interview: Nina Vaclavikova
Interview: Rector of the University of Trieste, Donata Vianelli
The University of Trieste has reported a significant increase in enrollments for the 2025–2026 academic year, with 4,441 students registered in undergraduate and single-cycle degree programs, up from 3,920 last year — a rise of 13.2 percent.
The figures do not include students enrolled in the preliminary semester for admission to medicine and dentistry. Those who do not secure one of the 240 available places will have the option to enroll in related programs offered by the university. Programs in the health professions are also nearly full.
“Alongside the excellent work of our Orientation Office in Italy and abroad, this achievement reflects the quality and innovation of our academic offerings, as well as the strong employment outcomes for our graduate students, which in turn highlights the appeal of our undergraduate programs,” said Rector Donata Vianelli. She cited the university’s recent recognition in the Osservatorio Talents Venture rankings based on AlmaLaurea 2024/2025 data.
Among the most popular programs this year are physics, industrial engineering, artificial intelligence and data analytics, law, international and diplomatic studies, political science and public administration, psychology, historical and philosophical disciplines, international economics and financial markets, and education. The economics and business management program saw particularly strong demand, enrolling 583 students — a notable increase from last year.
Women continue to make up the majority of the student body. Programs with higher female enrollment include architecture, mathematics, chemistry and pharmaceutical technologies, medical biotechnology, neuroscience, economics and business management, marketing, communication studies, law, international and diplomatic studies, political science, psychology, and education. Initiatives under the Scientific Degree Project (PLS) have contributed to increased female participation in STEM fields.
The university is also attracting more international students, with 875 enrollments in undergraduate programs from abroad, compared with 700 last year. The largest international contingents come from Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, and Tunisia. Within Italy, students from Veneto, Puglia, Lombardy, and Sicily are the most represented outside the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.
Undergraduate enrollments are now closed, while registration for master’s programs remains open, with deadlines ranging from December 2025 to March 2026.
For more information on master’s programs, visit UniTS Master’s Programs.
