27 Foundation Year Programs in Italy

The Foundation Year is a nine-month, full immersion preparatory course in Italian for international students willing to enroll in a BA taught in Italian at #UNIPAVIA. The Foundation Year is aimed at students who do not meet the minimum requirement – 12 years of schooling – to access the Italian higher education system.

A two-semester preparatory programme for students with less than 12 years of schooling, enabling them to meet university entry requirements in Italy. It awards 60 Foundation Credits and blends online and on-campus learning. The curriculum covers economics, law, socio-political studies, computational thinking, English, and Italian, along with soft skills training in coding, negotiation, and public speaking. The programme includes continuous assessment and, upon completion, allows students to apply for admission to Luiss.

The Foundation Year is a full immersion preparatory program for international students wishing to enroll at the University of Parma or any Italian University or a Music Conservatory. It is organized in collaboration with A. Boito Music Conservatory in Parma.

The Foundation Year at Accademia del Lusso Milan is aimed at those who want to study a bachelor’s degree in Italy but who do not meet the minimum schooling requirement of 12 years. At the end of the foundation year, as long as you meet all of the entry requirements, you will be able to go on to study a bachelor’s degree at Accademia del Lusso or other receiving institutions.

The Foundation Year in Design is a preparatory course primarily addressed to international students with a high school diploma who wish to enroll into an accredited Bachelor's degree offered by Accademia Italiana but miss some requirements for direct admission. Nevertheless, Foundation Year is also a perfect choice for students looking a creative and exciting gap year in Italy, with a full immersion into the uniqueness of Italian art, design and language. This program offers a general curriculum balanced between Italian language classes and both very practical and theoretical lessons on Italian style, History of Italian art and design culture and methodology for the arts.

Italy: synonym of wonder, especially for the new generations who live abroad and who wish to enter into contact with the culture and the educational system that the Beautiful Country is able to offer. The scenario assumed by RUFA to contact students attracted by Made in Italy, starts from this assumption not intended only as a sign of distinction and style, but also as a qualitative approach to life.

Welcome to the cradle of iconic art, fashion and design education in the vibrant landscape of Italy. Our International Foundation Program is your gateway to mastering the world of art in Italy’s prestigious institutions.

Foundation Year is aimed at students attracted by Made in Italy, understood not only as a sign of distinction and style but also as a qualitative approach to life. It is precisely in this context that the Foundation Course fits in: a 60-credit supplementary course that aims to introduce students to the cultural, design, historical and artistic subjects with which they will be confronted, in even greater depth, in the years to come.

Welcome to your first step towards a world-class engineering education in the heart of Italy. Our International Foundation Program offers you the perfect pathway to thrive in Italy’s renowned engineering universities.

Welcome to the cradle of iconic architectural education in the vibrant landscape of Italy. Our International Foundation Program is your gateway to mastering the world of design and architecture in Italy’s prestigious institutions.

Start your journey to academic success with Università Cattolica's Foundation Programme 2026/2027, designed to prepare international students for university studies in Italy. Strengthen English and learn Italian: our programme ensures students develop the language, academic, and cultural skills essential for thriving in an academic environment. 

An interdisciplinary training program designed for students who aim to develop their creative talent and acquire the skills needed to access the best academies and universities in Italy.

The Foundation Year at SSML Pisa is a preparatory program specifically designed for international students who wish to enroll in our flagship undergraduate program — the Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistic Mediation (Class L-12) — but need to strengthen their Italian language skills before admission.

The Foundation Course (FC) is a 2-semester study program that allows students with less than 12 years of schooling to fulfil the prerequisites for pursuing a bachelor’s program in LUM and any Italian University. In particular, it is aimed at students. The course is also intended for those who wish to improve their background and linguistic skills even if they have a minimum of 12 years of schooling.

The Foundation Course is a study program, taught in English and primarily aimed at candidates who do not possess the minimum schooling requirements outlined in current legislation for enrolment at Italian universities. Attendance of the Foundation Course is mandatory and students must accumulate all the credits provided by the course in order to obtain the final qualification. The modules available within the Foundation Course are taught in English and a Foundation Course in Science prepares students interested in studying a degree program in Medicine, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Maths, Natural Sciences, Pharmacy, and Physics.