Academic Index Last updated: June 23, 2026

56 Best Universities in Italy

Exploring the academic landscape of Italy, our index provides a definitive ranking of the top 56 higher education institutions. The algorithmic evaluation processed 2.11M scholarly outputs and 58.2M peer-reviewed citations, mapping the region's total research impact.

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1

Emilia-Romagna | Bologna

University of Bologna

#26 in Europe #104 in the World

73% Acceptance

96,945 Enrollment

1088 Founded

2

Lombardy | Milan

University of Milan

#45 in Europe #146 in the World

21% Acceptance

65,234 Enrollment

1924 Founded

3

Veneto | Padua

University of Padua

#47 in Europe #153 in the World

40% Acceptance

70,000 Enrollment

1222 Founded

4

Piedmont | Turin

University of Turin

#79 in Europe #221 in the World

37% Acceptance

5,000 Enrollment

1404 Founded

5

Tuscany | Pisa

University of Pisa

#88 in Europe #237 in the World

39% Acceptance

47,736 Enrollment

1343 Founded

6

Lombardy | Milan

Polytechnic University of Milan

#93 in Europe #250 in the World

28% Acceptance

48,645 Enrollment

1863 Founded

7

Campania | Naples

Federico II University of Naples

#95 in Europe #255 in the World

31% Acceptance

80,000 Enrollment

1224 Founded

8

Tuscany | Florence

University of Florence

#99 in Europe #260 in the World

30% Acceptance

96,945 Enrollment

1321 Founded

9

Lombardy | Milan

Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

#178 in Europe #418 in the World

40% Acceptance

23,000 Enrollment

1921 Founded

10

Piedmont | Turin

Polytechnic University of Turin

#180 in Europe #420 in the World

40% Acceptance

48,645 Enrollment

1859 Founded

11

Lazio | Rome

University of Rome Tor Vergata

#189 in Europe #450 in the World

38% Acceptance

100,155 Enrollment

1982 Founded

12

Emilia-Romagna | Parma

University of Parma

#216 in Europe #528 in the World

39% Acceptance

22,800 Enrollment

1117 Founded

13

Apulia | Bari

University of Bari

#219 in Europe #538 in the World

35% Acceptance

24,780 Enrollment

1924 Founded

14

Tuscany | Siena

University of Siena

#227 in Europe #551 in the World

33% Acceptance

65,234 Enrollment

1240 Founded

15

Lombardy | Milan

University of Milano-Bicocca

#267 in Europe #650 in the World

27% Acceptance

33,741 Enrollment

1998 Founded

16

Sardinia | Cagliari

University of Cagliari

#290 in Europe #695 in the World

20% Acceptance

26,069 Enrollment

1620 Founded

17

Lazio | Rome

Roma Tre University

#307 in Europe #743 in the World

20% Acceptance

19,401 Enrollment

1992 Founded

18

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Udine

University of Udine

#326 in Europe #795 in the World

21% Acceptance

70,000 Enrollment

1978 Founded

19

Veneto | Venice

Ca’ Foscari University of Venice

#327 in Europe #796 in the World

21% Acceptance

4,216 Enrollment

1868 Founded

20

Lombardy | Milan

Bocconi University

#346 in Europe #846 in the World

23% Acceptance

9,080 Enrollment

1902 Founded

21

Marche | Ancona

Polytechnical University of Marche

#356 in Europe #874 in the World

30% Acceptance

80,000 Enrollment

1969 Founded

22

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Trieste

International School for Advanced Studies

#388 in Europe #957 in the World

13% Acceptance

16,239 Enrollment

1978 Founded

23

Sardinia | Sassari

University of Sassari

#425 in Europe #1100 in the World

27% Acceptance

5,057 Enrollment

1558 Founded

24

Marche | Urbino

Carlo Bo University of Urbino

#454 in Europe #1173 in the World

28% Acceptance

22,000 Enrollment

1506 Founded

25

Apulia | Lecce

University of Salento

#461 in Europe #1194 in the World

31% Acceptance

19,401 Enrollment

1966 Founded

26

Tuscany | Pisa

Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies

#462 in Europe #1196 in the World

39% Acceptance

1,000 Enrollment

1987 Founded

27

Piedmont | Vercelli

University of Eastern Piedmont

#512 in Europe #1337 in the World

34% Acceptance

5,000 Enrollment

1998 Founded

28

Apulia | Bari

Polytechnic University of Bari

#535 in Europe #1411 in the World

31% Acceptance

48,645 Enrollment

1990 Founded

29

Lombardy | Milan

Vita-Salute San Raffaele University

#543 in Europe #1437 in the World

13% Acceptance

23,000 Enrollment

1996 Founded

30

Lombardy | Bergamo

University of Bergamo

#547 in Europe #1449 in the World

30% Acceptance

4,216 Enrollment

1968 Founded

31

Trentino-South Tyrol | Bolzano

Free University of Bozen

#550 in Europe #1459 in the World

77% Acceptance

4,216 Enrollment

1997 Founded

32

Lazio | Viterbo

University of Tuscia

#557 in Europe #1479 in the World

60% Acceptance

6,631 Enrollment

1979 Founded

33

Marche | Macerata

University of Macerata

#663 in Europe #1863 in the World

52% Acceptance

9,646 Enrollment

1290 Founded

34

Apulia | Foggia

University of Foggia

#664 in Europe #1867 in the World

47% Acceptance

25,000 Enrollment

1999 Founded

35

Molise | Campobasso

University of Molise

#671 in Europe #1890 in the World

44% Acceptance

9,000 Enrollment

1982 Founded

36

Lazio | Rome

Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome

#689 in Europe #1969 in the World

30% Acceptance

25,000 Enrollment

1993 Founded

37

Veneto | Venice

IUAV University of Venice

#691 in Europe #1979 in the World

43% Acceptance

4,216 Enrollment

1926 Founded

38

Lazio | Cassino

University of Cassino and Southern Lazio

#718 in Europe #2087 in the World

50% Acceptance

48,645 Enrollment

1979 Founded

39

Abruzzo | Teramo

University of Teramo

#774 in Europe #2349 in the World

56% Acceptance

5,057 Enrollment

1993 Founded

40

Lombardy | Milan

IULM University

#868 in Europe #2775 in the World

60% Acceptance

5,741 Enrollment

1968 Founded

41

Basilicata | Potenza

Basilicata University

#879 in Europe #2805 in the World

59% Acceptance

6,631 Enrollment

1982 Founded

42

Lombardy | Castellanza

Carlo Cattaneo University

#959 in Europe #3225 in the World

50% Acceptance

9,080 Enrollment

1991 Founded

43

Campania | Naples

University of Naples “L’Orientale”

#966 in Europe #3256 in the World

66% Acceptance

1,500 Enrollment

1732 Founded

44

Lazio | Rome

Pontifical University of the Holy Cross

#1143 in Europe #4256 in the World

76% Acceptance

2,754 Enrollment

1984 Founded

45

Lazio | Rome

Foro Italico University of Rome

#1149 in Europe #4295 in the World

81% Acceptance

2,377 Enrollment

1998 Founded

46

Sicily | Enna

Kore University of Enna

#1235 in Europe #4809 in the World

78% Acceptance

33,741 Enrollment

2005 Founded

47

Tuscany | Siena

University of Italian Studies for Foreigners of Siena

#1240 in Europe #4834 in the World

78% Acceptance

1,500 Enrollment

1917 Founded

48

Piedmont | Bra

University of Gastronomic Sciences

#1251 in Europe #4902 in the World

80% Acceptance

273 Enrollment

2004 Founded

49

Lazio | Rome

Salesian Pontifical University

#1311 in Europe #5215 in the World

76% Acceptance

1,738 Enrollment

1940 Founded

50

Lazio | Rome

Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas

#1752 in Europe #7686 in the World

60% Acceptance

1,104 Enrollment

1577 Founded

51

Lazio | Rome

University of International Studies of Rome

#1825 in Europe #7901 in the World

81% Acceptance

1,354 Enrollment

1996 Founded

52

Apulia | Casamassima

LUM Jean Monnet University

#1883 in Europe #8087 in the World

76% Acceptance

1995 Founded

53

Lazio | Rome

European University of Rome

#1931 in Europe #8228 in the World

77% Acceptance

2005 Founded

54

Lazio | Rome

Pontifical Faculty of Education Sciences Auxilium

#2008 in Europe #8447 in the World

76% Acceptance

1954 Founded

55

Lazio | Rome

Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology

#2147 in Europe #8987 in the World

75% Acceptance

1925 Founded

56

Lazio | Rome

Pontifical Urbaniana University

#2151 in Europe #8996 in the World

75% Acceptance

1627 Founded