUR).

ER.GO, the Emilia-Romagna regional agency for the right to study, runs scholarships and subsidized dorm places for eligible students at Bologna and other universities in the region. Awards depend on your ISEE band and whether you live in Bologna, commute, or come from outside the region, with amounts set fresh each year in the annual bando. Apply through the ER.GO portal as soon as the call opens, since places and funds are limited and awarded by ranking.

Cost of living in Bologna

The university publishes its own budget guidance for incoming students. A single room in a shared flat costs about 400 EUR a month plus utilities, and a shared room costs about 300 EUR a month plus utilities, according to the University of Bologna's living costs page . A week of groceries runs about 60 EUR, a canteen meal costs 4.50-6.00 EUR, and a coffee with a croissant costs about 2.50 EUR. Everyday transport is cheap too, with a single bus ticket at 1.50 EUR and a monthly student pass, for students under 27, at 27 EUR.

Non-EU students should budget separately for immigration costs: an annual health registration fee of about 700 EUR and a permit-of-stay application fee of about 120 EUR, per the same university page. Costs run slightly lower at Bologna's Romagna campuses (Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna, Rimini) than in the main city.

Housing in Bologna

Student housing in Bologna revolves around the posto letto system, a bed in a shared room or apartment rather than a full private room, common across Italian university cities. ER.GO manages a portion of subsidized dorm beds for qualifying students, but private shared flats make up most of the market. Bologna's historic center, with its famous porticoes, sits within walking distance of most faculty buildings, which keeps many students close to campus without needing transport.

Start your housing search well before term starts, since Bologna's student population is large relative to the city's size and competition for listings peaks in late summer. Group house-shares are standard practice, and most listings expect a guarantor or a deposit plus advance rent, in line with Italian rental norms.

Getting around Bologna

TPER runs Bologna's buses and the surrounding regional network. As shown above, a single ticket costs 1.50 EUR and a monthly student pass for students under 27 costs 27 EUR. Bologna's compact center means many students walk or cycle to lectures, and the flat terrain across most of the city center makes cycling a common choice.

Student life in Bologna

Bologna carries the nickname La Dotta, the learned one, because of its academic history, and student life shapes the city's daily rhythm far more than in most Italian cities. The Zamboni street area, lined with faculty buildings, bars and bookshops, stays busy well into the evening most nights of the week, and a cinema ticket runs about 9 EUR when you want a night off from studying.

Food culture runs deep here, home to tortellini, ragù and mortadella, and eating out costs less than in Milan or Rome. Bologna also connects quickly by train to Florence, Venice and Milan, making it a practical base for weekend trips across northern and central Italy.

Health insurance and application basics

EU students can use their European Health Insurance Card for basic care while studying in Italy, though many also register with the national health service for full local coverage. Non-EU students must arrange health insurance, through national insurance registration or a private policy, before they can apply for their residence permit (permesso di soggiorno), one reason the university's own guidance flags the annual health registration and permit fees mentioned above.

Admission to Bologna's public programs runs partly through the national Universitaly portal for non-EU applicants, who also need a pre-enrollment check at the Italian embassy or consulate in their home country before travel. Deadlines vary by program, so check your specific course page and your local Italian consulate for the current timeline. Apply for an ER.GO scholarship separately, and as early as the annual bando opens, once your enrollment is confirmed.

Tips for keeping costs down in Bologna

• Eat at a university canteen (mensa), where a full meal costs 4.50-6.00 EUR, well below a restaurant price.

• Apply for an ER.GO scholarship even if you are unsure you qualify, since awards run on a sliding ISEE scale with several income bands.

• Look at the areas around Bolognina or San Donato instead of the historic center, where rent for a posto letto tends to run lower.

• Get the monthly TPER student pass at 27 EUR if you are under 27, cheaper than buying single 1.50 EUR tickets across a full month.

• Buy secondhand textbooks from senior students, common practice given how expensive new academic texts run in Italy.