Foundation Year Programme
Objectives
The Foundation Year is a program designed for foreign citizens who:
- wish to enroll at the University of Catania or at another university or higher education institution in Italy;
- have completed a school education pathway consisting of no fewer than 11 years of schooling;
- intend to achieve the Italian language proficiency required for enrollment at an Italian university (B2 level);
- wish to become familiar with Italian culture, including lifestyles, everyday practices, ways of thinking, and Italy’s historical and artistic heritage;
- need to understand the organization, pedagogical approach, and study methods characteristic of the Italian university system;
- aspire to acquire new knowledge and skills — or to enrich and strengthen their existing knowledge and skills — in the disciplines of a chosen field of study, with a view to enrolling in a Bachelor’s degree program in Italy.
Admission Requirements
To enroll in the Foundation Year at the University of Catania, applicants must:
- have completed at least 11 years of education, from primary school to upper secondary school;
- have obtained a secondary school diploma: applicants must upload, in the application form, a diploma certificate including the list of subjects and grades (transcript of records), together with a certified Italian translation;
- possess Italian language proficiency at B1 level.
Organization and Academic Calendar
The Foundation Year will be activated with a minimum of 10 students and a maximum of 40 students. The program lasts one academic year (from November 15, 2026, to July 31, 2027) and is divided into two semesters.
For the academic year 2026/2027, the two semesters will be organized as follows:
- First semester: from November 16, 2026 to February 2027 (online).
- Second semester: from March 2027, to July 2027 (in-person).
Please note: Students must complete all the required academic activities, including final examinations, no later than July 31, 2027, in order to proceed with possible enrollment at the University of Catania (UNICT) by the final deadline of September 30, 2027.
The two semesters will be structured as follows:
First Semester
| Period | Teaching Activities | Hours | ECTS Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| From November 16 to December 22, 2026 | Online Italian language course (pre-intermediate level) with tutor support | 84 | 14 |
|
Students will be placed in either the pre-intermediate or the intermediate course, according to the tutor’s assessment of their level. |
|||
| From November 16 to December 22, 2026 | Online Italian language course (intermediate level) with tutor support | 84 | 14 |
| From November 16 to December 22, 2026 | Online English language course (pre-intermediate level) with tutor support | 36 | 6 |
|
Students will be placed in either the pre-intermediate or the intermediate course, according to the tutor’s assessment of their level. |
|||
| From November 16 to December 22, 2026 | Online English language course (intermediate level) with tutor support | 36 | 6 |
| From January 20 to February 22, 2027 | Intensive in-person Italian language course with tutor support | 36 | 6 |
| From January 20 to February 22, 2027 | Intensive in-person English language course with tutor support | 24 | 4 |
Total ECTS credits earned during the I Semester: 30
Second Semester
| Period | Teaching Activities | Hours | ECTS Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| From March 1 to July 31, 2027 | In-person Italian language course with tutor support | 36 | 6 |
| From March 1 to July 31, 2027 | 2 or 3 first-year courses (up to a total of 18 ECTS credits) offered within UNICT Bachelor’s degree programs related to one of the following areas, depending on the students’ future academic choices and enrollment opportunities: 1. Humanities 2. Economics and Law 3. Scientific Area (Biology, Pharmacy, Agriculture, Mathematics, Computer Science, etc.) 4. Medical and Healthcare Area (including Nursing) |
108 | 18 |
| From March 1 to July 31, 2027 | Preparation course for the CILS certification | 12 | 2 |
| From March 1 to July 31, 2027 | Cultural mediation activities | 2 | |
| From March 1 to July 31, 2027 | Final examination | 2 | |
| June 2027 | Final course examinations | ||
| July 2027 | Possible resit examinations |
Total ECTS credits earned during the II Semester: 30
Total number of ECTS credits earned during the Foundation Year: 60
Total credits earned during the Foundation Year: 60 CFU
Attendance at educational activities is mandatory. Students who attend less than 80% of the classes scheduled for each individual course (unless their absence has been certified due to serious health or personal reasons) will be considered withdrawn from the Foundation Year and will forfeit the tuition fees already paid.
Educational Offer
The course catalogue presented here refers to the second semester (March–June) of the academic year 2026/2027.
By opening the links to the individual degree programs, users can access the program pages, where they can find information on the courses and all related details. Each course page also includes a button for automatic translation into English.
Tuition Fees
Student contribution: €2,540.00
- Advance payment:
First installment: by and no later than 30/10/2026 - 950,00 euro
Second installment: by and no later than 26/11/2026 - 950,00 euro
Third installment: by and no later than 15/01/2027 - 100,00 euro
- Balance payment (for the purchase of single courses related to second-semester subjects): €540.00 by March 3, 2027
The fee includes:
- insurance coverage for accidents and civil liability during in-person educational activities;
- the CILS B2 Certification;
- the ALTISSIA English language certificate;
- tutoring activities;
- access to the services and facilities of the University of Catania available to UniCt students.
The fee does not include:
- travel expenses;
- visa costs;
- accommodation;
- meals;
- books, dictionaries, and other publications;
- health insurance;
- personal living expenses.
How to Apply
To enroll in the Foundation Year at the University of Catania, applicants must follow a few simple steps:
- No later than September 11, 2026, interested candidates must complete the online application form for preliminary enrollment in the Foundation Year and, for those who do not already possess a B1 level Italian language certification, register for the language proficiency assessment tests organized by the School of Italian Language and Culture for Foreigners of the University of Catania. The following documents must be attached to the application form:
- copy of passport;
- transcript of records;
- original version of the upper secondary school diploma (or a photocopy of the original), together with a certified Italian translation and a Declaration of Value issued by the competent Italian diplomatic authorities;
- B1 level Italian language certification, in order to benefit from exemption from the language proficiency assessment tests.
- No later than September 18, 2026, candidates will receive an email communication regarding the acceptance or rejection of their application and the date of the online admission tests. Participation in these tests is mandatory for applicants who do not already hold a B1 level Italian language certification; failure to participate will result in exclusion from the program.
- No later than September 25, 2026, the online language proficiency assessment tests organized by the School of Italian Language and Culture for Foreigners of the University of Catania will take place. The results will be communicated by September 29 2026.
- No later than October, 2026, admitted candidates will receive an official letter of admission and confirmation that a place has been reserved for them for the academic year 2026–2027. With the admission letter, candidates may independently proceed with registration on the Universitaly portal.
- No later than January 18, 2027, candidates must have obtained the study visa and send a copy of it to the offices of the School of Italian Language and Culture for Foreigners of the University of Catania (italstra@unict.it). If the visa has not been obtained by this date, the candidate will be excluded from the Foundation Year, and may apply for a remboursement of € 950,000.