How to Get a Student Visa for Italy

Planning to study in Italy? This guide explains who needs a student visa, how university pre-enrolment works, the documents and funds required, and residence formalities after arrival.

Italian universities are among the most prestigious in the world and you will not only experience excellent teaching, but you will also have the chance to enjoy the famous cuisine, magnificent architecture and get to see numerous breath-taking attractions.

Who needs an Italian student visa

If you've decided to study abroad in Italy and are an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, good news! You won’t need an Italian student visa. For other students, the visa requirement depends on nationality and study duration.

Choose the right Italian study visa

While EU/EEA and Swiss students can study in Italy without a visa, other international students may need one. Still, the visa application process becomes less complicated when you have all the necessary information.

Depending on how long you plan to stay in Italy and what you will study, you need to apply for one of the following visa types:

Short-stay visa (type C) – for eligible study visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, if your nationality requires a visa
Long-stay visa (type D) – normally for non-EU/EEA, non-Swiss students whose studies last more than 90 days. Course requirements depend on the category; there is no universal 20-teaching-hours rule for every degree.

The easiest way to find out if you need a visa is to answer a few simple questions on the official Visa for Italy website.

For example, citizens from some non-EU/EEA countries do not need a visa for eligible study visits of up to 90 days. Examples include:

The United States of America
Australia
New Zealand
Hong Kong (SAR)
Ukraine

For Ukraine and some other nationalities, the short-stay exemption depends on holding the appropriate biometric passport. Short-stay exemption does not remove the visa requirement for a long degree stay.

Check out the full list of countries whose citizens:

Apply to an Italian university and complete pre-enrolment

If you’re still not sure where you want to study in Italy, you will have to decide before you can start your student visa application process. After being accepted at an Italian university, you’ll get a letter of acceptance required for the visa application.

If you are a non-EU applicant living abroad who needs a university-enrolment visa, complete pre-enrolment through Universitaly. University validation supports the application but does not guarantee a visa. Follow the university’s deadline and the applicable academic-year visa deadline.

Ready to study in Italy? Explore universities and find a programme that matches your interests and career goals.

Eligibility and documents for an Italian student visa

You must have a valid passport with at least two blank visa pages
Provide travel or return-journey evidence as requested by the responsible consulate
Meet the public-order, security and entry conditions assessed by the consulate
Disclose relevant immigration history and follow the requirements concerning any existing entry ban
Documents to prepare
Entry visa application form
Recent passport-size photograph(s)
Valid travel document (the expiry date should be three months longer than that of the visa requested)
Proof that you have arranged suitable accommodation in Italy, in the form required by the consulate
Copy of the diploma of a previous education
Acceptance letter from an Italian University

Language requirements for studying in Italy

In order to obtain a study visa for Italy, meet the language requirements of your programme and follow the consulate’s checklist. Consulates may require proof of Italian or English proficiency, including after university admission.

For your English-taught degree at an Italian university, check which tests or exemptions it accepts. Examples include:

First check which test or tests are accepted by the university before scheduling an examination date.

Italian student visa fees funding and health cover

For university-enrolment visas in the 2026–2027 and 2027–2028 academic years, the Italian Foreign Ministry’s study guidance requires at least €10,179.85 for the first year, plus funds for return travel. Other study-visa categories may use different calculations.

Arrange health cover accepted for your visa and residence permit; there is no universal €150 first-year policy. Eligible students can choose voluntary SSN registration, for which the ItalianHealthMinistry lists a €700 annual student contribution. Learn more about international student insurance for students studying in Italy.

Receipt of the national study visa application fee: normally €50, paid in the currency and method required by the consulate. Residence permit and service charges are separate.

When and where to apply for an Italian student visa

Apply for the visa at the Italian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or its designated application centre.

Book the appointment as early as your consulate permits and follow the university’s enrolment deadlines.

Allow substantial preparation and appointment time. A study-visa decision can take up to 90 days under the normal statutory period, and additional checks may affect timing. Do not rely on a one-to-three-week promise.

If appointments are unavailable, check the responsible consulate’s published procedure and official cancellation slots.

Use an honorary consulate only if the responsible Italian mission explicitly authorises it to handle your application.

Residence formalities after arrival in Italy

Non-EU/EEA and non-Swiss citizens

If you enter Italy on a long-stay study visa, apply for your residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) within eight working days of your arrival, normally at an authorised Sportello Amico post office. Follow the Questura appointment instructions.

The main required documents to submit are:

Copy of passport
A copy of your health insurance plan
National student visa for Italy
A copy of the statement certifying the studies you will be taking in Italy
Four recent passport size photos

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens

For stays longer than three months, normally register with the municipality’s population register (Anagrafe), providing the required study, financial and health-cover evidence. EU/EEA and Swiss students do not follow the non-EU study-permit procedure.

Working while studying in Italy

If you are from the EU/EEA or Switzerland, you can work in Italy without a student work permit. The non-EU study-permit hour limit does not apply to you.

A non-EU student residence permit normally allows employed work for up to 20 hours per week and 1,040 hours per year, without a separate work permit. Follow the EU ImmigrationPortal’s Italy guidance and the conditions of your permit.

With a part-time job, you may not earn enough money to pay for your tuition fee. Speaking Italian can help your job search. You can also look for job opportunities within your university as a library assistant or office attendant throughout the academic year.

Regional job portals, newspapers, and the international office help-desk are the best places to check for job listings.

Universities to consider in Italy