Deep-dive

Studying in Rome: universities, DiSCo Lazio, student districts

Rome has three large state universities (Sapienza, Tor Vergata, Roma Tre), the sports university (Foro Italico) and many private and pontifical institutions. Student support (grants, housing, canteens) is run by DiSCo Lazio. San Lorenzo is the student district par excellence, next to Sapienza's campus.

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

The universities

Sapienza University of Rome, founded in 1303, describes itself as the largest university in Europe; the main campus is in San Lorenzo, with other sites (Medicine at the Policlinico Umberto I, Economics in via del Castro Laurenziano, Architecture at Valle Giulia). Tor Vergata has a suburban campus to the south-east (metro A Anagnina plus bus) with a strong presence of engineering, medicine and economics. Roma Tre, founded in 1992, is concentrated in the Ostiense, Garbatella and Marconi districts (metro B). The Foro Italico University is dedicated to sport sciences.

Among private institutions: Luiss Guido Carli (political science, economics, law; campuses in Parioli and viale Romania), LUMSA, Campus Bio-Medico University (medicine, at Trigoria), UniCamillus, Link Campus, the American universities (John Cabot, American University of Rome, Temple Rome) and the pontifical universities (Gregoriana, Lateranense, Salesiana and others), also open to lay students.

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.

220,852students

Public university tuition (year)

City figurePeriod: academic year 2025/26Validsample unknown

Source: Sapienza Università di Roma – Regolamento per la frequenza dei corsi di laurea e laurea magistrale e di contribuzione studentesca 2025-2026 (modificato) · Minimo: no-tax area (ISEE < 24.000 €): contributo 0 € + tassa regionale Lazio 140 € (salvo esenzioni) + bollo 16 €, versati con la 1ª rata (art. 39). Massimo: importo ordinario 2.924 € (secondo gruppo di contribuzione: Architettura, Medicina, Ingegneria, Scienze MFN, ecc.; primo gruppo 2.821 €), pag

€156 – €3,080/ person·year

Student support

DiSCo Lazio is the regional agency that provides grants, beds in its residences and access to canteens at reduced rates, through an annual call published in summer with income (ISEE) and merit requirements. Foreign students can apply with income documentation from their home country. State university fees follow the national ISEE-band system; each university publishes its own fee regulation.

Where students live

San Lorenzo, next to Sapienza, is the historic student district: rooms for rent, bars, bookshops. Then come Bologna/Nomentano and Pigneto (for Sapienza), Ostiense, Garbatella and Marconi (for Roma Tre) and the Anagnina/Tor Vergata area (for Tor Vergata, cheaper but far from the centre). For foreign students the room market works mostly through online groups and university noticeboards; transitional or student contracts are the most used.

Programmes in English

Sapienza, Tor Vergata, Roma Tre and Luiss offer bachelor's and master's programmes taught entirely in English, particularly in economics, engineering, political science and international relations; the updated list for all universities is on the ministerial portal Universitaly. The American universities teach entirely in English with a US calendar and credit system.