Poor Coordination and an Primitive Application Process
My experience applying for a PhD programme at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano was extremely disappointing, both administratively and technically.
The process became a “ping-pong” between offices. The PhD office confirmed that all my academic documents were correct, but then redirected me to the Language Centre, where different requirements were enforced with no coordination or accountability. At one point, communication from one side simply stopped, leaving me stuck between two departments that clearly do not communicate with each other.
A key issue concerns the CELI 3 certificate. When I obtained this qualification, it was explicitly communicated that it does not expire. This is also consistent with how such certifications are generally issued. However, during the application process, I was suddenly informed that the certificate is considered invalid because it is older than five years — a requirement that was not clearly stated upfront and only enforced at the final stage (the worst is that there's no available exam for PhD applicants).
In parallel, the technical side is equally problematic. The application platform is extremely outdated: there is no reliable way to save progress, meaning the entire application must be completed and submitted in one session or risk losing everything. This level of infrastructure is frankly unacceptable.
After investing significant time and effort into the application, being blocked due to unclear rules and internal miscommunication leaves a very negative impression.
This experience reflects serious issues in coordination, transparency, and basic digital systems. Applicants deserve clear requirements, consistent communication, and a functional platform — none of which were adequately provided here.
As a result, it really sucks!