The University of Pisa was established in 1343 in downtown Pisa city making it a student destination and a top Italian university. The rank of the University of Pisa is 349 According to the QS World University ranking website, 2024 which makes it one of the best in the world. It is worth mentioning that Galileo Galilei and many Nobel Prize winners were former students of Pisa University.

. Based on facts and figures released by the University, a total number of 148 majors in different levels (bachelor, master, and PhD) are offered to 54,000 students and 4367 professors, research and administrative staff are offering services.

Some of the admission requirements are the officially translated education documents, Italian or English (four courses taught in English), a certificate of proficiency at level B2, pre-registration in the Italian embassy, etc.

There are tuition waivers and scholarships of which the students can take advantage and reduce their tuition fees, which are normally between 250 and 2300 Euros depending on the student’s country of origin.

The famous Pisa, located in the amazing province of Tuscany, central Italy, is known for the ancient leaning tower of the city’s cathedral. The total population of the city exceeds 89000 people scattered over 185 km² land. Like most ancient cities in Italy, the city has a long history dating back to the 5th century BC. The two rivers of Arno and Serchio affect the city both geographically, touristically, and economically. The old university of Pisa on the other hand, as well as other universities and schools, make it one of the best education destinies in Italy. The city further experiences Mediterranean weather ranging from 2 to 30 throughout the year which forms mild winters and very warm summers. There are also a great number of churches, museums, towers, plazas, and villas to visit and enjoy the time while studying.

Bachelor’s Degree

MBA

Number of Credits: 50 credits + 10 credit  for Project

English language requirement: B1 

Admission Requirements: Holding an Undergraduate

Application Deadline:  Late August for January admission and Late April for September intake 

Course Description:

The 12-month full-time program is articulated in two terms.

In the first term, Fundamental and Specialist Courses provide the pillars of business administration and sharpen management skills in order to develop professional competencies in several key areas. After the first course dedicated to team building and personal development, the program deals with basic competencies and core management skills in a wide range of disciplines: financial reporting and analysis, marketing principles, organizational behavior and human capital, corporate finance and financial markets, cost management, budgeting and management reporting, marketing management, auditing, corporate governance, strategy. In addition, you have a course on entrepreneurship and doing business in emerging economies, provided to understand the new trends in the global markets.

The second term is dedicated to the preparation of the Master Thesis. It can be either a research project or a case study, it can also be developed through a field project or an internship.

Master’s Degree in Humanities

Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering

Number of Credits: 120

English language requirement: B1

Admission Requirements: Holding an Undergraduate in Mathematics or Engineering

Application Deadline: April 2

Course Description:

The Aerospace Division in the Civil and Industrial Engineering Department (DIA) comprises around 20 professors who represent the majority of our teaching staff. DIA has been active on an international level and has been involved with many organizations worldwide since the 1980s. For instance, it is a founding member of the ECATA consortium, which is dedicated to providing education for aeronautical industry professionals. It is part of the PEGASUS network of top European Aeronautics and Space universities. DIA has also established a number of partnerships and exchange programs with various European and US universities including the University of San Diego and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Caltech.

Master of Science in Business Informatics

Number of Credits: 120

English language requirement: B1 in English and Basic knowledge of Italian. One course will be in Italian

Admission Requirements: Holding an Undergraduate in Computer Science, Computer Eng, Mathematics, or Statistics.

Application Deadline: May 30

Course Description:

The Programme in Business Informatics is taught by the Department of Computer Science in collaboration with the Department of Economics and Management. It is structured as follows:

  • Compulsory courses (48 ECTS credits) taken in the area of Informatics
  • Compulsory courses (6 ECTS credits) taken in the area of Operations Research
  • Elective courses (18 ECTS credits) taken in the area of Business Economics
  • Elective courses (12 ECTS credits) taken in the areas of Business Economics, Business Law, Informatics, Mathematics, Operations Research, and Statistics
  • Elective courses (9 ECTS credits) chosen from a list compiled every year by the Master’s Program Council
  • Thesis work (27 ECTS credits) Classes are mainly taught in English, including compulsory classes worth 36 ECTS credits. Elective courses in Business Economics are taught in Italian. Final thesis topics can be linked to internship work or work completed in public/private company

Master of Science in Computer Engineering

Number of Credits: 120

English language requirement: B1

Admission Requirements: Holding an Undergraduate in Computer Science or Computer Engineering

Application Deadline: May 30

Course Description:

This MSc program aims to equip students with a solid, in-depth scientific and technical knowledge of computer engineering in line with the innovational needs of the field of informatics. It is specifically orientated towards helping students become specialized professionals able to design, develop, analyze, and integrate highly complex and heterogeneous computer systems. Students can choose to focus on one of two topics – “Computer Systems and Networks (CSN)” and “Enterprise Systems (ES)” – the latter provides teaching on computational intelligence, enterprise process management, and data mining.

Master of Science in Computer Science

Number of Credits: 120

English language requirement: B1

Admission Requirements: Holding an Undergraduate in Computer Science or Computer

Application Deadline: May 25

Course Description:

The study program is divided into two years of 57 and 63 ECTS credits respectively, including the final thesis. Students must submit a study plan in which they indicate the subsidiary and elective courses they would like to take. Every year the Master’s program in Computer Science offers a rich set of courses from which the students can choose.

Master of Science in Computer Science and Networking

Number of Credits: 120

English language requirement: B1

Admission Requirements: Holding an Undergraduate in Computer Science or Computer Engineering or Electronics

Application Deadline: May 5

Course Description:

This 2-year joint program with the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna is taught completely in English. Each year comprises 60 ECTS credits. The first year consists of various mandatory and fundamental learning activities, while activities in the second year are mostly elective. This allows students to specialize in a subject of their choice for their final dissertation by selecting elective activities from three groups of advanced courses.

Master of Science in Economics

Number of Credits: 120

English language requirement: B1

Admission Requirements: Holding an Undergraduate in Mathematics or Economics

Application Deadline: May  30

Course Description:

The Department of Economics and Management of the University of Pisa and the Laboratory of Economics and Management of Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies have developed a challenging two-year Master of Science Program in Economics.

The Master’s Program provides students with advanced training in economics supported by complementary quantitative and statistical tools. The central aim of the program is to enhance the abilities of students to analyze economic phenomena at different levels: firm, industry, national, and international. This range of skills represents the ideal foundation for the development of professionals able to interpret the fast-changing economic environments of the 21st century.

This two-year degree is designed for students aiming at knowledge-intensive careers in dynamic firms and corporations, consultancies, and public organizations. It offers a solid foundation for those willing to pursue an academic career in the field of economics or other professional activities characterized by strong research content.

Master of Science in Embedded Computing Systems

Number of Credits: 120

English language requirement: B1

Admission Requirements: Holding an Undergraduate in IT-related fields

Application Deadline: May 30

Course Description:

Over 98% of the computers existing in the world are embedded, that is, integrated into a larger system with the purpose of managing its resources and monitoring/controlling its functions using special hardware devices. In the last thirty years, embedded computing systems have grown exponentially in areas like industrial automation, avionics, automotive, telecommunications, consumer electronics, and robotics. Designing and developing software for embedded computing systems requires an interdisciplinary knowledge in different technical areas like:

  • real-time operating systems;
  • sensory acquisition and processing;
  • motor control;
  • microprocessor, multiprocessor, and multi-core architectures;
  • distributed systems and sensor networks;
  • optimization methods;
  • modeling and timing analysis;
  • software verification;
  • advanced man-machine interfaces.

The Master in Embedded Computing Systems is aimed at providing both theoretical foundations and practical aspects in the disciplines listed above, forming engineers capable of designing and programming complex computing systems using the most advanced methodologies.

Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering

Number of Credits: 120

English language requirement: B1

Admission Requirements: Holding an Undergraduate in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Mechanics, Industrial Design

Application Deadline: June 30

Course Description:

Students will be taught specific skills in Nuclear Engineering that can be transferred to and utilized in several fields including nuclear energy applications and various other major industrial endeavors. Nuclear Engineering graduates can also pursue career opportunities in the fields of research and development. Students can otherwise continue their studies in Nuclear Engineering at the University of Pisa in the Research Doctorate Programme in Nuclear Engineering and Industrial Safety, allowing them to enter into a career with a higher qualification. Many of our alumni have gone on to pursue careers and hold important positions in the field of nuclear engineering. More details can be found here.

The University of Pisa is not a campus-based university. Nevertheless, it takes part in an international program for housing students called “Housing Anywhere” and has buildings throughout the city. There are accommodations offered via the advertisements in the university’s bulletin boards. The rooms for rent range between 250 to 350 Euros per month (without other maintenance expenses such as gas, electricity, etc.). There are also reliable websites where students can search available options.

Generally speaking, the renting prices are a bit more expensive than those of other cities due to the studentship and touristic status of the city. There are also cheap and fast transportation systems in the city due to the great number of tourists, and one can never worry about how to get to a place.