Italy Guide
University of Pavia
The University of Pavia (Università degli Studi di Pavia), founded in 1361, is one of Italy’s most storied state universities. Set in the city of Pavia south of Milan, it offers a classic student-city experience with its historic colleges and campus culture.
3 min read Updated: 20.07.2026
| Italian name | Università degli Studi di Pavia |
|---|---|
| City | Pavia |
| Region | Lombardy |
| Founded | 1361 |
| Type | State university |
| Students (approx.) | ~24,000 |
| Official site | unipv.it |
Overview
With around 24,000 students, Pavia holds a strong tradition in medicine, engineering, law, economics, pharmacy and the humanities. The historic “collegi” system offers students housing and an academic community.
With its closeness to Milan and its research infrastructure, the university provides an academic setting both storied and reachable.
The city of Pavia and student life
Set in Lombardy, Pavia is a mid-sized, walkable and wholly student-focused city. It is about half an hour from Milan by train; the cost of living is more balanced than the big metropolis.
Faculties and signature programmes
The fields Turkish students often turn to:
- Medicine and surgery, pharmacy
- Engineering (computing, electronics, civil, bioengineering)
- Law and economics
- The sciences (physics, chemistry, biology)
- The humanities and musicology
The university’s English-taught master’s programmes open the door to apply without an Italian precondition.
Language of instruction and language conditions
Programmes are mainly Italian; some are English. Italian-taught programmes want a B2 language certificate (CILS/CELI) or the university exam, English-taught ones IELTS/TOEFL.
Application for Turkish students
The application begins with the programme choice and the Universitaly pre-enrolment. A CIMEA or a Dichiarazione di Valore is needed for the degree recognition. The apostilled, sworn-Italian-translated form of your diploma and transcript must stand ready at this stage.
Tuition fees and scholarships
Fees are tiered by the ISEE value showing the family’s income and assets; low-income students can be largely exempted. The regional grant agency Lombardy DSU (Diritto allo Studio) provides housing, food and cash support; the application wants the sworn translation of your income documents and an ISEE Parificato. For detail see our scholarships section.
Which documents should you have sworn-translated for the University of Pavia?
Applying to the University of Pavia (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.
We prepare the sworn Italian translation of your diploma, transcript and financial documents end to end, apostille tracking included. For an exact price, take a free quote, and for the scholarship channels in Italy, see our scholarships section.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Pavia reckoned a “campus city”?
Pavia is a classic student city with its historic colleges (collegi) and its fabric woven into the university; its closeness to Milan by train is an advantage too.
Are there English-taught programmes in Pavia?
Yes, English-taught programmes at master’s level above all. By the programme language, IELTS/TOEFL or an Italian certificate is wanted.
Is it the same institution as IUSS Pavia?
No. IUSS Pavia is a select higher school (separate and very selective). The Università di Pavia is a wide-ranging storied state university; the two collaborate on some programmes.
Programme lists, fee amounts, language conditions, quotas and application dates can change with every academic year. Verify from the official sources before applying: University of Pavia official site, Universitaly and the Italian Embassy / Consulate General.