Open Semester 2026/2027: more teaching weeks, two national examination sessions and automatic recognition of the highest grade

More time to prepare for examinations, updated syllabuses, two national examination sessions and greater freedom in choosing the university where students attend classes. These are the main changes introduced for the 2026/2027 academic year in the Open Semester, Italy’s national admission system for the single-cycle Master’s degree programmes in Medicine and Surgery and Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics.

Students will be able to attend the Open Semester at a university other than those indicated as their preferred institutions for continuing their studies. The choice of university at which to attend classes will therefore be independent of the preferences expressed for possible enrolment in the second semester.

The national syllabuses for Biology, Chemistry and Introductory Biochemistry, and Physics have also been updated. The timetable will include more teaching weeks, allowing students to cover the course content and prepare for the examinations over a longer period.

The examination procedures are also changing. Two national examination sessions are scheduled: the first on 10 December 2026 and the second on 11 January 2027, both at 11 am. Students who take the examination for the same course twice will not have to decide in advance which result to use: for the purposes of the national ranking, the higher grade among those equal to or above 18 out of 30 will automatically be taken into consideration.

Three courses and a national ranking

The Open Semester comprises three courses worth 6 university credits each, for a total of 18 ECTS credits. Attendance is compulsory, while classes may be delivered in person, online or in a blended format.

Enrolment in the semester is open, but admission to the second semester of Medicine or Dentistry depends on the examination results, the student’s position in the national ranking, the number of places available and the order of the preferences expressed.

The examinations will be identical throughout Italy and will take place simultaneously at all universities. Each examination will consist of 31 questions: 21 multiple-choice questions and 10 fill-in-the-blank questions. Students will have 50 minutes for each course examination.

One point will be awarded for each correct answer, while 0.1 points will be deducted for each incorrect answer. A grade with honours will be worth one additional point, and the maximum total score achievable across the three examinations will be 93 points.

The results of the first examination session will be published on 23 December 2026, while those of the second will be published on 20 January 2027. Students must accept or reject their grades through their personal Universitaly account by the day after the publication of the results of the second session. If no explicit choice is made, the grades will be considered accepted.

Enrolment at the University of Insubria

Students wishing to attend the Open Semester at the University of Insubria must register on the Universitaly portal by 6 pm on 3 August 2026 and complete the procedure through the University’s Online Services – Student Administration portal by 6 August.

The enrolment fee will be waived for students with a University ISEE of up to €28,000. A fee of €250 will apply to students with a University ISEE above €28,000 or who do not submit the relevant certification.

The amount paid will subsequently be deducted from university tuition fees if the student enrols in Medicine, Dentistry or a degree programme not included among the related programmes. For students continuing in a related degree programme, tuition fees will be recalculated according to the duration of the second semester.

International students must also submit their application through Universitaly by 3 August and, where required, complete the pre-enrolment procedure necessary to obtain a visa.

Classes at Insubria from 1 September

At the University of Insubria, teaching activities will begin on 1 September 2026 and will be delivered in a blended format, simultaneously in the classroom and through Microsoft Teams.

In-person attendance must be booked using the «Student Booking» function in the Uninsubria App, which will also allow students to record their attendance and view class schedules and rooms.

The e-learning pages for the three courses will provide teaching materials, bibliographies, practical information and spaces for discussion with lecturers. Students must regularly consult the online timetable, where any changes will be published.

Preferences and related degree programmes

In the application, students must indicate whether they wish to compete for a place in Medicine and Surgery or Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics, select the university at which they intend to attend the semester and list at least ten institutions, in order of preference, for the subsequent continuation of their studies.

They must also select a related degree programme and at least five institutions at which to continue their studies if they are not allocated a place in Medicine or Dentistry. Students who are already enrolled in a related degree programme will not be required to indicate a new alternative programme.

For the 2026/2027 academic year, the University of Insubria’s related degree programmes are Biotechnology, Biological Sciences and Pharmacy, together with Professional Education, Nursing, Environment and Workplace Prevention Techniques, and Biomedical Laboratory Techniques.

Credits obtained during the Open Semester will be fully recognised in the related degree programme. Students who pass only one or two examinations will be able to make up the missing credits at the university to which they are assigned.

The ranking divided into three sections

The national ranking will be divided into three sections. The first will include students who have obtained at least 18 out of 30 in all three examinations. They will receive a base score of 300 points, to which the sum of their grades will be added.

The second section will include students who have passed two examinations, with a base score of 200 points. The third will be reserved for students who have passed only one examination, with a base score of 100 points. In both cases, admission to the second semester will be conditional upon the recovery of the missing credits.

Students who do not obtain at least 18 out of 30 in any examination will not be included in the ranking. In the event of a tie, priority will be given to students with a certified disability rating of at least 66 per cent or with a severe disability. Age and grade average will then be taken into consideration.

The ranking and the first allocation of places will be published on Universitaly on 22 January 2027. Subsequent allocation procedures will continue until 12 February, while those relating to related degree programmes will conclude on 12 March.

Measures for students with disabilities, certified impairments and specific learning disorders

Students with certified impairments, disabilities or specific learning disorders may request assistive tools, reasonable adjustments and additional time.

Students with certified impairments or disabilities may receive up to 50 per cent additional time, while students with specific learning disorders may receive up to 30 per cent additional time. Further adjustments may be granted in particularly severe cases supported by appropriate certification.

At the University of Insubria, requests must be sent from the student’s institutional email address to inclusione@uninsubria.it between 1 October and 24 November 2026.

Preparation through the national platform

To support students in their preparation, the Conference of Italian University Rectors, the Ministry of Universities and Research and the CISIA Interuniversity Consortium provide access to the free «Open Semester – MedOdontVet» platform.

The portal offers teaching content, exercises, self-assessment tools and examination simulations to complement the activities organised by universities.

Students may enrol in the Open Semester a maximum of three times, including in non-consecutive academic years. Those who have attended it previously will be exempt from the attendance requirement but will still have to retake the national examinations.