University of Macerata: humanities, law and languages in the Marche since 1290 between hills and Adriatic
Founded in 1290, the University of Macerata is one of Italy's oldest. With CENSIS 86.0/100 (9th small state), 8,000 students and 30 programmes in humanities, law, economics, languages and cultural heritage, it is the Marche's leading humanities university. Campus in a medieval village a few kilometres from the Adriatic.
UniMC: humanities, law and languages in the heart of the Marche hills since 1290
The University of Macerata — UniMC — is one of Italy's oldest universities, founded in 1290, and the Marche's leading humanities institution. With approximately 8,000 enrolled students and 30 degree programmes in education sciences, psychology, law, economics, political science, humanities and philosophy, languages and linguistic mediation, cultural heritage and communication sciences, UniMC specialises in humanistic, social and legal disciplines. The CENSIS 2025-2026 score is 86.0/100 (9th among small state universities).
Key strengths include the School of Law — historically one of the Marche's most valued — and education sciences and psychology, with programmes praised for teaching quality and the privileged student-faculty relationship. The Language Centre offers over 15 languages, and the Faculty of Languages is a central Italy reference point for linguistic and cultural mediation.
7% of students are international, with a strong presence of European students through Erasmus+ and students from African and Latin American countries with which UniMC has longstanding agreements. The employment rate is 72%. Macerata is one of the Marche's most beautiful medieval villages: hills, villages, quality cuisine and the Adriatic 30 kilometres away.
Academic Areas
University of Macerata by the numbers
From 1290 to the Marche of the third millennium: seven centuries of humanistic knowledge in the heart of central Italy
The University of Macerata was founded in 1290 with papal recognition from Pope Nicholas IV, becoming one of central Italy's oldest university centres. The tradition of excellence in legal and humanistic sciences has been maintained for over seven centuries, through the Papal States, the Risorgimento and the twentieth century.
In the second half of the twentieth century UniMC expanded its offering to include education sciences, psychology and languages, always maintaining its humanistic vocation as the defining thread. The small size of the university has always guaranteed a privileged student-faculty relationship, a characteristic reflected in teaching quality.
In the 2000s UniMC invested in its international dimension, forging agreements with European, African and Latin American universities. The 7% foreign student proportion is a significant result for such a small university in a medium-sized Marche village.
FAQ — Università degli Studi di Macerata
Study in the Marche: useful resources for your journey
The University of Macerata is the most authentic choice among small Italian universities for those wishing to study humanities, law and languages in one of Italy's most historic and welcoming university settings. Discover everything about living and studying in Italy.
