Despite the fact that a bachelor's degree is a complete higher education, few professionals stop there. Wanting to improve skills and acquire practical knowledge in their field, many continue their studies in master's programs. How to make the right choice, especially when it comes to education abroad?
Dozens of universities, hundreds of specialties, thousands of different admission conditions - sounds very confusing. Let's understand what you need to know about higher education in sunny Italy!
Features of Master's programs in Italy
Language of instruction
Master's programs are conducted in Italian or English, so at the very beginning of the search you need to take into account in what language education is available to you.
Duration
The period of study is 1-2 years, depending on the specialty. If we are talking about medical directions, the period can increase even to 5 years.
Admission conditions
Foreign students can apply for a place in both public and private universities, but for admission to a higher educational institution in Italy for a master's degree, it is necessary to unlearn 15 years (less often 14) in total, and the chosen program must be a continuation of the existing bachelor's specialty.
Academic year
The academic year in Italy begins in mid-autumn (October \ November), ends in late May / early June.
Additional tests
On courses where the number of places is limited (architecture, medicine, psychology), the student must undergo additional selection, in other areas, except for the test on the level of language proficiency, nothing is required.
Time
It is important to remember that Italian educational institutions open the reception of documents very early - November \ December. The admission campaign ends in May!
Age of students
For such programs, the age of applicants is from 21 years old. Rarely in some educational institutions take in 20 years.
Language of instruction
For 2021, there are 58 partner institutions and 235 master's programs available in Italian, 20 institutions and 70 programs to choose from in English.
If you choose Italian as the language of instruction, then all universities of this country are available to you. To study at the magistracy, the language level must be B2 (Upper-intermediate) and above. You can take an entrance language test or provide the appropriate certificate.
For applicants to master's programs in English, a rich selection of educational institutions in many areas is also available. It will be necessary to provide a certificate of successful passing of TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge Certificate, etc.
Tuition fees for Master's programs
Italian universities have a wide range of relevant specialties: graphic design, PR and advertising, photo art, fashion, architecture, business, international communications and much more. These areas in this country are as prestigious and fundamental as those that have become classical medicine, economics and law.
Tuition fees depend on several factors:
- Stage of education (we are talking about the magistracy, so prices are often higher than at the bachelor's degree)
- Educational institution (its rating, popularity, city, etc. are taken into account)
- The status of the university (as a rule, in private educational institutions prices are higher than in municipal ones)
- Specialty
- Language of instruction (in some cases, programs in Italian are cheaper than in English).
Education in state universities for the magistracy is free, but there are mandatory contributions, so the average cost of such programs is 2000-4000 €, in private universities - from 8 000 € and above.
Let's look at a few specific examples.
IED Milan European Institute of Design is a private educational group established in 1966 specializing in fashion, design, communications and visual arts.
Teaching is conducted in both Italian and English, which depends on the chosen direction (sometimes on the subject).
The duration of studying is 1 year.
The Master's program in both Italian and English without accommodation costs from 18 900 €.
IULM University Milan is a State Linguistic University of Milan, founded in 1968.
Studies are available in English and Italian. The Master's program lasts 1-2 years and costs from 10 560 € in English and from 9800 € in Italian.
Residence
Some universities provide a hostel, but only on a lease terms. Consultants can choose for you a separate apartment, accommodation in a residence, hostel or shared accommodation. Prices for accommodation depend on the selected city.
Admission requirements
Requirements may vary slightly from one educational institution to another, but below is a list of mandatory requirements for admission to the magistracy in Italy:
- Bachelor's degree (or academic reference if you are studying in the 4th year)
- Letter of recommendation
- Motivation letter
- Passport
- Resume
- Certificate of proficiency in the language in which the teaching is conducted. English certificates: IELTS 5.5-6.0+; TOEFL ibt 79+ and similar, Italian language not lower than B2.
For additional requirements, it is necessary to specify directly in the selected institutions.
Advantages of Italian educational institutions
- High level of organization of the educational process, recognized all over the world.
- Study in an international environment with full immersion in the cultural and linguistic environment of Italy.
- Affordable prices: the cost of studying in Italian universities is lower than in other European countries or in the United States.
- Scholarship opportunity. Even at the most prestigious universities, students are rewarded with scholarships in case of excellent academic performance.
- The possibility of legal work up to 20 hours a week, which allows a student visa.
