77 Best universities for Literature 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 Literature. A graph of 964K citations received by 59.6K 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

#116 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

2. University of Bologna

Emilia-Romagna | Bologna

For Literature

#45 in Europe

#136 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 79,999
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

#58 in Europe

#166 in the World

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

5. University of Pisa

For Literature

#65 in Europe

#182 in the World

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

6. University of Turin

Piedmont | Turin

For Literature

#78 in Europe

#209 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

#123 in Europe

#313 in the World

Enrollment: 73,553
Founded: 1224

9. Polytechnic University of Milan

Lombardy | Milan

For Literature

#143 in Europe

#351 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

#178 in Europe

#428 in the World

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

11. University of Genoa

Liguria | Genoa

For Literature

#181 in Europe

#435 in the World

Enrollment: 36,728
Founded: 1481

12. University of Rome Tor Vergata

For Literature

#189 in Europe

#450 in the World

Founded: 1982

13. Polytechnic University of Turin

Piedmont | Turin

For Literature

#218 in Europe

#518 in the World

Founded: 1859

14. University of Salerno

Campania | Salerno

For Literature

#233 in Europe

#550 in the World

Enrollment: 33,332
Founded: 1944

15. University of Bari

For Literature

#236 in Europe

#556 in the World

Founded: 1924

16. University of Verona

Veneto | Verona

For Literature

#249 in Europe

#586 in the World

Enrollment: 23,000
Founded: 1959

17. University of Parma

Emilia-Romagna | Parma

For Literature

#250 in Europe

#588 in the World

Founded: 1117

18. University of Pavia

Lombardy | Pavia

For Literature

#256 in Europe

#611 in the World

Enrollment: 23,849
Founded: 1361

19. University of Perugia

Umbria | Perugia

For Literature

#259 in Europe

#616 in the World

Enrollment: 26,732
Founded: 1308

20. Ca' Foscari University of Venice

Veneto | Venice

For Literature

#260 in Europe

#622 in the World

Founded: 1868

21. University of Trieste

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Trieste

For Literature

#262 in Europe

#624 in the World

Founded: 1877

22. University of Siena

Tuscany | Siena

For Literature

#268 in Europe

#632 in the World

Founded: 1240

23. University of Palermo

Sicily | Palermo

For Literature

#269 in Europe

#635 in the World

Founded: 1806

24. University of Milano-Bicocca

Lombardy | Milan

For Literature

#270 in Europe

#637 in the World

Enrollment: 33,741
Founded: 1998

25. Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Lombardy | Milan

For Literature

#271 in Europe

#638 in the World

Founded: 1921

26. Normal School of Pisa

For Literature

#272 in Europe

#641 in the World

Founded: 1810

27. University of Udine

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Udine

For Literature

#282 in Europe

#670 in the World

Founded: 1978

28. University of Catania

Sicily | Catania

For Literature

#285 in Europe

#674 in the World

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

29. University of Cagliari

Sardinia | Cagliari

For Literature

#293 in Europe

#699 in the World

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

30. Roma Tre University

For Literature

#306 in Europe

#733 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1992

31. University of Messina

Sicily | Messina

For Literature

#312 in Europe

#756 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. International School for Advanced Studies

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Trieste

For Literature

#335 in Europe

#842 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1978

34. Bocconi University

Lombardy | Milan

For Literature

#339 in Europe

#852 in the World

Founded: 1902

35. University of Aquila

Abruzzo | L'Aquila

For Literature

#340 in Europe

#855 in the World

Founded: 1596

36. University of Calabria

Calabria | Cosenza

For Literature

#352 in Europe

#876 in the World

Founded: 1972

37. Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies

For Literature

#374 in Europe

#947 in the World

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

38. University of Eastern Piedmont

Piedmont | Vercelli

For Literature

#389 in Europe

#1013 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 1998

39. University of Ferrara

Emilia-Romagna | Ferrara

For Literature

#404 in Europe

#1063 in the World

Enrollment: 22,800
Founded: 1391

40. Carlo Bo University of Urbino

Marche | Urbino

For Literature

#408 in Europe

#1072 in the World

Enrollment: 22,000
Founded: 1506

41. University of Salento

For Literature

#424 in Europe

#1122 in the World

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

42. University of Sassari

Sardinia | Sassari

For Literature

#432 in Europe

#1156 in the World

Founded: 1558

43. University of Bergamo

Lombardy | Bergamo

For Literature

#450 in Europe

#1201 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1968

44. G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti

Abruzzo | Chieti

For Literature

#453 in Europe

#1206 in the World

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

45. Free University of Bozen

Trentino-South Tyrol | Bolzano

For Literature

#466 in Europe

#1260 in the World

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

46. University of Brescia

Lombardy | Brescia

For Literature

#476 in Europe

#1305 in the World

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

47. University of Macerata

Marche | Macerata

For Literature

#493 in Europe

#1351 in the World

Enrollment: 9,646
Founded: 1290

48. Polytechnical University of Marche

Marche | Ancona

For Literature

#499 in Europe

#1391 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1969

49. University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli

Campania | Caserta

For Literature

#512 in Europe

#1442 in the World

Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1991

50. University of Insubria

Lombardy | Varese

For Literature

#515 in Europe

#1447 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1998

51. Basilicata University

Basilicata | Potenza

For Literature

#532 in Europe

#1515 in the World

Enrollment: 6,631
Founded: 1982

52. University of Naples "L'Orientale"

Campania | Naples

For Literature

#548 in Europe

#1579 in the World

Founded: 1732

53. Polytechnic University of Bari

For Literature

#551 in Europe

#1612 in the World

Founded: 1990

54. University of Camerino

Marche | Camerino

For Literature

#557 in Europe

#1632 in the World

Founded: 1727

55. University of Foggia

Apulia | Foggia

For Literature

#582 in Europe

#1742 in the World

Founded: 1999

56. IUAV University of Venice

Veneto | Venice

For Literature

#605 in Europe

#1844 in the World

Founded: 1926

57. University of Tuscia

Lazio | Viterbo

For Literature

#628 in Europe

#1934 in the World

Founded: 1979

58. University of Cassino and Southern Lazio

Lazio | Cassino

For Literature

#629 in Europe

#1944 in the World

Founded: 1979

59. University of Molise

Molise | Campobasso

For Literature

#649 in Europe

#2030 in the World

Founded: 1982

60. Vita-Salute San Raffaele University

Lombardy | Milan

For Literature

#657 in Europe

#2076 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1996

61. IULM University

Lombardy | Milan

For Literature

#706 in Europe

#2281 in the World

Enrollment: 5,741
Founded: 1968

62. Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria

Calabria | Reggio Calabria

For Literature

#719 in Europe

#2322 in the World

Enrollment: 8,950
Founded: 1982

63. Parthenope University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Literature

#749 in Europe

#2469 in the World

Founded: 1895

64. LUISS University

For Literature

#776 in Europe

#2632 in the World

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

65. University of Teramo

Abruzzo | Teramo

For Literature

#792 in Europe

#2710 in the World

Enrollment: 5,057
Founded: 1993

66. Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome

For Literature

#798 in Europe

#2747 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1993

67. University of Sannio

Campania | Benevento

For Literature

#804 in Europe

#2774 in the World

Founded: 1998

68. University of Catanzaro

Calabria | Catanzaro

For Literature

#830 in Europe

#2915 in the World

Founded: 1998

69. Foro Italico University of Rome

For Literature

#872 in Europe

#3159 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Founded: 1998

70. Kore University of Enna

For Literature

#926 in Europe

#3471 in the World

Founded: 2005

71. Pontifical Gregorian University

For Literature

#928 in Europe

#3483 in the World

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

72. Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Literature

#932 in Europe

#3501 in the World

Founded: 2004

73. Maria Santissima Assunta Free University

For Literature

#939 in Europe

#3539 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1939

74. Pontifical University Antonianum

For Literature

#993 in Europe

#3883 in the World

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

75. University of Italian Studies for Foreigners of Siena

Tuscany | Siena

For Literature

#1002 in Europe

#3923 in the World

Enrollment: 1,719
Founded: 1917

76. Pontifical University of the Holy Cross

For Literature

#1049 in Europe

#4154 in the World

Founded: 1984

77. University of Italian Studies for Foreigners of Perugia

Umbria | Perugia

For Literature

#1075 in Europe

#4279 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.