Changing your degree programme within Unibo or transferring to another university

If you decide to change your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme, you can transfer during the academic year while keeping the credits you have acquired.

If you already have identified another degree programme, you can check the website and the call for applications or admission notice.

Choose a first cycle or single cycle degree programme

Choose a second cycle degree programme

If you are still unsure about which path to take, get in touch for a guidance counselling session.

A transfer application is required to change degree programme. This process will involve the Student Administration Offices (if different) of both your current and new degree programme. In order to transfer to a new degree programme, you must check your career status, make sure that you have paid all tuition fees and submit a transfer application via Studenti Online.

Before applying for a transfer, you must ensure that you meet the admission requirements and complete the admission process for your chosen degree programme successfully. Be sure to follow the procedures and respect the deadlines indicated in the admission notice or call for applications.

You can apply:

• from 24 July to 21 November 2025 if the course is open access;
• within the deadlines indicated in the admission notice if the course has limited attendance.

Visit the website of the first cycle or single cycle degree programme or second cycle degree programme of your choice to learn about methods and deadlines.

Based on your academic background, the Degree Programme Board of the programme to which you wish to transfer will assess the recognition of credits already earned and the year of admission to the programme.

Following your request, all the exams from your previous academic career will be automatically evaluated and potentially recognised, without any further action required on your part.

Please note that any exams that are recognised will contribute to your final degree grade.

If you wish to exclude some exams from validation, you should:

• send by mail or deliver by appointment the credit recognition form [.docx 111 KB], with a €16 stamp duty, to the Student Administration Office of the chosen programme;
• send the form through the “Contact us section” of the Virtual Help Desk  to the Student Administration Office on the same day you submit your transfer application.

To transfer to a new degree programme, you must pay the €116 transfer fee (which includes the €16 stamp duty). There is a waiver of payment for those who enroll in the same academic year, in a programmed numbered course (national or local) of this University.

For information about benefits for the right to higher education, see the call for applications published by the Regional Authority for the Right to Higher Education (ER.GO).

In terms of benefits and reduced tuition fees, before applying for a transfer, be aware as a result of the recognition of previous credits (CFUs) acquired, your position may change with regard to access to right-to-higher education benefits and student fee reductions (full exemption/reduced contribution based on ISEE). 

For benefits related to the right to higher education and to obtain tuition fee reductions based on your ISEE (total exemption or reduced fee), the minimum number of ECTS credits required is determined starting from the year of first enrolment at the university, regardless of the year of the programme to which you will be admitted according to credit recognition. Therefore, it is very important to know that:

• for right-to-higher-education benefits, only the ECTS credits recognised on the programme you are enrolling in will be considered valid;
• to obtain tuition fee reductions, only ECTS credits obtained between 11/08/2024 and 10/08/2025 will be considered valid, regardless of their recognition on the degree programme you are enrolling in.

If you have any questions, first contact the Student Administration Office of the degree programme you are transferring to.

The degree programme system defines the structure of a bachelor's or master's degree programme when it is first introduced. It outlines potential career paths, professional profiles, as well as the knowledge and skills students are expected to acquire by the end of the programme. Additionally, it specifies the number of credits required across different subject groups. If you are enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s degree programme, the system may change during your studies. When such changes occur, modifications may be made to the curriculum and the programme structure diagram (for example, the programme could become a qualifying degree for a specific profession). In these cases, if it aligns with your academic goals, you may want to consider switching to the updated programme system.

In order to transfer to a degree programme under the new system, you must check your career status, make sure that you have paid all tuition fees and submit a transfer application via Studenti Online.

You can apply:

• from 24 July to 20 November 2025 if the course is open access;
• within the deadlines indicated in the admission notice if the course has limited attendance.

Visit the website of the first cycle or single cycle degree programme or second cycle degree programme of your choice to learn about methods and deadlines.

To transfer to a degree programme under the new system (option), you must pay the €116 transfer fee (which includes the €16 stamp duty).

For information about benefits for the right to higher education, see the call for applications published by the Regional Authority for the Right to Higher Education (ER.GO).

In terms of benefits and reduced tuition fees, before applying for a transfer, be aware as a result of the recognition of previous credits (CFUs) acquired, your position may change with regard to access to right-to-higher education benefits and student fee reductions (full exemption/reduced contribution based on ISEE). 

For benefits related to the right to higher education and to obtain tuition fee reductions based on your ISEE (total exemption or reduced fee), the minimum number of ECTS credits required is determined starting from the year of first enrolment at the university, regardless of the year of the programme to which you will be admitted according to credit recognition. Therefore, it is very important to know that:

• for right-to-higher-education benefits, only the ECTS credits recognised on the programme you are enrolling in will be considered valid;
• to obtain tuition fee reductions, only ECTS credits obtained between 11/08/2024 and 10/08/2025 will be considered valid, regardless of their recognition on the degree programme you are enrolling in.

If you have any questions, first contact the Student Administration Office of the degree programme you are transferring to.

If you have accessed part-time student status, you may be unable to continue your studies if the programme year you need to enrol in has been discontinued following a change in the system.

Example
You are enrolled in a flexible study path in year 1A for academic year 2024/2025. In A.Y. 2025/2026, when you are supposed to enrol in year 1B, the programme system changes and, therefore, the first year of the previous system you are enrolled in will be discontinued.

In this case, you will not be able to enrol in year 1B of the previous system and will have two options:

• switch to the new system and continue as a part-time student, following the instructions provided below;
• withdraw from part-time student status. In this case, you can refer to the information on the page Extending the duration of your studies: part-time student status. 

When do I need to apply?

You can apply to switch to the new system from 24 July 2025 and by 20 November 2025.
Check now if the programme includes compulsory attendance learning activities and submit your application in time to be duly enrolled at the start of lectures. The switching procedure is usually completed within 60 days from submission of the application. 

During the period between submitting your application and updating your career on the new system, you will not be able to take exams or carry out degree-related activities.

What you need for your application

• You must have completed your enrolment for academic year 2025/26 in your current programme and have paid the first instalment of tuition fees.
• You must have paid all previous years’ tuition fees.
• You must contact the Student Administration Office to check your situation. The Administration Office will provide you with necessary instructions to proceed.

If the programme you wish to switch to under the new system is a restricted-access programme, you will not need to participate in the call for admission.

What happens after I have applied?

• The Student Administration Office processes your application and forwards your previous career to the Degree Programme Board.
• The Board evaluates the learning activities already completed and recorded, checks that they are consistent with the new system, also taking into account the requirements for access, and decides which activities to recognise.
• Once the Administration Office has received the Board’s decision, it will update your career and enter it in the correct year for your part-time student status.
• You will receive a communication from the Student Administration Office once the update has been completed.

During the period between submitting your application and updating your career on the new system, you will not be able to take exams or carry out degree-related activities.

If you are thinking about leaving the University of Bologna, you can apply to transfer to another university in Italy to continue on your career path, without interruptions.
However, if you wish to continue studying abroad, you will need to end your university career in Bologna first, before being able to enrol there.

All students enrolled in the University of Bologna may apply for a transfer.

Each transfer involves two universities – the University of Bologna and the university you wish to transfer to.

First steps

• Find out from the university you wish to transfer to about enrolment procedures and timing, and in particular:
  • deadlines for transferring to the new degree programme;
  • access requirements, any entry tests or other selection methods.
• Check Studenti Online to make sure that all the exams you have taken have been correctly registered; if you have any queries or notice any errors, inform your contact teacher.

After making your choice

• You may submit your application to the University of Bologna between 24 July and 30 December 2025; exceptions to this deadline can be made when transferring to restricted access degree programmes, only in the case of unallocated places.

How to apply

• Log into Studenti Online and follow the “Transfer” procedure to fill in your application and pay the transfer fee to another university.

Upon receipt of the transfer out application, your Student Administration Office at the University of Bologna will automatically send the so-called clearance sheet, a document containing all the exams you have already passed, to the destination university.

The university you are transferring to will be responsible for the recognition of any previously acquired credits. Please refer to the competent offices at your new university.

In order to transfer, you must pay the transfer fee to another university: 

• €116, inclusive of stamp duty, if you enrolled for the first time in the current 2025/26 academic year and transfer to a programme with restricted access;
• €316, inclusive of stamp duty, in all other cases.

You will pay the transfer fee upon submitting your application;

Not pay the University of Bologna the first instalment of tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year. If you have already paid it and you are transferring to a university within Emilia-Romagna, you will not be required to pay the regional fee again; in all other cases, visit the ER.GO website to find out how to get a refund.

For information about benefits for the right to higher education, see the call for applications published by the Regional Authority for the Right to Higher Education (ER.GO) valid for the university you are transferring to. If you have any questions, first contact the Student Administration Office of the university you are transferring to.