After attending Liceo Classico Vincenzo Gioberti, he completed a BA in Modern Literature at the University of Turin and at the University of Leicester, followed by an MA in Comparative Literatures.
After the "Liceo Classico" (Classical Studies High School) he attended the University of Florence where he graduated summa cum laude in Classics (Lettere Classiche) in 1926, and in 1927 he was awarded by the Rabbinical College of Florence—where he had studied under important scholars such as Elia Samuele Artom, Umberto Cassuto, Shemuel Zvi Margulies—the title of Chachàm ha shalèm (Senior Rabbi).
Ernesto de Pascale attended the famous Liceo Classico Dante in Florence (whose students include actors Davide Riondino and Paolo Hendel, Italian rock icon Piero Pelù, politicians and writers Giorgio Van Straten and Giovanni Gozzini, politician Matteo Renzi) from 1971 on, until he was thrown out for having destroyed his classroom by fire and physical violence.
did his schooling in the liceo classico of the 'Pius XI' diocesan seminary at Venegono Inferiore, in the province of Varese, Italy.
There he met Gianni Lancia, son of Vincenzo, with whom he went to the Liceo classico Massimo d'Azeglio as a child.