Student Housing in Italy: Regional Grants, Residences and Renting a Room
Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.
In Italy, cheap public housing for students is tied to the grant system. Each region has an agency for the right to study that awards scholarships, canteen access and residence places according to family income. International students can apply on the same terms. Everyone else rents on the private market.
Residence places through the regional agency
The agency of your region publishes a yearly call (bando), normally in early summer, with deadlines between July and September. One application covers the scholarship, the reduced canteen tariff and a place in a residence.
- Eligibility is based on the family's economic indicator (ISEE). Students whose family income is abroad need the equivalent indicator for foreign income, calculated by an authorised tax assistance centre from documents of the home country: family composition, income and property, translated and legalised. Collect these before leaving home.
- First-year students qualify on income alone. To keep the benefits in later years you must earn a set number of credits by a date.
- Rankings are published in the autumn. Until then you may need temporary accommodation.
Grant holders pay a low rate, often deducted from the scholarship. Our catalogue holds prices for 21 residences, with a typical range of €212 to €264 a month. Remaining places are offered to other students at a higher tariff. Residences by university are on our Italy pages.
University colleges
Some cities, notably Pavia, Pisa, Milan, Bologna and Rome, have colleges of merit: residential colleges that select by academic record and interview, charge by family income and add their own courses. Applications are separate from the regional call.
Renting a room
Most students share a flat, renting a single room (stanza singola) or a place in a double room (posto letto), which is common and much cheaper. Milan, Rome, Bologna and Florence are the most expensive cities; southern cities and smaller towns cost far less.
What to insist on:
- A written, registered contract. The landlord registers the lease with the revenue agency. There is a specific contract type for university students, lasting from six months to three years, with rent set by local agreements. An unregistered arrangement leaves you without proof of address.
- A deposit within the legal limit of three months' rent.
- Clarity on bills: condominium charges, heating, electricity, gas, internet and the waste tax.
You need an Italian tax code (codice fiscale) to sign. It is free and can be requested from the consulate or the revenue agency.
Why the contract matters for non-EU students
The residence permit application asks for proof of accommodation, and so does the visa: a lease in your name, a residence assignment, or a host's declaration. See student visa for Italy. A registered contract also lets you declare residence at the municipality, which you need for the health service and for the income-based tuition reduction in some cases.
When to look
Search between June and September. September and October are the hardest months in the big cities. If you arrive without a room, book a hostel or a short let for two or three weeks and visit rooms in person.
Where to look next
Official sources
- Universitaly: links to universities and right-to-study services
- ANDISU: association of the regional right-to-study agencies
- Agenzia delle Entrate: tax code and registration of leases
Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.