Italy
Student visa for Italy: documents, fees and steps
Study · 216 nationalities · any residence · ordinary passport
Verified on 13 October 2026
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Documents requested
Form "Domanda di visto Nazionale (D)", free of charge, completed and signed, with a photograph in the designated boxConditions and details
The national visa application form (type D) is published on the "Il visto per l'Italia" portal; it is free of charge and has a box for the photograph. It asks for the type, number, dates of issue and validity of the travel document and the authority that issued it. For a student, it also asks for the name and address of the educational institution, the duration of stay in days (365 days at most), the expected date of arrival in the Schengen area and a contact address in Italy. The application is signed by the applicant.Passport or equivalent travel document recognised as valid for crossing borders, to be presented on entry together with the visa when requiredConditions and details
According to the State Police, a foreigner who crosses the external borders of the Schengen area enters Italy if he presents himself at a border crossing point, holds a passport or equivalent travel document recognised as valid for crossing borders and, in the cases provided for, a valid entry visa. If he does not meet these conditions, he is refused at the border, even with a regular visa.Proof of means of subsistence: annual reference of 10 179,85 euros for the university enrolment visa, according to circular 2026/2027 and 2027/2028Conditions and details
For the national university enrolment visa, circular 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 sets a reference of 10 179,85 euros per year. The funds must have a lawful and traceable origin, preferably be personal or be provided by the family up to the fourth degree. Accounts in the student's name are to be preferred when they are permitted in the country of origin. The consulate checks the provenance, the account movements and consistency with income and assets. Recognised reliable institutions may also finance the stay. A mere application or eligibility for a regional scholarship, without a certificate of award, is not sufficient. The assessment takes into account the availability of resources for the continuation of studies; the annual amount does not replace the consulate's examination.Coverage of medical and hospital care for the study stayConditions and details
The directive of the Ministry of the Interior provides for the sum necessary for enrolment in the National Health Service or a specific insurance valid for the duration of the stay. For university enrolment, the circular specifies the evidence accepted at the time of the residence permit application: consular declaration attesting a right to care arising from an agreement with Italy; foreign insurance valid in Italy without limitations or tariff exclusions for urgent hospitalisation during its duration; or Italian insurance accompanied by a certificate from the insurer on this absence of limitations or exclusions. Check with the consulate the supporting documents to be presented for the visa.Indication of suitable accommodation in ItalyConditions and details
Suitable accommodation in Italy must be evidenced. For university enrolment, a mere application or eligibility for a place in a university residence does not attest that the accommodation is available.Availability of the sum necessary for repatriation, proven also by a return ticketConditions and details
Unless otherwise provided by the consolidated text or its regulation, the foreigner indicates the availability of the sum necessary for repatriation; it may be proven also by a return ticket.
Depending on your situation
Universitaly pre-enrolment validated by the institution, except EUI or EPLO/ELGS programmes exempt from this portalConditions and details
For courses subject to this procedure, pre-enrolment is done on Universitaly, the official and free portal, with the diplomas and documents required by the institution. The validated summary is presented to the consulate. Validation must be without reservation, except if the diploma has been obtained but is not yet physically available with an accepted official certificate, or if an in-person language test or admission test remains to be taken; the circular then provides, if the conditions are met, a 100-day national visa. The absence of validation leads to the refusal of a visa application already received. For EUI and EPLO/ELGS, the circular provides for a direct procedure with the consulate without Universitaly. Validation or admission guarantees neither an appointment nor a visa.According to the cycle of studies: diploma, evidence of comparability and authenticity, transcripts and translations required for the visaConditions and details
For enrolment in the first cycle, the circular requires the secondary school diploma obtained after at least 12 years of schooling, with the adaptations provided for by the annex for shorter courses. For the following cycles, it requires the appropriate qualification of the previous cycle as well as the transcripts of examinations and programmes, or the Diploma Supplement when applicable. The qualification must be accompanied by the CIMEA comparability and verification attestations, or a declaration of value for comparability; authenticity must also be established if that declaration does not verify it. Depending on the country and the course, proof of passing the admission examination and translations may be required. If the qualification obtained is not yet physically available, an accepted official provisional certificate may replace it; a self-declaration is not sufficient. Have the list corresponding to the cycle confirmed by the consulate.Evidence of the language level required for the course, subject to the exemptions provided forConditions and details
The institution verifies the language of instruction and enters the result in the pre-enrolment. For laurea and laurea magistrale courses in Italian, the level required is at least B2, with the exemptions provided for certain diplomas or certificates; for foundation courses, the minimum indicated is B1. For a first-, second- or third-cycle visa for a course in a language other than Italian, the consulate verifies, if that language is not the candidate's mother tongue, a certification of at least B2 or an equivalent university certification covering comprehension and expression, oral and written. The procedures and exemptions depend on the course: consult the institution and the consulate.
Official fees
- Long-stay study visa (more than 90 days) — amount in euros indicated by the Italian embassy in Rabat 50 €
- Contribution for the residence permit of more than 3 months and up to one year (to be paid after arrival, by the foreigner over 18 years of age) 40 €
Steps
- Choose a programme at an Italian higher education institution, check its admission conditions and contact it; each institution sets its own requirements, including the language of the course.
- File the pre-enrolment and the documents required by the institution on Universitaly; for EUI or EPLO/ELGS, follow the direct procedure with the consulate provided for by the circular.
- Obtain the pre-enrolment summary validated by the institution, without reservation except in the cases expressly admitted, then complete the information intended for the consulate.
- At the consular appointment, present the documents for the course: pre-enrolment if applicable, diplomas, certificates, language, funds, accommodation and health coverage. The consulate also collects fingerprints for the national visa under the procedure.
- Respect the deadline: for 2026/2027, visa applications for bachelor's degree, university master's degree (cycle 2) and academic diplomas, including single cycles, no later than 30 November 2026; for other programmes, before the start of courses.
- After arrival in Italy with a national type D visa for studies, apply for the study residence permit at the Questura (immigration office) within 8 working days; the application may be made through a post office.
- Complete enrolment. For bachelor’s degrees, lauree magistrali and academic diplomas at level 1 or 2 (including single-cycle courses), the visa is revoked from 31 January of the academic year if enrolment is missing from Universitaly.
Where to apply
- Universitaly: official pre-enrolment, except for direct procedures provided for EUI and EPLO/ELGS
- "Il visto per l'Italia" portal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: four-question questionnaire (nationality, residence, duration, reason) and forms
- Embassy or consulate of Italy competent for the place of residence: appointment and submission of the visa application
- Questura (foreigners' office) and post offices: application for the residence permit for study after arrival
Good to know
Filing in the country of residenceConditions and details
A national of a country outside the European Union files his study visa application at the embassy or consulate of Italy on which his place of residence depends; the appointment is made with that post, which indicates the documents and their format.The decision lies with the consular postConditions and details
The final decision on a study visa lies exclusively with the diplomatic or consular post. Validation of pre-enrolment by the institution guarantees neither an appointment nor the issuance of the visa. The post also checks the absence of migration risk: socio-economic situation of the student and his family, type and quality of previous studies, consistency of the chosen programme.Deadline for filing the visa applicationConditions and details
For the 2026/2027 academic year, the visa application for a bachelor's degree, a laurea magistrale or an academic diploma of the 1st or 2nd level, including single-cycle, is filed no later than 30 November 2026; for 2027/2028, 31 October 2027. Each institution publishes the dates of its courses, which may be earlier. For masters, doctorates, Erasmus, single courses and foundation courses, these general deadlines do not apply, but the application cannot be later than the start of courses.Distinguish the institution's assessment of diplomas and the visa documentsConditions and details
The institution decides on admission and on the assessment of foreign diplomas. Consular or other bodies' attestations do not bind its decision and are not systematically required for this assessment. The visa application nevertheless follows its own list of documents: the circular requires in particular the qualification and the evidence of comparability and authenticity according to the cycle. The institution's rules therefore do not exempt from consular supporting documents.A type D visa does not constitute a right of entryConditions and details
Even with a visa, the police authority may refuse entry if the admission conditions of the Schengen Borders Code are not met. The national long-stay visa has, for free movement within the Schengen area, the same effect as a residence permit: its holder may move within the other Member States for 90 days out of 180, during the validity of the visa, if the entry conditions are met.Residence permit to be applied for within eight working daysConditions and details
The holder of a long-stay visa has 8 working days from his entry into Italy to apply for the residence permit, according to the procedures indicated for his reason of stay. Failing this, an administrative expulsion measure may be taken, except in cases of force majeure.Documents and timeframes for the residence permitConditions and details
To obtain the residence permit, one must present the application form, the passport (or an equivalent travel document) valid with the entry visa, a photocopy, 4 identical and recent passport photographs, the documents specific to the type of permit and payment of the contribution. The duration of the permit is that of the entry visa, up to one year for a course of study or professional training. Issuance takes on average 60 days. An integration agreement is in principle required for a permit of at least one year; the State Police points out exclusions, in particular for victims of violence. Renewal of the student permit is applied for at least sixty days before its expiry according to the university circular.Conflict zones and medical programmes: consult the specific provisionsConditions and details
Universitaly publishes an explanatory note for students coming from conflict zones or humanitarian crisis. The supplementary note currently linked for medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine covers 2025/2026; it must not be applied automatically to another year. Circular 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 refers to a later note for these programmes. Consult the instructions for the year and the institution; these particular cases are not detailed here.
Nationalities covered
This procedure applies to 216 nationalities.
- Afghanistan
- Åland Islands
- Albania
- Algeria
- American Samoa
- Andorra
- Angola
- Anguilla
- Antarctica
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Aruba
- Australia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bermuda
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Bouvet Island
- Brazil
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Brunei
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Caribbean Netherlands
- Cayman Islands
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Christmas Island
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Cuba
- Curaçao
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Falkland Islands
- Faroe Islands
- Fiji
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- French Southern Territories
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Greenland
- Grenada
- Guadeloupe
- Guam
- Guatemala
- Guernsey
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Heard Island and McDonald Islands
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Isle of Man
- Israel
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jersey
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Macao
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Martinique
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mayotte
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Montserrat
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- New Caledonia
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Niue
- Norfolk Island
- North Korea
- North Macedonia
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestine
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Pitcairn Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Qatar
- Réunion
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saint Barthélemy
- Saint Helena
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Martin
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Sint Maarten
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- South Korea
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tokelau
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Türkiye
- Turkmenistan
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Tuvalu
- U.S. Outlying Islands
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Wallis and Futuna
- Western Sahara
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Official links
- Domanda di visto Nazionale (D) — modulo gratuito (new tab) vistoperitalia.esteri.it
- L'ingresso in Italia | Polizia di Stato (new tab) www.poliziadistato.it
- Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca — Universitaly (new tab) universitaly-private.cineca.it
- Direttiva 1° marzo 2000 — Definizione dei mezzi di sussistenza per l'ingresso ed il soggiorno degli stranieri nel territorio dello Stato (new tab) vistoperitalia.esteri.it
- Universitaly - First steps in Italy (new tab) www.universitaly.it
- Universitaly - Studenti Stranieri (new tab) www.universitaly.it
- Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (new tab) vistoperitalia.esteri.it
- Il rilascio del permesso di soggiorno | Polizia di Stato (new tab) www.poliziadistato.it
- Quanto costa un visto e come pagare – Ambasciata d'Italia Rabat (new tab) ambrabat.esteri.it
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