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Study Medicine in Italy · English-Taught
Medicine & Surgery in English
Medicine & Surgery in English
University of Bologna
A public, fully English Medicine & Surgery (MD) degree at the oldest university in the world (founded 1088). The Alma Mater pairs a legendary name with clinical clerkships from Year 1 at Sant'Orsola, one of Italy's largest hospitals — and Italy's most competitive IMAT cut-off.
Public University
Admission: IMAT
6 Years · 360 ECTS
100% English
Oldest university (1088)
Independent study guide by IMAT Nerd · Researched from official UniBo & MUR sources
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Years (single-cycle)
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ECTS credits
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Seats 2025/26*
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Taught in English
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University founded
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International students
Overview
Quick Facts
University type
Public · State
Location
Bologna, Emilia-Romagna
Language
100% English
Degree
MD · LM-41
Duration
6 yrs · 360 ECTS
Admission
IMAT (national)
Seats 2025/26
70 EU + 20 non-EU
Tuition
Public · income-based
*Note: Bologna is consistently among the most competitive seats in Italy. Seat numbers are set yearly by an MUR decree and confirmed in the official call (bando) — always verify current figures before applying.
Who they are
About Bologna (Alma Mater)
The University of Bologna (UniBo), the "Alma Mater Studiorum", is widely regarded as the oldest university in the Western world, founded in 1088. Its English-taught Medicine & Surgery course (class LM-41, 360 ECTS, six years) sits at the top tier of Italian medical education, with a famously international student body.
The programme is built on an integrated, problem-based curriculum with clinical clerkships from Year 1. Teaching and rotations centre on the Sant'Orsola polyclinic — one of Italy's largest hospitals, a short walk from the city centre — supported by labs and historic university buildings nearby. With 50%+ international students, the English track is closely tied to global networks.
The Alma Mater name
A degree from the world's oldest university carries global prestige and an elite academic reputation.
Sant'Orsola research hub
A huge teaching hospital and world leader in transplants and complex surgery, minutes from the centre.
Truly international
Over half the cohort is international, with small-group teaching and a strong global network.
Why choose it
Why Study Medicine at Bologna
World's oldest university
The Alma Mater Studiorum (1088) is one of the most prestigious names in global higher education.
Clerkships from Year 1
An integrated, problem-based curriculum brings patient contact and dissecting-room work in early.
Huge teaching hospital
Sant'Orsola is among Italy's biggest hospitals (33+ departments) and a transplant/surgery world leader.
International by design
50%+ international students and strong global exchange links — a genuinely diverse cohort.
Central, connected city
Bologna is a vibrant student city with Italy's fastest rail links to Milan, Florence and Rome.
How to get in
Admission & IMAT Requirements
Admission is by the national IMAT, set yearly by the Ministry (MUR). It is the same exam, on the same day, for every Italian public university with an English medical curriculum, and seats are allocated strictly by IMAT ranking. Bologna is one of the most competitive destinations in the country — aim high.
| Admission route | National public process via MUR / Universitaly ("IMAT") |
| Places 2025/26* | 70 EU + non-EU resident in Italy · 20 non-EU resident abroad |
| Test format* | 60 multiple-choice questions in 100 minutes (2025 decree) |
| Scoring* | +1.5 correct · 0 blank · −0.4 wrong (confirm in the annual decree) |
| Eligibility | Secondary diploma (12 years of schooling) or recognised equivalent |
| Language | English-taught · Italian becomes important from the clinical years for patient contact |
| Where to apply | Universitaly (EU) · the university's portal (non-EU); list Bologna as first choice |
What the IMAT covers
| Section | Questions* | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Reading & general knowledge | 4 | Comprehension and broad academic awareness |
| Logical reasoning & problems | 5 | Critical thinking; accuracy matters under negative marking |
| Biology | 23 | Largest, highest-weighted science section |
| Chemistry | 15 | General and organic chemistry fundamentals |
| Physics & Mathematics | 13 | Combined quantitative and physical-science section |
Always check the current bando. Dates, question split, timing and seat numbers are fixed yearly by the MUR decree and the UniBo call — the figures above reflect the 2025 decree.
Competitiveness
Previous Admission Scores
Because admission is purely by IMAT ranking, the "minimum" is simply the score of the last admitted candidate — so it shifts each year with the exam's difficulty and the applicant pool. Bologna is regularly the single most competitive EU seat in Italy; the 2024 step-up reflects an easier national exam that pushed scores up everywhere:
EU final cut-off score (out of 90)
| IMAT year | EU minimum* | Non-EU minimum* | Seats (EU / Non-EU) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 48.6 | — | 70 / 20 |
| 2022 | 49.0 | 51.6 | 70 / 20 |
| 2023 | 49.3 | — | 70 / 20 |
| 2024 | 67.6 | 72.5 | 70 / 20 |
| 2025 | 67.0 | 69.0 | 70 / 20 |
Read carefully: EU figures are the final post-scrolling cut-offs and non-EU figures are each year's ranking cut-off. They are community-tracked, unofficial, and vary with exam difficulty — only the live official ranking for your intake decides admission. Bologna's EU threshold is typically the highest in the country, so leave no margin for error.
Budgeting
Tuition & Living Costs
As a public university, UniBo has no fixed private tuition. Fees are income-based (from your family's ISEE), with a small fixed minimum (around €157) and a no-tax band for lower incomes. Be aware: Bologna has a real housing crunch, so start your room search early.
| Tuition model | Public, income-based (ISEE) — minimum ≈ €157; up to a few thousand € / year |
| First-year exemption | Full exemption for first-years below the ISEE threshold |
| Reductions | No-tax band for low ISEE; merit/income exemptions and ER-GO scholarships |
| Non-EU note | Fees can be assessed by country of origin / where family income is earned |
Cost of living in Bologna (≈ €950–€1,400 / month)
€450–€750
Room / month — high demand, book early
ER-GO
Regional scholarships, housing & meal support
10-min walk
Sant'Orsola hospital sits near the city centre
€30–€50
Weekly groceries · Italy's food capital
Tip: the housing market is tight — start looking ~6 months ahead. Apply for ER-GO scholarships early and confirm fees on UniBo's pages.
The 6 years
Curriculum & Program Structure
Bologna uses integrated modules and a problem-based, patient-oriented approach, with hands-on clinical clerkships beginning right from Year 1. The later biennium is the largest part of the degree, immersing students in the core clinical specialties at Sant'Orsola.
| Year | Phase | Focus | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Foundations + early clinic | Integrated basic sciences (anatomy, biochemistry, physiology); clerkships & dissecting room from Year 1 | Sant'Orsola · university labs |
| 3 | Mechanisms & pathology | Pathology, pharmacology, microbiology, clinical methodology | Sant'Orsola polyclinic |
| 4–5 | Clinical specialties | Internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, ob/gyn, oncology, psychiatry, emergency medicine | Sant'Orsola + affiliated |
| 6 | Graduation | Advanced clerkships, global-health electives and final thesis → MD (LM-41) | University of Bologna |
Integrated modulesProblem-based learningClerkships from Year 1Dissecting-room activitiesGlobal-health focusIntense oral exams
What stands out
Programme Strengths & Student Ratings
Bologna fuses medieval prestige with a modern, international medical course. Here's where the Alma Mater shines — and what to weigh up:
Bars are an editorial read of the programme's distinctive features — not an official ranking. Swap in any metric you prefer.
Student experience — at a glance
4.5
★★★★☆
Editorial overview · replace with your verified rating
Prestige & academic rigourVery high
Clinical exposure (Sant'Orsola)Very high
International communityVery strong
City & food cultureExcellent
Admission competitivenessHighest in Italy
Housing availabilityDifficult — plan early
How to read this: an editorial summary of recurring student-feedback themes, not a statistical survey. Add verified review numbers when you have them.
Where you'll study
Campus, Hospital & Clinical Network
Lectures and clerkships take place at the vast Sant'Orsola polyclinic — one of Italy's biggest hospitals, with 30+ departments, a 10-minute walk from the centre — plus teaching labs around Via Irnerio and historic university buildings in town.
Replace with: Sant'Orsola PolyclinicUpload an official photo to your Media Library
Replace with: Bologna (porticoes / Two Towers)Free official/city image
Replace with: UniBo historic buildingOfficial university image
Teaching & clinical network
Sant'Orsola Polyclinic (33+ depts)Via Irnerio teaching labsHistoric city-centre buildingsDissecting room & anatomyTransplant & surgery centresER-GO student housingHigh-speed rail hub
After graduation
Recognition & Licensing
The course awards a single-cycle Italian MD (LM-41) from a public university, EU-aligned and internationally recognised (listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools). It opens the path to residency, the School of General Medicine, a PhD, and second-cycle master courses — with strong international and global-health pathways.
To practise in Italy, graduates register with the Ordine dei Medici after the qualifying evaluation internship. Recognition for practice outside the EU depends on the destination country's medical authority — so confirm your target country's pathway early.
Bottom line: a globally recognised, EU-valid MD from the world's oldest university — just map your destination's licensing route before enrolling.
Find them
Location & Contact
UniversityUniversity of Bologna (Alma Mater Studiorum)
Historic seatVia Zamboni 33, 40126 Bologna
Teaching hospitalIRCCS Policlinico di Sant'Orsola, Via Albertoni 15, 40138 Bologna
Teaching labsVia Irnerio area, Bologna
ProgrammeMedicine & Surgery (English, LM-41)
Websiteunibo.it/en
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The University of Bologna (Alma Mater Studiorum) offers a 6-year single-cycle Medicine and Surgery degree (class LM-41, 360 ECTS) taught entirely in English at the world’s oldest university.
It’s a public programme, so admission runs through the national IMAT process (MUR / Universitaly), not a private entrance exam. Seats are filled strictly by IMAT ranking.
For 2025/26 the lists showed around 70 places for EU and non-EU candidates resident in Italy and 20 for non-EU candidates resident abroad. Always confirm the current bando.
Bologna is typically the most competitive EU seat in Italy. There’s no fixed pass mark; trackers reported EU finals around 48–49 for 2021–2023, rising to ~67 in 2024–2025 after an easier national exam. Aim as high as you can.
At the huge Sant’Orsola polyclinic (30+ departments), about a 10-minute walk from the city centre, with clinical clerkships starting from Year 1.
The course is taught in English, but Italian becomes important from the clinical years for working with patients. Plan to build Italian alongside your studies.
Bologna has a tight student-housing market, so start your room search early (around six months ahead). ER-GO regional housing and scholarships can help.
Public, income-based (ISEE) tuition with a small fixed minimum (~€157) and a first-year exemption below the threshold, plus ER-GO scholarships. Budget roughly €950–€1,400 per month.
Yes — an EU-valid Italian MD, listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. To practise in Italy you register with the Ordine dei Medici; for other countries, check that authority’s recognition pathway.
Italy's toughest seat is at the Alma Mater. Earn it.
Bologna usually demands the highest IMAT score in the country — there's no room for error. Build Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths and reasoning the structured way: 500+ lectures, mock exams and solved past papers.
Last updated: June 2026
Sources & verification: University of Bologna (UniBo) Medicine & Surgery (English) pages; IRCCS Sant'Orsola information;
MUR Medicine/Dentistry-in-English admission decree and places tables; community IMAT cut-off trackers.
Cut-off figures are aggregated from unofficial student trackers.
Disclaimer: Admission rules, dates, seat numbers and fees are set annually by the MUR and the University of Bologna.
This is an independent study guide by IMAT Nerd, not affiliated with the University of Bologna. Always confirm details in the current official call before applying.