Contacts & FAQs

CONTACTS

Who can I contact to find out more about the Foundation Year?

For further information, please write to: foundationyear@unipr.it

FOUNDATION YEAR (ACADEMIC YEAR 2023/2024)

What is the Foundation Year?

It is an eleven-month, full immersion preparatory programme offered, in Italian and English, by the University of Parma to guarantee prospective international students the opportunity to approach the Italian academic world, improve their communicative and cultural competence and fill educational or linguistic gaps, in view of their enrolment on degree courses, run either in Italian or English, at the University of Parma or application to other Italian universities.

The Foundation Year prepares students as to allow them to meet the minimum requirements requested by the Italian higher education system.

It is offered by the University of Parma.

Who is the Foundation Year designed for?

It addresses prospective students wishing to enroll at an Italian university but who have linguistic and/or educational gaps to be filled in order to be able to access university in Italy. In particular, students who lack some fundamental requisites:

certified competence in the Italian language at a B2 level;
certified competence in the English language at a B2 level (needed for most degree programmes run in English);
a minimum of 12 years of schooling.

The Foundation Year is also aimed at developing other educational and cultural competences needed to better integrate in an academic context in Italy, regardless of the number of years of schooling students have.
Therefore, candidates may also apply even if they already have 12 years of schooling.

What are the main objectives of the Foundation Year?

Thanks to this programme, international students will have the opportunity to improve their language competence in Italian and English, their intercultural communicative skills and cultural knowledge of Italy and the Italian way of life. They will also be introduced to the Italian academic world in order to acquire essential skills as regards methodological issues and successful interaction with university life.

By the end of the course, students who have reached a B2 level in Italian will be able to sit for a language exam to obtain an international certificate in Italian. Such a certificate will allow them to enroll on a degree course at any Italian university.

As an alternative, students who wish to enroll on a degree course at the University of Parma will be allowed to acquire a language certificate called Italstudio Università issued by the University of Parma which suits the purpose. Students who intend to enroll on degree programmes delivered in English will be able to take a test to obtain an international language certificate in English at a B2 level.

What are the admission requirements?

At least 11 years of schooling from primary education to graduation from high school.

Secondary school leaving qualification with a full transcript of records, accompanied by a translation in Italian language officially legalized by the competent Italian Consulate in the country of residence, together with a corresponding Declaration of Value issued by the Italian authorities in the country, the educational system of the student’s school refers to.

Language competence in English (or Italian).

Which is the language competence level required from a student willing to enroll on the Foundation Year?

Students without any knowledge of Italian (absolute beginners) are accepted on the course, as well as students with an A1/A2 level (or more).

Students who do not possess a B1 competence level in Italian are accepted on the course, provided they can prove of intermediate competence level in English. In order to allow the Foundation Year Admission Board to assess their English language competence level, prospective students are requested to send information regarding the number of years of English language learning at school or other, or a copy of any possessed English language certificate, or any other type of evidence useful to determine their language competence in English.

Which language competence will a student reach at the end of the Foundation Year?

Students will be guided from an elementary to an intermediate level, with the aim to reach a B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This corresponds to the level required by law for admission to a degree course at any Italian university.

Will a student be able to enroll on an Italian university after finishing the Foundation Year?

Students who do not have 12 years of schooling must obtain 60 credits as awarded by the Foundation Year’s General Study Programme to fulfill that requirement and hold a language certificate.

At the University of Parma students have two possibilities:

those who pass the Italian language final exam Italstudio Università of the University of Parma at a B2 level will be exempted from taking the proficiency test of Italian to enroll on a degree course at the University of Parma;
those who obtain the Plida certificate at a B2 level (accredited by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation) will be able to apply to any Italian University;
those who obtain an international English language certificate at a B2 or advanced level (according to the requirements of the programme run in English they to enrol at) will be able to ask for admission at the university where the selected programme is taught.

What will a student who completes the Foundation Year be able to study?

With a certified B2 level of Italian a student can apply to any Italian university. At the University of Parma, the areas to select from are:

Economics, Law and Politics
Humanities
Science
Engineering and Architecture
Mathematics
Computer sciences
Medicine
Veterinary Science
Food science and Pharmacy

Some of the degree courses accept a limited number of students, others have no limitations.
For further information on the degree courses offered at the University of Parma, please see https://en.unipr.it/studying.

How is the Foundation Year organised?

The course runs from September 2023 to July 2024.

Students can choose between two study programmes run in Italian or English consisting of

310 hours of classroom lessons, 150 hours of blended lessons e 1040 hours of self-study and tutoring, 1500 hours total (38 credits).

The course is divided into two semesters (September-January; February-July) with the possibility to start in mid- September 2023 (“Early bird” course), at the beginning of October 2023 (“Regular” course), or later for “Dante” programme.

Is attendance compulsory?

Attendance is mandatory. Unless their irregular attendance is due to serious health or personal problems, students with less than 70% of attendance on each course will be excluded from the Foundation Year and lose the registration fee.

Are there exams at the end of the courses?

There are forms of assessment in each course and final coursework at the end of the Foundation Year.

Will I receive a final diploma?

At the end of the Foundation Year students who have concluded the General Study Programme will obtain a certificate of attendance which qualifies them to enroll at an Italian university even with less than 12 years of schooling. Some university programmes in Italy require prospective students to take an admission test.

Students with 12 or more years of schooling can access higher education in Italy provided they have the language level certified as required (B2) or the level required by programmes delivered in English.

What happens if I don't obtain all the credits by July 2024?

Students will be allowed to re-enroll and take the exams to make up or the remaing amount of credits. Fees will be calculated proportionally considering the remaing amount needed (€ 300 for 1 to 5 credits, € 400 for 6, € 800 for 12, ...)

How much does the Foundation Year cost?

There is a fee of € 4.000.

Students enrolled on the PIFY Programme offered by the Dante Alighieri Society and the University of Parma are entitled to a 20% fee reduction.

What is the registration procedure and deadline?

In order to apply for the Foundation Year at the University of Parma, you have to follow these steps:

Fill out the online application form by 15 July 2023 “Early Birds” students, by 15 August 2023 for “Regular” and “Dante” students, or 30 September for students not admitted to the degree course in medicine and surgery after taking the admission test.
Attach:
- transcript of records of the last secondary school year;
- copy of Passport;
- an original version of the secondary school leaving qualification (or a copy of the original version), officially translated into Italian, and Declaration of Value (if you have it) issued by the Italian authorities in the country of residence;
- evidence of language competence in English or Italian.
Applicants will receive an Admission Letter and will enroll on the FY Programme through the website Universitaly submitting a pre-enrolment request form (please, see the guide).
The University of Parma will issue a Validation Letter once applicants have paid 15% of tuition fees and sent a copy of the money transfer receipt to foundationyear@unipr.it.
Applicants holding their Admission Letter and Validation Letter are requested to apply for a type D Visa (study purpose) at the Italian Embassy/Consulate in their home country.

* It is not mandatory to produce the Declaration of Value at this stage; applicants can produce it after having applied on the Universitaly portal. Nonetheless, this document is necessary in order to complete the enrolment process.

When is the balance due?

Prospective students are requested to pay 65% of tuition fee by:

“Early Birds”: 10 September 2023;
“Regular” and “Dante” students and students not admitted to the degree course in medicine and surgery after taking the admission test: 1 October 2023.

The remaining 20% of total tuition fees is due by:

“Early Birds”: 1 October 2023;
“Regular” , “Dante” and students not admitted to the degree course in medicine and surgery after taking the admission test: 22 October 2023.

What does the tuition fee include?

The fee includes teaching activities as described in the tables above, an insurance policy covering injuries and accidents occurred while studying on the premises of the University of Parma, handouts and teaching materials and tutoring, access to facilities and services of the University of Parma.

The fee does not include housing, meals, health insurance policy, books, dictionaries and other published materials, personal expenses, the Plida certificate fees.

Which are the dates to keep in mind?

The Foundation Year starts in September 2023 and ends in July 2024.

Previous to that:

Applicants are to submit their application by 15 July 2023 “Early Birds” students, by 15 August 2024 for “Regular” and “Dante” students and by 30 September students not admitted to the degree course in medicine and surgery after taking the admission test.
Applicants will receive Admission Letter and will enroll on the FY Programme through the website Universitaly, submitting a pre-enrolment request form (please, see the guide).
The University of Parma will issue a Validation Letter once applicants have paid 15% of tuition fees and sent a copy of the money transfer receipt to foundationyear@unipr.it.
A 65% deposit on the total amount due for the Foundation Year fee will have to be paid by 10 September 2023 (“Early Bird” students) and by 1 October 2023 (“Regular”, “Dante” ”, “Dante” and “Music study programme” students and students not admitted to the degree course in medicine and surgery after taking the admission test).
Classes start in mid-September (“Early Bird” students) and at the beginning of October (“Regular” and “Dante” students), or later for students not admitted to the degree course in medicine and surgery after taking the admission test. The final fee payment (20%) is due by 1 October 2023 (“Early Bird” students) and by 22 October 2023 (“Regular”, “Dante” and students not admitted to the degree course in medicine and surgery after taking the admission test).