University of Naples Federico II (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II)

The University of Naples Federico II (UniNa) is the public university of Naples, founded by Emperor Frederick II in 1224; it celebrated its 800th anniversary in 2024. Its strongest argument for non-EU applicants is cost: under the 2026/27 rules, non-EU citizens are fully exempt from the university contribution and pay only the regional tax and stamp duty — $190 (€167) a year. Around 30 programmes are taught in English, mostly engineering and science master's. The catch is timing: in the 2026/27 cycle, Universitaly pre-enrolment for Federico II closed on 15 June.

Who Federico II suits, and who should look elsewhere

Federico II suits applicants on a tight tuition budget heading for English-taught engineering or science master's who are ready for a large southern city. For northern Italy and a broader English-taught offer, compare the University of Bologna and Sapienza.

Which programmes are taught in English

The 2026/27 international course catalogue includes:

Bachelor's: Civil and Environmental Engineering (English); Electrical Engineering and Information Technology — EEIT (English); Biology for One Health (English); Hospitality Management (Italian/English, professional).

Master's:

Medicine and Surgery is also offered in English, with a national admission test; test registration does not replace the visa procedure. See our guide to medicine in Italy in English.

How to apply to Federico II, step by step

For a non-EU citizen living abroad:

1. Choose a programme and contact its coordinator (listed in the catalogue). The university does not issue admission letters for visas; everything goes through Universitaly.
2. Universitaly pre-enrolment by 15 June. In 2026/27 Federico II set 15 June 2026; after that, programme changes were not allowed and only limited-enrolment programmes remained open. You select Federico II, the programme and your consulate.
3. Entry-requirement check. Pre-enrolment is not admission: you must pass the programme's verification or selection (a test and ranking for limited-enrolment programmes).
4. Visa by 30 November. The consulate issues a type D "Immatricolazione Università" visa; candidates accepted with reservations (pending qualification or entrance exam) can still receive a visa to sit exams in Italy. See our student visa guide.
5. Enrolment at the programme's secretariat: passport copy, form, photo, tax code, residence permit receipt, and a Declaration of Value or ENIC-NARIC (CIMEA) certificate. The residence-permit steps are in our permesso di soggiorno guide.

EU citizens and non-EU residents of Italy send their documents directly to the programme coordinator.

When to apply for 2027/28

As of 23 September 2026 the 2027/28 dates were not published. Last cycle as a guide:

Federico II's deadline is about six weeks earlier than at many Italian universities, so have documents, translations, Declaration of Value or CIMEA certificate and language test ready by spring 2027.

Which documents and language certificates you need

• Bachelor's: 12 years of schooling before university; applicants from 11-year systems need an extra year of university study or a recognised foundation course.
• Italian-taught programmes: B2 Italian, by CLIQ certificate (CILS, CELI, PLIDA, CERT-IT) uploaded to Universitaly or through a university test arranged by the coordinator; see our guide to Italian language certificates.
• English-taught programmes: no Italian required; the university recommends an international English certificate (IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge, etc.) for the visa; programme calls set the level.
• Qualification validity: Declaration of Value or CIMEA certificate.

How much studying in Naples costs in 2026/27

The 2026/27 enrolment guide states that non-EU citizens are fully exempt from the university contribution and pay only the regional right-to-study tax and stamp duty by the first-instalment deadline.

The international page still shows a $160 (€140) regional tax, an earlier figure; the 2026/27 guide sets $170 (€151) for students whose family lives abroad and $150 (€130) for citizens of countries on the ministerial list of particularly poor countries (MUR decree 176 of 24 February 2026). Some programmes, such as European joint master's, may have their own conditions.

The university pages we checked give no cost-of-living estimate for Naples. With tuition this low, rent, food, transport, residence-permit health cover and a rental deposit are your main costs. Dollar amounts use the ECB rates of 23 and 29 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1411 and $1.1355).

How to get an ADISU Campania grant and other funding

Regional grants, residence places and mobility top-ups in Campania are awarded by ADISU Campania. Applicants whose family lives abroad apply by the deadline and then submit an ISEE Universitario Parificato — calculated at a CAF (tax assistance centre) from family income and asset documents — by 31 March 2027; no grant is paid until it arrives. See our guide to ISEE parificato.

ADISU Campania makes the decision. In 2024/25 the university and the Compagnia di San Paolo foundation offered 26 two-year "Study in Naples" scholarships of $12,560 (€11,059.92) for first-year international-programme students; as of September 2026 that was the latest published call. Italian government and other options are covered in our scholarships in Italy guide.

Where to live: ADISU residences and private rentals

ADISU Campania allocates residence places in the same competition as grants, so search the private market in parallel. Look near your programme's buildings, make sure your lease is registered (you need it for the residence permit and off-site grant status), and never pay for a flat nobody has seen; our student housing guide has more checks. The international office publishes a guide to useful contacts in Italian and English.

Which mistakes to avoid when applying

• Planning around a 31 July deadline: Federico II closed on 15 June in 2026/27.
• Waiting for an admission letter for the visa: the university does not issue one.
• Treating pre-enrolment as admission: programme checks and selection are separate.
• Forgetting B2 Italian for Italian-taught programmes.
• Confusing the tax with the contribution: the waiver covers the contribution; everyone pays the regional tax and stamp duty.

What Federico II is known for

Federico II is one of the oldest universities founded by a head of state rather than by a guild of scholars. Frederick II wanted a university that trained loyal administrators and balanced the influence of Bologna and Padua; he hired and paid the professors and examined candidates himself. The university describes itself as the oldest state university in Europe.

Today it has 26 departments, 4 faculties, 50 research centres and three academies run with major companies, plus agreements with 264 partner universities, including double and joint degrees.

Where the university stands in the rankings

In THE 2026 Federico II sits in the same band as the University of Milan. For applicants, the real question is whether the programme you want is taught in English.

Where classes take place and how the year is organised

The main offices are in Naples' historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while departments and teaching buildings are spread across the city; check your programme's location in the catalogue before looking for housing. The academic year has two semesters, September–February and February–July, with breaks at Christmas, Easter and from late July.

How to find work after graduation

The university stresses that its graduates enter both the Italian and international job markets. Check whether one of the three company-run academies has an intake relevant to your field and in which language it teaches. After graduating you can apply for a job-seeking permit in place of your study permit; confirm the conditions with the Questura. Italian is close to essential for jobs in Campania.

FAQ

Is studying at Federico II almost free for non-EU students?

Yes, under the 2026/27 enrolment guide non-EU citizens are exempt from the university contribution and pay only the $170 (€151) regional tax and $18 (€16) stamp duty — $190 (€167) a year. Some programmes may have their own conditions.

When should I apply?

In 2026/27, Universitaly pre-enrolment for Federico II closed on 15 June 2026, after which only limited-enrolment programmes remained; visa applications were due by 30 November. The 2027/28 dates have not been announced.

Which bachelor's degrees are taught in English?

Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, and Biology for One Health; Hospitality Management is taught in Italian and English.

Do I need Italian for an English-taught programme?

Not for admission. Italian-taught programmes require B2; for the visa, the university recommends an international English certificate.

Are scholarships available?

The ADISU Campania grant pays up to $9,410 (€8,246.78) to off-site students; the 2026/27 deadline was 10 September. The latest published Study in Naples call was for 2024/25.

What does an international student need for the ADISU grant?

Apply by 10 September, stay within the ISEE $28,960 (€25,500) and ISPE $61,320 (€54,000) limits, and submit an ISEE Universitario Parificato from a CAF by 31 March of the following year. Payments start only after that.

Can I apply after 11 years of school?

No. You need a 12th year: a year of university at home or a recognised foundation course.

Can StudyU help?

Under an agreement with StudyU, we shortlist programmes, check requirements, prepare documents and the Universitaly application for the early deadline, and support the visa stage. The university decides on admission; ADISU Campania decides on grants and, as the housing provider, confirms housing; the consulate as the consular authority decides on the visa.

Sources

• Admission regulation — EU and non-EU students
• International courses catalogue
• Enrolment guide 2026/27 (PDF, Italian)
• ADISU Campania call 2026/27 (PDF)
• International students opportunities (Study in Naples)
• Why choose UniNa
• History
• 800 years of UniNa
• QS World University Rankings: University of Naples Federico II
• THE World University Rankings: University of Naples Federico II

For more on studying in Italy, see Study in Italy. To meet the early Universitaly deadline, send us a request.

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