University of Padua (UNIPD)

The University of Padua (UNIPD) was established in Padua in 1222 as Universitas Iuristarum.

Since the educational institution has an ancient history, a lot of interesting facts have accumulated, from which it is possible to identify the most significant:

• In the 15-18 centuries the institution was considered the main educational center of the entire Venetian Republic.
• In 1545 a botanical garden was established, which is considered to be the oldest in Europe.
• Galileo Galilei, being a teacher at the Faculty of Astronomy, made a telescope with a 3x magnification. This was his first invention, which gave rise to the study of the satellites of Jupiter.
• In 1595 Girolamo Fabricius (lecturer in the medical faculty) opened an anatomical theater. He was the first in all of Europe.
• For the first time around the world, a woman named Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia received a Ph.D. This event occurred in 1678.

The educational institution itself resembles a fortress with towers, numerous passages and stairs.

Famous graduates

The list of famous personalities who graduated from the University of Padua is very large. The loudest names are:

• Francesco Barbaro (humanist, philologist, diplomat);
• Tommaso Campanella (philosopher, theologian, writer);
• Vincent Corwin-Gonsevsky (statesman);
• Anna Kulishova (revolutionary-populist);
• Hieronymus Augustine Lubomirsky (military and statesman);
• Peter Myshkovsky (statesman);
• Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (thinker);
• Pavel Stefanovich Pototsky (Earl, Polish commander);
• Yakov Sedovsky (writer, poet);
• Paolo far Pozzo Toscanelli (scientist in the field of astronomy);
• Benedetto Castelli (physicist, mathematician);
• Johann Krato von Krafftheim (healer);
• Mariano Rumor (politician, statesman).
• Robert Childe (agronomist, alchemist).

Among the famous teachers were Galileo Galilei, Pietro Bembo, Nicolaus Copernicus.

Scuola Galileiana offers selected students a personalized, interdisciplinary course of study. Its enhanced curriculum complements their main degree and includes cultural events, seminars, laboratory sessions, and tutoring.

The university offers psychological and psychiatric support, medical care, and access to services provided by partner institutions. Its dual-career program helps student-athletes combine their studies with high-performance sports.

The OrariUniPD app displays class and exam schedules, along with occupancy information for classrooms and study spaces. Students can also use it to record attendance when this feature is available.

Scuola Galileiana offers three study tracks: a five-year course, a master’s course, and a doctoral course. Its structure includes three classes, one of which focuses on social sciences and has operated since 2014.

Unipd Executive Learning brings together Master, Corsi di Perfezionamento, and Alta Formazione programs. They support professional and cultural development while building interdisciplinary and applied skills across various scientific and technical fields.

• Scuola Galileiana was founded in 2004 and originally consisted of the Scienze Morali and Scienze Naturali classes,
• Scuola Galileiana has more than 170 students.

Students have access to 2 ESU restaurants and 14 partner dining halls, including on Saturdays and Sundays.

Places in ESU residences are available through a competitive selection process to students from outside the area, those who commute to the university each day, and students with mobility or visual impairments. The selection is open to students in bachelor’s, master’s, single-cycle master’s, doctoral, and specialization school programs.

Scuola Galileiana students receive accommodation and meals free of charge.

Students can take part in national and international university competitions, interdisciplinary sports groups, cooking courses, and activities focused on improving sleep. They also have access to services offered by CUS Padova.

The Musica e/è Scienza festival was founded in 2018 at the initiative of the university choir Corollario. Its program explores the relationship between music and science through concerts, seminars, and practical sessions.

The university has consistently placed among the top three in the Censis ranking for the overall quality of its services and infrastructure.

The bachelor’s course catalog includes programs in the following fields:

• humanities,
• natural sciences,
• engineering,
• economics,
• law,
• psychology,
• agriculture,
• cultural studies.

Palazzo del Bo is the historic headquarters of the University of Padua.

Eduroam is available in every university building. Students can reserve library seats, check classroom availability and class schedules, use online services, and study in classrooms equipped with digital technology.

The digital library supports document searches, remote access to periodicals and databases, bibliographic research, and access to multimedia materials.

An inclusive remote tour of Palazzo del Bo is available via a robot operated by staff.

Academic programs begin in late September or early October. Enrollment directly into the second semester is not available.

Before applying, candidates should review the requirements for their chosen program and prepare the necessary documents.

An international applicant is a candidate who holds a qualification earned outside Italy and plans to complete a full course of study in Italy.

• a bachelor’s or single-cycle master’s program requires an upper secondary school qualification earned after at least 12 years of education,
• applicants with 10 or 11 years of school education may make up the missing period by completing one or two years of university study and passing all required exams, or by completing one or two years of a foundation program at an Italian university,
• applicants from countries where access to higher education depends on an academic aptitude examination must provide proof that they passed it,
• a master’s program requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent foreign qualification that meets the program requirements and was awarded by an accredited university,
• the application must include a valid passport (or an identity card for EU applicants), and non-EU applicants already living in Italy must also include an Italian residence permit,
• the complete application package includes an academic transcript, an upper secondary or higher education qualification, a résumé, a motivation letter, a language certificate, and any documents specifically required by the chosen program,
• all documents must be uploaded in PDF format,
• diplomas and academic transcripts must be official and written or officially translated into Italian or English,
• document legalization is not required at the application stage,
• international applicants may select no more than two programs in one academic year and cannot apply again to the same course in another round that year,
• after submission, attached documents cannot be removed or replaced, but new documents may be added when necessary. Information entered in the application form cannot be removed or changed.

The university offers full or partial tuition waivers, paid 200-hour work opportunities, rental assistance, support for student-athletes, and incentives for students in STEM programs.

Scuola Galileiana students receive funding for study-related expenses and academic mobility.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision