At a glance
- City
- Siena, Tuscany, about 70 km south of Florence
- Founded
- 1240
- Students
- More than 16,000
- From abroad
- Apply on the university's application site; non-EU applicants living abroad then register on Universitaly for the visa
- Admission tests
- Most applications are assessed without a test; some programs require the CISIA CEnT-S
- Fees from abroad
- Set by course and economic situation; for income held abroad, a country coefficient applies and the amount is at least €500 a year (2026/27)
The story
The University of Siena says it was established in 1240 and counts it among the oldest universities in Italy and Europe.
The oldest document found is a decree of the city's chief magistrate dated 26 December 1240. Siena's model was its own: the university was run neither by students, as in Bologna, nor by teachers, as in Paris, but directly by the city government. Citizens who rented rooms to students paid a tax, and the city used it to pay the teachers. By the middle of the 13th century there were schools of law, grammar and medicine. One of the medical teachers, Peter of Spain, was elected pope in 1276 as John XXI.
Many students moved to Siena from Bologna in 1321, and in 1357 the emperor Charles IV recognised it as a university of the Holy Roman Empire. The French closed it in 1808, keeping only a medical school. It reopened after the Restoration in a former Vallombrosan convent, which still houses the Rectorate. In 1892 a minister proposed closing small universities, Siena among them; a general strike by shopkeepers and popular protest made him withdraw the plan.
It is in the city of Siena, in Tuscany, in central Italy. The university describes Siena as one of Europe's best-preserved medieval cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Who studies here
Siena has more than 16,000 students, more than 70 programs and 14 departments.
Subject areas include humanities, sciences, medicine, engineering, economics and social sciences.
Programs taught in English
We list 2 Bachelor's, 16 Master's and 1 single-cycle degree at Siena taught entirely in English.
A selection of them:
- Economics and Management
- Artificial Intelligence and Automation Engineering
- Finance
- International Studies (European Studies)
- Public and Cultural Diplomacy
- Engineering Management
The city
Siena is about 70 kilometres (43 miles) south of Florence and approximately 230 kilometres (143 miles) north of Rome. It can be reached by car, bus and train, and the nearest airports are Pisa, Florence, Bologna and Rome. A local bus and train service connects the city to the main towns of the province.
The cathedral is known for its black-and-white marble, and the Palazzo Pubblico faces the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo. The Palio horse race is held there twice a year, on 2 July and 16 August, between the city's historic districts, the contrade. The professional cycling race Strade Bianche finishes in the same square.
How admission works for international students
Applicants apply through the university's application site, apply.unisi.it. If the application is approved, the university sends a Letter of Eligibility for Enrollment, which is needed for pre-enrolment and, for non-EU students, to start the visa application. Non-EU students not living in Italy need a visa to enrol, and the visa request is started on the Universitaly portal only after admission.
Each application is assessed individually: how relevant the curriculum is to the program, language proficiency, preparation and the required qualifications. Program coordinators may call a candidate to an online written test or an oral interview, but in most cases the evaluation is completed without one.
Some programs require the CISIA CEnT test (CEnT-S).
Programs taught in English need English at B2 level or higher. Accepted proof is an internationally recognised certificate on the university's list or a certificate from an Italian university language centre. Citizens of some English-speaking countries, such as the UK and the USA, are exempt, and so are candidates whose entry qualification was taught entirely in English, at the committee's discretion. Requirements can vary between programs, so the program's page on apply.unisi.it is the one to check.
Which test applies depends on the program and the year. Our CEnT-S guide and overview of Italian admission tests cover the options.
Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine in English are covered on our Medicine in Italy page.
Fees
For 2026/27 the university sets the annual contribution by the course chosen, the student's economic situation and merit. For income and assets held abroad, the rate is multiplied by a coefficient that compares the home country's GDP per head (purchasing power) with Italy's, when the coefficient is below one, so students from lower-GDP countries pay less. The amount cannot be lower than €500 a year, so that is the lowest cost. It is paid in four instalments, and the regional student-services tax and the virtual stamp duty are added to the first.
A candidate can apply to up to three programs. The university has an online simulator for annual fees and instalments.
How we help
Siena assesses most applications without a test, so the application is the test: curriculum, language certificate, preparation and qualifications. We build it with you for up to three programs, keep the apply.unisi.it dates, the Universitaly step and the visa in one plan, and prepare the documents the university asks for. If Siena is one of several options, we compare them with you.
Questions students ask about Siena
We list 2 Bachelor's, 16 Master's and 1 single-cycle degree at Siena taught entirely in English.
No. If the program is taught in English, you do not need Italian.
B2 or higher for programs taught in English. Citizens of some English-speaking countries and candidates whose entry qualification was taught entirely in English may be exempt, at the committee's discretion.
No. In most cases the evaluation is completed without a test. Some programs require the CISIA CEnT test.
By course, economic situation and merit. For income and assets held abroad, the university applies a coefficient based on the home country's GDP per head, and the amount cannot be lower than €500.
Applying to Siena?
Answer a few short questions. A mentor replies in the chat with what applies to you at Siena.
Sources
- Where is Siena? (University of Siena)
- Why Studying in Siena? (University of Siena)
- International Students Admissions information portal, University of Siena (home) (University of Siena)
- The Admission Process Explained (University of Siena)
- How Your Application is Evaluated (University of Siena)
- Call for admission to the first year of Dentistry and Dental Prosthodontics in English, 2026/27 (Allegato 1) (University of Siena)
- Call for Biotech Engineering for Health, 2026/27 (University of Siena)
- Annual study manifesto for qualifications obtained abroad, 2026/27 (section 16, student contributions) (University of Siena)
- Storia dell'Ateneo (Italian) (University of Siena)
- A Unique Place to Study and Live (University of Siena)
- How to Reach Siena (University of Siena)
- English Proficiency (University of Siena)
- Admission and Enrollment Fees (University of Siena)
- Italian Proficiency (University of Siena)
Rules, dates and fees change every year. Confirm them in the official call for your own year before you act on them.