University of Bologna Admission: Scholarship Guide for Saudi Students

Looking for University of Bologna admission information? This guide covers what Saudi students need to know before applying: an overview of the university and its location in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, whether it is on the recommended lists of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, the scholarship tracks and fields it is approved for, and the steps to apply. Every official detail here comes from the published lists (last updated in Mubta on 16 October 2026), so always check the official source before you decide.

About University of Bologna

University of Bologna is a public university in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, founded in 1088. It has about 97,000 students. Teaching is in Italian, so applicants are usually asked for proof of their language level. Official website: unibo.it.

Is University of Bologna recognised in Saudi Arabia?

• Ministry of Education: University of Bologna is on the recommended list of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program for the 2026-2027 cycle, in Research and Development Track and Emdad Track tracks.
• Ministry of Culture: University of Bologna is on the cultural scholarship list for a number of cultural and creative fields, but admission to it on the cultural scholarship is currently on hold (Admission is suspended because places on the cultural route are full).

Being on a list means the university is accepted for scholarships in the listed fields and degrees only, not in every subject it teaches. Check that your subject falls within the fields of the track you apply to, as set out below.

University of Bologna scholarship: tracks and fields

If you plan to study on a University of Bologna scholarship, these are the tracks that include it in the official lists, with the degrees and fields approved for each.

Research and Development Track (Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program)

Degrees in this track: Doctorate. Fields approved for University of Bologna and the ministry's rank in each:

Emdad Track (Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program)

Degrees in this track: Bachelor's degree and Master's degree. Fields approved for University of Bologna and the ministry's rank in each:

Cultural scholarship (Ministry of Culture)

The university is listed for the cultural scholarship at all degree levels, in these fields:

• Film Industry
• Music
• Theater
• Literatures, Languages And Linguistics
• Heritage And Archeology
• Fashion Design

Note: admission to this university on the cultural scholarship is currently on hold: admission is suspended because places on the cultural route are full. Follow the Ministry of Culture's announcements for when it reopens; Mubta tells you of any change if you add the university to your list.

Studying at University of Bologna

What it is like to study at University of Bologna depends on your degree and subject, but a few things matter to every Saudi student before applying:

• City: the university is in Bologna, Italy. To study in Bologna means planning early for housing and living costs, so check the student housing options on the university's website.
• Language of study: Italian. Most universities ask for a recognised test such as IELTS or TOEFL and set the score each programme needs.
• Degree level: bachelor's requirements differ from master's and doctoral ones; postgraduate programmes usually ask for recommendation letters and a research proposal or a statement of purpose.
• Visa and documents: once admitted, you need a student visa from the embassy or consulate of Italy. Requirements differ from country to country, so check them on the embassy's official website well before you travel, and have your certificates attested and translated where needed.
• Subject: before applying, match the programme's name with the approved fields of your track, so that it counts for the scholarship.

International admissions at University of Bologna

Start from University of Bologna's official website and look for its international admissions page, which usually sets out the entry requirements, the grades and language score required, the documents and the application dates for each degree. If you cannot find what you need, write to the admissions office through the contact details on that page, and keep their answers in writing for when you apply.

How to get University of Bologna admission

1. Choose your programme: decide on the subject and degree, and make sure both are within what the ministry's list includes for University of Bologna.
2. Check the official entry requirements on the university's website: academic qualification and grades, language test, required documents and application dates.
3. Prepare your documents: transcripts and certificates (translated where needed), passport, statement of purpose, recommendation letters and CV.
4. Apply through the university's portal before the deadline, keep your application number and watch your email.
5. After admission: complete the scholarship procedures with the relevant authority under your programme's rules.

In Mubta you can follow your path to University of Bologna admission in one place: the University of Bologna page shows its recognition and tracks, and you can add it to your applications, track its dates, compare it with other universities and use the browser extension to fill application forms quickly. To learn about the scholarship programmes themselves, see the programmes page.

Other universities in Italy on the scholarship lists

If you are weighing your options, these other universities in Italy are also on the official lists, and you can compare them with University of Bologna in Mubta:

• Politecnico di Milano
• Sapienza University of Rome
• The University of Gastronomic Sciences
• Istituto Marangoni Milano
• Bocconi University
• Ca' Foscari University of Venice

Sources

• Ministry of Education: the official lists of recommended universities.
• Ministry of Culture: the official lists of recommended universities.
• University of Bologna official website: programmes, entry requirements and dates.

This article is based on the official lists as published by the ministries and scholarship bodies; the lists and holds can change at any time. The official source has the final word.