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Many students when thinking of studying overseas choose traditional countries such as Canada, Australia and the UK. If they are more adventurous, th
e may try Holland, New Zealand or Ireland. However those with a real taste for something new should try completing their Bachelor or Master degree in Italy. Italy is a new country to Chinese students as the market only opened up in 2005. Despite ambiguity in its policy to Chinese students, there are many attractive features of the country to students.
The yearly tuition fees in Italy are extremely low. Most public universities charge international students between 500 to 2000 Euros per year, however you can obtain a steep reduction in fees by showing a statement of your family income. If your family earns under 10,000 to 15000 Euros per year, you may be eligible for this reduction. Please note that a quite a few private universities have much higher tuition fees. They can reach 8000 Euros per year.
Many Italian Universities are ranked quite highly among European universities and have a very solid reputation. Universities such as Bologna, Mila, Pisa, Siena, Rome 1 La Sapienza, Padova, Florence and Genova are well regarded and are all open to Chinese students.
Before considering Italy, however, there are number of things you must consider. Firstly you cannot study Italian language in Italy before commencing your Bachelor or Master course in Italy. You must have adequate knowledge of Italian before arrival in Italy. In September you must participate in an Italian language test at your specified university to be eligible to commence your main course. It you do not pass this Italian test, you will be sent back to China. In this respect you are taking a great risk. In addition, you may have to participate in an academic test depending on the major you select. This is an additional barrier to Chinese students. Finally, the university application process is quite lengthy and you must prepare many documents. You should seek additional guidance in this.
In selecting a major, apart from the traditional areas such as business and IT, Italian universities have some very good specialist majors. Fashion Design, Archaeology, Protection and Restoration of Cultural Heritage and Art are offered at many universities and are well known in Italy. In addition, Pharmacy and Health Sciences are open to Chinese students, however note that you must often sit for an academic test beforehand.
Another important point to consider when selecting a major is the quota assigned to overseas students and Chinese students. Every Italian University assigns a quota of foreign students and Chinese students to each of their Undergraduate and Master programs. You must ensure that the major you want to study has assigned places to foreign students.
Finally, Italy is a great destination if you want to save money and still attend a reputable university. However you must ensure that your Italian knowledge is up to standard before you undertake your studies there.
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