Overseas

The Overseas programme is run and funded entirely by the University of Bologna and is the result of collaboration agreements signed by the University with other universities in countries outside the European Union.

• What is it, and what use is it to you?
• Who can take part?
• What does it offer?
• Where can you go?
• How to take part
• How long does the exchange last?
• Can I be granted financial support?
• FAQs

What is it, and what use is it to you?

Overseas is an exchange programme offering student mobility outside of the European Union, allowing students to spend time studying in partner universities that have signed mobility agreements with the University. The programme offers students the chance to take attend courses and in some specific cases take part in research for dissertation purposes, take Oriental language courses (Chinese and Japanese) or work as an Italian foreign language assistant.

Who can take part?

• Students enrolled in the second year or above of a first or single cycle programme at the University of Bologna, or the first year of a second cycle degree.
• Students with suitable language skills and who also meet the other specific requirements of the partner universities.

• students who do not receive, during the same period in which they benefit from an Overseas exchange, any other type of EU funding or funding provided by the University of Bologna for a study period abroad (for example, an Erasmus+ grant or a thesis preparation grant managed by the Departments).

What does it offer?

The Overseas programme  exempt you from paying tuition fees at the host university, and  grants you access to the same services offered by the foreign university to its own students. Youare required to pay  tuition fees at the University of Bologna, and you must also pay for your visa and medical insurance. The University of Bologna covers some of the expenditure incurred abroad, to a variable amount depending on the length of your stay. In order to keep the Overseas grant,  you must fulfil a number of rights and obligations, including attendance of courses or other learning activities that are recognised by the host university. On return from the exchange period, youmay apply to your Degree Programme for the recognition of the credits youhave earned abroad.

Where can you go?

You can spend time studying abroad in a university in four different continents: Europe, the Americas, Asia and Oceania. The partner universities include the University of California, l’Université de Montréal, Kansai Gaidai University, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. To find out more about the possible destinations, consult the Overseas calls and the information sheets on each university.

How to take part

To take part in the Overseas 2026/27 programme (deadline: 12 November 2025, 1:00 p.m.):

1. You must possess the requirements and language certifications laid down by the partner university. For details on each university, please consult the relative call for applications and information sheets;
2. To apply for a place at a university working in the English language, you must hold TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge certification. Please check the TOEFL,and IELTS and Cambridge websites for details;
3. Before leaving, contact your professors to draft a coherent study plan, as far as possible in line with your own curriculum (consult the on-line catalogues at the partner university to find out about the courses available and the departments open to exchange students). This will facilitate the recognition of your learning activities undertaken abroad by the Degree Programme on your return.
4. You can apply for three different exchange programmes, for example the University of Chicago, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Dalian University of Foreign Languages. With the application form, you must provide:
   - the requested language certificates;
   - a draft study plan for the places you wish to apply for. Here you must illustrate your academic motivations for applying for the Overseas programme, the specific motivations for the choice of partner universities, and finally a description of the learning activities to be undertaken in each place. You must read the call for applications carefully before applying.

How long does the exchange last?

You can spend a semester or a full academic year abroad. The exact duration of the exchange programme depends on the academic calendar of the partner university. The minimum period for receiving the grant for the semester is three months, or eight months for the full academic year.

Can I be granted financial support?

Yes, the overseas financial contribution, provided by University of Bologna, will be calculated on the student’s ISEE (Equivalent Financial Situation Indicator). You are strongly encouraged to apply for the ISEE certificate well in advance. In order to obtain an ISEE certificate, you may turn to either INPS (Italian National Pension Institute), or a tax assistance centre (CAF) or the Municipality offices and you must expressly request the ISEE calculation for services for the right to higher education. 

If you are an international student with income and/or assets outside Italy, you can’t apply for ISEE calculation, but you must submit the documentation related to economic and asset conditions issued by the competent authority in the country where the income was generated and the assets are owned. The documentation must be translated into Italian and legalized by the Italian diplomatic authorities with territorial jurisdiction or, where required, apostilled. More information on the following webpage ISEE and other documentation for tuition fee exemptions.

Deadlines and procedures to submit ISSE certification to Unibo for the overseas contribution are those applied for the calculation of students’ tuition fees. The procedures for the submission of ISEE certification and the different amounts of the overseas contribution, calculated according to students’ ISSE, will be extensively described in the Overseas call for application.

Overseas selected applicants who fail to submit their ISEE certifications will be awarded the lowest overseas contribution provided by University of Bologna.

FAQs

Please read the FAQs carefully.