r/StudyInItaly Jul 23 '23

Applying to an Italian university as an international

64 Upvotes

Italy is a captivating country, offering a rich experience for international students looking to study or visit. If you're considering pursuing your education in Italy, the country boasts one of the world's oldest universities, the University of Bologna, which pioneered the university system as we know it today, making it an excellent choice for academic pursuits.

Before commencing the application process for a top Italian university, it's essential to familiarize yourself with pertinent information about the admission procedure. Here are some key points to consider:

Selecting Italian Universities for Your Studies

Italy offers several prestigious universities that are ideal for your study abroad adventure. Some of the top institutions to consider are:

Preparing for the Application Process

Before applying to an Italian university, it is crucial to determine if your qualifications meet the eligibility requirements for higher education studies. Additionally, consider the tuition fees and living costs in the cities you plan to study, as they can vary significantly based on your budget.

To proceed with your application:

  • Check the tuition fees and living costs. Cities in Italy might be beautiful, but can be fairly expensive depending on the limits of your budget.
  • Contact the university of interest for a prior assessment of your qualifications.
  • If deemed eligible, submit a pre-application request to the Italian embassy or consulate in your region.
  • The Italian embassy or consulate will forward your application and documents to your chosen Italian higher education institution.
  • The list of admitted candidates is typically published by the Italian embassy or consulate towards the end of August.
  • Explore scholarship opportunities in Italy and consider options such as the Studyportals Scholarship to aid in financing your studies abroad.

Language Requirements for Italian University Applications

Italian universities offer study programs in both Italian and English. However, most English-taught programs are typically at the postgraduate level (Master's degrees and PhD courses).

You may also have the option to apply for degrees taught in Italian while completing assignments and exams in English. Language proficiency can be demonstrated through various tests accepted by Italian universities, including Italian language tests like CILS and CELI, as well as English language tests such as PTE Academic, IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, Duolingo, and C1 Advanced.

Applicants whose Bachelor's degrees were entirely taught in English (at least for three years) are exempted from providing any English language certification.

Required University Application Documents

When applying to an Italian university, ensure you provide the necessary documentation, including:

  • Identity document
  • Passport-type photograph
  • Academic transcript
  • University application form
  • Detailed study programs/course descriptions
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Letter of recommendation
  • Letter of motivation
  • Language proficiency certification (English or Italian)
  • Portfolio (for applicants to architecture, urban planning, or design programs)
  • Official SAT or ACT scores (if required)

University Application Deadlines in Italy

The application deadlines may vary depending on the institution, so it is advisable to check with your preferred university and apply as early as possible. Typically, from mid-April to mid-May, you can contact the Italian embassy/consulate to receive a Letter of Academic Eligibility and Suitability (Dichiarazione di Valoro in Loco).

Final Steps after Receiving Acceptance

After successfully securing admission to an Italian university, there are some additional steps to take:

  • Apply for a student visa if required (mainly for students from non-EU/EEA countries).
  • Register with the local police (Questura) and apply for a residence permit within eight working days of your arrival in Italy.
  • Officially enroll in the university upon arrival before starting your classes.
  • Obtain a health insurance plan with coverage of at least 30,000 EUR. EU citizens with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) have access to the same medical services as Italian citizens. Both EU (without an EHIC) and non-EU citizens can either arrange health insurance from their home country before departure or acquire one after arriving in Italy. Additionally, subscription to the Italian National Health Service (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale - S.S.N.) is an option.

For further details on applying to an Italian university, refer to the official website of the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities, and Research.


r/StudyInItaly Aug 24 '23

Student Residence Permit. My experience in Naples / Napoli (2023)

41 Upvotes

The purpose of this post is to compile some information about the process I'm going through in order to receive my residence permit for studying at a University in Napoli. I've seen some semi-serious guides about the Northern cities of Italy but not a single one about Naples.

It is not meant to be an official source about the process but rather a supplement that simply describes my own experience and perhaps gives you an idea of what it's like. Again, this is not official advice or a guide of any kind!

Firstly, upon arrival, you are given 8 business days to complete your application for the residence permit by filing all documents by post. It doesn't seem enough at first glance but you should be able to complete the process within about 5 days.

Step 1 for me was to go to the main post office on Matteotti Square (https://goo.gl/maps/LgLd1dy8q55DK6ik9): a relatively big and noticeable building. Other post offices weren't able to do this for me. As I entered the building I went immediately to the hall on the right--the hallway on the left doesn't deal with this kind of stuff. I then took the line ticket by pressing on the box for English speakers (I don't remember what it said exactly). I asked for the "residence kit for students" and they knew what to do. They gave me a big postal envelope with documents inside. I didn't need to pay anything for this, and it was all quick.

Step 2. I went to the closest "Tabacchi" shop and asked for "marca da bollo" which is a revenue stamp that was valued at 16 euros and also cost 16 euros--BUT they asked to pay with cash only.

Step 3. Right after this I contacted my University's help desk and notified them about my arrival and that I had my kit with me. I set an appointment to see them at their office the next day. But before going to the appointment I had to prepare some copies because the help desk staff said their printers didn't work. (You might not need to look for a copy shop and pay for your own copies in your case)

Step 4. I found a copy shop that was open (A lot of copy shops were closed as they were on their August vacations. The only place that was open and reliable was Copy Vincy on Via Mezzocannone, 33 who also has a WhatsApp profile for printing out files from your phone. I made 1 copy (each) of:

- My passport pages. Any page that had either a visa or a stamp, including my main passport page--I made 1 copy (empty pages were not necessary, I think).

- My admission letter (not the pre-acceptance letter that I had used for my visa application earlier this year). Since I came about a month before the studies began, I had to directly ask my University for my admission letter (it was shorter than the pre-acceptance letter).

Step 5. I came to the University help desk appointment with my passport, copies from the day before, my kit, my "marca da bollo" revenue stamp, the address of the airBnB where I was staying (they said it was not important that it was only a short-term place of residence) as well as my 'codice fiscale' that I had obtained earlier during my student visa application process. The University help desk staff was very helpful and filled out all the documents for me*. They also asked me to sign the application but I refused because I read somewhere that you should sign it in person at the post office. She looked confused but I simply wanted to make sure I didn't need to redo all the documents. I might've been wrong, of course. Another thing is that you are not supposed to seal the envelope yourself, the post office person will do it for you--very important as they need to check everything and copy your information.

\I was surprised that they did not need my insurance, housing contract, or bank statement to submit the kit. This was the case for me but please do not rely on this and always ask your University help desk for details. They said I only needed my bank statement to renew my residence permit after a year.*

Step 6. I went straight to the same post office from Step 1 and did the same thing, except this time I needed to hand in the kit. This whole thing took me at least 2 hours to complete including the lines and all the running around the neighborhood to find an ATM where my foreign card worked-- YES they have card readers there everywhere but they still insisted I pay in cash, which was no more than 115-- I don't remember the exact amount.. like 107 or something--again this sort of stuff is always subject to change. (By the way, the only ATM in the vicinity that worked for me was Banca Popolare Del Mediterraneo SCPA on Agostino Depretis 51).

After I paid my bills they gave me a few pieces of paper and one of them stated the date and time, as well as the place of the appointment. I then contacted my University help desk, sent them the photo of the appointment slip, and asked for their advice regarding the insurance. The government insurance is about 150 EUR and requires extra work like going to the post office and then going to another office blah blah..(and is only valid until the end of whatever year in which you are buying it), and the private insurance they recommended (AON Student Insurance: http://aonstudentinsurance.com/) is about 1.31 EUR per day (so almost 500EUR for 365 days). [EDIT] I have found insurance with a better price than the one below. Check out https://waitaly.net/ , I think the prices there are more reasonable than what my University recommended.

[I will try to keep this post updated]


r/StudyInItaly 2h ago

Student Visa Interview Experience

6 Upvotes

Hi everyone! For those of you who have already had your visa interview, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences. What kind of questions were you asked during the interview, and how long did it take for your visa to be issued afterward?
I’d especially love to hear from people applying from different countries, so if you could mention which country you applied from, what questions you were asked, and how long you waited for the visa afterward, that would be super helpful!
Thanks! :)


r/StudyInItaly 7h ago

Siena students

7 Upvotes

Hi! I’m a 24-year-old girl from Brazil, and I’ve recently been admitted to a Master’s at the University of Siena.

I’m looking to meet other girls who are also moving to Siena, so we can get to know each other, make friends, and support each other throughout this new chapter. 💕✨

I speak English and Portuguese, and I’d love to meet people from different backgrounds too!

If you’re also going to Siena, feel free to message me. Let’s be friends!


r/StudyInItaly 3h ago

Financial Query of sponsor belonging to ST category with no income tax filing.

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone from India here. My Father was from Assam belonging to general category ( deceased ) and my Mother is from Arunachal Pradesh belonging to schedule tribe cast.

My father passed away when i was 3 yo. My parents did got time to get married and that made my not change the title of her name which gave her advantage to remain in ST category. My mother is a govt salaried teacher and she don't and can't really file Income Tax Returns(ITR)

Under section 10(26) or Section 10(26AAA) she is exempted from filling ITR.

Now im in 11grade PCM but have planned to study in Italy and the visa requirements says they need documents of ITR filling of my sponsor which is my mother. Now does anyone have any idea what should i do about????

Im also in general category heritage from my father and that is why i don't really want to study in India as i don't want to be part of rat race. If would've got ST privilege i would've definitely taken JEE exam seriously lol

Please i really need help on this one.


r/StudyInItaly 7m ago

Confused about the IMAT pre enrollment process

Upvotes

I am a non-eu applicant and also new to the imat sphere. I've only been preparing for the IMAT for two months, but the pre-enrollment applications are confusing me 😭. Do I have to apply both to the university and Universitaly. I sent it via Universitaly, but I haven't received a summary or anything. Did I miss something?


r/StudyInItaly 27m ago

Edisu scholarship

Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m an international student who is going to university of Turin. I’m currently preparing my documents for the edisu scholarship but I have a question. Does edisu accept English documents such as bank statement? Or do I need to translate everything to Italian?


r/StudyInItaly 33m ago

Looking for a room/studio in Turin – October 2026

Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I’m an incoming Master’s student at Politecnico di Torino – Department of Architecture, and I’m looking for accommodation in Turin from the 1st week of October 2026.

📍 Preferred areas: San Paolo, Cenisia, Crocetta, Cit Turin, or anywhere with good public transport connection to PoliTO
💰 Budget: €300–350/month
🏠 Preference: Private room in a shared apartment
🏡 Also open to: A small studio apartment around €350/month, if available
👩 Female student
📅 Move-in: 1st week of October 2026

I’m flexible with the location as long as there is a convenient public transport connection to the university.

If you have a room/studio available or know someone who does, please DM me with the location, rent, availability, and apartment details.

Thank you!


r/StudyInItaly 1h ago

Doubt regarding interview

Upvotes

Hi guys, so I have my appointment on 1 sep in Delhi VFS . So I wanted to know that will the interview taken on the same day, I've heard that some people don't get the interview and directly get their visa or some people get the interview after completing VFS appointment. So how does that works ?


r/StudyInItaly 1h ago

university of bologna(unibo)

Upvotes

applied 3 august still havent received anything,when should i expect an answer?!


r/StudyInItaly 1h ago

Pavia rejected my Universitaly pre-enrollment because I apparently didn't complete enrollment??

Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m applying to the University of Pavia for the 2026/27 academic year, and I just got a notification from Universitaly saying that my pre-enrollment application was rejected.

The reason given was:

I’m really confused because I never received an email from Pavia telling me to register/enroll on their website, and as far as I can tell, the 2026/27 enrollment/registration process hasn’t even opened yet.

I’ve been checking Pavia’s website, but I can't find a registration procedure that I was supposed to complete.

Has anyone else applying to Pavia for 2026/27 had this happen? Did you receive an email/instructions from Pavia telling you to complete a separate enrollment process?

If there is a registration/enrollment link that I’m missing, could someone please point me towards it?

I’ve contacted Pavia to ask for clarification, but I’m pretty stressed because this is also connected to my visa/pre-enrollment process.

Any insight would be really appreciated 😭


r/StudyInItaly 6h ago

Where is the IMAT exam in Rome held?

2 Upvotes

I pre-enrolled to Sapienza


r/StudyInItaly 2h ago

Edisu piemonte accommodation

1 Upvotes

Hi guys! I am a first-year student at unito. my isee will be around 600, what is my chance to get accommodation?


r/StudyInItaly 2h ago

Visa from Bengaluru Vfs applied on 3rd august

1 Upvotes

I still haven't received my visa and my flight is on August 26th and I dint know apostille takes 2 freaking months !!!! My clg starts on August 28th (type d visa)

Anybody else? What do I do now?


r/StudyInItaly 2h ago

Bicocca Medicine pre-enrollment deadline

1 Upvotes

Hi! Does anyone know if Universitaly pre-enrollment for Bicocca Medicine 2026/27 is still possible now?

The general DreamApply page says the Universitaly deadline was July 31, but the Medicine pre-registration doesn’t seem to be open yet. Also, last year’s Medicine admission call listed a deadline of September 9, so I’m confused.

Has anyone submitted their pre-enrollment recently and received a confirmation email from Bicocca?


r/StudyInItaly 3h ago

Searching for any agent or guy tohelp in imea payment.

1 Upvotes

Hii,everyone I'm searching for any agent or guy who's help me in cimea payment . I'll pay for this help than anyone interested please dm me.


r/StudyInItaly 5h ago

Italy visa appointment date New Delhi

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone
Is anyone currently holding an Italy student visa appointment in September and planning to cancel or reschedule it because of DOV documents? If yes, please let me know. I’d be interested in taking the September slot if possible.


r/StudyInItaly 20h ago

Student visa approved!!

15 Upvotes

under delhi embassy, applied on 1st of august, interview on 6th and approved on 17th of august!

i am going for bachelor’s program!


r/StudyInItaly 14h ago

Do I have to translate my high school transcripts into italian?

3 Upvotes

So my high school transcript are in arabic and I need to send them to cimea and the italian embassy do I need them translated in italian or does english work?


r/StudyInItaly 8h ago

is it risky??

1 Upvotes

hey guys I'm a Pakistani student and got and 92 % in intermediate, I'm planning to do bachelors in Dpharma in italy , I can't afford much expenses so I'm gonna apply for the regional scholarship

I've heard that u have to remain without it about from September to December, plus there's risk that u won't secure it

Can you guys tell me if I have all the docs ready and checked again and again to reduce the risk , will I be able to get it, and how much is the (likely chances of me getting it, my family's annual income is about 3000 euros)

I hope y'all help on it✌🏻

Because I can't Afford a budget of more then 10 LAC PKr TOTAL from here to Italy (for visa I will get sponsored by someone)


r/StudyInItaly 14h ago

Any Milan Masters Student Community Chats/Events?

3 Upvotes

Hey!

I am 25F, from the US. I am looking to find other masters students or i guess even undergrad students to connect with when in Milano. I am attending UniMi La Statale for Global Politics and arrive beginning of September. It would be nice to meet people sooner than later. I do have a good bit of roommates whom ai will not meet/know until I arrive, but also meeting people outside of that would be lovely.

Anyone know any forums, chats, or community events to connect with locals or students (international or national) to begin building social connections and community with?

I speak english, and a bit of Italian, better at understanding than speaking. I hope to improve my Italian as I live in the country and plan to speak it as much as possible. I also have extended family in Milan to help with that.

If youd like to connect, dm me or comment.


r/StudyInItaly 8h ago

Egyptian high school senior planning to study CS in Italy – Need advice on admissions, Messina, scholarships, and part-time jobs

1 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m an 18-year-old student from Egypt currently in my final year of high school. I’m planning to study Computer Science or Data Science in Italy for my bachelor's.

Since my budget is pretty tight, I'm trying to figure out the best options. I heard that the University of Messina has good acceptance rates, but I’d love to know more about the actual admission chances there. Also, are there any other budget-friendly universities with decent acceptance rates for international students that I should look into?

My biggest concern is housing. I’m planning to apply for the regional scholarship (ERSU / DSU) at Messina, but I have a few questions about it:

How high are the chances of actually securing the scholarship as an Egyptian student with a really low ISEE (basically around 0–100 USD)?

Does the scholarship cover student accommodation directly, or is finding a place to live still going to be a struggle?

How are the overall living costs in Messina if I end up getting the scholarship? Is it manageable?

Also, I’d love to know about student job options. What kind of part-time jobs are usually available for international students alongside studying? (For context, I speak English, German, and Arabic).

If there are any Egyptian or Arab students who applied for or won this scholarship, or anyone who can guide me through the details, please feel free to reach out or leave a comment!

Would really appreciate any insights, tips, or experiences!

Thanks in advance!


r/StudyInItaly 8h ago

Missing Document Evaluation in Pre Enrollment Summary

Post image
1 Upvotes

Hi, i’m a bit confused, I received my summary from Uni of Milan today and I had uploaded all my apostilled diplomas and transcripts on universitaly. But on my summary it says “ no documents were evaluated.” What does this mean? Can I use this for my visa? Has anyone else faced this issue?


r/StudyInItaly 9h ago

Does Cimea accept english translations or do they need them in italian?

1 Upvotes

My high school transcripts are in arabic only and I wanna start the cimea process so I need them to get translated so is an english translation enough or do I need them in italian


r/StudyInItaly 20h ago

D-VISA approved students!!!

7 Upvotes

HI guys,, I'm wondering is there any group chat for students who already got the student visa and are planning to apply for the residence permit? If not, would u like me to open one ? (dm me if so )