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Last modified: 2026-10-01

# NABA Milan and Rome: Academy of Fine Arts, Programmes and Fees

NABA (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti) is a private academy of fine arts in Milan with a branch in Rome, part of Italy's AFAM system of higher education in the arts. The Ministry of University and Research (MUR) lists it among legally recognised academies: its bachelor's, Master of Arts and one-year Academic Master in Milan and Rome lead to state diplomas. For non-EU students the bachelor's costs $25,260 (€22,250) a year, regional tax included. Entry needs 12 years of schooling, B1 English or Italian and a creative assignment. NABA also opened a London campus in 2026, but the BA (Hons) degrees there are awarded by Regent's University London, not by NABA.

| At a glance | Data as of 1 October 2026 |
| --- | --- |
| Status | Private academy legally recognised by MUR (AFAM) |
| Italian campuses | Milan (Via Darwin, Navigli), Rome (Ostiense) |
| Bachelor's | 3 years, 180 CFA, Diploma Accademico di I livello |
| Postgraduate | Master of Arts, 2 years (II livello); Academic Master, 1 year, 60 CFA |
| Languages | Italian and English |
| Bachelor's intakes | October 2026 or February 2027 |
| Non-EU bachelor's fee | $25,260 (€22,250) a year incl. regional tax (latest published rate, labelled 2025/26 by NABA) |
| Language to enrol | B1: IELTS 5.0, TOEFL iBT 64 or Italian B1 |
| Ranking | 41st worldwide for Art & Design, QS by Subject 2026 (NABA figures) |

## Who NABA suits {#section-1}

NABA fits applicants who want art, design, fashion, media or set design taught in English in Milan with an Italian state diploma at the end. It is a large academy: about 23,000 m² across 14 buildings near the Navigli in Milan and about 6,000 m² in three buildings in Rome's Ostiense district, with fashion, media and visual-arts labs on both campuses.

NABA and Domus Academy operate under the same legal entity, Nuova Accademia S.r.l. at Via Darwin 20 in Milan, and NABA awards Domus's state bachelor's and Master of Arts diplomas. If you are looking at postgraduate design or fashion business, compare both. NABA is a weaker fit if you need a technical-university laurea or a low public-academy fee such as Brera's. For the wider picture see [design and fashion schools in Italy](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-design-and-fashion-schools-italy).

Other Italian institutions and country-wide rules are collected on our [Italy page](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-italy).

## Which NABA qualifications are state-recognised {#section-2}

| Programme | Award | Recognition |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor of Arts, 3 years | Diploma Accademico di I livello, 180 CFA | MUR, equivalent to a university bachelor's |
| Master of Arts, 2 years | Diploma Accademico di II livello | MUR, equivalent to a master's |
| Academic Master, 1 year | Academic Master Diploma, I livello, 60 CFA | MUR |
| Diploma Programme | Private NABA diploma (separate line in the fee table) | Not among the MUR-recognised programmes |
| Foundation, summer courses | NABA certificate | No academic degree |
| BA (Hons) in London | Regent's University London degree | UK system, not AFAM |

The Rome branch's right to award first-level diplomas comes from a 2022 MUR decree covering Media Design, Graphic Design and Art Direction, Fashion Design and Painting and Visual Arts. NABA marks its new Marketing and Management for Creative Business programme as "subject to approval by the MUR, currently in progress"; take that into account until the decision is published. Home recognition runs through Glavexpertcentr in Russia and ENIC-Kazakhstan in Kazakhstan.

## Bachelor's programmes {#section-3}

All 2026/27 programmes start in October or February and are taught in Italian and English.

| Area | Campus |
| --- | --- |
| Design (Interior, Product, Innovation Design) | Milan, Rome |
| Fashion Design (Fashion Design, Fashion Styling and Communication) | Milan, Rome |
| Fashion Marketing Management | Milan, Rome |
| Graphic Design and Art Direction | Milan, Rome |
| Comics and Visual Storytelling | Milan, Rome |
| Film and Animation | Milan, Rome |
| Creative Technologies (Game Development, VFX) | Milan |
| Painting and Visual Arts | Milan, Rome |
| Set Design | Milan |
| Marketing and Management for Creative Business | Milan |

Master of Arts areas include Interior Design, Product and Service Design, Social Design, Communication Design, Fashion and Textile Design, Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies and New Technologies for the Arts. One-year Academic Masters include Contemporary Art Markets, Photography and Visual Design and Creative Advertising.

## Bachelor's entry requirements {#section-4}

Schooling. NABA requires at least 12 years of schooling before the diploma, confirmed by a Declaration of Value from the Italian consulate of the country whose system issued it. Applicants from 11-year systems such as Russia or Kazakhstan need a university year at home or a foundation course first.

Language. Full B1: IELTS Academic or General 5.0, TOEFL iBT 64, Cambridge (FCE, PET, CAE, CPE) 160, OTE 97 and other listed tests; for Italian-taught courses, CILS, CELI, CERT.IT or PLIDA at B1. Certificates must be under two years old and submitted at least one month before classes start. A fully English-taught school diploma may exempt you after verification. Note for applicants from Russia: IELTS is co-owned by the British Council, which is listed as undesirable in Russia; IDP test centres run IELTS separately.

Admission test. NABA assesses applicants remotely and states that gaps in specific subjects will not count against you if motivation is clear:

1. An artistic statement of up to 500 words: the job you want, why NABA, your preferred media and how Milan will shape your work.
2. A programme-specific project and/or portfolio. For Design: at least two hand drawings, two digital images and an object given a "second life" with before-and-after photos. For Fashion Design: three research themes and three mini projects. For Media Design: a plot of up to 100 words and up to ten references.

### Foundation Course

If your schooling or language falls short, the nine-month Foundation Course runs in English or Italian, on campus in Milan, blended or online, with intakes in October 2026 and February 2027. It ends with a NABA certificate, after which you sit the regular admission test. NABA publishes the fee in the foundation call.

## What NABA costs {#section-5}

| Programme | Non-EU | EU residents (income-based) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor's, per year | $25,260 (€22,250) | $9,590–24,810 (€8,450–21,850) |
| Diploma Programme (private), per year | $24,530 (€21,600) | — |
| Master of Arts, per year | $25,260 (€22,250) | $11,980–24,810 (€10,550–21,850) |
| Academic Master, full course | $27,020 (€23,800) | $21,920 (€19,300) |

The non-EU figure already includes the regional tax. On NABA's fee page headed 2026/27, the non-EU line is labelled as the 2025/26 rate and no separate 2026/27 non-EU figure is given, so $25,260 (€22,250) is the latest published amount; confirm the rate for your intake in the contract before paying (for the Master of Arts the same amount is stated explicitly as the 2026/27 rate). Fees rise by 2% from the second year after signing and by 2.5% from the third. Payment is by bank transfer or Flywire; cards are accepted only for the application fee.

Scholarships and discounts. NABA runs portfolio-based competitions such as NABA's Got Talent for international undergraduates and a European scholarship of up to $6,810 (€6,000); it has announced a 15% early-application reduction for international students starting a bachelor's in October 2027; and a Financial Aid Board reviews need-plus-merit requests monthly. Lombardy's regional DSU grants are open to international students, who prove family income abroad with translated, consulate-legalised documents; the 2027/28 rules appear by late July 2027. NABA committees or the DSU office decide. See [scholarships in Italy](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-scholarships-in-italy).

## Housing {#section-6}

NABA has no halls of its own. Its partner MilanHousing helps students find flats and rooms in selected residences in Milan and Rome and supports them up to signing the lease. See our [student housing guide](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-housing-italy) for typical costs.

## Universitaly and the visa {#section-7}

1. Receive the admission decision and sign the NABA contract.
2. Submit a Universitaly pre-enrolment with passport, diploma, transcripts and language certificate. NABA notes the window usually runs March–November, but consulates can take up to 90 days.
3. After validation, apply for the type D "Studio – Immatricolazione Università" visa; from Russia, through VMS visa centres.
4. For 2027/28 the visa deadline for AFAM diplomas is 31 October 2027; a February start requires earlier dates set by NABA.

Funds, documents and visa-centre details are in our [Italy student visa guide](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-visa-italy).

## Plan for an October 2027 start {#section-8}

| When | Step |
| --- | --- |
| Autumn 2026 | Confirm 12 years of schooling; arrange foundation or a university year if needed |
| Winter 2026/27 | IELTS 5.0 or Italian B1; assignment and statement |
| By spring 2027 | Application, admission test and scholarship competition |
| Spring–summer 2027 | Contract, Universitaly, Declaration of Value, visa |
| October 2027 | Classes start; permesso di soggiorno application within eight working days |

## Common mistakes {#section-9}

- Confusing a Milan NABA diploma with a London degree. The London BA (Hons) is a UK award from Regent's University London.
- Ignoring a programme's accreditation status. Marketing and Management for Creative Business is still awaiting MUR approval as of the check date.
- Submitting the language certificate late. NABA needs it at least one month before classes start.
- Budgeting with the first-year fee only. Fees rise 2% and then 2.5% in later years.
- Applying for DSU without legalised income documents. Self-declarations are not accepted.

## FAQ {#section-10}

### Is NABA a public academy?

No. NABA is private but legally recognised by MUR. Its bachelor's, Master of Arts and Academic Master at the Milan and Rome campuses lead to state AFAM diplomas treated as equivalent to university levels in Italy.

### How much does NABA cost for international students?

Non-EU students pay $25,260 (€22,250) a year for the bachelor's and Master of Arts, including the regional tax, and $27,020 (€23,800) for a one-year Academic Master. Fees rise 2% from year two and 2.5% from year three.

### Can I enter NABA after 11 years of school?

Not the state-recognised bachelor's: it requires 12 years of schooling. You can complete a university year at home or the NABA Foundation Course. NABA's fee table also lists a private Diploma Programme, but that diploma is not among the MUR-recognised awards.

### What English level does NABA require?

B1 overall: IELTS 5.0, TOEFL iBT 64 or Cambridge 160. Italian-taught courses need Italian B1 via CILS, CELI, CERT.IT or PLIDA. The certificate must be under two years old and filed a month before classes.

### How is NABA different from Domus Academy?

Both operate under Nuova Accademia S.r.l. at the same Milan address. NABA is an academy with a broad range of bachelor's and master's programmes, while Domus is a postgraduate-focused design and fashion school whose state diplomas are awarded by NABA.

### How can StudyU help with a NABA application?

Checking your certificate and the programme's status, preparing the statement, portfolio, scholarship application, Universitaly pre-enrolment and visa file are provided under an agreement with StudyU. NABA's admissions committee decides on admission, NABA or the DSU office on scholarships, and the Italian consulate on the visa.

## Sources {#section-11}

- [NABA: undergraduate entry requirements](https://www.naba.it/en/undergraduate-counseling/entry-requirements)
- [NABA: undergraduate admission test](https://www.naba.it/en/undergraduate-counseling/admission-test)
- [NABA: undergraduate fees, scholarships and DSU](https://www.naba.it/en/undergraduate-counseling/tuition-fee-scholarships-financial-aid)
- [NABA: postgraduate fees](https://www.naba.it/en/postgraduate-application/tuition-fee-scholarships-financial-aid)
- [NABA: which programmes are MUR-recognised](https://www.naba.it/en/faq/academic-offer/naba-programmes-recognised-degrees)
- [NABA: Marketing and Management for Creative Business](https://www.naba.it/en/undergraduate/marketing-management-for-creative-business)
- [NABA: Foundation Course](https://www.naba.it/en/foundation-course)
- [NABA: London campus, Regent's University London validation](https://www.naba.it/en/about-us/campus-london)
- [NABA: housing support](https://www.naba.it/en/faq/campus-life/student-housing-support-naba)
- [MUR: legally recognised private AFAM institutions](https://www.mur.gov.it/it/aree-tematiche/afam/gli-istituti/istituti-afam-legalmente-riconosciuti)
- [MUR: Decree no. 1218 of 20.10.2022 on NABA Rome diplomas](https://www.mur.gov.it/sites/default/files/2022-10/Decreto%20Ministeriale%20n.%201218%20del%2020-10-2022.pdf)
- [MUR/Universitaly: circular on procedures for international students 2026/27 and 2027/28](https://universitaly-private.cineca.it/uploads/universitaly-pubblico/Circolare_2026-2027_studenti_internazionali.pdf)

Facts checked on 1 October 2026. ECB reference rate of 30 September 2026: €1 = $1.1355; amounts rounded to $10.

If you are choosing between NABA, IED and Domus Academy, send a [request](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply).

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.

## Next steps

- [Domus Academy Milan: Master's, Bachelor's, Degrees and Fees](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-domus-academy)
- [Studying in Italy for international applicants](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-italy)
- [Design and Fashion Schools in Italy: Politecnico, AFAM Academies and Private Schools](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-design-and-fashion-schools-italy)
- [Scholarships in Italy for International Students 2026/27: DSU, MAECI, Invest Your Talent and University Awards](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-scholarships-in-italy)
- [Student Visa for Italy: Documents, Proof of Funds and Deadlines for 2026/27](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-visa-italy)
- [Student Housing in Italy 2026/27: DSU Halls, University Residences, Private Rooms and Leases](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-housing-italy)

Updated: October 2026