Imagine earning a fully recognized Italian university degree — taught entirely in English — from as little as €600 per year in tuition. No, that’s not a misprint. The University of Cassino and Southern Lazio (UNICAS) in Italy has one of the most student-friendly fee structures for international applicants anywhere in Europe. And on top of that? Full scholarships that cover tuition, housing, meals, and living expenses are available for eligible students. If you’re serious about studying in Italy affordably, this is the guide you need to read right now.
🎓 Quick Info Summary
| Detail | Information |
| University | University of Cassino and Southern Lazio (UNICAS) |
| Country | Italy 🇮🇹 |
| Location | Cassino, Lazio (between Rome & Naples) |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Total Students | ~12,000 |
| International Students | 1,500+ from 58+ countries |
| Degree Levels | Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD |
| Tuition Fee Range | €600 – €1,400/year (based on your country) |
| Full Scholarship Available | Yes — DiSCo Lazio (covers tuition + housing + living) |
| English-Taught Programs | 9 (6 Master’s + 3 Bachelor’s) |
| Application Deadline 2026–27 | 30 June 2026 |
| Official Website | unicas.it |
🎓 University Overview
Established in 1979, the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio (UNICAS) is an Italian public and multidisciplinary higher education institution. With 9 programs — 6 Master’s and 3 Bachelor’s — entirely taught in English, and more than 1,500 international students from 58 different nationalities, UNICAS has established itself as a district for International Studies and a significant centre of excellence among Italian universities.
UNICAS has been offering English-taught programs since 2008 and ranks among the top five Italian universities for its international presence.
What makes UNICAS truly special is its combination of academic quality, genuine affordability, and strategic location. Cassino enjoys an extraordinary geographical position in Italy, being located midway between Rome and Naples in the North-South direction, and midway between wonderful Italian seaside and the Abruzzo National Park in the East-West direction.
UNICAS is a member of the European University of Technology (EUt+), giving its students access to exchange and research collaborations across Europe. For international students, this means your degree comes with a powerful European network built right in.
🎓 Tuition Fees — Based on Your Country of Origin
Here’s what makes UNICAS genuinely unique among Italian universities: the University of Cassino adopts a special fee policy for international students. For non-Italian students enrolled as regular students up to the first year beyond the regular duration of the program, the overall tuition fee depends on the student’s country of origin.
All students also pay a stamp tax of €16 and a regional tax of €140, but these are minimal compared to most universities globally.
The three fee tiers are as follows:
| Group | Definition | Annual Tuition Fee |
| Group A | Low and medium income countries (World Bank) | €600/year |
| Group B | Medium-high income countries (World Bank) | €1,000/year |
| Group C | High income countries (World Bank) | €1,400/year |
Group A countries (€600/year) include: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and many more.
Group B countries (€1,000/year) include: Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Georgia, Guatemala, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Paraguay, Peru, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, Turkey, and more.
Group C countries (€1,400/year) include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, USA, and other high-income nations.
The good news is — even at the highest tier of €1,400/year, UNICAS is still dramatically cheaper than almost any other European university. And with the DiSCo Lazio scholarship (below), even that can be waived entirely.
🎓 Scholarships & Funding — Full Details
🏅 DiSCo Lazio Scholarship (Fully Funded)
This is the scholarship that changes everything. DiSCo Lazio is the regional authority that supports student life and well-being. It offers several benefits to talented students from low-income families. Eligible students may apply for lodging within the university dormitories, fully-waived tuition fees, catering service at discounted rates, study grants that may cover living expenses, study-abroad scholarships to participate in international exchange programs, and graduation prizes. The fellowship is renewed yearly on the basis of student performance — number of passed exams and average mark.
This means if you qualify, your entire university experience — tuition, housing, and meals — could be covered. The call for 2025–26 applications is now open — see BANDO DIRITTO ALLO STUDIO 25-26 for details.
🏅 MAECI Scholarship (Italian Government)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) offers grants in favour of foreigners and Italians resident abroad in order to foster international cooperation in cultural, scientific, and technological fields, to promote Italian language and culture and to support Italy’s economic system. These are competitive, government-level scholarships — ideal for motivated students with strong academic records. More information is available at the MAECI website.
🏅 Invest Your Talent in Italy
UNICAS is one of the few Italian universities that are part of the “Invest Your Talent in Italy” program — a prestigious initiative that provides funding and career opportunities for talented international students. Check investyourtalentapplication.esteri.it for details.
🏅 Tutorship Grants & Other Funding
UNICAS also opens calls annually for a variety of tutorship grants for enrolled students. These are additional income opportunities that can help offset living expenses while studying.
🎓 Who Should Apply (And Who Should Not)
✅ Apply if you:
- Want a genuinely affordable degree in Italy with fees as low as €600/year
- Are interested in engineering, economics, law, humanities, or social sciences
- Want an English-taught programme without needing Italian from day one
- Are looking for a full scholarship covering housing, meals, and tuition
- Want to study between Rome and Naples in a safe, student-friendly city
- Are motivated academically and can maintain scholarship renewal criteria
❌ Don’t apply if you:
- Want a large cosmopolitan campus in a major city — Cassino is a small, peaceful university town
- Are looking for a highly ranked global research university
- Need a wide variety of English-taught programmes (only 9 are fully in English)
- Cannot obtain or are not working toward an Italian student visa
🎓 Available English-Taught Programs
UNICAS offers 9 programs entirely taught in English — 6 at Master’s level and 3 at Bachelor’s level.
Bachelor’s Programs (English-taught):
- 🔧 Industrial Engineering Technology
- 💼 Economics and Business (CLEC)
- Additional Bachelor’s — verify current listing at unicas.it
Master’s Programs (English-taught):
- ⚙️ Civil and Environmental Engineering
- 🔌 Electronic Engineering
- 🤖 Automation and Robotics
- 💰 Economics and Finance
- 📊 Business Administration and Management
- Additional Master’s — verify at official site
All five departments are represented across international programs: UNICAS offers five departments: Economics, Law, Engineering, Humanities, and Sport Sciences.
🎓 Eligibility & Admission Requirements
For Bachelor’s programmes:
- Secondary School Diploma (minimum 12 years of schooling)
- English language proficiency: IELTS 6.0+, TOEFL iBT 75+ for English-taught programs
For Master’s programmes:
- Relevant Bachelor’s degree in a related field
- English language proficiency: IELTS 6.0+, TOEFL iBT 80+ for English-taught programs
- CV and transcripts
For PhD programmes:
- Relevant Master’s degree
- Research proposal
🌟 Important: UNICAS invites international students to apply without the need for an IELTS score in some cases — particularly when prior education was completed in English. The university does not require a minimum CGPA for general admission. Verify specific requirements for your chosen programme on the official website.
🎓 Required Documents
- School Leaving Certificate or final diploma (for Bachelor’s); Bachelor’s degree certificate (for Master’s)
- Official academic transcripts — last two years (Bachelor’s) or full transcript (Master’s)
- English language certificate — IELTS, TOEFL, or equivalent (for English-taught programs)
- Valid passport copy
- Motivational Letter / Statement of Purpose
- CV/Résumé highlighting academic achievements, extracurriculars, and internships
- Letter of Eligibility for Enrollment — issued by the university after acceptance; required for visa application
All documents should be uploaded through the online application portal. No need to email the committee — they will contact you if anything is missing.
🎓 Step-by-Step Application Process
- Visit the International page at unicas.it/international-unicas and browse available English-taught programs
- Select your programme and review the specific admission requirements on its dedicated page
- Prepare all documents — transcripts, diploma, English certificate, CV, and motivation letter
- Apply online through the UNICAS application portal before the deadline
- Wait for pre-admission assessment — the committee reviews your eligibility and contacts you if documents are missing
- Receive your Letter of Eligibility for Enrollment — this is your official acceptance letter
- Take the letter to your country’s Italian Embassy to apply for a student visa
- Contact the International Office (laura.morone@unicas.it) once your visa is approved to proceed with online enrollment
- Arrive in Cassino — the International Welcome Service helps with residence permits and settling in
💡 Pro tip: Apply for the DiSCo Lazio scholarship at the same time as your university application — don’t wait until after enrollment. The scholarship application portal opens seasonally, and missing the window means waiting another year.
🎓 Important Dates & Deadlines
| Event | Date |
| Application Deadline 2026–27 | 30 June 2026 |
| DiSCo Lazio Scholarship Deadline | Check current call at unicas.it |
| MAECI Scholarship | Varies — check MAECI website |
| Classes Start (approx.) | October 2026 |
| Enrolment Deadline Info | Check International Welcome Service page |
⚠️ Bookmark this page and check back for updates — scholarship deadlines in Italy often open and close quickly, and missing them means waiting a full academic year.
🎓 Why UNICAS — Why Cassino, Italy?
Here’s what makes this opportunity genuinely exciting beyond the numbers.
The University of Cassino is strategically located between Rome and Naples, offering students convenient access to major Italian cities while enjoying a peaceful and relaxed student lifestyle. You can be in Rome in about 90 minutes and in Naples in under an hour by train — yet your daily cost of living is a fraction of what you’d pay in either city.
Cassino enjoys an extraordinary geographical position in Italy, being midway between wonderful Italian seaside destinations and the Abruzzo National Park. Weekend trips to beaches, mountains, ancient Roman ruins, and world-class Italian cities are all within easy reach.
The university is a member of EUt+ (European University of Technology), giving students access to exchange and research collaborations across Europe. This is a relatively new but increasingly prestigious European university alliance — being part of it means your UNICAS degree connects you to a broader European academic network.
For students who care about safety and quality of life, Cassino is a quiet and affordable city, ideal for focused studies, with easy access to Rome. It’s a university town — everything revolves around student life, which creates a tight-knit, supportive community that larger city campuses often can’t offer.
🎓 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can I study at UNICAS without IELTS? A: In some cases, yes. UNICAS invites international students to apply without the need for an IELTS score depending on your educational background. If your previous degree was taught in English, this may be accepted as proof of proficiency. Always verify the specific requirement for your chosen programme on the official website.
Q: How much does the DiSCo Lazio scholarship cover? A: Eligible students may apply for lodging within the university dormitories, fully-waived tuition fees, catering service at discounted rates, and study grants that may cover living expenses. In practice, this can cover your entire cost of studying in Italy.
Q: Are the English-taught programs internationally recognized? A: Yes. UNICAS is a fully accredited Italian public university, and its degrees follow the Bologna Process (Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD structure), making them recognized across the European Union and by most countries worldwide.
Q: What happens to the scholarship if my grades drop? A: The DiSCo Lazio fellowship is renewed yearly on the basis of student performance — specifically the number of passed exams and average mark. Maintaining your scholarship requires staying on track academically.
Q: Can I work while studying in Italy? A: International students on a student visa in Italy are generally permitted to work part-time (up to 20 hours per week during term time). Italy also allows Master’s and PhD graduates to stay for 6 to 12 months after graduation to seek employment. Verify current Italian visa regulations before applying.
Q: Is Cassino safe and suitable for international students? A: Cassino is a nice and safe Italian town where international students are welcomed. The university town atmosphere makes integration easier, and the International Office actively supports new arrivals.
🎓 Official Links & Contact
- Fees & Funding Page: unicas.it/international-unicas/why-choose-us/fees-and-fundings
- International Programs & Enrollment 2026–27: unicas.it/international-unicas/international-bachelor-master-and-phd-programs-enrollment-26-27-now-open
- Course Catalogue: unicas-public.gomp.it
- DiSCo Lazio Scholarship Call: BANDO DIRITTO ALLO STUDIO 25-26 (PDF)
- MAECI Scholarships: esteri.it/it/opportunita/borse-di-studio
- International Office Contact: laura.morone@unicas.it
- Address: Viale dell’Università — Campus Folcara — 03043 Cassino (FR), Italy
🎓 Full Summary Table
| Detail | Information |
| University | University of Cassino and Southern Lazio (UNICAS) |
| Country | Italy 🇮🇹 |
| Location | Cassino — between Rome & Naples |
| Founded | 1979 |
| International Students | 1,500+ from 58+ countries |
| English Programs | 9 (3 Bachelor’s + 6 Master’s) |
| Tuition Fee — Group A | €600/year (low/medium income countries) |
| Tuition Fee — Group B | €1,000/year (medium-high income countries) |
| Tuition Fee — Group C | €1,400/year (high income countries) |
| Additional Fees | €16 stamp tax + €140 regional tax |
| Full Scholarship Available | ✅ Yes — DiSCo Lazio (tuition + housing + meals) |
| Other Scholarships | MAECI, Invest Your Talent in Italy, Tutorship Grants |
| IELTS Required | Not always — verify per programme |
| Application Deadline 2026–27 | 30 June 2026 |
| University Alliance | EUt+ (European University of Technology) |
| Official Website | unicas.it |
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