If you are looking at Italy for your higher studies, you have probably already come across the same list of courses several times.
- Engineering
- Computer science
- Business
- Design
- Fashion
Then you search again and find another list and this is where we think students can get stuck. There isn’t really a one best course to study in Italy that works for everyone. What makes sense for a student with a BTech in Mechanical Engineering can be completely different from what makes sense for someone with a BCom or a bachelor’s degree in fashion design.
So when students ask us about the best courses to study in Italy, we don’t start by ranking them. We start with the student’s background.
Which courses should you consider in Italy?
There are several fields that come up regularly when students are researching Italy. Engineering is one. So are computer science and data-related subjects. Business and finance attract a lot of students too. Then you have architecture, design, fashion and luxury, hospitality, economics and a number of other areas.
The interesting part is what happens when you look at the same course from the perspective of different students.
Take mechanical engineering. For someone who has already completed a mechanical engineering degree and wants to move towards automotive engineering, it could be a very sensible direction. For a student with a bachelor’s in commerce, it obviously isn’t.
That sounds obvious, but this is exactly where some course searches go wrong. Students start with the question, “What is popular in Italy?” when the more useful question is, “What makes sense with my education?”
Engineering
Engineering is an obvious area to explore if you already have a technical background. Depending on your previous education and interests, you can look at mechanical, automotive, civil, electrical, electronics, industrial, aerospace and computer engineering, among other areas.
Suppose you have completed a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering and have always been interested in automobiles. You may want to look at automotive engineering in Italy or related programmes.
But don’t stop there, open the curriculum and see what you will actually study. That tells you much more.
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
Technology is another area that gets a lot of attention from students planning to study in Italy.
You can find programmes related to computer science, artificial intelligence, data science, software engineering, cybersecurity and other technology fields. Here, your previous education becomes particularly important. Imagine two students. The first has a bachelor’s in computer science and wants to specialise in artificial intelligence.
The second studied mechanical engineering and has recently become interested in data science because they have heard that it is a growing field. We would not advise these students in the same way. The first student’s academic progression is fairly easy to understand. With the second student, we would want to look at the mathematics, programming and other prerequisites before recommending particular programmes.
This is one reason we don’t like ready-made lists of the top courses to study in Italy. They leave out the part that matters most: whether you actually qualify for the course and whether it suits you.
Business, Management and Finance
Business is another broad category, and it can mean very different things depending on the student. There are programmes in management, finance, economics, international business, marketing and related areas.
A student with a bachelor’s in commerce may naturally look towards finance or management for a master’s. Someone with an engineering background might instead be considering business analytics, technology management or a similar course because they want to move towards the business side of their industry. And someone who already has work experience may be looking at an MBA.
These aren’t interchangeable decisions. If you tell us, “I want to study business in Italy,” our next question would be, “What do you want to do with it?” That answer can narrow down the choices.
Architecture and Design
For students interested in architecture and design, Italy can be a great choice. Architecture, industrial design, interior design and other creative fields can all lead to very different types of study. This is another situation we I would resist choosing a university first.
A student interested in architecture may care about studio work, design methodology and the structure of the programme. Someone interested in product design may be looking for something quite different.
Portfolio requirements can also matter. For example, a student may have excellent marks but still need to spend considerable time preparing a portfolio for a design application. That is something worth knowing before the application stage, not after the university has been shortlisted.
Fashion and Luxury
Fashion is probably one of the first things people associate with Italy, but even here, there is more than one route. You can look at fashion design, fashion management, luxury management, merchandising, fashion marketing and related areas.
Imagine a student who loves fashion but does not want to become a designer. There is little point pushing that student towards a design programme simply because they are interested in fashion.
They might be much more interested in the business behind a fashion house, brand management or merchandising. The industry is the same but the course is not. That distinction is worth making before you start comparing universities.
Economics and Finance
Economics and finance can be good options for students who already have a relevant background. But again, don’t assume that every course with “Finance” or “Economics” in the title will be the same.
One programme may be highly quantitative. Another might have more emphasis on economics or financial markets. A third may sit closer to management. If you are comfortable with mathematics and want a more analytical course, that matters.
If your interests are more towards business or policy, that matters too. The course title gives you a starting point. The curriculum gives you the real picture.
Hospitality and Tourism
Hospitality and tourism are worth considering if you genuinely want to work in these industries. Italy is an interesting environment for students interested in hotels, tourism, events and related areas.
But we would ask a student to think beyond the degree. Where do you want to work? What kind of role interests you? Are you comfortable working in a customer-facing industry?
And are you prepared to learn Italian if your future job requires regular interaction with local customers or employers? These questions don’t make the course less attractive. They simply help you decide whether it is attractive for you.
Medicine and health-related courses
Medicine is one area where I would be particularly careful with general online lists. A student who wants to become a doctor needs to look at admission procedures, language, eligibility and the rules surrounding professional practice.
The same principle applies to other regulated healthcare professions. If your plan is to study a healthcare subject and then work in that profession, don’t look only at whether the university offers the course. Look at what happens after graduation too.
What if you want to change your field?
Let’s say you have completed civil engineering but don’t want to spend the rest of your career in a purely technical role. You might start looking at management courses. That could make sense.
But perhaps a programme related to construction management, project management or sustainability would make better use of what you already know. Or perhaps you genuinely want to leave engineering behind. There isn’t enough information in the sentence “I want to change my field” to decide which option is best. The reason for the change matters.
This is why the course selection stage should not be rushed.
So, which are the best courses to study in Italy?
If you want a simple and quick list, the fields worth researching include:
- Engineering
- Computer Science and related technology fields
- Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
- Business and Management
- Finance and Economics
- Architecture
- Design
- Fashion and Luxury
- Hospitality and Tourism
- Medicine and other health-related fields
- Arts, Humanities and Cultural Studies
But I would not put them into a ranking and tell you that number one is objectively better than number ten. That would give you a neat answer without actually helping you make the decision. For one student, engineering may be the obvious choice. For another, it may be fashion management. For someone else, a master’s in finance could make much more sense.
The best courses to study in Italy are the ones that make sense when you put your academic background, interests, budget and career plans in the right place.
How should you actually choose?
We would keep the first stage fairly simple. Start with your previous degree. Then ask yourself whether you want to continue in the same area or move somewhere else.
If you want to continue, look for courses that build on what you already know. If you want to change fields, check the eligibility requirements before getting attached to a particular university. After that, look at the curriculum. Then look at tuition fees, living costs, language of instruction, scholarships and the kind of opportunities the course can give you after graduation.
This process takes a little more effort than searching “best courses in Italy.” It also gives you a much suitable list.
Should you choose a course because it is popular?
Popularity can tell you what other students are interested in. It doesn’t tell you whether you will be happy studying that subject or whether you have the academic background for it. We’ve had enough conversations with students to know that the course they initially ask about isn’t always the course they end up choosing.
Sometimes they find that another specialisation fits their previous degree better. Sometimes they realise they don’t actually want the career attached to the course they had originally picked.
And sometimes they simply needed someone to explain the difference between two programmes that looked almost identical on paper. That is a much better reason to change your shortlist than “this course is more popular.”
What makes a course a good choice for you?
Your academic background. Does the course build on what you have already studied?
Your interest. Can you genuinely see yourself spending the next few years studying this subject?
The curriculum. Do the subjects match what you want to learn?
Your finances. Does the total cost fit your budget, including living expenses?
Your plans after graduation. Does the course move you towards the kind of work or further study you are considering?
You don’t need to have your entire career figured out before applying.
But you should have a reason for choosing the course.
Still unsure what to study?
You don’t need to have your entire university shortlist ready before you start the conversation. If you have two or three courses in mind, we can look at them with you. If you only know that you want to study in Italy but have no idea what course makes sense, we can start there too.
The aim isn’t to find the course that looks best on somebody else’s list. It is to find one that makes sense for you.
Speak with an expert study abroad counsellor at Anigdha about choosing your course and university in Italy.
