For citizens of countries not belonging to the European Community who reside abroad, a limited number of places are provided for at Italian universities. The number of places that each university allocates for each academic year and for each degree course can be consulted at www.miur.it

1) Interested students must submit an application for pre-enrolment (Form A for three-year undergraduate courses and masters degree courses and single-cycle degree courses, Form F for masters degree courses  which are non single-cycle) to the Italian diplomatic-consular authorities in the country of residence  within the terms established by each university, attaching:

• educational qualification of secondary studies in the original (the secondary school qualification awarded is valid for access to degree courses at Italian universities provided that it permits access to an analogous course at the universities of the country to which its rules refer)
• certificate attesting that a potential entrance examination has been passed for the university in the country of origin
• two photographs (one of which will be authenticated by the Italian authorities).

While waiting for the administrative procedures by the authorities to commence, students may contact the chosen university, electronically or otherwise, to indicate the degree course in which they intend to enrol. They must provide a copy of their educational qualifications so as to permit a prior assessment of the individual application. Enrolment on the course will take effect however, only and exclusively in accordance with the established procedures through the diplomatic-consular authorities.

2) The Italian diplomatic-consular authorities in the country of residence will make arrangements to send the documentation to the university, and will keep the candidate informed.

3) The university will inform the diplomatic-consular authorities about the number of candidates admitted.

4) The consular authorities will issue an entry visa for purposes of study, subject to presentation of the necessary documentation by the candidate (See Permit to Stay).

5) Within eight days from arrival in Italy the candidates must forward the request for permit to stay for study purposes (“permesso di soggiorno per studio”) to the relevant police station (“Questura”) of the city in which they intend to reside. The foreign national student will then be called for an appointment at the Questura by mobile phone text message and recorded delivery letter for photo-fingerprinting and the issue of an electronic permit to stay. The Post Office issues the receipt for application for the permit to stay, which is equivalent to the receipt for application issued by the Questura.

6) The candidate must then sit an Italian language test, which is compulsory for all study courses, except those that are conducted completely in a foreign language. The candidates must present themselves on the dates and at the times established by the individual university, with a passport, entry visa for purposes of study, or provisional permit to stay issued by the Questura. Those who do not pass the Italian language and culture test cannot be admitted to any course. It is essential to pass the language test in order to be enrolled. Those who do not pass the test are not allowed to enrol at the university for that current academic year and must return to their country of origin.

Those who pass the language test and intend to enrol in courses which only accept a limited number of students must sit an admissions examination. There are reserved short-lists for EU citizens, the maximum number being established by individual faculties. Those who do not pass the test must leave the country or apply to be reassigned to other degree courses or other universities, depending on availability and on the conditions laid down by the relevant academic authorities.

7) Non-EC citizens admitted to open-access or limited-number degree courses must then proceed with enrolment within the terms and deadlines established by each university.

If during the enrolment stage the foreign national student does not have valid documentation to stay, he or she will be enrolled “conditionally” until 31 March of the year following application. If on that date the student is still not in possession of the necessary documentations, he or she may, at the request of the university and of the Questura, be rejected.

8) Duly enrolled and attending students must make a request to the Chief of Police (“Questore”) of the Province in which they live, in order to renew the permit to stay for the entire year, at least thirty days before expiry. This will be renewed if in the first year of the course an examination has been passed and for the subsequent years at least two examinations. 

The renewal is also provided for in cases where studies continue with the enrolment on a degree course different from that on which the foreign national student enrolled on entering Italy.