Information for International Students
Single Cycle Degree Programme in Architecture (Cesena Campus)
Here, international students attending the Single Cycle Degree Programme in Architecture at the University of Bologna will find some useful advice.
Teaching Activities
- The Architecture programme is based at the CESENA CAMPUS, which is located in Cesena, a town about 90 km far from Bologna. Bologna and Cesena are well connected by train, with an average travel time of approximately one hour. However, we recommend to find an accommodation in Cesena since a regular attending at the courses is required.
- All classes are taught in Italian, so a basic knowledge of the language is highly recommended for international students to follow lessons effectively.
- Please note that 1 CFU corresponds to 1 ECTS.
- The University Language Centre (CLA) offers free Italian language courses for international students enrolled at the University of Bologna.
- Each course includes lessons and a final exam. Students who pass the exam will receive 5 ECTS credits. The final course evaluation is "idonea/o" (pass) or "non idonea/o" (fail): there are no grades.
- Two Italian courses are held each academic year, starting at the beginning of each semester.
- Attending one of these courses is strongly recommended, as it helps students follow their academic activities more easily.
- Please check the CLA website for detailed information: https://centri.unibo.it/cla/en.
5. Many professors allow students to take final exams or to revise projects in English. Please check the course webpages for specific information. Please feel free to reach out to the professors of the courses you intend to take for further information regarding examination formats and revision procedures.
6. AFPG (“Attività Formative Pratiche Guidate”) courses: The course units denominated AFPG are lab-based, practical activities with a duration of one or two weeks each, and they require mandatory attendance. At the end of the AFPG course, the student will NOT obtain a final grade, but he/she will obtain a Pass/Not Passed evaluation (“Idoneità”) only. The student is therefore recommended to verify with his/her home university if the evaluation (with no final grade) is compatible with the home university study plan. Additionally, AFPG activities have limited places and are generally reserved for internal UNIBO students. To check the availability for an AFPG course, international students are recommended to consult the tutor for internationalization (campuscesena.internazionalizzazionearchitettura@unibo.it).
7. "Integrated Course (C.I.)": If a course is labeled as an "Integrated Course (C.I.)", it consists of 2 or 3 sub-courses. These sub-courses cannot be selected individually. During the compilation of their Learning Agreement, international students must enter the code of the main Integrated Course and not the code of the single sub-courses. Integrated Courses must be attended for their entire duration: it is NOT possible to attend for single modules. For example, the "Lab-based Course on Architectural Design I (Integrated Course)" includes 3 sub-courses:
- Architecture and Architectural Composition I
- Distributive Features of Buildings I
- City and Landscape Representation
All three sub-courses must be attended and passed for the student to successfully complete the "Lab-based Course on Architectural Design I (Integrated Course)." The only exception to this rule is the course in “Storia e Restauro (C.I.)” – “History and Restoration (C.I.)”: in this case, the student can choose a single module (“History of Architecture 3”, Cod. 19495 or “Theories and History of Restoration”, Cod. 23800).
8. Students enrolled in lab-based courses are expected to participate actively and attend classes. Students who do not meet attendance requirements are usually not allowed to take the final exam.
- Final Workshops are available for a limited number of internal UNIBO students. For this reason, each workshop can accommodate a maximum of three international students. The Final Workshops are course units with mandatory attendance, and they are mainly addressed to students of Architecture who want to prepare their final degree thesis. If international incoming students wish to insert this kind of activity in their Learning Agreement, they must preventively ask for the authorization to the Professor of the workshop/course unit via email. Only if the Professor authorizes the attendance to international students, they can enter the Final Workshop in their Learning Agreement. The workshop activity must be attended for its entire duration and it is not possible to enter/attend for single modules. At the end of the final workshop, the student will NOT obtain a final grade, but he/she will obtain a Pass/Not Passed evaluation (“Idoneità”) only. The student is therefore recommended to verify with his/her home university if the evaluation (with no final grade) is compatible with the home university study plan. To avoid organizational issues, Erasmus students may choose only one Final Workshop per academic year. We recommend contacting the course Professor in advance to confirm availability.
Grading System
In the Italian system, grades range from 18 (minimum passing grade) to 30 e Lode (maximum grade with honors).
More details are available here: https://www.unibo.it/it/studiare/guida-alla-scelta-del-corso/sistema-universitario/ects-label/la-scala-ects.
Useful Links
FAQ
- What’s the relationship between Italian grades and ECTS grades?
Italian grades are directly converted using the official ECTS grading conversion table. Please refer to the Grading System section above.
- What should I do upon arrival at the Cesena Campus?
As soon as you arrive at Cesena Campus, please remember to contact the International Relations Office - Cesena Campus by email (campuscesena.uri@unibo.it ) to book an online check-in: https://www.unibo.it/en/international/incoming-exchange-students/exchange-students-unibo-check-in
- Are courses taught in Italian?
Yes, all courses are held in Italian. Therefore, having at least a basic knowledge of the language is highly recommended. The University Language Centre (CLA) offers free Italian language courses for international students enrolled at the University of Bologna.
- I have been nominated at the Cesena Campus, can I transfer from Cesena to Bologna Campus?
Starting from the 2025/2026 academic year, transfers from Cesena to Bologna will no longer be possible.
- Erasmus places in Bologna are limited and primarily assigned to students who applied directly for Bologna.
- This restriction is also due to classroom capacity and safety regulations.
- We hope for your understanding, as this decision aims to guarantee the highest quality of education for all students.
