- Italy announced a key step international students were required to complete before applying for a study visa
- The government also outlined conditions applicants had to meet before moving to the next stage of the visa process
- The embassy explained that failing to meet the initial requirement could affect an applicant’s eligibility to proceed
The Italian government has explained that foreign students seeking a study visa for the 2026/2027 academic year must complete a mandatory pre-enrolment process before they can proceed with their visa applications.
According to guidance published by the Italian Embassy, applicants are required to pre-enrol through the Universitaly portal before requesting a study visa appointment.
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The embassy stated that only students whose pre-enrolment has been validated by their chosen higher education institution, and for whom any required conditions have been satisfied, can move forward with the visa application process.
Italy explains mandatory pre-enrolment requirement
The embassy noted that pre-enrolment is compulsory for several categories of international students intending to study in Italy.
These include applicants for
- Bachelor’s degree programmes,
- Master’s degree programmes,
- Programmes offered by Higher Education in Art, Music and Dance (AFAM) institutions, Higher Schools for Language Mediators (SSML),
- International mobility programmes such as Erasmus, Marco Polo and Turandot,
- Specialisation Schools,
- PhD programmes,
- Advanced Training Courses,
- First- and second-level university Master’s programmes,
- Foundation Courses,
- Single courses and selected Italian language and culture courses.
What students must do before visa appointment
The embassy advised applicants to request a study visa appointment only after successfully completing the pre-enrolment process and ensuring they possess all the required documents.
It added that appointment requests for study visas should be submitted by email with the necessary documentation attached. Applicants will only receive confirmation if an appointment is granted, while the submission of a visa application does not automatically guarantee approval.
Italy outlines study visa application process
According to the embassy, applicants must appear in person when submitting their study visa applications, including minors. They are also expected to present original documents together with photocopies where required.
The embassy further stated that consular authorities reserve the right to request additional documentation if necessary and emphasised that applications lacking the required documents will not be accepted.
Italy announces study visa deadline
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Italy announced an official deadline for international students applying for study visas for the 2026/2027 academic session.
The government outlined important rules applicants were expected to follow before beginning the study visa process.
Source: Legit.ng
