If you plan to “start in the spring,” I’m sorry to disappoint you, but that’s not accurate. Enrollment at Italian universities is already open. If you wait until March or April to think about it, you’ll probably be too late.

In Italy, there is no common deadline for submitting applications. Each university decides independently when to open enrollment, and most do so only once a year. If you miss the application period, admission is postponed for a year.

Dates and deadlines for December 2025:

General cases: At many universities, “normal” enrollment ends in November.

Late enrollment: It is possible to enroll in December by paying a late fee, but the exact date varies by university.

Specific examples:

• Roma Tre University: December 16, 2025, was the deadline for submitting applications for admission with a €60 late fee.
• University of Pisa: Master’s degree programs: enrollment possible until December 31, 2025. For students graduating after this date, it is possible to pre-enroll for the 2026/2027 academic year.
• University of Parma: Master’s degree programs (e.g., International Business and Development): deadline for enrollment is 12:00 noon on December 19, 2025. 
• University of Genoa: Deadlines for international students: some deadlines for the 2025/2026 academic year are set for December 12, 2025.
• And so one…

University enrollment dates for the 2025/2026 academic year vary depending on the university and degree program, but generally range from July/September to the end of October/November for open-access courses, with subsequent deadlines (often subject to a fee) until March for limited-enrollment courses. It is essential to consult the specific announcement of the university of interest to find out the exact deadlines.

To enroll in the first year of a university course, most Italian universities require students to take an orientation and assessment test to determine their aptitude and preparation. Here I have written a post about admission exams for Italian universities.

What are the advantages of applying early?

What documents do I need to prepare?