top of page

List of Universities in Holy See (Vatican City)

The Holy See, which is the central government of the Roman Catholic Church, is located in Vatican City. It does not have any universities of its own, but there are several pontifical universities and higher education institutions in Rome, Italy, that are associated with the Catholic Church and have close ties to the Holy See. Here are some details about these institutions:

  • Pontifical Gregorian University: The Pontifical Gregorian University is a Jesuit university located in Rome. It was founded in 1551 and is one of the oldest and most prestigious pontifical universities in the world. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in various fields of study, including theology, philosophy, social sciences, and canon law.

  • Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas: The Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, also known as the Angelicum, is a Dominican university located in Rome. It was founded in 1577 and is named after the medieval theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in various fields of study, including theology, philosophy, and canon law.

  • Pontifical University of the Holy Cross: The Pontifical University of the Holy Cross is a Catholic university located in Rome. It was founded in 1984 and is run by the personal prelature of Opus Dei. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in various fields of study, including theology, canon law, philosophy, and social sciences.

  • Pontifical Lateran University: The Pontifical Lateran University is a pontifical university located in Rome. It was founded in 1773 and is named after the Lateran Palace, which was the residence of the popes until the 14th century. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in various fields of study, including theology, canon law, philosophy, and social sciences.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list of pontifical universities and higher education institutions associated with the Catholic Church in Rome, as there may be other institutions of higher education in the city.


This is only a List / Database of Institutions

  1. Ateneo Pontificio Regina Apostolorum

  2. Pontifcia Università Gregoriana

  3. Pontifcia Universitas Lateranensis

  4. Pontifcia Università Urbaniana

  5. Pontificia Università "San Tommaso d'Aquino"

  6. Università Pontifcia Salesiana

Merely appearing on this list does not indicate endorsement by ECLBS, nor does it imply any evaluation, approval, or assessment of the caliber of the article by the ECLBS Board of Directors...

bottom of page