Study Opportunities for Refugees

The University of Parma welcomes asylum-seeking and refugee students who wish to begin or continue their higher education by enrolling in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme. As indicated in the Study Manifesto, refugee students may enrol in Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programmes taught in Italian or English.

Asylum-seeking students may enrol in single courses for a maximum of 30 ECTS credits (European Credit Transfer System). Enrolment in single courses is limited to a maximum number of candidates established each year by the Degree Programme Boards. Enrolment is valid for one academic year. Enrolment in single courses within the Degree Programmes in Medicine and Nursing is not permitted. Once international protection status has been granted, students may request recognition of the credits earned and enrol in a degree programme.

All refugee and asylum-seeking students may apply for exemption from tuition fees, both for enrolment in a degree programme and for enrolment in single courses.

Enrolment in Single Courses

• Admission: contact the Student Registry Office of the relevant course
• Search for single courses: https://corsi.unipr.it/#section-insegnamento
• List of single courses taught in English: https://www.unipr.it/en/language%20courses-English

Enrolment in Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree Programmes

• Admission: check procedures and deadlines according to your status (Enrolment with a foreign qualification – residents in Italy or in the EU, or Prospective NON-EU student).
• List of degree programmes: https://corsi.unipr.it/en
• List of programmes taught in English: https://www.unipr.it/en/language%20courses-English

All information regarding enrolment in a degree programme in Italy and reception services at the University of Parma is available at the following pages:

• Requirements to study in Italy: https://www.unipr.it/en/node/107075
• Information for international students: https://www.unipr.it/en/node/100498
• International Student Reception Services: https://www.unipr.it/en/student-international-student%20desk
• Social support desk for students and staff of the University of Parma: https://gspi.unipr.it/en/node/100746

Any issues encountered by refugee students may be reported to Michela Semprebon, Rector’s Delegate to the Refugee Working Group.

The Foundation Year is a preparatory course lasting 10 or 11 months for international students interested in enrolling in a degree programme at the University of Parma or another Italian university, or at a Conservatory of Music or Higher Institute of Musical Studies (ISSM).

Students who do not meet the minimum requirement of 12 years of schooling necessary to enrol in a degree programme may apply for pre-enrolment and attend the Foundation Year in order to make up the missing year required for university admission.

Each year, the University of Parma funds scholarships for students, including refugee students, through ER.GO (the Regional Agency for the Right to Higher Education). Applications may be submitted within the established deadlines. The call is usually published in June.

Refugee students may also apply for a CRUI scholarship (Conference of Italian University Rectors). Each year, CRUI offers 100 scholarships funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) for students holding international protection status who are already enrolled at an Italian university in the current academic year. The call is usually published in March or July.

From the academic year 2021–2022 onwards, each year the University of Parma funds 2 scholarships for refugee students to attend the Master’s Degree Programme in Food Safety and Food Risk Management, taught in English, within the framework of the UNICORE Project (University Corridors for Refugees). The University of Parma has participated in UNICORE editions 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0 and 8.0 (upcoming).

UNICORE is an initiative launched in 2019 and promoted by 40 Italian universities with the support of UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Caritas Italiana, Diaconia Valdese, Centro Astalli and other partners. It allows refugee students residing in certain third countries to continue their studies in Italy by enrolling in a degree programme. The UNICORE call generally opens in spring. Updates are available on the dedicated UNHCR website.

The countries involved in edition 8.0 for the academic year 2026–2027 are: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

UNICORE coordination at the University of Parma is entrusted to Michela Semprebon, Professor at the University and Rector’s Delegate to the Refugee Working Group. The initiative is also supported by the following local partners: ER.GO – Regional Agency for the Right to Higher Education of Emilia-Romagna, Fondazione Caritas Sant’Ilario, Comunità di Sant’Egidio, CIAC Onlus (Immigration, Asylum and International Cooperation Centre of Parma and Province), and the Waldensian Diaconal Commission.

In recent years, the University of Parma has also provided scholarships for Ukrainian students (a.y. 2022–2023), Afghan students (a.y. 2022–2023), and IUPALS scholarships for Palestinian students (a.y. 2025–2026).