What Is Foundation In Italy?

Studying Foundation in Italy is also known as a preparatory course and is an introduction and warm-up period for those who plan to study at university in Italy in the future. It is also a great opportunity for those who want to have a university experience abroad.

Foundation, which is a preparatory program for students who want to study abroad, is implemented within similar frameworks in many countries today. In cases when current high school education of student has not been completed as a minimum 12-year program or the high school grade point average for the field of study is lower than the required level, there is a foundation program to which they are directed to complete these deficiencies. In these preparatory programs, which are offered according to the grade point average and foreign language proficiency level, students can receive education for an average of 1 year. During the program, in addition to improving their foreign language proficiency, students can also take basic courses for their target university department. Foundation education is determined according to the needs of the students. Students who do not have sufficient academic knowledge and skills to continue their undergraduate studies apply to this program, where verbal or numerical course grades are added according to the department of interest and the high school education received. This program is offered in many educational institutions all over the world and helps students to adapt more easily to undergraduate studies, which are more difficult than high school level.

Foundation is an education that aims to prepare students for 12 months with courses offered in various disciplines before the 3-year undergraduate or 5-year undergraduate and graduate combined programs in Italy. This education, also called foundation year, is offered to international students who aim to study at university in Italy and have completed 11 years of high school education in order to complete their missing credits. In addition to this, of course, during the education, students can both get used to the Italian language and culture more easily and can easily make a transition to the undergraduate education system that they will start in the next stage.

Foundation Education Academic Program in Italy

The preparatory program in Italy usually lasts 9 months and starts in the last quarter of the year. At first, students are intensively taught the Italian language and culture in order to adapt to Italy, its culture and the Italian language. Afterwards, students can study in a field of their interest and if they meet the necessary entrance requirements, they can study undergraduate education in Italy.

Application Requirements for Foundation Education in Italy

Candidates who wish to study foundation education in Italy are not required to fulfil very strict requirements. These conditions are as follows:

They are required to have completed 12 years of education, means, they must have graduated from high school.
Despite a minimum of B2 level English is expected (the lowest is B1), for those who do not have this certificate, some universities can measure your English level by conducting a Skype interview. (For more detailed information, see “General information about exams such as SAT, TOEFL and IELTS“)
You should include a motivation letter in your application. (What is a Motivation Letter and How to Prepare It?)

Advantages of Studying Foundation Education in Italy

When students come to Italy, they can not only live here and learn Italian language and culture, but also benefit from some of the advantages of studying abroad, especially in Italy:

Those who graduate from the foundation program taught in Italian can study at any university with a language certificate they receive.
Since there are no exams and difficult application requirements, almost everyone who pays the fee is accepted.
Those who successfully complete the foundation education will have a good command of both English and Italian.
In addition to their knowledge of Italian language and culture, students will also be able to study in the fields they are interested in, in other words, make a transition to undergraduate education.

Additionally, you can review our article about “Residence Permit in Italy“.

Tuition Expenses to Study Foundation year in Italy

The average cost of a preparatory program in Italy is around €5,000 per year. The application fee is usually refunded if the student withdraws from the program before arrival.

Accommodation options for Students enrolled in Foundation Education in Italy

Majority of universities in Italy have dormitory facilities. In addition, thanks to the companies and agencies contracted by the university, students have alternatives such as private dormitories, residences, apartments, student houses, and etc.

For more detailed information, you can take a look at our article about “Accommodation in Italy“.

Pava Education is proud of the number of students it sends abroad. If you want to join our students going to Italy, do not forget to fill out our application form for all your processes.

Which Universities Provide Foundation Education in Italy?

Students searching for foundation programs to participate in Italy encounter many program alternatives offered at public or private universities. It is possible for students who choose any of these to receive preparatory education entirely in English or in Italian. Universities providing preparatory education in Italy are:

University of Pavia

University of Pavia both offers Italian preparatory courses and gives students the chance to continue their undergraduate education here. In addition to studying Italian, students in Pavia are also given preparatory courses in one of the fields of humanities, natural sciences, medicine, economics, law and politics during the program. Students who succeed in the Foundation final exams also meet the prerequisite for enrolling in one of the undergraduate departments of the university. However, students who want to enroll in departments with limited quotas must take the university admission exam. Students who pass the preparatory exam are also exempted from paying tuition fees and taking the Italian proficiency exam in the first year of their undergraduate education. During the preparatory education program, students take one of the 450 hours of Italian language and culture course and one of the 300 hours of elective courses whose language of instruction is Italian. These courses can be opted from following sections:

Humanities: Art History and Archeology, Italian Literature, Ancient and Medieval History and Philosophy
Science and Medicine: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics
Economics, Law, and Politics: Political Science, Modern History, Economics and Law

Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome

The Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome offers a program as a foundation designed especially for students who aim to receive their education in Italy at departments such as medicine, surgery, food science and dietetics. This training helps international students prepare for application exams and improve their academic English and Italian proficiency. Students who want to apply to the program must first complete 11 years of education and prove that they have B2 level English knowledge. In the preparatory education of Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, the following courses are taken in credits and hours:

Physics: 3 credits and 37.5 hours
Chemistry: 5 credits and 62.5 hours
Biology: 9 credits and 112.5 hours
Italian: 24 credits and 300 hours
Mathematics: 3 credits and 37.5 hours
Logic: 4 credits and 50 hours

A total of 48 credit courses are completed in 600 hours. Students who successfully complete the foundation program can count their foundation year courses as equivalent undergraduate courses if they also get the required score in the Medicine and Surgery admission exam prepared by the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome and thus gain the right to be exempted from these courses.

Ca’ Foscari University of Venice

With the foundation program offered by the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice , international students who want to study at a university in Italy qualify for the next step. During the program, students can also receive an education in accordance with the basic courses of the undergraduate department they aim to study together with Italian history, English or Italian language courses. Candidates are required to have B1 level English language knowledge to enroll in the program. For the students to complete their education are expected to take the courses of the following three groups and show the desired improvement:

General Courses: Modern Italian History, Critical Thinking and University Preparation
University Entrance Courses: Economics (Group A Courses including Mathematics, Introduction to Finance, Business Administration, Introduction to Law and Data Analysis), Humanities (Group B Courses including Italian Literature, Art History, Philosophy and Introduction to Classics), Science (Mathematics, Group C Courses (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology) or Architecture, Art and Design (Group D Courses including Italian Architecture, Communication, Visual and Interior Design, Fashion Design, Environmental Planning and Visual Arts)
Language Lessons: International Option (English), B1 or B2 Pass-through Option (Italian) or Special Options for Native Italian Speakers

University of Siena

The University of Siena offers a foundation program for students who aim to study at a university in Economics or Business Administration. In this Foundation program, where the language of instruction is English, students must have at least a B1 level of English to apply to complete their education for 12 years. In addition, students who have proficiency in English but do not have knowledge of Italian can also enroll in the program. The foundation education program of the University of Siena is as follows:

Mathematics: 15 credits
Economics and History of Economics: 9 credits
Social Sciences and Law: 9 credits
Italian language: 18 credits
English language (starts at B2 level): 9 credits

University of Parma

The University of Parma offers a foundation program preferred by students who want to study in Italy and especially for those who wish to study at a music conservatory. Aiming to complete the deficiencies of international students in terms of both language and culture, the people who participate in this program also gain Italian language proficiency up to B2 level during their education. The foundation education of the University of Parma is carried out in cooperation with the A. Boito Music Conservatory. Students who choose lessons from music groups beyond general education lesson groups have the opportunity to enroll in conservatory lessons. The Foundation program is as follows:

Core Courses (38 credits): Italian Language and Culture, Intercultural Communication and Italian B2 level Foundation Courses
General Education Courses (22 credits): Modern History and Geography

The undergraduate-level courses offered at the University of Parma are as follows:

Humanities
Law and Economics
Science
Medicine
Technology

In addition to these, the music training offered by the A. Boito Conservatory is as follows:

Choir Study
Ear Exercises
Music History
Harmony and Analysis

University of Pisa

The University of Pisa also offers students IMAT and Mathematics exam preparation courses. Candidates can choose from the Humanities Module, the Science Module or one of the modules designed for native Italian speakers. The details of the modules are as follows:

Humanities Module

Education is given in English. The program includes Italian education from A1 up to B2 levels.

Compulsory courses; Introduction to Italian Literature I (6 credits), Introduction to Italian Literature II A (3 credits), Greek and Roman Archeology (6 credits), Modern European History (9 credits), Introduction to Art History (6 credits) and Italian Language and Culture (24 credits) credit) was determined.

Elective courses are Principles of Economics and Business (3 credits), Ecology for Agriculture (3 credits) or Introduction to Philosophical Thinking (3 credits) for the fall semester; for the spring semester, it is Geoscience (3 credits), Logic and Reasoning (3 credits) or Italian Literature II B (3 credits).

Science Module

A 40-hour course program is offered in this module to prepare students for the IMAT exam. Lessons are provided in English. Candidates who aim to receive university education in medicine, natural sciences, dentistry, mathematics, health sciences, economics, computer sciences, engineering, pharmacy and physics can benefit from this foundation program offered by the University of Pisa.

Compulsory courses; Basic Mathematics Language (6 credits), Physics (9 credits), Chemistry (6 credits), Biology (6 credits) and Italian Language and Culture (24 credits).

Elective courses are Fundamentals of Economics and Business (3 credits), Ecology for Agriculture or Introduction to Philosophical Thinking (3 credits) for the fall semester; for the spring semester, Geoscience (3 credits), Logic and Reasoning (3 credits), Italian Literature II B (3 credits) or Advanced Mathematics (3 credits).

La Sapienza University of Rome