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Lara’s Review of Bologna!
Review from: Teaching Level category
research based high quality education in the best student city ever
I am very pleased with my university overall, our lectures are held inside of the hospital which is huge (it is the biggest hospital in Italy, with 33 buildings/departments). The hospital is very close to the city center, it takes 10 minutes to walk. Our laboratory lessons are held in a different place which is also in the university area and very close to both the hospital and the city center. We have many different opportunities: for example we met students from Pennsylvania State University and had sightseeing of different places near Bologna together. We had a lecture from a professor from Darthmouth College (ivy league university in the US). Have many different interesting elective courses such as Regenerative Medicine: Unfolding the Nanoworld of Stem Cells Towards a Self-Healing Potential and Experimental Approaches to Brain and Behaviour.
Most of our professors have different kinds of researches which gives us opportunities to participate in their researches (laboratories in the US and Italy). They provide us to attend to different conferences in different places around the world (in Asia, US and Europe). Because they are very international, they have a very good English level so most of the lessons are very clear. If we have questions they are very willing to answer (between lecture breaks, after the class and from email). Most of the presentations are in very good quality but definitely not enough for the exam. In this case we have a Medicine and Surgery Drive that all of the students from all classes upload their notes, which is a life saver. We have a platform called Virtuale that all of the professors upload the teaching supplements.
Lara’s Review of Bologna!
Review from: Exams category
In the first year we mostly have written exams
In the first year we mostly have written exams (except Cellular Biology and Genetics exam which is an oral exam). Written exams are usually multiple choice questions with 2 written/open questions at the end. Oral exams are slowly integrated, so that we are getting used to them easily. They are fair and usually on time (sometimes it can start a bit late, depends on the professor). And they take usually 15-20 minutes each student. Some exams are much harder than the others but we have unlimited amount of tries so it is not unmanagable.
Lara’s Review of Bologna!
Review from: School Organisation category
It is usually easy to contact with the International Desk
It is usually easy to contact with the International Desk, they help you with different things such as getting a residence permit. It is also very easy to contact the professors, they answer you usually in 24 hours maybe earlier. They are very approachable and keen to answer our questions.
Lara’s Review of Bologna!
Review from: Clinical Rounds category
In the first year we have a Basic Life Support clerkship with Croce Rossa
In the first year we have a Basic Life Support clerkship with Croce Rossa (taught by Emergency Medicine doctors). In the second year we will have Basic Surgical Skills, Basic Nursing Skills and Approaching the Patient clerkships. From third year and on we will have clerkships in different departments of the hospital. We can also choose which hospital we would like to take the clerkships (Ospedale Maggiore, Policlinico Sant’Orsola…). From the fourth year we also choose elective clerkships.
Lara’s Review of Bologna!
Review from: The City category
The city is the best student city you can ever live.
The city is the best student city you can ever live. The night life is out of the world. There are cheap bars that every student knows and we have a lot of bars and clubs. The weather in winter is cold and sometimes very rainy but other seasons very pleasant. Also when it rains it is not a problem since we have someting called “portici” which protects you from the rain (also it is a UNESCO heritage). When the weather is sunny, it is very common to go to Giardini Margherita to lay on the grass with your friends. The cost of living is not as expensive as Rome and Milan but not as cheap as other cities. The problem is to find accommodation. For public transportation you can get a yearly subscription which is 150 euros. A lot of people use bikes because the city is very bike friendly.
Lara’s Review of Bologna!
Review from: University Services category
We have different cafeterias in the university area and also inside of the hospital
We have different cafeterias in the university area and also inside of the hospital that the students can eat. We have so many libraries and study rooms (multiple places also inside of the hospital). Sometimes in the exam period if you do not go early it is hard to find places. They are very aesthetic and pretty looking because some of them are very old.
Lara’s Review of Bologna!
Review from: Population category
some people speak English
In the city centre and the stores some people speak English but if you compare it with Rome or Milan, it is definitely less in Bologna. But since it is required to speak B1 Italian to attend the clinical clerkships in the hospital (for the third year), many people don’t have a hard time in the daily life with the language barrier.
Lara’s Review of Bologna!
Review from: Scholarships category
ErGo scholarship which is provided by the state
I don’t have an experience with Erasmus but we have the ErGo scholarship which is provided by the state and it is based on economical status not academic based. But as I seen we have many opportunities of Erasmus in Germany, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands etc.
Lara’s Review of Bologna!
Review from: Accommodation category
In Bologna it is very hard to find accommodation
In Bologna it is very hard to find accommodation especially in the first year because after the admission exam you arrive very late and all of the places are full. But upcoming years it is easier to find places in dorms and apartments with your friends. Also you can get rooms from the graduating years. We have a common whatsapp group for all years and they help a lot for finding places. For student dorms, Camplus is very nice overall.
D’s 6th Year (Final Year Student!) Review of Bologna!
Review from: Teaching Level category
The university is not bad, mine was the second year the course ever existed
I confronted myself with peers from Italian medicine courses from other places in Italy as well as bologna. I would say that I know as much as them, and I think most of my colleagues are the same, the way in which the classes were organized made it so that some things were repeated way too many times and things we really needed to know well we're glazed over. Lectures were a bit a hit or miss, we had a few good professors that presented well, many others that were somewhat unhappy of being there and did show it.
D’s 6th Year (Final Year Student!) Review of Bologna!
Review from: Exams category
The exam tend to be well organized, no last moment surprises USUALLY, we had some, but few.
One of our classes had fewer exam sessions than required so you got one less chance but eventually the students managed to make them change their mind.in terms of fairness I would say that most professors are quite easy on us, some not so much. You then tend to know which ones do and which ones don't and you adapt.
D’s 6th Year (Final Year Student!) Review of Bologna!
Review from: School Organisation category
Not bad, bologna is a great university.
Lots of extracurricular activities, lots of brilliant people around. The students are very much represented and they tend to count more than they do in other universities.
D’s 6th Year (Final Year Student!) Review of Bologna!
Review from: Clinical Rounds category
We had to go to clinical rounds, and many of them take attendance
the hospitals in bologna are among the best in Italy, but usually at least till 6th year you're the last rank of the hospital, if you want to learn extra things you have to push for it, it isn't always like this anyway, some wards are more welcoming than other. I am a native Italian speaker, most doctors in Italy do speak English, some better and some worse, in general they can all communicate. But everyone that is doing rounds needs to try at least to speak a bit of Italian, many Italian patients do not know how to speak English, those who do probably prefer speaking Italian anyway.
D’s 6th Year (Final Year Student!) Review of Bologna!
Review from: The City category
The city is great, perfect combo of an artistic, historical and culturally active town.
Lots of things to do any day of the week, but in general the whole town is dominated by university age people, who make up a significant portion of the town population which is otherwise small, so always new people to meet. The city is also quite expensive for me coming from the south of Italy, for someone coming from the us or UK or Ireland it probably seems very very cheap, what is not cheap and is usually a deal breaker are rent prices and the availability for accomodations in general. Public transportation works but is not perfect, most people go around on their bicycle.
D’s 6th Year (Final Year Student!) Review of Bologna!
Review from: University Services category
I have never been to the university cafeteria
There is a large availability of sports that are somewhat "sponsored" by the university, they are all managed by the CUS, usually you can also get discounts in gyms or even cinemas around town by showing your university Id.
D’s 6th Year (Final Year Student!) Review of Bologna!
Review from: Population category
Bolognesi are usually quite friendly but you will mostly meet other students
Bologna Is quite an international and young town, most retail employees are young people and usually young people tend to speak English, you can quite easily survive without knowing a word of Italian.
D’s 6th Year (Final Year Student!) Review of Bologna!
Review from: Erasmus category
Erasmus and scholarship are opportunities that I never really managed to catch but I would have like to.
In any case most people I know who tried did manage to get in, many destinations are very nice, the classes you take abroad are usually accepted easily.
D’s 6th Year (Final Year Student!) Review of Bologna!
Review from: Accommodation category
Accomodations are the biggest problem in bologna
Many people, as well as me have bought a small apartment or a studio because the rent speculation made it much more convenient. Other than this it is also very hard to find a home even for a high price, university dorms are very rare to come by the private one are okay other than being expensive.
F’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: Teaching Level category
I think our course is well organized.
First, we are only 90 students, comprising more or less 50 italian students, 20 European students and 20 non-european students: therefore, compared to the course held in italian (450 students), the communication with the professors is way more efficient, clerkships are better organized and classrooms are more comfortable and adequate. Moreover, the university organizes a lot of activities, both regarding medicine and other cultural topics.
F’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: Teaching Level category
Most of the topics are well explained
also because most of the professors are notable and expert in the field. Some of them are important medical doctors, while others are researchers, and they also may invite you to their laboratory if you are interested. The problem is that, as they are all italian, their english level is not always adequate to teach in a course where half of the students are international: however, it is really rare that students don't understand at all a concept due to language issues, as most of the professors provide good study materials, as slides and notes.
F’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: Exams category
Exams are organized really well
also when compared to other italian universities. Exam dates are always communicated months in advance, therefore it is easy to plan travels in advance, especially for international students that want to go back home. Even if frequently they are difficult and require to study a lot, marks are giver fairly 99% of the times. Moreover, exams are almost always on time, and marks are communicated only few days if the exam is written, while immediately if it is oral.
F’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: School Organisation category
The school is organized well.
The classrooms can either be in Sant'Orsola hospital, in via Irnerio, or in the city center of Bologna, as the university owns many historical buildings. Classrooms are always bib enough to find a spot to sit comfortably. The timetable is followed strictly by the professors and provided months in advance. Theoretically, it is mandatory to follow at least 70% of the lectures, but most of the professors don't really check, thus many students prefer to study on their own. Students from previous years created a shared drive with all the transcripts of the lectures, which is a very good study material.
F’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: Clinical Rounds category
Yes, clinical clerkships start from the second year, therefore very early compared to other italian universities.
Most of the instructors, with few exceptions, are available to explain a lot of things, especially if students make questions. You can attend clerkships in three different hospitals: Sant'Orsola, Maggiore or Bellaria. They are all notable and well organized, but obviously it depends on the specific department. However, sometimes for international students it is not easy to understand the explanations as most instructors only speak italian, therefore it's recommended to learn at least a little bit of italian before the second year. However, most of the times if international students don't understand something, the italian students that are following the same instructor can translate for them, as usually there are 2/3 students assigned to each doctor. Students usually do 4/5 clerkships (of 2/3 weeks each) each year from the 3rd on (while only one during the second year), in different departments. I think they are very useful experiences as you learn a lot.
F’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: The City category
I absolutely love Bologna.
There are more or less 60 thousand students living here, and they usually hang out in two areas: Pratello and via Zamboni, which are always full of students at every time of the day and night, every season of the year (except for summer, as after the sessions many students come back home). Therefore, it is very fun to live here and there are a lot of things to do. Regarding the cost of living in Bologna, I can say that food is a bit expensive compared to other italian cities, but drinks are not at all, so it's very cheap to hang out. Buses are good and cheap (1.50€ per ride), but you can easily cross the city centre by bike in 15 minutes more or less, as it is not that big. Weather is not much good, cloudy and cold in winter, while extremely hot in summer.
F’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: University Services category
I went to the cafeteria only few times last year and the quality of the food was pretty good, and it was also very cheap.
I play volleyball at CUSB, which is the university sport association. CUSB has its own building with a gym, a swimming pool and tennis courts, but it also has conventions with other gyms in the city, therefore if you are a student you can do any sport you prefer at a cheap price. Libraries and study rooms are numerous, quiet and sometimes located in beautiful ancient buildings. Many of them are open until midnight and on sundays.
F’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: Population category
Most of the people working at restaurants, bars and stores speak a very good english, mainly because in the last years Bologna is becoming a very touristic city.
owever, most of the people in the city, especially if they are old, don't speak english very well, therefore you won't have problems when ordering a pizza, but maybe it will be more difficult to understand your old neighbor complaining about something. Most italians are pretty kind with foreigners and some of them will try to help you if you are in need even if they don't understand english very well
F’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: Accommodation category
I live at my boyfriend's house and he is from Bologna, so I don't pay any rent
However, I know that prices are very high, usually around 250-300€/month for a double room while 400-600€/month for a single room in the centre, although the apartments are often old and the temperature inside is kept low due to the high cost of the bills. Most apartments are really small and host many students (usually around 4, but up to 7/8).
Giulia’s Review of Bologna as a 6th Year, Final Year Student
Review from: Teaching Level category
Bologna is Bologna
University of Bologna is the most ancient in the world and you can tell. It's enchanting studying in the center, in the various "aule" under paints and paints on the ceilings, on the walls, pictures of families that funded the city and the University during the years. Everything is so beautiful, that one would like to be a student for a ling long time. Despite some difficulties, bureaucracy is totally against students in Bologna, and some Professors I would rather not have known, I would choose Bologna again and again.
Giulia’s Review of Bologna as a 6th Year, Final Year Student
Review from: Teaching Level category
I must admit that the course in English is not high quality for who is not Italian.
Most Professors are not good at English, they are all Italians indeed, but they try their best. They are for the most young and this is a point in favour. Some of them would rather speak Italian even if the course is led in English. Lectures by surgeons are always delayed or rescheduled. Personally, I dislike it a lot. There is a decline of quality from the first two years to the following, with a positive spark in the fifth year with Pediatrics, but that is it. The last year is the worst, even worst then gastroenterology that was bad enough.
Giulia’s Review of Bologna as a 6th Year, Final Year Student
Review from: Exams category
Exams are honest, fair, flexible, there is a discussion with students on dates and on timing.
Surgeons always on the bad side, they disappear, they reschedule, they do what they want, but in the end you must take it. Exams are for the most very easy to pass, you end up study always more than what is really needed to get a 30.
Giulia’s Review of Bologna as a 6th Year, Final Year Student
Review from: School Organisation category
I must say that I would have rather done the course as the Italian style
meaning the whole anatomy, the whole physiology, the whole human body. In the way it is for the English course, I feel I had lots of trouble putting the whole picture together. Luckily, I did the Nursing course before this, so it helped me a lot knowing stuffs in advance.
Giulia’s Review of Bologna as a 6th Year, Final Year Student
Review from: Clinical Rounds category
Clerkships are useless as they are in Bologna.
A part from some happy spots, such as Maggiore Cardiologia and Maggiore Chirurgia Generale and Maggiore PS (thus, choose Maggiore as much as you can), the rest is shameful as it is. There is no respect for students, we are just copy makers and coffee bringers.
Giulia’s Review of Bologna as a 6th Year, Final Year Student
Review from: The City category
Bologna is my city, is my happy place
I wouldn't change it for any other place at present. I've been pretty far, I lived in Uk, I went to Aussie, I lived and work in other cities of Italy... Bologna is the best, the freest, the most beautiful city one could live in. You feel you can be anything. It's like a little New York City. One can be anything they want.
Giulia’s Review of Bologna as a 6th Year, Final Year Student
Review from: University Services category
As a student, Bologna offers many things, many discounts, especially for cinema theaters operas concerts.
Cafeteria in the various part of the university are always good and cheap, gyms for students are well kept and cheap, plus, there are also gyms outside the university campus that offers discounts for students. Moreover also esthetics are found that are very cheap for students and they give quite a fair quality of epilation.
Giulia’s Review of Bologna as a 6th Year, Final Year Student
Review from: Population category
Bologna is multicultural and anyone can speak English.
They speak English before speaking Italian, because it is easier that you are from abroad than fron Italy. Everyone is very kind on this point and everyone speak English.
Giulia’s Review of Bologna as a 6th Year, Final Year Student
Review from: Accommodation category
Bologna is not worthy 600 euros and above for the rooms it has.
Space is narrow, everywhere, in the center it is even worst. It is not affordable if you do not work. Plus, you'll get aspergillosis or other types of lung mycosis in any corner.
Lorenzo Costagli’s 4th Year Bologna Review
Review from: Teaching Level category
The university of Bologna offers many possibilities for academical and personal success in a quite disorganized course and (sometimes) great clerkships in some of Italy’s best hospitals.
I’d rate the overall education quality of my course as a 3. The English proficiency tends to improve over the years, which is great for clearer communication and comprehension. However, I have to admit that the organization and clarity of lessons can sometimes be a bit messy. While the content is generally solid, there's room for improvement in terms of presentation quality and ensuring that lessons are consistently clear and easy to follow.
Lorenzo Costagli’s 4th Year Bologna Review
Review from: Exams category
I'd rate the organization and level of exams at about a 2.
While some exams are well-structured and fair, there are significant issues that detract from the overall experience. One major concern is the difficulty in reaching professors for clarification or assistance, which can be frustrating and hinder preparation. Additionally, the occurrence of delayed exams is problematic, especially considering the integrated nature of the courses with multiple modules and professors. This situation is exacerbated by discrepancies between our program and the Italian medicine course, leading to unexpected questions and confusion during exams. Overall, there's a clear need for improvement in terms of exam organization, timeliness, and alignment with course content.
Lorenzo Costagli’s 4th Year Bologna Review
Review from: School Organisation category
I would rate the organization of the school as a 3.
While the professors are generally knowledgeable and dedicated, there have been instances where the organization fell short. One recurring issue is professors failing to show up for lectures, which can be quite disruptive to the learning process. However, I have to commend the school's secretary for their responsiveness and assistance in such situations. They have been instrumental in contacting professors and resolving issues promptly, ensuring that disruptions are minimized.
Lorenzo Costagli’s 4th Year Bologna Review
Review from: Clinical Rounds category
I've had varying experiences with clinical rounds, largely dependent on the hospital staff and their workload.
There have been instances where I was refused participation due to overcrowding, which can be frustrating. Overall, the level of instruction during clinical rounds has been satisfactory, but it's worth noting that communication barriers can arise, especially for non-Italian speakers. While some doctors may be proficient in English, time constraints often make it challenging to receive explanations in English, particularly with older doctors.
As for the organization and gear in hospitals, it's generally adequate, but improvements could be made in terms of accessibility and availability of resources.
Regarding support for non-Italian-speaking classmates, I believe there could be more assistance provided to help bridge language gaps and facilitate understanding. The limited availability of elective clerkships can also pose challenges, particularly for students hoping to specialize in specific areas.
In terms of the number of clinical rotations, I believe we have a sufficient amount in our course, especially compared to the Italian medicine program. However, the lack of choice in specialty rotations due to mandatory assignments can be restrictive for those wishing to explore specific fields.
Lorenzo Costagli’s 4th Year Bologna Review
Review from: The City category
Public transportation in Bologna is excellent and affordable, making it convenient to navigate the city and beyond.
The social scene is vibrant, particularly for students, with a bustling nightlife offering something for everyone practically every night of the week. This diversity in social activities adds to the city's charm and makes it an enjoyable place to live and study. Additionally, the weather in Bologna is generally pleasant, with mild winters but very warm summers.
Lorenzo Costagli’s 4th Year Bologna Review
Review from: University Services category
The cafeteria at the university is a bit pricey, particularly for students without a school grant, and its location isn't very convenient near the hospital.
Despite this, the university offers great alternatives through the university sports center, which provides a wide array of sports activities like rowing, running, boxing, and gym facilities. Additionally, there's a choir and orchestra for those interested in music, offering a diverse range of extracurricular options. I'd rate these services a 3 for their variety and accessibility.
Regarding the libraries, they're exceptional resources for students, with five libraries conveniently located within the hospital premises. They're generally well-organized and offer ample study space, proving invaluable for academic endeavors. I'd give the university libraries a solid 3 for their quality and accessibility.
Lorenzo Costagli’s 4th Year Bologna Review
Review from: Population category
In Bologna, most people, including those in stores, speak English, largely because of the city's significant student population.
I'd rate this a 4, as it's relatively common to find English speakers compared to other Italian cities. Additionally, the locals are generally pleasant and accommodating, contributing to a positive experience for both residents and visitors alike.
Lorenzo Costagli’s 4th Year Bologna Review
Review from: Scholarships category
The opportunities for scholarships and Erasmus experiences are abundant, offering a wide range of possibilities for personal and academic growth.
I'd rate these opportunities a solid 4. There are various scholarships available, such as the anatomy tutoring scholarship, and numerous options for overseas experiences, including the Erasmus program and placements in countries like the USA, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Australia.
Obtaining a scholarship, especially if your family meets the economic criteria, is relatively straightforward. The university offers scholarships to students based on financial need, and it's worth noting that 100% of applicants who meet the criteria receive the scholarship.
In my experience, the process for applying to these programs has generally been smooth, and support from university staff has been readily available. For example, I was admitted to a program in Norway next semester through Erasmus, and the assistance provided was helpful throughout the application process.
One particularly valuable opportunity is the chance to become an anatomy tutor, which involves teaching dissection-based courses to other students. Additionally, in the 5th and 6th years, there's the possibility of applying for a scholarship to work at the anatomy center if you're already an anatomy tutor.
Furthermore, professors are supportive and willing to share connections for Erasmus traineeships in various countries and hospitals, enhancing the potential for enriching international experiences. Overall, while there's room for improvement in terms of financial support for overseas experiences, the opportunities available are extensive.
Lorenzo Costagli’s 4th Year Bologna Review
Review from: Accommodation category
Accommodation options in Bologna offer a mixed experience
I'd rate it a 3 overall. Dormitories provided by the regional student body are affordable and well-maintained, though availability can be limited. Private dormitories like Camplus are available but tend to be expensive. Private housing has seen an increase in prices over the years, with the average cost for a single room now around 500 euros per month. However, renovations are improving the quality of available apartments. Utilities like electricity and gas have reasonable prices, especially when shared among roommates. Finding accommodation outside of the June to August period can be challenging due to high demand, and resources like Facebook groups, immobiliare.it, and Idealista are the most useful when looking for a place at a fair price.
V’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: Teaching Level category
An opportunity-rich environment
In my experience, the university of Bologna has been very well organised and has provided a great level of knowledge. However, I find that not all professors are as good at teaching as they are in their research/clinical practice. Some of the clerkships are really well structured, while other are mostly up to what you as the student want/ask to do (though I feel this is more a problem of medicine in Italy rather than in Bologna specifically).
The exams are typically well structured and the professors are always happy to help and provide further explanation. Some of them speak perfect English, while others seem to translate word for word from Italian and this might be harder to understand for non-Italian speakers.
Overall, I would sign up for the university of Bologna again, as I feel its cons are not specific to the city, but rather due to the structure of the medicine course in Italy; the pros are attributable to the good reputation the university has in the country, definitely providing many more possibilities for research and project compared to smaller universities.
V’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: Teaching Level category
I find the lessons to be overall unhelpful.
The information presented by the professors is easily found in books and class transcripts from the previous years, and therefore very little is added in lectures that could not be studied on your own. However, many of my classmates find the lectures useful and choose to attend them religiously. I think this largely depends on your preferred method of studying and if you really benefit from attending lectures or if that time would better be spent studying on your own.
Some of the professors speak perfect English and have taught in various American and foreign universities and carry out research in tandem with foreign institutes, while others seem to simply translate their inner Italian monologue into English word for word.
The slides are however typically well-made and contain most of the information you will need for the exams, and the level of teaching is quite in-depth and detailed.
V’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: Exams category
The exams are well organized and the material is well covered by the professors during the lectures.
I find the exams to be consistent with the material covered in lectures and, thus, fair; however, since most of the exams are oral, you will need to become accustomed to this method of examination before actually finding these exams fair.
Remember that Italians grow up having oral exams for all subjects starting from primary school, and therefore find these types of exams easier when compared to their foreign classmates. It just requires time to become fluent in oral exams.
V’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: School Organisation category
The organization of the school is not as good as I would like it to be.
I have felt left on my own many times, especially in the organization of the clerkships, where you just show up to the hospital and hope someone is going to be willing to teach you something.
In regards to the lecture aspect, instead, I feel the organization is pretty good, also thanks to the student representatives acting as a “bridge” between the school and the students.
V’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: Clinical Rounds category
This year I have spent in the hospital a total of 10 weeks.
How long you spend in the hospital widely varies depending on your desire to do and learn. Most of the doctors I have followed have been amazing at teaching and have dedicated me as much time as they could. However, if you do not ask to do things, they will rarely offer.
In the busier days, you might be forgotten or left on your own without much to do.
There are plenty of clinical rotations, touching almost all medical specialities, and all professors are happy for you to go to their wards to learn more should you be interested.
I'm not able to say anything on whether the doctors are fair towards non-italian students as I have not had any first-hand experience, but none of my non-Italian friends have complained about it.
I would rate this 2/5 as there are no clear objectives to the clinical rotations.
V’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: The City category
The city is incredible.
The nightlife is very lively and the population is mostly young. In the university district the restaurants and cafes are very affordable, and the lifestyle is very chill. Bologna is a very welcoming city and it is impossible not to fall in love with its warm people and amazing food. It's easy to get around on food or by bike, but you can also choose to take the bus or rent a car.
Bologna is a 5/5 to me.
V’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: University Services category
I don't really use the cafeteria as I find the food to be more expensive and worse compared to what I can cook myself.
The libraries are beautiful, often in historical buildings, and well organized. They are cool in the summer and warm in the winter and always very quiet. The wifi connection is fast and free with your university account. There is no limit on how long you can stay, and some libraries are open well into the night for night owls.
The services are 4/5.
V’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: Population category
The people in the city typically do speak at least a little bit of English and are very open to foreigners.
In the last few years, the city has become more and more of a tourist destination, and it is absolutely possible to live here without speaking Italian. And, if you try speaking Italian with one of them, they will be so impressed that you're learning their language that you'll be instant friends.
V’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: Scholarships category
Scolarships are mostly granted based on family income and are easily accessible if you meet the criteria.
There also opportunities to be employed by the university if you want a part-time job.
I have not had any experience with Erasmus yet, but I have had many friends apply and get their desired seats easily. I do not have much more experience with this sadly.
V’s Review – 3rd Year at Bologna
Review from: Accommodation category
There really aren't any university dorms in Bologna
and therefore students typically lived in shared apartments. Finding a flat is very hard and takes a lot of time due to the high number of students that live in Bologna. If you are patient enough, you should be able to find a single room anywhere between 300-500euro/month. The price also varies depending on the location and the type of house you are renting, how new it is, how many people live there, etc.
Overall, I feel like the housing crisis is the only big "con" of the university of Bologna, as if you're in a rush you will have to settle for a more expensive house and that is not fair. Thus, my rating is 1/5.
Hangu/Tim Lee’s Review – 5th Year at UniBo (South Korean Student)
Review from: Teaching Level category
Not great, not terrible. This goes a LOT for Unibo I think, a lot of my peers would agree!
Depends on the professors, I'd again give this a 3. Some profs really do just have the case of readingtheslidesitis where they just read off the slides and occasionally when a student asks a question there might be some variety, but by and large it's a slide reading show and tell- I even notice a drastic decrease in student attendance for this reason.
Hangu/Tim Lee’s Review – 5th Year at UniBo (South Korean Student)
Review from: Exams category
At least the platforms announce when the exams are announced and the vast majority of the times the profs follow through unless they have emergencies
but when additional appelli are being made some can be uncommunicative or plain difficult to work with. However, being oral exams it REALLY is a luck of the draw at times and up to the arbitration of the professors which can be quite subjective for a lack of better terms. For instance, the anatomy exams were chock full of instances where the profs (For GI especially) would set their own arbitrary pass/fail ratings. I get that anatomy will be important for fields such as surgery, but I found that a lot of my peers agreed that they would forget most of what would be learned in the previous years anyway. Not knowing ONE of the teniae is not a grounds for docking 4 points haha
Hangu/Tim Lee’s Review – 5th Year at UniBo (South Korean Student)
Review from: School Organisation category
COULD BE WORSE from what I hear!
The student secretary just does the bare minimum necessary, and the international desk equally. There were countless times when I've had email back-and-forths only to end up with a solution that would have been solved if the right person had received the email (such as an erasmus program inquiry). For first year students who aren't Italian, the student secretary during induction had this grumpy overpaid dude (by this I mean the fact that he has a job at all is amazing) who spoke only Italian and would be a dick to a lot of the kids- myself included. Apparently this is balanced out by an English speaking lady who was much nicer, but on my date of arrival she unfortunately wasn't present.
Hangu/Tim Lee’s Review – 5th Year at UniBo (South Korean Student)
Review from: Clinical Rounds category
Depends on the field and department.
Some doctors/residents did have English knowledge to help, otherwise I could use google translate. Phones were allowed for this purpose, but I know for a fact certain doctors don't really approve of this.
Gear: I get that it's a public funded hospital so the gears are a little lackluster but using a 20 year old ECG with chipped/broken leads with printers that would jam every 4 readings... This was painful to see. Internal medicine: The BP sleeves are basically begging to be put out of their misery. It almost made me feel like I should donate equipment out of pocket
Clinical rotation numbers: Depends on the department, some were 2 weeks, some were 1. Having done clinical subinternships outside of Italy as well, this was definitely a sweet spot for time.
Non-Italian classmates getting enough help: Sometimes we'd also have some Italian students from the Italian medical course partnered up and at least by and large were an OK bunch! Though others were kind of stand-offish, then again I think this sort of environment exists almost anywhere.
Hangu/Tim Lee’s Review – 5th Year at UniBo (South Korean Student)
Review from: The City category
It's very accessible.
Public transport is okay, intercity travel even better since it's a transit hub. I don't really partake in the nightlife but I notice that a lot of the bars and clubs have an earlier closing hour compared to Southern Italy (I've also lived in Napoli for 2 months).
Cost of living: Getting slightly higher! Not as bad as the two more known cities like Firenze and Milano. Eating out can be a rip off in the wrong establishments like any other cities but student catering eateries are dime a dozen in the university zone (Shoutout to Pizza Casa!). Shopping at discount stores like Lidl and Aldi is good (They're relatively accessible as well) and the app TooGoodToGo exists with decent selection of restaurants and bakeries.
Weather: Full disclosure a lot of my friends call me insane for wearing a t-shirt at 5-10C weather but I've lived in Canada most of my life. It never REALLY gets too cold, but as of the 2020s it's progressively getting hotter. Rain is sporadic but there was a drought for 2~years, and a massive downpour the year after in 2023 which led to bad flooding. As I write it's raining pretty hard but the rest of the week seems pretty clear. The pollution is real though; It's not Beijing or New Delhi level of bad but being located in the Po Valley (known for having the worst air quality in Italy and Europe as a whole) some tourists I talk to have claimed that their noses get pretty congested staying here. All I can say is one upside of COVID19's effect is that I can just wear an N95 to mitigate this effect. Hecklers are still present but you can't really fix stupid.
Hangu/Tim Lee’s Review – 5th Year at UniBo (South Korean Student)
Review from: Population category
Some stores, yes! Depends on the business.
Some stores, yes! Depends on the business. A locksmith nearby surprisingly did, a contractor who does repairs in my house and installed my AC does as well (out of sheer coincidence). Bangladeshi/Pakistani/Indian owned businesses definitely do for some parts, and stores in touristy areas are prone to having English speaking staff at hand.
This I'd give a 4.
The people in general: They can be quirky or stand-offish. I call Bologna the Portland, Oregon of Italy due to the general vibe of the city. The elephant in the room would be racism: I'm of East Asian descent so racism is pretty commonplace; The amount of crap I'd get relating to my race, compared to an Anglophone country (US included) when I'd get harassed or heckled or nihaocalled maybe once every year or two by some random dude off a street, it's a weekly or bi-weekly occurrence here. I've met a Nigerian fellow from the gym I go to and he and I talked a bit about race in Italy; while I had the impression that the Italian police are way too lax with their jobs, he had a different story to tell, so there's that too.
The more learned people are nicer, of course. Like anywhere else. I find that about 70% of the racism comes from ignorance. 30% is a mixture of malice, incoherent nonce from drug addicts/drunks, or beggars/survey hecklers because I refuse to acknowledge their presence.
Hangu/Tim Lee’s Review – 5th Year at UniBo (South Korean Student)
Review from: Accommodation category
By stupid luck I have my own house.
But before I did, the price/quality of apartments here were REALLY hit or miss. The landlord may not give a damn and would leave repairs off for weeks at a time. Some would go and do it themselves. The rent isn't high as Milano but Centro Storico is cutthroat. Scams as well are VERY real, so never give anyone any down payments unless you have their full details and when the contract signing day comes.
If you're a child of any Italian medical staff (doctors, etc.) There's a society that provides dormitories in Bologna. I personally haven't gone into a dorm.
The accomodation situation, I give a 1. Finding a house is miserable all throughout the beginning of the academic year, and once I got rejected on the grounds of being a non European- This would literally be subject to a lawsuit in certain countries, but as Italy does not have any Anti-Discrimination laws at the time of writing, the guy could flat out tell me he was looking for Europeans. A former roommate of mine also told me he'd gotten rejected a few times due to his sexuality as well.
Sara’s Review – 4th Year at UniBo
Review from: Teaching Level category
Overall a good course that could improve.
The university is overall good in quality, but there are some issues regarding the clerkships, exams and the way the professors conduct their lectures sometimes. I will elaborate on that in the following answers.
4, it depends on the professor. Some professors put a lot of effort and it's manifest that they care about the education of their students. Others only read the slides rather than properly explaining the topics, and don't show passion for this job.
However, in general i would say there more "good" professors than "bad" ones.
I think the level of english is overall satisfying now, but i rememer in the first year there were some professors whose english was very bad. In any case, in my opinion, the most important thing would be for them to put effort in their lectures, i don't care as much about the english accent as long as they are fluent.
Sara’s Review – 4th Year at UniBo
Review from: School Organisation category
I believe the organization of the medicine and surgery course in Bologna is very good.
In fact, if everything was optimized under this organization i think it would be an almost perfect school, the issue is that even if there is a good organization, sometimes the lectures/clerkships scheduled are not optimal and therefore the overall quality of the school decreases.
For example: i really enjoyed the division of the exams in the 2nd year, where physiology and anatomy are divided by apparatus rather than being on their own (as in the italian course: anatomia 1/2, etc). Same for the exams on the clinics, pathology for example is split in the different clinics rather than being a single exam (anatomia patologica in italian medical school). Also the clerkships tend to be more than in the italian med school, and the mandatory ones are the most wanted usually (for example not everyone gets to do both cardiology and pneumology in the italian course, as they have to choose and there are not a lot of spots). The comparison is only with the italian medicine course in Bologna, as every city has a different organization of course.
Sara’s Review – 4th Year at UniBo
Review from: Clinical Rounds category
I believe the quality of clinical rounds is poor.
I think this is an issue in general in Italy, not only in Bologna, but here medical students are not seen as part of the medical staff, but rather as a burden. Lots of doctors have made me feel as a burden, as if they did not want to teach to medical students. Furthermore, we don't do anything practical. The majority of the time you simply stand there and watch, and hope that if you have questions they will have the decency to answer you. It is very frustrating and makes learning 10 times harder. P.s. i am an italian speaker, hence i did not have issues because of that.
Regarding the amount of clerkships, i am quite satisfied with the ones we have, but i would add more during the last three years, especially the 4th and 5th year, as this is the time in which we start to really think about the future, and seeing more wards would be useful in understanding what we want to do later on.
Sara’s Review – 4th Year at UniBo
Review from: The City category
Bologna is an amazing city, especially for students in their 20s.
However, there are some issues: the cost of living is pretty high, given that it is difficult to find rooms at a decent price; the public transportation is satisfying but strikes often (at least 1/2 a month); the weather is not the best being in Pianura Padana (often foggy/humid).
That said, Bologna is an amazing city for students as there are many opportunities, whatever hobby you might have you will find a course/place to go and practice it, whatever sport you like you will find a place to excercise, and there are lots of different activities also for the night life. In general, it is difficult to get bored in Bologna, there is always something to do!
Sara’s Review – 4th Year at UniBo
Review from: University Services category
I'm not well informed on the gyms/sport activities.
Regarding the cafeteria/mensa, i know there is the university mensa in the city center, but I've never been there. The bars in S.Orsola hospital are decent, but they are not part of the university so i don't think i should rank them.
The libraries instead are very useful, i would rate them 5. There is always at least one library open in S.Orsola (and in the city center), also in the weekends. It is very useful for those of us who like to study in company or in case one wants to study after the clerkships (since they are in the hospital). They are also useful as we tend to have lectures in the hospital, so its is possible to go to the library to study before or after the lectures.
Sara’s Review – 4th Year at UniBo
Review from: Population category
i am italian so i don't face this issue, but i know from my non -italian friends that it has been a problem for them, especially at the beginning when they did not know italian at all.
Italians in general are a bit ignorant on foreign languages, also english unfortunately. I hope this will change with time.
Sara’s Review – 4th Year at UniBo
Review from: Erasmus category
I did not take part in the erasmus project but rather in another bando per attività formative all'estero, offered by SAMS.
This is a bando that is useful for activities like clerkships/to write the thesis abroad. I took part in it because i am going to Switzerland for a clerkship. In my opinion, it is useful in the sense that it gives you the opportunity to organize as you wish the activity abroad that you would like to do.
An issue is that there is a lot of documentation to give and not every professor is available to help you in the process (which requires a professor).
Overall however i am grateful that this bando exists because it offers more freedom of organization.
Sara’s Review – 4th Year at UniBo
Review from: Accommodation category
I live in an apartment with a friend of mine.
We got this house when i was in 2nd year (two years ago), and it costs me around 420€ a month without light/gas expenses. I know the prices have raised since then, so now my room would probably be around 500 if not more.
It is hard to find a decent home as they often don't want students, and the prices are very high.
Also, often students can only afford old houses, with impacts on the quality of living.
Overall it is one of the downsides of living in bologna, and it's very important to have a family to back you up economically, a privilege that not everyone has.
