Medicine and Surgery, Biotechnology, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Dental Care, Psychology, Philosophy
Vita-Salute San Raffaele University is a private not-for-profit university in Milan, in Lombardy. It was founded in 1996 within the Opera San Raffaele by Don Luigi Maria Verzé, who served as rector until his death in 2011. The present rector is Enrico Felice Gherlone. The university is closely tied to the San Raffaele Hospital, which joined the San Donato Hospital Group in 2012.
The university is organised around a few faculties. Medicine and Surgery, with Biotechnology, is the core. Degree courses in Nursing, Physiotherapy and Dental Care follow. Psychology has its roots in a Cognitive Science department founded in 1993, and Philosophy was created in 1999. The combination of medicine, psychology and philosophy is distinctive for an Italian university and reflects a focus on the human sciences alongside clinical practice.
The International MD Program is taught in English. Half of the seats go to Italian and European Union citizens and half to non-EU citizens. Other degrees include Psychological Sciences, Communication Sciences and Philosophy, and the university offers a PhD in Philosophy and Cognitive Sciences. The record does not state the number of students or staff, so applicants should check the official pages for the latest data.
The rankings give the position of the university. It is often ranked first in Italy in the Censis ranking for Medicine and Surgery. QS 2025 placed it first in Italy for citations per faculty and for the faculty to student ratio. Times Higher Education 2025 placed it in the 201 to 250 band worldwide and the 126 to 150 band in clinical and health sciences. Il Sole 24 Ore gave it a top placement among Italian private universities in 2011.
Student housing includes two residences on the campus, Cascina Melghera and Cassinella. Admission to medicine is selective, and applicants should read the official pages for the tests and the deadlines. Tuition at a private university is set by the institution. Check the current tariff.
Prospective students should also note that the university is small and specialised. The hospital on the campus allows early contact with clinical practice, and the research institute attached to the hospital provides laboratory placements. Applicants from abroad should read the official pages for the language certificates required and the dates of the admission tests.
Domains taught:
Bioinformatics, Life Sciences, Microbiology and Genetics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Private
Partnerships:
San Raffaele Hospital, part of the San Donato Hospital Group since 2012, student residences Cascina Melghera and Cassinella.
Research:
Medicine, biotechnology, psychology, cognitive science and philosophy.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
N/A
Current students***:
N/A
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
International MD Program in English, San Raffaele Hospital on campus, THE 2025 rank 201 to 250, first in Italy for citations per faculty in QS 2025.
Cons
Private tuition, small institution, competitive admission.
Best For
Students of medicine, psychology and philosophy seeking a private Italian university with a hospital on campus.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
A good alternative in the same country is Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, which likewise covers life sciences; it is also a private institution and also offers mba programmes.
Where this institution leans on microbiology and genetics and life sciences, University of Turin does the same, and it enrols about 81,200 students, and is public, whereas this institution is private.
University of Milan sits close to this university on microbiology and genetics and life sciences; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers agriculture and food science as well.
Think of Campus Bio-Medico di Roma when microbiology and genetics and life sciences is the priority: it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers food science and nanotechnologies as well.
A good alternative in the same country is Università degli Studi di Scienze Gastronomiche, which likewise covers microbiology and genetics and life sciences; it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers agriculture and food science as well.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
On content, Anhui Medical University in China and this institution are close, as both teach bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and life sciences; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and enrols about 18,700 students.
Looking internationally, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the United States is where bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and life sciences get a comparable treatment; it does not run the bachelor's programmes found here and enrols about 789 students.
If this university is on your list for bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and life sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran deserves a comparison, because it enrols about 11,543 students, and is public, whereas this university is private.
Medical University of Graz offers an international parallel to this university, with bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and life sciences as common ground; it is public, whereas this university is private, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Abroad, University of Maryland, Baltimore (the United States) covers bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and life sciences in a comparable way, and it enrols about 7,137 students, and is public, whereas this institution is private.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is Vita-Salute San Raffaele University?
In Milan, Lombardy, Italy.
When was it founded?
In 1996, by Don Luigi Maria Verzé.
Is it public or private?
A private not-for-profit university.
Which hospital is linked to it?
The San Raffaele Hospital.
Is there a program in English?
Yes, the International MD Program.
How are the seats of the International MD Program split?
Half for Italian and EU citizens and half for non-EU citizens.
When was Philosophy created?
In 1999.
How is it placed in the THE ranking of 2025?
In the 201 to 250 band worldwide.
Does it offer student housing?
Yes, at Cascina Melghera and Cassinella.
What does it cost?
Tuition at a private university is set by the institution. Check the current tariff.
Biology, Biomedical Sensors, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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