The universities of Venice, Ca' Foscari and Iuav, are among the most expensive in Italy. According to the Union of Students (Udu), both institutions exceed the legal limits regarding student contributions.
Venetian Universities: Among the most expensive in Italy
DPR No. 306/1997 stipulates that universities can demand a maximum of 20% of student contributions relative to the ordinary state funding.
Recently, the Council of State confirmed this limit in an appeal against the University of Turin, which was ordered to reimburse 39 million euros.
According to Udu's data, the average fees for students enrolled in public universities in Italy range between 900 and 1000 euros per year, while those of private universities reach an average of 3408 euros per year.
The total revenue from student contributions for Italian public universities amounts to around 1.5 billion euros, rising to 1.8 billion when considering all teaching revenues.
Iuav's response
The Iuav University responded to Udu's criticisms by highlighting that in the 2023-24 programming, the taxation stands at around 18% of the FFO (Ordinary Financing Fund).
Additionally, Iuav has raised the threshold for the no-tax area to an ISEE (Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator) of 26,000 euros (the legal limit is 22,000 euros) and has removed the ISPE (property value limit of 70,000 euros) from the no-tax area calculation.
The university has applied an inflation rate adjustment of 4.3%, resulting in an increase of 113.09 euros on the maximum amount for students with an ISEE over 60,000 euros.
Ca' Foscari's achievements
Despite the criticisms, the Ca' Foscari University of Venice has received significant international recognition.
In the QS World University Rankings 2024, Ca' Foscari gained 50 positions, entering the 601-610 range out of over 1500 institutions evaluated.
Venetian Universities: Conclusion
Venetian universities, despite being among the most expensive in Italy, justify their costs with the high quality of their educational offerings and international recognition.
However, the Union of Students continues to call for government intervention to ensure adequate financial coverage for universities through public funds and to prevent further increases in university fees