 In 1894 , aged 18 , Pacelli began his theology studies at Rome 's oldest seminary , the Almo Collegio Capranica , and in November of the same year , registered to take a philosophy course at the Jesuit Pontifical Gregorian University and theology at the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. <unk> . He was also enrolled at the State University , La Sapienza where he studied modern languages and history . At the end of the first academic year however , in the summer of 1895 , he dropped out of both the Capranica and the Gregorian University . According to his sister Elisabetta , the food at the Capranica was to blame . Having received a special dispensation he continued his studies from home and so spent most of his seminary years as an external student . In 1899 he completed his education in Sacred Theology with a doctoral degree awarded on the basis of a short dissertation and an oral examination in Latin . 
