Vatican City (VA)

Vatican City — the Holy See — is the world's smallest independent state and the spiritual centre of the Roman Catholic Church.

Capital: Vatican City

Region: Europe

Language: Latin

Currency: EUR (€)

Cost of living: Unknown

Emergency: 112

Education & Schools

Schools, universities, and language courses in Vatican City.

👶 Childcare & Kindergarten

Asilo Nido (Infant nursery) €300–800/month (private Rome nurseries)

Age: 0–3 years

Subsidy available

Vatican employees may access the Vatican Asilo (nursery) operated by the Governorate for children of Vatican staff — heavily subsidised, with priority for Vatican employees. Roman municipal nidi (Roma Capitale) are means-tested and much cheaper (€50–200/month) but have long waiting lists. Holy See family allowances partially offset private nursery costs.

Vatican Asilo: apply through the Governorate HR office with employment contract and baptismal certificate (Catholic faith typically required for Vatican nurseries). Roman asili: online application on Roma Capitale portal with birth certificate, residency certificate, and ISEE income certification.

⏱️ Register for the Vatican Asilo through the Vatican HR office (Ufficio del Personale) as soon as employment is confirmed. Roman public asili: register via the Roma Capitale nursery portal (spaziodomanda.roma.it) immediately on arriving in Rome.

Scuola Materna / Scuola dell'Infanzia (Kindergarten) €0–150/month (Italian state); €400–900/month (private or international)

Age: 3–6 years

Subsidy available

Italian state scuola dell'infanzia is essentially free (small meal contribution). Vatican-affiliated institutions (e.g. Istituto della Beata Vergine de Guadalupe, various religious order schools) offer Catholic kindergartens in Rome at moderate cost with Vatican staff preference.

State school: register through the Italian Ministry of Education portal (iscrizioni.istruzione.it) in January each year. Private/Catholic: directly with the school, bringing baptismal certificate and birth certificate.

⏱️ Italian state schools require early registration (typically January for September enrolment). Catholic private kindergartens have their own registration schedules.

🏫 Schools

Primary Free

Scuola Primaria (Elementare)

Ages: 6–11 years (grades 1–5) · Language: Italian (state schools); English or bilingual (international schools)

Italian state schools: register via iscrizioni.istruzione.it in January for September. Bring birth certificate, health certificate (certificato sanitario), codice fiscale, and proof of residence. Vatican employee families are assigned to the catchment school nearest their Vatican-area residence in Rome (Prati/Borgo district).

Vatican employees often choose Catholic private primary schools (scuole paritarie) in Prati and Parioli, run by religious orders, which offer a values-aligned environment and smaller classes. Many also send children to the international schools in Rome (see below) for English-language continuity.

Secondary Free

Scuola Media + Liceo / Istituto Tecnico

Ages: 11–19 years · Language: Italian (state); English (international schools)

Scuola media (11–14): follows primary school via municipal allocation. Liceo (14–19): student and family choose; register directly with the school. Liceo Classico (Latin/Greek humanities), Liceo Scientifico (sciences), Liceo Linguistico (languages) are the main tracks. Vatican staff children are eligible for all Italian state schools.

The Liceo Classico has a particularly prestigious tradition in Rome — appropriate given the Vatican's classical and Latin heritage. Some Vatican families choose the Liceo Massimo (Jesuit) or Liceo Visconti. For internationally mobile families, the New School Rome (international secondary, IB programme) or St. George's British International School are popular.

International Schools

Rome has excellent international schools serving Vatican employee families and the wider diplomatic community. Marymount International School Rome (American curriculum, PreK–12, via villa Lauchli 180, approx. €17,000–22,000/year). St. George's British International School (British curriculum, Ages 3–18, via Cassia 1280; 2025/26 fees €10,700–19,900/year). New School Rome (IB curriculum, Ages 3–18, via della Camilluccia 669, approx. €14,000–19,000/year). Rome International School (IB, Ages 3–18, approx. €13,000–17,000/year). St. Francis International School (smaller, Catholic ethos, €10,000–14,000/year). Vatican employees with school-age children benefit from family allowances that partially offset international school fees.

University

Tuition fee

Rome state universities (La Sapienza, Roma Tre, Tor Vergata): €500–2,500/year for EU students; €1,500–4,000/year for non-EU. Pontifical Universities (Gregoriana, Lateran, Angelicum, Santa Croce): €2,000–6,000/year; specialist theological degrees widely subsidised for clergy. La Gregoriana is the world's leading Catholic university and is deeply embedded in Vatican intellectual life.

Semester fee

DSU Lazio (regional right-to-study body) provides scholarships, subsidised housing, and canteen access to qualifying students. Italian state universities have no integrated semester transport pass — public transport is purchased separately. See tuitionFee above for the actual annual fee structure.

Student visa

Non-EU students need an Italian student visa (visto per studio). Apply at the Italian consulate in the home country. Vatican employment does not substitute for a student visa if studying at an Italian institution while not employed by the Holy See.

Health insurance

Italian students enrolled in Italian universities can access the SSN (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale) through registration with an Italian GP. Pontifical University students may access healthcare through their religious institute or through the Vatican Health Service if employed by the Holy See.

Application process

State universities: apply via Universitaly portal (universitaly.it) for international students. Pontifical Universities: apply directly to the university. Gregoriana and Angelicum accept students worldwide, with many programmes in Italian, English, and Latin.

🗣️ Language Courses

Italian Language Courses (Centri Linguistici, Rome)

Provider: Dante Alighieri Society, Borghese School of Italian, Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Rome · Duration: 4–24 weeks intensive, or part-time evening courses · Levels: A1 to C2

€200–500 per 4-week intensive course

Italian is essential for daily life in Rome and Vatican office work. Many Vatican lay employees take intensive Italian at Borghese or Dante Alighieri before arrival or in their first months.

Latin Language Courses (Pontifical Institutes)

Provider: Pontifical Academy of Latin, Institutum Altioris Latinitatis, Gregoriana · Duration: Annual academic term · Levels: Beginner to advanced ecclesiastical Latin

€300–800 per term

Latin is the official language of the Holy See for formal documents, canon law, and liturgical celebration. Clergy and senior lay officials are expected to read Latin. The Pontifical Academy of Latin (founded 2012) offers high-quality courses.

Italian for Vatican Employees

Provider: Vatican Governorate Language Service / Scuola Vaticana · Duration: Ongoing — semester-based · Levels: A1 to B2

Free or heavily subsidised for Vatican employees

The Vatican Governorate sometimes offers or subsidises Italian language classes for newly arrived lay employees. Confirm availability with HR (Ufficio del Personale) on arrival.

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