TopSport has been designed by the University of Trento for students who compete in high level sports. Created in 2011, it is the first example in Italy of a structured programme for student-athletes, as it offers concrete support to combine training, competitions and exams.

TopSport is open to students of all sports and all programmes of study at UniTrento – undergraduate, master's, single-cycle degrees and PhDs – and complies with European and national guidelines on dual careers.

Based on their sport profile, students join one of the following groups:

• Champion, for high and very high level athletes;
• Elite, for athletes of national interest based on the opinion of the Italian olympic committee (CONI).

Specific benefits and requirements apply to each group.

1. Exam dates can be arranged.
2. Exams can be taken remotely.
3. If you miss mandatory classes, you can make arrangements to catch up.
4. You can arrange for online meetings with faculty members.
5. You can receive support in the registration procedure and in the management of your student career.
6. A reference tutor for questions or information about your university career, and subject-specific tutoring in the first year (if provided by your department or centre) to help with studying and exam preparation.
7. Support in the choice of an internship, to guide your professional future even beyond your sports career.
8. Access to international mobility opportunities with academic requirements based on the TopSport programme.
9. Access to the guesthouse during the exams (up to 2 nights).
10. Possibility of suspending studies for up to one year in case of important sporting commitments.

A call for applications is launched every year, as only a limited number of places are available on TopSport. You can apply whether you are enrolling for the first time at UniTrento, or if you are already enrolled in an undergraduate, master's or PhD programme.

The TopSport committee evaluates applications on the basis of the sports curriculum (certified by the club or federation you belong to) and motivation of the applicants.

The application does not replace the admission procedure to UniTrento, which must be made in the manner indicated in the call you want to apply for.

The call for applications for the academic year 2026-2027 will be published in spring 2026.

Academic requirements

Champion athletes must earn at least 18 ECTS per academic year, or 36 ECTS in two consecutive academic years (some exceptions apply, see the regulations).

Elite athletes must earn at least 36 ECTS per academic year, or 72 ECTS in two consecutive academic years.

Sporting requirements

Sports requirements are evaluated through a mathematical model. The model considers the athletes' commitment, achievements and participation in competitions.