GSSI (Gran Sasso Science Institute), L’Aquila

What kind of institution is it?

GSSI is not a traditional university; it grants no bachelor’s, focusing only on the doctorate (PhD) and advanced research. It holds strong links with the nearby Gran Sasso national laboratories.

With its international academic community of around 200, GSSI is a young but fast-recognised, entirely English-taught research centre.

The city of L’Aquila and student life

The capital of Abruzzo, L’Aquila is a city at the foot of the Apennines; it hosts the Gran Sasso national laboratories. The cost of living is low; the nature provision is wide.

Programmes and levels

The programmes are advanced and research-focused:

• Physics (astroparticle included)
• Mathematics
• Computer science
• Urban studies and regional science
• Doctoral (PhD) level only

Admission and selection

Admission runs through a selective international assessment based on the academic record and the research potential; applications are in English.

Fees, housing and scholarship

Doctoral students are provided a scholarship (allowance), plus housing and provision support; no tuition fee applies. GSSI thus offers a fully funded research start.

Language of instruction

The teaching and research are entirely in English. English proficiency is expected for the application; Italian is not compulsory.

Application for Turkish students

Applying from Turkey, the Universitaly pre-enrolment and a CIMEA report or a Dichiarazione di Valore are needed for the degree recognition and the official procedures in Italy. For your academic application file, a sworn translation of the diploma, transcript and the required documents must stand ready.

Which documents should you have sworn-translated for GSSI, L’Aquila?

Applying to GSSI, L’Aquila (or to a programme in the same city), most documents issued in Turkey need a sworn Italian translation. The most-translated documents in master’s, doctoral and bachelor’s applications:

• The diploma (bachelor’s/master’s) and, where applicable, the provisional graduation certificate,
• The transcript and the diploma supplement,
• The course contents (where a recognition/compatibility assessment is needed),
• The income and financial documents (for the DSU grant and the ISEE Parificato),
• The statement of intent, CV and references (in Italian or English, by the programme’s language).

The order generally runs: the document is apostilled first, then sworn-translated into Italian from the apostilled version, and where needed the degree recognition (a CIMEA report or the consulate Dichiarazione di Valore) is obtained. For detail see our apostille guide, CIMEA recognition, Dichiarazione di Valore and Universitaly application pages. For document-level detail, the diploma-transcript translation and university application translation pages help.

Frequently asked questions