In July 2025, reported that Italy was the fifth-most-searched study destination in its database, behind only Canada, the UK, the United States, and Germany. Major increases in search activity came from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Egypt.

European students account for about 44% of the foreign student population, led by Romanians, of whom there are over 11,000 enrolled in Italian universities. Asia is the next largest contributor of international students (31%, or 34,000). Africa trails in third, but it is the : the 16,000 African students in Italian universities represents a +53% increase since 2015.

The top 10 origin countries for Italian universities are Romania, Albania, China, Iran, and India (all contributing over 5,000 students); Turkey and Morocco (over 3,500 each); and Russia, Ukraine, and Pakistan (just under 3,000).

Significant expansion of English-taught programmes

Italy has expanded the number of university programmes it offers in English – a major draw for students from many countries where English is more useful for job candidates than Italian. A 2024 notes that it is now the fifth largest provider of these courses in Europe, up from seventh in 2019.

As you can see in the chart below, France and Italy were the only ones in the top 10 list of European countries supplying English-taught programmes (ETPs) on campus to have risen significantly since 2019. France expanded by +16.8% to 1,410 in 2024, while Italy nearly doubled that rate of growth (+30% to 1,250 in 2024). This is in contrast to Spain, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, which have reduced their ETP supply.

Of the roughly 90 universities in Italy, about 60 offer degree programmes taught in English. For example, University of Bologna (Università di Bologna) offers most of its programmes (just under 100) in English in such fields as AI, Electrical Vehicle Engineering, Genomics, and Economics. The Polytechnic of Milano (Politecnico di Milano) offers specialised ETPs in areas such as Interaction Design, Medicine and Biomedical Engineering, Space Engineering, and Nuclear Engineering. Those are just two prominent institutions – many other ranked Italian institutions are also offering ETPs in increasingly popular niche fields linked to skills gaps in the global economy.

Climbing the world rankings

The reputation and rank of universities is a top concern for international prospects with grades high enough to consider a prestigious institution. The Politecnico di Milano (Polytechnic of Milano) became the first Italian higher education institution to obtain a top 100 position in the QS World University Rankings in 2026 (98th), and Sapienza University of Rome (128th) and University of Bologna (138th) are in the top 200. In all, made it into the top 500, and 43 are ranked in the scheme overall, putting Italy in second place in Europe after Germany in the overall ranking.

Italy’s attractiveness is also supported by an increasing focus on international partnerships, industry linkages, STEM excellence, and internship provision. Not least, Italy is … well, Italy, the fourth-most visited country in the world by tourists due to its culture, beauty, food, and more. This plays a large part in the allure of the country to international prospects choosing where to study.

Affordability

Italy can also attribute its growing popularity to its relative affordability, with fees ranging from €500 to €4,500 per year for bachelor’s and master’s courses. This depends on the programme and institution, of course.

Non-EU students need a long-term D visa to study for more than three months in Italy, but this costs only about €50 (US$60) when they apply through a consulate. This is lower than for study permits for France, Germany, and Canada, and vastly lower than for the US, UK, and especially Australia. Italy does ask for proof of funds, but at about €6,080 per year (just over US$7,000), this is less than half the required funds for Canada, Australia, and the UK. It is also about half the amount Germany requires, and it is slightly lower than for France.

The cost of living, like everywhere else, depends on which region and city students choose to study in. says, “As a principle, you’ll need somewhere between €900 and €1,300 a month to cover rent, food, transportation, entertainment, etc.”

Medical appointments are free for EU students, but for non-EU students, the cost of health insurance jumped in 2024 to €700 per year, which is higher than the cost in France and Spain.

Part-time work is also permitted for non-EU students to help offset their costs of study (up to 20 hours a week).

Italy’s main challenge is retaining top international graduates

Italy is clearly attracting more international students, but it is performing less well at retaining them due to bureaucratic hassles including confusing and drawn-out document conversion, employment issues, and barriers to permanent residency.

Italy has one of the of working-age foreign residents with a university degree in the EU (11.7% vs. the 28% average).

This is a problem: Italy is one of the world’s most aged societies, with 25% of its population aged 65 or older, and its domestic higher education enrolment is declining. It needs infusions of talent into its economy, where labor force productivity has

Several factors make staying in Italy a tough choice for both domestic and foreign students, including low salary rates for graduates. An August 2025 article featured in reported:

“Mercer Total Remuneration Survey (2024) ranks Italy among the EU’s lowest in terms of graduate compensation levels. As reported by Il Sole 24 Ore, Italy ranks near the bottom in terms of foreign graduate retention within the EU (2025).”

A 2024 report by Fondazione Nord Est found that: “After slowing in the two-year period 2020–2021, emigration of young Italians (18–34 years old) has resumed at the highest pre-pandemic rates, both in terms of exits and net migration.”

at the University of Messina, Bank of Italy Governor Fabio Panetta called this a crisis, noting that a young graduate in Germany earns on average 80% more than an Italian peer, while the gap with France is around 30%.

For international students, these compensation issues are exacerbated by work and immigration challenges. While foreign graduates are allowed 12 months to look for a job, transitioning to a work permit requires a formal job offer from an Italian employer and other conditions. And this is in a context of Italy having one of the in Europe.

As for remaining in the country over the long term, international graduates have to prove five years of legal, continuous residence in Italy; stable income of €7,002 per year; a level A2 in Italian; and a housing certificate to apply for permanent residence. Along with issues in finding work offering decent compensation, the five-year waiting period can be a turnoff for international graduates.

Overall, Italy’s attractiveness to foreign students has risen substantially, but though the government is trying to retain , it will need to do more.

For additional background, please see:

• “Search and enrolment data foreshadows international enrolment trends for 2026”

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Call for a review

English Education Ireland, the national body representing over 60 accredited English-language schools, is calling for . Lorcan O’Connor Lloyd, the association’s CEO, says:

“This change has come without consultation, justification, or notice. It is difficult to see how a 120% increase in two years [for courses of less than eight months] can be considered proportionate when the cost of living has risen just 2% annually. The affected students are legally permitted to work part-time while in Ireland, yet are now being required to show financial backing as if they were not. This policy undermines the very structure of Ireland’s work-study visa system.”

On behalf of its members, English Education Ireland is calling for:

• An immediate pause and review of the policy
• A transition period to protect students already booked
• Full consultation with the education sector moving forward

The association states: “If unchallenged, the policy will lead to mass cancellations, reputational damage to Ireland, and loss of key emerging markets that have helped rebuild the sector post-pandemic.”

The growing popularity of Ireland

In the past five years, international students have become increasingly drawn to Ireland for reasons including Brexit (which, among other things, ushered in full international fees for EU students in the UK), stiffer immigration regimes in Australia and Canada, and a volatile political climate in the most expensive destination, the US.
 
In 2023/24, the number of international students in Irish higher education exceeded 40,000 for the first time and was 15% higher than in 2022/23. Supercharged growth has come from Mexico (61%) in particular, a country whose students have visa-free status in Ireland. Mexico is a price-sensitive market, so the more significant financial requirement for visa-free students beginning on 30 June may influence demand.

In addition, Latin American countries are some of the most important growth markets for Ireland’s English-language learning sector. In 2023, the top markets in the non-EU/EEA segment where visa is not required were:

• Brazil (53% of all students in this segment)
• Mexico
• Japan
• Chile
• Argentina

For additional background, please see:

• “Irish higher education booked another strong year of foreign enrolment growth in 2024”
• “Irish ELT sector continues to exceed pre-pandemic levels of business”

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The Federal Ministry of Education and Research’s explains that students can meet the funds requirement in a number of ways. These include the submission of certified documents detailing family income and assets, producing a bank guarantee (“µţ˛ą˛Ô°ě˛úĂĽ°ů˛µ˛őł¦łó˛ą´ÚłŮ“), or via the use of a blocked account. The latter is is a bank account designed precisely for international students and offered by banks and service providers, including , , and . The account is considered “blocked” because students cannot access it until they arrive in Germany, and then may only withdraw funds up to a specified monthly limit.

Any of those methods may be used to obtain a ““Finanzierungsnachweis,” or proof of funds, for purposes of applying for a study visa for Germany.

The new requirement of €11,904 (US$12,875) keeps Germany near the top of the range among major study destinations and can be compared to Australia (AUD$29,710 which equates to US$19,540), Canada (CDN$20,635, US$14,930), Ireland (€10,000, US$10,680), and France (€7,380, US$7,980). Both Australia and Canada have announced substantial increases to their funds requirements over the past several months. In December 2023, Canada effectively doubled its proof of funds requirement. And Australia announced a 20%+ increase in May 2024 – the second such increase within a year.

Foreign enrolment in Germany reached a record high in the winter semester of 2022/23. There were nearly 370,000 international students enrolled in Germany at that point, a 5% increase compared with 2021/22, and the fifth consecutive year of growth.

For additional background, please see:

• “Comparing student visa proof of funds requirements across 20 study destinations“
• “International enrolments in German higher education rise again for a new record“
• “Germany expands in-study work opportunities for foreign students“

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The effect of higher proof of funds can serve as a deterrent for a segment of prospective international students. Destinations requiring lower amounts of guaranteed funds are often less expensive for students in general, and as per our recent article on emerging host countries, more affordable destinations are:

• increasingly being considered by many international students;
• seeing their international student population expand in tandem with leading destinations’ higher costs.

In this article, we take a look at proof of funds requirements in 2024 across 20 destinations.

Please note: These sums are exclusive of what may be required for tuition, health insurance, airfare/travel, additional family members, or other fees. They are the funds the governments expect individual students to have available to them while studying for a certain time period. Also note: These values can change every year, and sometimes proof of funds depends on the student’s country and type of study. The best source of current information for students and agents are individual institutions and government officials. The following figures were updated in July 2024, and are current as of that month.

• Australia: AUD$29,710 (US$19,537)

• Canada: CDN$20,635 (US$14,930)

• China: USD$2,500 per year of study

• Czech Republic: 3,130 CZK (US$133) per month, so assuming a stay of one year, US$1,600

• Finland: €590 per month (US$630), so assuming a stay of one year, US$7,560

• France: €615 (US$655) per month of study (so assuming a study duration of one year, US$7,860)

• Germany: €11,904 (US$12,875) for one year

• Ireland: €10,000 (US$10,680) immediately available and the same amount for each subsequent year of study

• Italy: €350 (US$375) per month of study (so assuming a study duration of one year, US$4,500)

• Japan: 2 million Japanese yen (US$12,970) for one year

• Netherlands: €14.700 (US$15,685) for one year

• New Zealand: NZD$20,000 per year (USD$11,840)

• Portugal: €820 per month (US$875), so assuming a study duration of 12 months, US$10,500

• Singapore: 8,400S$ ($6,175)

• South Korea: US$20,000

• Spain: €600 (US$640) per month (so assuming a study duration of one year, US$7,680)

• Switzerland: HF 21,000 (US$23,070) per year and the same amount for each subsequent year

• UAE: Depends on the university – for Abu Dhabi University, the proof of funds is US$15,000

• UK: Just over £1,100 (US$1,660) per month of study (so assuming a study duration of nine months, US$14,940)

• US: New F-1 students must prove that they have funds for the first year of study (some US embassies will ask for proof of funds for the duration of a programme). For those accepted to highly ranked institutions (e.g., University of California, Santa Barbara) – proof of funds can run over US$70,000 for the first year of a programme.

Considerable variation in terms of requirements

Looking at the research above, it’s clear that students must demonstrate a higher level of access to funds in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, South Korea, Switzerland, the UK, and US (as well as some universities in the UAE) – all requiring over US$14,000. The next tier includes Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, and Portugal (US$10,000-$14,000), while countries requiring the least amount of available funds are China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, Singapore, and Spain (under US$10,000).

On its own, a destination’s proof of funds requirement is not among the top factors influencing where students choose to study. But the requirement does provide a signal to students of whether they can comfortably afford to live in a destination – and in this sense, the funds requirement is an interesting variable in the overall way in which students measure the attractiveness of different destinations.

For additional information, please see:

• “The impact of immigration settings, affordability, and job opportunities on international students’ study abroad decisions”
• “The cost of living: A closer look at inflation and foreign exchange trends in key student markets”
• “Global survey shows rising costs of living are significantly affecting international student mobility”

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The Act aims to increase the number of foreign workers, skilled workers in particular, in Germany and is designed to address ongoing labour market gaps in the country.

The latest measures outlined in the Act came into force on 1 March 2024, including .

First and foremost, international students from outside the European Union may now work up to 20 hours per week (an increase from the previous limit of 10 hours per week). Importantly, this provision also now applies to students who enter Germany but have not been admitted to a German university – that is, during an in-country search for a programme start – or for those that are engaged in German language training or other preparatory studies for higher education.

“This creates flexibility, makes it easier to secure a living and makes the transition into the labor market easier. This makes it even more attractive to come to Germany to start studying or vocational training and to stay here as a skilled worker after graduating,” notes an accompanying statement from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

As in any other study destination where work rights have been expanded, these measures will also clearly have the effect of improving Germany’s competitiveness in international student markets. An early 2023 position paper from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) proposed increased action between higher education institutions and government to double the retention rate for foreign graduates in the country.

“In Germany, we have been heading towards an ever-increasing gap in skilled workers on the labour market for several years. At the same time, the Federal Republic is becoming increasingly popular as a place to study,” DAAD President Dr Joybrato Mukherjee said at the time. “We need to think about both developments together and show international students more effectively and in greater numbers the path to a professional career in Germany. They are highly qualified and well-integrated, and we should make more strategic use of their exciting potential as skilled workers in Germany. As the DAAD, we see politics, universities and industry as having a joint responsibility in this regard.”

The 1 March measures also follow close on the heels of a joint announcement between DAAD and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in December 2023 outlining:

• funding of up to €120 million through 2028 in order to smooth the transition to work for foreign graduates; and
• the introduction of two new labour force integration programmes designed to boost the retention of foreign graduates.

Germany reported a record-high foreign enrolment for 2022/23. International student numbers reached 367,578 that year, up 5% over the year before, and with non-EU enrolments, particularly students from India and China, driving much of that growth.

For additional background, please see:

• “International enrolments in German higher education rise again for a new record“
• “Germany announces new labour force integration initiatives for foreign students and graduates“
• “Peak body calls for strategy to double Germany’s retention of international students by 2030“

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The first programme is called FIT – or the “Promotion of International Talent for Integration into Studies and the Labour Market” programme. Beginning in spring 2024, it will fund up to 70 projects at German universities designed to provide additional career supports for foreign students at “various phases of their studies”. Eligible universities must apply for funding, which the programme will provide up to a limit of €1 million per project through 2028, for initiatives in the following areas:

• Measures to prepare international students to study in Germany
• Measures to ensure the academic success of international students
• Measures to increase the employability of international students in the German labour market
• Career transition supports for international students

Commenting on the announcement, Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger said, “For a large number of international students, the good prospects of remaining in Germany later in their careers has already been a key factor in deciding in favour of Germany as a place to study in the past. With the [the new transition support initiatives], we want to provide international students with tailored support during their studies and in their transition to the German labour market. After all, we urgently need more bright minds and hard-working hands for growth and prosperity in our country.”

Alongside those student-facing supports, DAAD and the Ministry of Education and Research have also launched Profi plus, or the “Academic Adaptation Qualification for the German Labour Market” programme. It is aimed at foreign graduates holding degrees from institutions outside of Germany and is designed to help those graduates “in adapting their qualifications to the requirements of the German labour market.” As with the FIT programme, universities must apply for Profi Plus funding, which will support up to 25 projects with funding of up to €700,000 each through 2028. Also in parallel with FIT, Profi plus will support new services designed to ease the transition to work in Germany and to boost the employability of foreign degree holders.

DAAD President Dr Joybrato Mukherjee added, “German universities are demonstrably highly attractive beacons for the immigration of skilled labour from all over the world. With this initiative, we are expanding the opportunities for our member universities to qualify and support international talent during their studies, at graduation and during their transition into the German labour market. In this way, we are strengthening the integration of international students at universities and in our society. At the same time, we ensure that young people from all over the world have better career opportunities in Germany after successfully completing their studies and contribute to alleviating the shortage of skilled workers.”

Germany is indeed an increasingly popular study destination, with foreign enrolment reaching a new record level for 2022/23 and with nearly 370,000 international students enrolled in German higher education during that academic year.

The new programmes follow close on the heels of a DAAD white paper from earlier this year which called for expanded career transition supports for foreign students. “In Germany, we have been heading towards an ever-increasing gap in skilled workers on the labour market for several years. At the same time, the Federal Republic is becoming increasingly popular as a place to study,” Dr Mukherjee said at the time. “We need to think about both developments together and show international students more effectively and in greater numbers the path to a professional career in Germany. They are highly qualified and well-integrated, and we should make more strategic use of their exciting potential as skilled workers in Germany.”

For additional background, please see:

• “Peak body calls for strategy to double Germany’s retention of international students by 2030“
• “International enrolments in German higher education rise again for a new record“

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Spanish Universities Minister Joan Subirats says, “We have to find ways to retain [international student] talent that we have trained so they can keep their residence status and look for work for two years.”

Currently, non-EU students in Spain are granted residence permits for only one year and must apply for an annual extension to continue their studies. After graduation, students can apply for a post-study work visa to remain in the country for a year to look for a job, . This rule makes it difficult for non-EU students to remain in the country unless they have ample financial resources. reports that,

“Thousands of students who earned diplomas in Spain have already left the country. Over the past decade, 90,000 graduates in Spain moved to other countries to develop their careers.”

The LOSU legislation is being prepared by the Spanish government and will require parliamentary approval before being passed into law. If passed, the new rules are expected to come into effect in 2023.

Red tape hampering student mobility to Spain

According to , these are some of the challenges that Spanish universities have faced in recruiting international students:

“There’s the fact that it takes years for their prior qualifications to be validated before being allowed to study at a Spanish institution, the not-so-small matter of having to sit the Spanish EBAU baccalaureate unless there’s a reciprocity agreement, as well as the issue that once their studies are completed their residence in Spain isn’t guaranteed, among other setbacks.”

Those issues have limited Spain’s ability to compete for international students as effectively as countries like the UK, France, and Germany, even though Spain offers relatively low tuition fees.

On average, annual tuition for a bachelor’s degree at a public Spanish university is €550 to €3,500, while tuition for a master’s degree is €750 to €4,000. Private colleges set their own rates, however, so fees can be higher in this sector.

Over the past few years, the number of international students in Spain has grown steadily, and the country is known as the top destination for students participating in the Erasmus mobility programme. Just under 10% of students in Spanish universities in 2021 were from other countries.

Spain needs to attract more students

The ability to attract international students is becoming increasingly important to the Spanish government. reports that “higher education institutions are set to lose up to 20% of their students aged 18 to 29 by 2035,” an event that would see universities struggle financially and that would see too few skilled workers enter Spain’s labour force.

Graduates of Spanish universities often leave to work in other countries such as the UK and Germany. Over the past two decades, so-called “brain drain” has affected Southern and Eastern European countries such as Spain, Italy, Romania, and Greece more than those in Western/Northern Europe. Causes for the emigration of degree-holding students include a sense among youth that public spending is insufficient or poorly allocated, that public services are inadequate, and that there are better job opportunities elsewhere. The has been severe enough to prompt the governments of Italy and Greece to offer tax incentives to encourage citizens who have left the country to return. Spain has its own “” strategy that offers grants and discounts for scientists and entrepreneurs.

Focus on Africa

Attracting international students and high-skilled workers from Africa is also part of an overall plan – “” – to change the dynamics of mobility between Africa and Spain. As it forges stronger diplomatic and economic ties with African countries, the Spanish government hopes to encourage and train Africans to enter knowledge-based occupations and industries in Spain. Currently, many Africans who leave their countries for Spain end up working in informal sectors that do not contribute to the Spanish economy.

A particular focus is Morocco, where have been the works for a couple of years to help Moroccans to earn master’s degrees in Spain. Morocco is now one of of students to Spain.

For additional background, please see:

• “Tracking the growing appeal of European study destinations”
• “Spanish universities detail pandemic impacts and strategies for 2020/21”

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“Foreign students who can prove that their studies cannot be carried out entirely from abroad, for example, due to compulsory attendance, can enter the country to begin their studies,” said Education Minister Anja Karliczek. “But the entry for online or distance learners will not be allowed.”

It appears however that the restriction will affect a relatively small proportion of international students, since most German universities plan to offer a mix of in-person and online classes – a “hybrid” model. If there is an in-person component to the programme, international students will not be prevented from applying for visas.

Ironically, the decision comes on the heels of the government’s objection to the US administration’s announcement in late July that international students in the US whose classes had moved online would have to leave the country. That decision has since been revoked (now it is only new international students who will not be allowed to enter the US for online courses), but at the time, around 9,000 German students were at risk of being forced to leave the US. In response, Minister Karliczek said at the time that, “Science and research thrive on exchange, and particularly on international exchange,” adding that this was true even in times of COVID-19.

Kai Gehring, Germany’s Green Party spokesman for education, called the German government’s new guidance hypocritical: “If the German government were now to stick to the present regulations, this would represent a blatant case of double standards.”

Speaking on behalf of international students, Kumar Ashish of the Federal Union of International Students in Germany, argued,

“If you are admitted to a college in Germany, they should give you a visa. It is the same in the US — it is the right of the student, if they have received their visa, that no-one can deny it to them.”

And Free Democrat education expert Jens Brandenburg called the decision “disgraceful,” saying that it was up to Ms Karliczek to take a stand supporting international academic mobility. As of April, an estimated 80,000 international students had left Germany due to COVID-19 lockdowns and closures of campuses.

Germany and the US are not the only countries now pressing pause on new international enrolments if they are for programmes delivered online. In Canada, a country that has built a reputation of being especially welcoming to international students pre-COVID, and supportive of them as the pandemic took hold, there is now uncertainty regarding whether some international students will be able to enter the country.

A July update from Canada’s immigration ministry (IRCC) cautions that even those with valid study permits (issued or approved as of 18 March) should plan to come to Canada at this time only if their travel can be considered “non-optional and non-discretionary.” What this means in practice is that students whose programmes have transitioned to online delivery because of COVID could be denied entry to Canada, even if they hold a valid study permit.

For additional background, please see:

• “US immigration confirms new international students cannot enter the US for online studies”
• “Canadian immigration guidance creates uncertainty for incoming students”
• “Survey highlights motivations for foreign students in Germany”

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