Italy

EU/EEA students can enter Italy with a valid passport or an ID card and are entitled to complete a degree in Italy without a visa. These students must, however, register with the Questura (police station) within 8 days from their arrival, in order to obtain a residence permit.

Non-EU students are required to obtain a student visa prior entering Italy. There are two types of student visas for Italy:

1. Visa type C: Short-stay visa or travel visa valid for one or more entries and for a period not exceeding 90 days.
2. Visa type D: Long-stay visa valid for more than 90 days.

For study more than 90 days, you will furthermore need to apply for a residency card (permesso di soggiorno) at the local post office within the first 8 days of arrival in Italy. This along with your visa will allow you to stay in Italy for the duration of your studies.

Citizens of some non-EU countries do not require a visa to stay and study in Italy for a period of up to 90 days. You can find an overview of these countries here.

You must apply for your student visa at the Italian embassy or consulate in your country. You will also need to have an interview at the embassy or consulate.

After you have received the letter of acceptance or letter of admission for your intended course of study, you can check your eligibility for obtaining an Italian student visa and then go ahead with the visa application procedure and provide the necessary documentation.

You should apply for an Italian student visa at least three months before your planned arrival to Italy. The processing of your visa application may take between 1–3 weeks. You should schedule your visa interview around four to six weeks in advance.

The length of the student visa depends on the length of your course.