The Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, located in Pisa (Tuscany), is a public university that holds a unique position within the Italian higher education system. It is a university in its own right, offering Master’s and PhD programmes, whereas the undergraduate programmes are run in conjunction with the University of Pisa. Potential undergraduates undergo a rigorous, open competitive entrance examination, and only the very best are selected to combine their University of Pisa studies with the additional academic curriculum provided by the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna. Students live and study at the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna totally free of charge; however, they are required to get top marks in all their exams and show proficiency in two foreign languages.
