Deep-dive

Studying in Potenza

The University of Basilicata, founded in 1982 after the earthquake, has in Potenza the Macchia Romana campus, with all departments and the rectorate, and the Francioso hub in Via Nazario Sauro; another campus is in Matera. Student support through ARDSU Basilicata.

Sections: Schools · Universities · Admissions · Scholarships · Language courses · Degrees & recognition

The university

The Università degli Studi della Basilicata (UniBas) is the region's only university, established in 1982 as part of the reconstruction after the 1980 earthquake. In Potenza the Macchia Romana campus hosts the departments of Engineering, Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, Basic and Applied Sciences, Health Sciences and Humanistic, Scientific and Social Innovation, with the rectorate and the central library; the Francioso hub, in Via Nazario Sauro, also hosts the Department of Humanistic, Scientific and Social Innovation and the Language Centre; the Matera campus, in Via Lanera, hosts the same department. It is a small university, with a favourable staff-student ratio and many commuting students from the province's towns. The city also has the Gesualdo da Venosa Conservatory and regional higher-education courses.

Student support

ARDSU Basilicata is the regional agency for student support: through an annual call it allocates scholarships based on ISEE and merit, beds in the university residences of Potenza and Matera and subsidised canteen meals. The residences and the main canteen are in Macchia Romana, minutes from the campus; there are also contributions towards private rents for out-of-town students and for international mobility.

Where students live

Out-of-town students live mainly in Macchia Romana and the districts near the campus, where rooms in shared flats are the standard format, or in the centre for those attending courses at Via Nazario Sauro. The city bus links campus, centre and station; many students from nearby towns commute by car or regional coach.

Enrolled university students (city's universities)

City figurePeriod: academic year 2025/26Validsample unknown

Source: MUR – Ufficio di Statistica, Portale dei dati dell'istruzione superiore: dataset «Iscritti», risorsa «Iscritti per ateneo» (02_iscrittixateneo.csv), con anagrafica atenei (metadati, 01_atenei.csv) · Iscritti ai corsi di laurea, laurea magistrale e a ciclo unico dell'ateneo nel suo complesso: comprende anche gli studenti delle sedi decentrate fuori dal comune. Dataset MUR aggiornato l'8 settembre 2026.

5,441students

Public university tuition (year)

City figurePeriod: academic year 2025/26Validsample unknown

Source: Università degli Studi della Basilicata – Regolamento in materia di contribuzione studentesca a.a. 2025-2026 (D.R. n. 329 dell'11 luglio 2025) · Minimo: contributo non dovuto con ISEE ≤ 22.000 € (dal 2° anno con requisiti di CFU) + tassa regionale DSU 140 € «dovuta da tutti gli studenti» + bollo 16 €. Massimo: contributo 2.100 € (VI fascia, ISEE > 75.000 €, fino al 1° anno fuori corso) + 156 €; dal 4° anno fuori corso fino a 2.830 €.

€156 – €2,256/ person·year