by InTrieste
The University of Trieste has opened a special new enrollment window, giving students across Italy a rare second opportunity to begin or redirect their university studies this academic year.
From January 14 through March 6, 2026, the institution—known locally as UniTS—will accept new enrollments for most of its open-admission undergraduate programs. The move is aimed both at students who were unable to secure a place in Italy’s highly competitive medical programs and at those who delayed enrolling in higher education this fall.
The decision comes at a moment of growing visibility for the university. UniTS is among a small group of Italian universities to have recently received the top “A” rating in the national accreditation system, a recognition of academic quality and institutional stability.
“We wanted to provide a concrete solution for students who attended the open semester for Medicine and Dentistry but did not obtain enough credits to enter those degree programs,” said Donata Vianelli, the university’s rector. “At the same time, we saw an opportunity to extend this option to all students who postponed their university plans and are now ready to begin.”
Italy’s new “open semester” system allows students interested in Medicine or Dentistry to take common foundational courses before competing for a limited number of places in those programs. Those who do not place high enough in the national ranking are often left with few immediate alternatives. The Trieste initiative offers them—and others—a pathway to remain within the university system without losing a full academic year.
Under the special enrollment window, students may apply to 15 degree programs spanning the social sciences, humanities, and scientific-technological fields. The list includes law, political science, literature, history and philosophy, foreign languages, chemistry, physics, mathematics, statistics, geology, environmental sciences, and a wide range of engineering disciplines, from civil and industrial engineering to naval, electronic, and computer engineering.
While places remain limited, the university says there are still openings in all of these programs. To support students who will be starting their studies midway through the academic year, UniTS has also activated tutoring and academic support services designed to help late entrants integrate smoothly into courses already in progress.
The enrollment window is also open to recent high-school graduates who chose not to register during the traditional fall deadlines, giving them a chance to enter university without waiting until the next academic year.
Applications and inquiries are being handled through the university’s central orientation office.
Deadlines for master’s degree programs remain unchanged: students applying to open-admission graduate programs have until March 30, 2026, to complete their enrollment.
For many students navigating Italy’s rigid admissions system, the Trieste initiative represents a rare measure of flexibility—one that could determine whether an academic year moves forward or is put on hold.
