Italy International Student Statistics 2024
Italy is one of the most culturally vibrant countries in the world for studying abroad and teaches youth to appreciate the cultural aspects of a country. Italy offers a high education quality and multiple degree programs taught in English. International students find Italy attractive for studying abroad because it is home to some of the oldest universities in the world.
Among the many reasons why Italy is a popular study-abroad destination include the affordability of tuition fees and living costs. Italy offers a rich student life with a diverse student population from different nationalities.
Quick Summary
- According to the Ministry of University and Research, there are a total of 109,681 students with foreign country citizenship in Italy.
- The majority of international students are from Romania, with 11,239 students in total.
- The majority of international students in Italy come from European countries, with a total of 47,936 international students.
- The highest number of international students in Italy is located in Lombardy, with 26,182 international students.
- The majority of international students in Italy are studying in the field of Fine Arts, a total of 5,356 students.
- The total number of Italian students studying abroad is 77,505.
- The UK hosts most Italian students studying abroad, a total of 14,412 students.
International Student Statistics in Italy Over the Years
- According to the earliest available data from the Ministry of University and Research on higher education statistics in Italy, there were 63,625 students with foreign citizenship enrolled in the academic year of 2010/11.
- The number of international students in Italy increased by 3.6% over a year, with 65,934 international students in the 2011/12 academic year.
- The increase in international student enrollment in Italy continued by 10% between the 2011/12 and 2015/16 academic years.
- Between 2018/19 and 2019/20, there was a slight increase of 6.8% in international student enrollment from 89,564 to 95,734 students.
- 102,354 international students enrolled in higher education institutions in Italy in the 2020/21 academic year.
- According to the latest statistics, there are 109,681 international students in Italy.
International Students in Italy by Country of Origin
- According to the latest statistics of 2021/22 by the Ministry of University and Research, the highest number of students with foreign citizenship in Italy comes from Romania, with 11,239 students in total.
- Higher education in Italy is also desirable to students from Albania, who sum up to a total of 8,357 Albanian students.
- Cameroon is at the bottom of the list among the top fifteen countries of origin for international students in Italy, with 2,173 students.
| Country | International Students |
|---|---|
| Romania | 11,239 |
| Albania | 8,357 |
| China | 8,053 |
| Iran | 7,224 |
| India | 5,260 |
| Turkey | 3,892 |
| Morocco | 3,705 |
| Russia | 2,925 |
| Ukraine | 2,840 |
| Pakistan | 2,720 |
| Peru | 2,507 |
| Moldova | 2,395 |
| Egypt | 2,389 |
| Cameroon | 2,173 |
International Student Enrollment in Italy by Continent
- According to the Ministry of University and Research, the history of international students' first-time enrollment in Italy shows that the majority of international students in Italy come from European countries.
- According to the latest statistics, there are 47,936 international students from Europe, an increase of 30.2% from the academic year 2015/16.
- Asia comes second among the continents with the highest number of international students enrolled in Italy, with 34,165 registered Asian students in higher education institutions.
- A total of 15,917 international students in Italy are from Africa, a significant increase of 53% from 2015/16 and 8% from the previous year (2020/21).
- Higher education in Italy is not as popular among American students, with 11,591 students in the academic year 2021/22. In 2015/16, only 7,182 American students were registered in Italy, which is a difference of 46.9% in enrollment.
- Countries from Oceania brought the smallest number of international students to Italy in 2021/22, a total of 111 students, which is an increase of 0.9% from the previous year with 110 students.
| Year/Continent | Europe | Asia | Africa | America | Oceania |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/2022 | 47,936 | 34,165 | 15,917 | 11,591 | 111 |
| 2020/2021 | 47,997 | 30,280 | 14,727 | 10,939 | 110 |
| 2019/2020 | 44,323 | 27,072 | 14,154 | 10,117 | 91 |
| 2018/2019 | 43,411 | 24,042 | 13,580 | 9,388 | 92 |
| 2017/2018 | 41,359 | 21,858 | 12,240 | 8,585 | 72 |
| 2016/2017 | 39,162 | 19,526 | 10,727 | 8,624 | 59 |
| 2015/2016 | 36,793 | 17,783 | 10,398 | 7,182 | 53 |
International Students in Italy by Region
- According to the Ministry of University and Research, the highest number of international students in Italy is located in the region of Lombardy with 26,182 international students, followed by Lazio, with 19,374 students.
- There are 13,542 international students enrolled in higher education in the Emilia-Romagna region and 12,246 in Piedmont.
- Veneto is also a popular region in Italy for studying abroad, comprising 8,826 international students.
- Another popular region in Italy for international students is Tuscany, with 7,599 students.
- Other regions in Italy that host under 1,000 international students include Campania, with 3,012 students, Sicily with 2,381 students, Liguria (3,416); Brands (2,587), Umbria (2,195), Friuli Venezia Giulia (1,720), Trentino Alto Adige (1,549), Calabria (1,521), Abruzzo (1,345), Puglia (1,326), Sardinia (641), Molise (100), Basilicata (64), Valle d’Aosta (55).
International Students in Italy by Institution
- According to the Ministry of University and Research, the majority of international students in Italy are studying in the field of Fine Arts, a total of 5,356 students.
- The second most popular institution for international students in Italy is the Music Academy, with 2,831 students, followed by the Legally Recognized Academics of Fine Arts, with 2,679 students.
- Other higher education institutions in Italy include the Higher Institute of Musical Studies with 284 students, the Higher Institutes for Artistic Industries (39 students), the National Dance Academies (9 students), and the National Academies of Dramatic Arts with only 5 students.
- There are 1,511 international students enrolled in other higher education institutions not mentioned above.
Where Do Italian Students Go?
- According to the most recent statistics, the total number of Italian students studying abroad is 77,505.
- The UK is the most popular study-abroad destination for Italian students, with 14,412 students, followed by Austria, with 8,984 Italian students enrolled in higher education studies.
- Germany is also a popular study-abroad destination among Italian students, with 8,405 students studying in higher education institutions.
- There are 8,181 Italian students enrolled in universities in France, and 6,682 Italian students are studying abroad in Spain.
- Other popular study-abroad countries for Italian students include Switzerland with 6,573 students, 4,566 Italian students enrolled in universities in the Netherlands, 2,542 chose the US for abroad studies, 2,047 in Australia, and 1,920 Italian students studying abroad in Romania.