I am a university student.
'Universitario' = oo-nee-ver-see-TAH-ryoh — five syllables. Stress on the fourth. The feminine form is 'universitaria'.
Introduce yourself as a student when age makes it obvious or when in a student environment. In Italy, students often identify strongly with their faculty and city of study.
No article before the profession: 'sono studente,' not 'sono uno studente' (though 'sono uno studente' is also acceptable). 'Universitario/a' is an adjective agreeing with the gender of the student. Adding your faculty gives more identity.
Studio ingegneria al Politecnico.
I study engineering at the Politecnico.
Names the specific subject and university — much more informative.
Sono al terzo anno di medicina.
I'm in my third year of medicine.
States the year — important context in Italian university culture.
Sono fuoricorso.
I'm taking longer than expected to finish my degree.
'Fuoricorso' is an Italian-specific term for students who exceed the standard degree duration — very common.
Bologna's university is the oldest in the world (founded 1088) and the city is defined by its student population. The 'porticoes' of Bologna are a UNESCO site and a beloved student hangout space.