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Study Medicine in Italy · English-Taught
Medicine & Surgery Programme F
Medicine & Surgery Programme F
Sapienza University of Rome
A public, fully English Medicine & Surgery (MD) degree at one of Europe's oldest and highest-ranked universities (founded 1303). Public admission via IMAT, early clinical exposure, and training at the historic Policlinico Umberto I in the heart of Rome.
Public University
Admission: IMAT
6 Years · 360 ECTS
100% English
QS Top 100 · Medicine
Independent study guide by IMAT Nerd · Researched from official Sapienza & MUR sources
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Years (single-cycle)
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ECTS credits
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University founded
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Taught in English
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QS World · Medicine
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Programme F since
Overview
Quick Facts
University type
Public · State
Location
Rome, Lazio
Language
100% English (Prog. F)
Degree
MD · LM-41 (Programme F)
Duration
6 yrs · 360 ECTS
Admission
IMAT (national)
Seats 2025/26
45 + 13 non-EU
Tuition
Public · income-based
*Note: 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 Sapienza (Programme F)
Sapienza University of Rome, founded in 1303, is one of the oldest universities in the world and consistently among the top-ranked in Italy. Its English-taught medical track, Programme F (launched in 2011), is a single-cycle Master's degree (class LM-41) of 360 ECTS over six years, taught entirely in English.
Teaching takes place at Sapienza's main campus (Città Universitaria) and across its hospital network — led by the historic Policlinico Umberto I, Italy's second-largest hospital, plus Sant'Andrea and the Pontino (Latina) sites. Sapienza ranks inside the global top 100 for Medicine (QS ~#86) and is widely regarded as one of Italy's premier medical destinations.
QS Top 100 (Medicine)
A globally ranked, research-intensive faculty with deep prestige and a 700-year academic tradition.
Early clinical exposure
Hands-on hospital training begins in the second year, with a strong emphasis on ward-based learning.
Study in central Rome
A vibrant, international city — the campus and Policlinico sit in the historic San Lorenzo district.
Why choose it
Why Study Medicine at Sapienza
Top-100 medical school
Sapienza ranks around #86 worldwide for Medicine (QS) — one of Italy's most prestigious choices.
Historic hospital network
Training at Policlinico Umberto I (Italy's 2nd-largest hospital), Sant'Andrea and the Pontino sites.
Early, hands-on clinical work
Clinical training begins in the second year, with patient contact and a dedicated skills lab.
Study in the heart of Rome
Central campus in San Lorenzo, superb transport, and a huge international student community.
Globally accredited
WDOMS-listed and EU-aligned, supporting USMLE, UK and other licensing pathways.
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. As a top destination, Rome's thresholds run high — especially for non-EU candidates.
| Admission route | National public process via MUR / Universitaly ("IMAT") |
| Places 2025/26* | 45 EU + non-EU resident in Italy · 13 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) |
| Language | English-taught · Italian becomes important from the clinical years for patient contact |
| Non-EU step | Pre-enrolment via the office for students with foreign titles |
| Where to apply | Universitaly (EU) · the university's portal (non-EU) |
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 Sapienza 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. Sapienza is a high-demand Rome destination, with elevated thresholds; the 2024 step-up reflects an easier national exam that pushed scores higher everywhere:
EU final cut-off score (out of 90)
| IMAT year | EU minimum* | Non-EU minimum* | Seats (EU / Non-EU) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 40.4 | 53.1 | 38 / 10 |
| 2022 | 42.8 | 52.6 | 38 / 10 |
| 2023 | 45.4 | 50.8 | 45 / 13 |
| 2024 | 65.1 | 73.4 | 45 / 13 |
| 2025 | 65.8 | 65.8 | 45 / 13 |
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.
Budgeting
Tuition & Living Costs
As a public university, Sapienza has no fixed private tuition. Fees are income-based (from your family's ISEE), with reductions and a no-tax band for lower incomes. Rome is pricier than southern cities but offers strong student support and subsidised services.
| Tuition model | Public, income-based (ISEE) — typically a few hundred to a few thousand € / year |
| First instalment | Fixed minimum (regional tax + stamp duty), same for all |
| Reductions | No-tax band for low ISEE; merit/income exemptions and DiSCo Lazio scholarships |
| Student services | Subsidised canteens (around €2–4 / meal), housing support, Sapienza Salute health service |
Cost of living in Rome (≈ €1,000–€1,500 / month)
€450–€800
Room / month (varies by district)
€2–€4
Subsidised university canteen meal
Metro stop
Policlinico has its own metro & tram links
€30–€50
Weekly groceries · vibrant capital city
Tip: confirm current numbers on Sapienza's fees page and DiSCo Lazio before budgeting, especially with international income documents.
The 6 years
Curriculum & Program Structure
Sapienza emphasises ward-based learning early: students meet laboratory tools and hospital settings from the first years, and clinical training begins in the second semester of Year 2. The later years move fully into the Policlinico, ending with the qualifying graduation traineeship (TPVES) and thesis.
| Year | Phase | Focus | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foundations | Biology & genetics, medical chemistry & physics, anatomy I, histology, statistics | Città Universitaria |
| 2 | Mechanisms + first clinic | Physiology, microbiology, immunology, anatomy II, pathology; clinical training begins (2nd semester) | Campus + Policlinico |
| 3 | Bridge to systemic medicine | Pathophysiology, clinical semiotics, pharmacology, cardiology, respiratory medicine | Policlinico Umberto I |
| 4–5 | Clinical rotations | Internal medicine, surgery, imaging, neurology and specialties; TPVES traineeship begins (Yr 5) | Policlinico · Sant'Andrea |
| 6 | Graduation | Advanced clerkships and final thesis → single-cycle MD (LM-41) | Sapienza University |
Early clinical (from Year 2)Skills lab & shadowingPoliclinico Umberto I rotationsThesis & TPVES traineeshipSmall-class mentorshipWritten, oral & practical exams
What stands out
Programme Strengths & Student Ratings
Sapienza pairs global prestige with a vast hospital network in the capital. Here's where Programme F shines:
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
4.4
★★★★☆
Editorial overview · replace with your verified rating
Academic prestige & researchVery high
Clinical exposure (Umberto I)Very high
City & lifestyle (Rome)Excellent
International communityVery strong
Admission competitivenessDemanding
Big-hospital navigationTo plan for
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, Hospitals & Clinical Network
Lectures are held at the central Città Universitaria campus in San Lorenzo, with clinical work concentrated at the adjacent Policlinico Umberto I (Italy's 2nd-largest hospital, with its own metro stop) plus Sant'Andrea and the Pontino sites in Latina.
Replace with: Policlinico Umberto IUpload an official photo to your Media Library
Replace with: Sapienza campus / RomeFree official/city image
Replace with: Città UniversitariaOfficial university image
Teaching & clinical network
Policlinico Umberto ISant'Andrea HospitalPolo Pontino (Latina)Città Universitaria campusDedicated skills labSan Giovanni AddolorataDiSCo Lazio housing
After graduation
Recognition & Licensing
Programme F awards a single-cycle Italian MD (LM-41) from a public university, EU-aligned and listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WHO-recognised). It opens the path to residency, the School of General Medicine, or a PhD, and supports external licensing routes such as the USMLE after the relevant national steps.
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 with elite pedigree — just map your destination's licensing route before enrolling.
Find them
Location & Contact
UniversitySapienza University of Rome (Uniroma1)
Main campusCittà Universitaria, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma
Main hospitalPoliclinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Roma
Other sitesSant'Andrea Hospital · Polo Pontino (Latina)
ProgrammeMedicine & Surgery "Programme F" (LM-41, English)
Websiteuniroma1.it · farmed.web.uniroma1.it
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Programme F is a 6-year single-cycle Medicine and Surgery degree (class LM-41, 360 ECTS) taught entirely in English, launched in 2011 and based mainly at the Policlinico Umberto I.
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 45 places for EU and non-EU candidates resident in Italy and 13 for non-EU candidates resident abroad. Always confirm the current bando.
Sapienza is a high-demand Rome destination with elevated cut-offs. There’s no fixed pass mark; trackers reported EU finals in the low-to-mid 40s for 2021–2023, rising to ~65 in 2024–2025 after an easier national exam. Non-EU thresholds are consistently high.
Mainly at the Policlinico Umberto I (Italy’s second-largest hospital, next to campus), plus Sant’Andrea and the Pontino sites. Clinical training begins in the second year.
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.
Global prestige (QS top 100 for Medicine), early clinical exposure with a dedicated skills lab, a huge teaching hospital, and life in central Rome.
Public, income-based (ISEE) tuition with reductions for lower incomes, plus DiSCo Lazio scholarships and subsidised canteens (~€2–4/meal). Budget roughly €1,000–€1,500 per month for Rome.
Yes — an EU-valid, WDOMS-listed MD that supports USMLE and other pathways. To practise in Italy you register with the Ordine dei Medici; for other countries, check that authority’s recognition pathway.
Aiming for Rome's top med school? Make your IMAT score count.
Sapienza is one of Italy's most competitive and prestigious seats — it rewards a high, reliable IMAT score. Build Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths and reasoning the structured way: 500+ lectures, mock exams and solved past papers.
Last updated: June 2026
Sources & verification: Sapienza University of Rome Faculty of Pharmacy & Medicine / Programme F pages; Policlinico Umberto I & Sant'Andrea information;
MUR Medicine/Dentistry-in-English admission decree and places tables; QS World University Rankings (Medicine); 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 Sapienza University of Rome.
This is an independent study guide by IMAT Nerd, not affiliated with Sapienza University of Rome. Always confirm details in the current official call before applying.