College of Europe
Campuses in Bruges, Natolin and Tirana
Founded in 1949 in Bruges (Belgium), the College of Europe is the first postgraduate institute dedicated to European studies.
It was established on the initiative of four leading figures in post-war Europe: Salvador de Madariaga, Winston Churchill, Paul Henry Spaak and Alcide De Gasperi.
The aim was to create an international environment where young university students from different European countries could study and live together, learning about the main political, social and economic issues of Europe.
In view of the progressive enlargement of the Union, a second campus was inaugurated in Natolin (Warsaw, Poland) in 1992, with the support of the European Commission and the Polish Government.
2023 saw the opening of the third campus in Tirana (Albania), where the Master’s programme in Transformation and Integration – EU and South-Eastern Europe was established.
The College of Europe’s mission remains to offer rigorously selected students from all over the world a high-level education to understand and explore the political, legal, economic and international dynamics of European integration.
The courses offered are as follows:
- MSc in European Economic Studies
- MA in EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies
- Master of European Law (LLM)
- MA in European Political and Governance Studies
- MA in Transatlantic Affairs
- MA in European Interdisciplinary Studies
- MA in European Transformation and Integration
For further information, interested parties are invited to consult the website https://www.coleurope.eu/
MAECI-CoE SCHOLARSHIPS
Every year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers scholarships to Italian citizens interested in attending the three campuses of the College of Europe. Scholarships are awarded based on budget availability, so their number varies from year to year and is announced during the financial year.
Each scholarship is worth €14,300 and partially covers the College’s enrolment and attendance fees, which amount to:
- €29,000 for the Bruges and Natolin campuses (increasing for the 2026-2027 academic year);
- €27,000 for the Tirana campus.
- Other Italian scholarships or public funding;
- European funding;
- Scholarships from the College of Europe.
If the winner of the MAECI scholarship is also the beneficiary of one of the above-mentioned scholarships, they must immediately inform the Ministry and choose only one of them.
If the additional funding comes from a private entity, the scholarship holder must notify this Ministry, bearing in mind that the total amount of the two scholarships (MAECI + other scholarship) must not exceed the contribution required for enrolment and attendance at the campuses.
The exact dates and all relevant information can be found on the College website on the Admission page.
For the 2026-2027 academic year, applications for admission to the College (and simultaneously for the MAECI-CoE scholarship) are open from October 15th 2025 to January 14th 2026.
Once the applications have been received, the College of Europe independently manages an initial pre-selection phase, during which it identifies the number of candidates to be interviewed.
By March, applicants will receive an email from the National Selection Committee indicating the place, date and time of their admission interview. Only those who confirm their participation by emailing dgdp-04.progettispeciali@esteri.it will be included in the interview schedule.
In the past, selections have also been conducted in a hybrid format, but only in cases of clear and justified reasons accepted by the Presidency. These include work commitments that cannot be postponed, the actual impossibility of easily reaching the headquarters due to a lack of air connections, and documented health reasons.
Interviews are conducted in the presence of the entire National Selection Committee. It is chaired by a diplomatic official from the MAECI and composed of professors and assistants from the College, assisted by administrative officials from both bodies in carrying out the procedures.
The interviews are attended by a representative of the Italian Regional Group of the Association of Anciens of the College of Europe.
The interview is conducted in English and French.
The most important elements to be assessed are:
- previous university education;
- motivation;
- knowledge of both the working languages of the College and the subjects of the CoE department for which each student has applied.
All candidates must demonstrate a strong interest and up-to-date knowledge of European affairs, particularly those relating to their own field.
During the month following the closing of the selection process, all candidates – admitted, on reserve and not selected – will receive feedback from the MAECI on the outcome of the interview.
Official letters of admission are sent by the College, usually at the end of June.
Successful applicants who are offered a place must confirm their acceptance in writing by the deadline indicated in the admission email. The offer is valid only for the academic year for which the applicant has applied.
Admission cannot be deferred. If you choose to decline your place, you must inform the CoE Admissions Office and the MAECI by the deadline indicated in the official admission letter.
Withdrawals may take place throughout the summer period and in any case before the start of the academic year. Reserve candidates are invited to monitor their email address in case of changes to the ranking list.
For any questions, please consult the Selection Process | Coleurope page.
Information and contacts for the recognition in Italy of qualifications obtained at the College of Europe are available on the CIMEA website in the section Procedures for the recognition of qualifications – cimea.it