77 Best universities for Literature in Italy

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Italy ranked based on their research performance in Literature. A graph of 1.04M citations received by 61.9K academic papers made by 77 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. Sapienza University of Rome

For Literature

#38 in Europe

#113 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

2. University of Bologna

Emilia-Romagna | Bologna

For Literature

#45 in Europe

#134 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 96,945
Founded: 1088

3. University of Milan

Lombardy | Milan

For Literature

#52 in Europe

#153 in the World

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

4. University of Padua

For Literature

#56 in Europe

#161 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 70,000
Founded: 1222

5. University of Pisa

For Literature

#67 in Europe

#186 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 47,736
Founded: 1343

6. University of Turin

Piedmont | Turin

For Literature

#78 in Europe

#210 in the World

Founded: 1404

7. University of Florence

Tuscany | Florence

For Literature

#84 in Europe

#225 in the World

Founded: 1321

8. Federico II University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Literature

#118 in Europe

#308 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1224

9. Polytechnic University of Milan

Lombardy | Milan

For Literature

#143 in Europe

#346 in the World

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

10. University of Trento

Trentino-South Tyrol | Trento

For Literature

#179 in Europe

#431 in the World

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

11. University of Rome Tor Vergata

For Literature

#184 in Europe

#439 in the World

Founded: 1982

12. University of Genoa

Liguria | Genoa

For Literature

#185 in Europe

#440 in the World

Enrollment: 36,728
Founded: 1481

13. Polytechnic University of Turin

Piedmont | Turin

For Literature

#220 in Europe

#526 in the World

Founded: 1859

14. University of Salerno

Campania | Salerno

For Literature

#235 in Europe

#555 in the World

Enrollment: 33,332
Founded: 1944

15. University of Bari

For Literature

#239 in Europe

#559 in the World

Founded: 1924

16. University of Parma

Emilia-Romagna | Parma

For Literature

#248 in Europe

#582 in the World

Founded: 1117

17. University of Verona

Veneto | Verona

For Literature

#250 in Europe

#591 in the World

Enrollment: 23,000
Founded: 1959

18. University of Pavia

Lombardy | Pavia

For Literature

#257 in Europe

#611 in the World

Enrollment: 23,849
Founded: 1361

19. University of Perugia

Umbria | Perugia

For Literature

#260 in Europe

#621 in the World

Enrollment: 26,732
Founded: 1308

20. Ca' Foscari University of Venice

Veneto | Venice

For Literature

#261 in Europe

#623 in the World

Founded: 1868

21. Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Lombardy | Milan

For Literature

#264 in Europe

#628 in the World

Founded: 1921

22. University of Milano-Bicocca

Lombardy | Milan

For Literature

#265 in Europe

#630 in the World

Enrollment: 33,741
Founded: 1998

23. University of Palermo

Sicily | Palermo

For Literature

#266 in Europe

#632 in the World

Founded: 1806

24. University of Trieste

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Trieste

For Literature

#272 in Europe

#639 in the World

Founded: 1877

25. University of Siena

Tuscany | Siena

For Literature

#274 in Europe

#644 in the World

Founded: 1240

26. Normal School of Pisa

For Literature

#277 in Europe

#649 in the World

Founded: 1810

27. University of Catania

Sicily | Catania

For Literature

#283 in Europe

#666 in the World

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

28. University of Udine

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Udine

For Literature

#285 in Europe

#671 in the World

Founded: 1978

29. University of Cagliari

Sardinia | Cagliari

For Literature

#293 in Europe

#697 in the World

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

30. Roma Tre University

For Literature

#305 in Europe

#735 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1992

31. University of Messina

Sicily | Messina

For Literature

#313 in Europe

#755 in the World

Enrollment: 24,780
Founded: 1548

32. University of Modena and Reggio Emilia

Emilia-Romagna | Modena

For Literature

#314 in Europe

#758 in the World

Founded: 1175

33. Bocconi University

Lombardy | Milan

For Literature

#337 in Europe

#849 in the World

Founded: 1902

34. International School for Advanced Studies

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Trieste

For Literature

#342 in Europe

#857 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1978

35. University of Aquila

Abruzzo | L'Aquila

For Literature

#347 in Europe

#869 in the World

Founded: 1596

36. University of Calabria

Calabria | Cosenza

For Literature

#350 in Europe

#876 in the World

Founded: 1972

37. Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies

For Literature

#375 in Europe

#959 in the World

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

38. University of Eastern Piedmont

Piedmont | Vercelli

For Literature

#391 in Europe

#1024 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 1998

39. University of Ferrara

Emilia-Romagna | Ferrara

For Literature

#402 in Europe

#1055 in the World

Enrollment: 22,800
Founded: 1391

40. Carlo Bo University of Urbino

Marche | Urbino

For Literature

#412 in Europe

#1081 in the World

Enrollment: 22,000
Founded: 1506

41. University of Salento

For Literature

#423 in Europe

#1125 in the World

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

42. University of Sassari

Sardinia | Sassari

For Literature

#432 in Europe

#1152 in the World

Founded: 1558

43. G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti

Abruzzo | Chieti

For Literature

#448 in Europe

#1199 in the World

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

44. University of Bergamo

Lombardy | Bergamo

For Literature

#454 in Europe

#1212 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1968

45. Free University of Bozen

Trentino-South Tyrol | Bolzano

For Literature

#463 in Europe

#1250 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 4,216
Founded: 1997

46. University of Brescia

Lombardy | Brescia

For Literature

#479 in Europe

#1309 in the World

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

47. University of Macerata

Marche | Macerata

For Literature

#492 in Europe

#1354 in the World

Enrollment: 9,646
Founded: 1290

48. Polytechnical University of Marche

Marche | Ancona

For Literature

#494 in Europe

#1363 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1969

49. University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli

Campania | Caserta

For Literature

#498 in Europe

#1384 in the World

Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1991

50. University of Insubria

Lombardy | Varese

For Literature

#515 in Europe

#1437 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1998

51. Basilicata University

Basilicata | Potenza

For Literature

#536 in Europe

#1525 in the World

Enrollment: 6,631
Founded: 1982

52. University of Naples "L'Orientale"

Campania | Naples

For Literature

#545 in Europe

#1566 in the World

Founded: 1732

53. Polytechnic University of Bari

For Literature

#551 in Europe

#1587 in the World

Founded: 1990

54. University of Camerino

Marche | Camerino

For Literature

#556 in Europe

#1630 in the World

Founded: 1727

55. University of Foggia

Apulia | Foggia

For Literature

#582 in Europe

#1738 in the World

Founded: 1999

56. IUAV University of Venice

Veneto | Venice

For Literature

#614 in Europe

#1886 in the World

Founded: 1926

57. University of Cassino and Southern Lazio

Lazio | Cassino

For Literature

#632 in Europe

#1948 in the World

Founded: 1979

58. University of Tuscia

Lazio | Viterbo

For Literature

#633 in Europe

#1956 in the World

Founded: 1979

59. University of Molise

Molise | Campobasso

For Literature

#650 in Europe

#2031 in the World

Enrollment: 9,000
Founded: 1982

60. Vita-Salute San Raffaele University

Lombardy | Milan

For Literature

#653 in Europe

#2047 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1996

61. IULM University

Lombardy | Milan

For Literature

#714 in Europe

#2309 in the World

Enrollment: 5,741
Founded: 1968

62. Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria

Calabria | Reggio Calabria

For Literature

#722 in Europe

#2347 in the World

Enrollment: 8,950
Founded: 1982

63. Parthenope University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Literature

#736 in Europe

#2416 in the World

Founded: 1895

64. LUISS University

For Literature

#777 in Europe

#2615 in the World

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

65. Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome

For Literature

#779 in Europe

#2629 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1993

66. University of Teramo

Abruzzo | Teramo

For Literature

#790 in Europe

#2689 in the World

Enrollment: 5,057
Founded: 1993

67. University of Sannio

Campania | Benevento

For Literature

#806 in Europe

#2764 in the World

Founded: 1998

68. University of Catanzaro

Calabria | Catanzaro

For Literature

#811 in Europe

#2801 in the World

Founded: 1998

69. Foro Italico University of Rome

For Literature

#865 in Europe

#3123 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Enrollment: 2,377
Founded: 1998

70. Kore University of Enna

For Literature

#919 in Europe

#3448 in the World

Founded: 2005

71. Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Literature

#921 in Europe

#3451 in the World

Founded: 2004

72. Pontifical Gregorian University

For Literature

#934 in Europe

#3521 in the World

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

73. Maria Santissima Assunta Free University

For Literature

#936 in Europe

#3531 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1939

74. University of Italian Studies for Foreigners of Siena

Tuscany | Siena

For Literature

#1003 in Europe

#3918 in the World

Enrollment: 1,500
Founded: 1917

75. Pontifical University Antonianum

For Literature

#1007 in Europe

#3945 in the World

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

76. Pontifical University of the Holy Cross

For Literature

#1058 in Europe

#4218 in the World

Founded: 1984

77. University of Italian Studies for Foreigners of Perugia

Umbria | Perugia

For Literature

#1088 in Europe

#4350 in the World

Founded: 1925

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