STUDENT VISA · STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Student visa for Italy — your step-by-step guide.
Are you planning to study with us for more than 90 days? Then you will probably need an Italian Student Visa, and a residence permit once you arrive. This section is our friendly toolkit — we have walked hundreds of students through it. Pick the topic you need right now. Andiamo per gradi.
Find what you need
Each link below opens a focused page. If you are starting from scratch, the first card is the place to begin.
Non-EU visa application
Requirements by program type, step-by-step application at the Italian consulate, fall-semester timeline, consulate finder. The main path for students from outside the EU.
EU / EEA / Swiss students
You do not need a visa. Enter on your ID card or passport. For stays over 90 days, register at the local Anagrafe — we help with that step on arrival.
After arrival — Permesso di Soggiorno
Once you land, you have 8 working days to apply for the residence permit. Kit Immigrazione, Sportello Amico, Questura fingerprints — step by step, with our orientation team alongside you.
Health insurance
What the consulate requires (€30,000 minimum medical cover), how to pick a policy, voluntary SSN enrolment, and recommended providers like Blue Assistance and GeoBlue.
Costs & Anagrafe offices
Reference figures for visa-related costs (financial proof, residence permit fees, SSN, insurance, work allowance) plus useful Anagrafe office addresses in our four cities.
Need a long-term course first?
The visa requires enrolment in a course of at least 16 weeks. See our long-term Italian programmes (3, 6, 9, 12 months) — fully study-visa eligible.
Beginner cohort dates 2026
Your visa enrolment certificate must reference a real cohort start date. For absolute beginners (A1.1), long-term programmes run on these fixed dates so a complete starter group can begin together. Levels A2 through C2: rolling Monday enrolment, no fixed dates.
2026 (11 dates): 2 Feb · 2 Mar · 30 Mar · 27 Apr · 25 May · 22 Jun · 20 Jul · 31 Aug · 28 Sep · 26 Oct · 23 Nov.
Consulate appointments take 4–8 weeks (90 days in some jurisdictions). Pick a date with at least 3 months of buffer from your application window. See long-term courses →
Questions about your visa? Write to us.
Our admissions team walks every long-term student through the visa process step by step. Tell us your nationality, your target dates, and where you are applying from — we respond with a concrete plan, usually within two working days.
TO US