80 Best Art & Design schools in Italy

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Italy ranked based on their research performance in Art & Design. A graph of 3.8M citations received by 205K academic papers made by 80 universities in Italy was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of Bologna

Emilia-Romagna | Bologna

For Art & Design

#38 in Europe

#122 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 79,999
Founded: 1088

2. Sapienza University of Rome

For Art & Design

#42 in Europe

#128 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

3. Polytechnic University of Milan

Lombardy | Milan

For Art & Design

#55 in Europe

#160 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Enrollment: 48,645
Male:Female: 65:35
Founded: 1863

4. University of Padua

For Art & Design

#56 in Europe

#161 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 62,876
Founded: 1222

5. University of Milan

Lombardy | Milan

For Art & Design

#65 in Europe

#187 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 65,234
Founded: 1924

6. University of Florence

Tuscany | Florence

For Art & Design

#90 in Europe

#246 in the World

Founded: 1321

7. University of Pisa

For Art & Design

#95 in Europe

#260 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 49,108
Founded: 1343

8. University of Turin

Piedmont | Turin

For Art & Design

#117 in Europe

#300 in the World

Founded: 1404

9. Federico II University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Art & Design

#120 in Europe

#305 in the World

Enrollment: 73,553
Founded: 1224

10. Polytechnic University of Turin

Piedmont | Turin

For Art & Design

#131 in Europe

#332 in the World

Founded: 1859

11. University of Trento

Trentino-South Tyrol | Trento

For Art & Design

#154 in Europe

#389 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 16,239
Founded: 1962

12. University of Genoa

Liguria | Genoa

For Art & Design

#156 in Europe

#393 in the World

Enrollment: 36,728
Founded: 1481

13. University of Rome Tor Vergata

For Art & Design

#206 in Europe

#498 in the World

Founded: 1982

14. University of Bari

For Art & Design

#207 in Europe

#503 in the World

Founded: 1924

15. University of Salerno

Campania | Salerno

For Art & Design

#213 in Europe

#520 in the World

Enrollment: 33,332
Founded: 1944

16. University of Parma

Emilia-Romagna | Parma

For Art & Design

#229 in Europe

#560 in the World

Founded: 1117

17. University of Verona

Veneto | Verona

For Art & Design

#231 in Europe

#562 in the World

Enrollment: 23,000
Founded: 1959

18. University of Milano-Bicocca

Lombardy | Milan

For Art & Design

#238 in Europe

#576 in the World

Enrollment: 33,741
Founded: 1998

19. University of Pavia

Lombardy | Pavia

For Art & Design

#240 in Europe

#579 in the World

Enrollment: 23,849
Founded: 1361

20. University of Catania

Sicily | Catania

For Art & Design

#249 in Europe

#595 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 44,338
Founded: 1434

21. University of Palermo

Sicily | Palermo

For Art & Design

#254 in Europe

#602 in the World

Founded: 1806

22. University of Perugia

Umbria | Perugia

For Art & Design

#255 in Europe

#607 in the World

Enrollment: 26,732
Founded: 1308

23. University of Siena

Tuscany | Siena

For Art & Design

#260 in Europe

#622 in the World

Founded: 1240

24. Ca' Foscari University of Venice

Veneto | Venice

For Art & Design

#267 in Europe

#642 in the World

Founded: 1868

25. University of Modena and Reggio Emilia

Emilia-Romagna | Modena

For Art & Design

#270 in Europe

#646 in the World

Founded: 1175

26. Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Lombardy | Milan

For Art & Design

#274 in Europe

#660 in the World

Founded: 1921

27. Roma Tre University

For Art & Design

#278 in Europe

#668 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1992

28. University of Cagliari

Sardinia | Cagliari

For Art & Design

#279 in Europe

#670 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 26,069
Founded: 1620

29. University of Udine

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Udine

For Art & Design

#287 in Europe

#688 in the World

Founded: 1978

30. Bocconi University

Lombardy | Milan

For Art & Design

#292 in Europe

#701 in the World

Founded: 1902

31. University of Calabria

Calabria | Cosenza

For Art & Design

#301 in Europe

#728 in the World

Founded: 1972

32. Polytechnical University of Marche

Marche | Ancona

For Art & Design

#310 in Europe

#753 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1969

33. University of Aquila

Abruzzo | L'Aquila

For Art & Design

#313 in Europe

#766 in the World

Founded: 1596

34. University of Trieste

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Trieste

For Art & Design

#314 in Europe

#771 in the World

Founded: 1877

35. University of Messina

Sicily | Messina

For Art & Design

#329 in Europe

#803 in the World

Enrollment: 24,780
Founded: 1548

36. Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies

For Art & Design

#346 in Europe

#854 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1987

37. University of Ferrara

Emilia-Romagna | Ferrara

For Art & Design

#357 in Europe

#893 in the World

Enrollment: 22,800
Founded: 1391

38. University of Salento

For Art & Design

#384 in Europe

#968 in the World

Enrollment: 19,401
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1966

39. University of Brescia

Lombardy | Brescia

For Art & Design

#386 in Europe

#972 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 16,800
Founded: 1982

40. Normal School of Pisa

For Art & Design

#405 in Europe

#1039 in the World

Founded: 1810

41. International School for Advanced Studies

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Trieste

For Art & Design

#409 in Europe

#1048 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1978

42. Polytechnic University of Bari

For Art & Design

#420 in Europe

#1082 in the World

Founded: 1990

43. University of Sassari

Sardinia | Sassari

For Art & Design

#439 in Europe

#1134 in the World

Founded: 1558

44. University of Bergamo

Lombardy | Bergamo

For Art & Design

#449 in Europe

#1165 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1968

45. G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti

Abruzzo | Chieti

For Art & Design

#462 in Europe

#1193 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 24,716
Founded: 1965

46. Free University of Bozen

Trentino-South Tyrol | Bolzano

For Art & Design

#464 in Europe

#1196 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 3,886
Founded: 1997

47. University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli

Campania | Caserta

For Art & Design

#481 in Europe

#1239 in the World

Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1991

48. Carlo Bo University of Urbino

Marche | Urbino

For Art & Design

#483 in Europe

#1249 in the World

Enrollment: 22,000
Founded: 1506

49. University of Eastern Piedmont

Piedmont | Vercelli

For Art & Design

#515 in Europe

#1370 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 1998

50. Basilicata University

Basilicata | Potenza

For Art & Design

#523 in Europe

#1407 in the World

Enrollment: 6,631
Founded: 1982

51. Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria

Calabria | Reggio Calabria

For Art & Design

#526 in Europe

#1413 in the World

Enrollment: 8,950
Founded: 1982

52. Parthenope University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Art & Design

#531 in Europe

#1435 in the World

Founded: 1895

53. University of Insubria

Lombardy | Varese

For Art & Design

#545 in Europe

#1503 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1998

54. University of Cassino and Southern Lazio

Lazio | Cassino

For Art & Design

#565 in Europe

#1569 in the World

Founded: 1979

55. University of Tuscia

Lazio | Viterbo

For Art & Design

#571 in Europe

#1595 in the World

Founded: 1979

56. University of Sannio

Campania | Benevento

For Art & Design

#574 in Europe

#1607 in the World

Founded: 1998

57. University of Foggia

Apulia | Foggia

For Art & Design

#581 in Europe

#1642 in the World

Founded: 1999

58. University of Macerata

Marche | Macerata

For Art & Design

#582 in Europe

#1644 in the World

Enrollment: 9,646
Founded: 1290

59. IUAV University of Venice

Veneto | Venice

For Art & Design

#602 in Europe

#1740 in the World

Founded: 1926

60. University of Camerino

Marche | Camerino

For Art & Design

#615 in Europe

#1797 in the World

Founded: 1727

61. LUISS University

For Art & Design

#619 in Europe

#1805 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 9,080
Founded: 1974

62. University of Molise

Molise | Campobasso

For Art & Design

#640 in Europe

#1885 in the World

Founded: 1982

63. Vita-Salute San Raffaele University

Lombardy | Milan

For Art & Design

#690 in Europe

#2147 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1996

64. University of Naples "L'Orientale"

Campania | Naples

For Art & Design

#702 in Europe

#2218 in the World

Founded: 1732

65. IULM University

Lombardy | Milan

For Art & Design

#712 in Europe

#2272 in the World

Enrollment: 5,741
Founded: 1968

66. Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome

For Art & Design

#737 in Europe

#2400 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1993

67. University of Teramo

Abruzzo | Teramo

For Art & Design

#789 in Europe

#2699 in the World

Enrollment: 5,057
Founded: 1993

68. University of Catanzaro

Calabria | Catanzaro

For Art & Design

#812 in Europe

#2826 in the World

Founded: 1998

69. Kore University of Enna

For Art & Design

#861 in Europe

#3092 in the World

Founded: 2005

70. Maria Santissima Assunta Free University

For Art & Design

#934 in Europe

#3487 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1939

71. Foro Italico University of Rome

For Art & Design

#1019 in Europe

#3911 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Founded: 1998

72. Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Art & Design

#1027 in Europe

#3937 in the World

Founded: 2004

73. Pontifical Gregorian University

For Art & Design

#1057 in Europe

#4096 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Enrollment: 2,754
Founded: 1551

74. Carlo Cattaneo University

Lombardy | Castellanza

For Art & Design

#1068 in Europe

#4149 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1991

75. University of Italian Studies for Foreigners of Perugia

Umbria | Perugia

For Art & Design

#1183 in Europe

#4775 in the World

Founded: 1925

76. University of Gastronomic Sciences

For Art & Design

#1186 in Europe

#4781 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 2004

77. Pontifical University of the Holy Cross

For Art & Design

#1192 in Europe

#4820 in the World

Founded: 1984

78. Pontifical University Antonianum

For Art & Design

#1217 in Europe

#4962 in the World

Enrollment: 1,873
Male:Female: 51:49
Founded: 1933

79. University of Italian Studies for Foreigners of Siena

Tuscany | Siena

For Art & Design

#1247 in Europe

#5172 in the World

Enrollment: 1,719
Founded: 1917

80. Salesian Pontifical University

For Art & Design

#1272 in Europe

#5325 in the World

Enrollment: 1,738
Male:Female: 50:50
Founded: 1940

The best cities to study Art & Design in Italy based on the number of universities and their ranks are Bologna, Rome, Milan, and Padua.