Study Visa for Italy

Citizens of foreign countries that need to obtain a visa to stay in Italy can only enroll in and attend Italian language courses if they are in possession of the visa or are visiting as tourists (less than 90 days).

Before enrolling in our Italian Language Courses, we recommend that prospective students contact the Italian Diplomatic Representation or the Italian Consulate closest to their places of residence in order to receive the most up-to-date information. Below are the visa application requirements. Please note that a granted visa is not a right; consulates reserve the right to request supplementary documentation and have full discretion over the release of visas.

In the case of a visa refusal, the Consulate is required to provide a written explanation to the applicant along with instructions on how to file a complaint. The explanation provided by the consulate must be translated into a language that is comprehensible to the applicant, or, if not possible, into English, French, Spanish, or Arabic.
In some countries, the visa application process for entry into Italy may take longer than expected. Because of this, we advise prospective students to contact his or her nearest consulate with ample time – we suggest at least one month before the start date of the language course.

In the absence of an Italian Consular representative, visa for tourist purposes must be released by the consulate of any country adhering to the Schengen Agreement. In this case, visas requests must be submitted to the representative of the country of destination in the Schengen area.

Visas for study must be released only by the Italian consulate (or by the consular section of the Italian embassy) with territorial competence for the applicant’s country of residence.

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Green Cape, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Corea, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, People’s Republic of China, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of Macedonia, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, the Solomon Islands, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Western Saoma, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Other countries including:

Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brasile, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, South Corea, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Estonia, Japan, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, United States, Hungary, Uruguay, Venezuela do not require tourist visas for trips lasting less than 90 days.

To stay informed of any changes in this list, we suggest visiting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website and the European Union website.

As of May 2004, citizens of Poland, Hungary, Czech republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Malta, and Cyprus are no longer considered non-EU. In any case, citizens of these countries who are not required to obtain visas should still make sure to have their passports stamped by the Italian border police with the date and time of entry into Italy.

Both tourism and study visa applicants are required to have proof of sufficient financial resources to be able to be independently spent over the period of time of residence in Italy. The Ministry of Home Affairs has created a table in order to establish reasonable means of sustenance required for admission into Italy for both tourism and study

Passport valid for at least 3 months (or 6 months for some countries) beyond the end date of the visa.

Health insurance with adequate coverage that is valid in all countries of the Schengen area.

Some countries or states, which have adhered to the Schengen Treaty, have reliable travel agencies accredited by the Italian Consulates that are able to help visa applicants with any bureaucratic problems.

Be able to provide proof of course enrollment.

Stipulate medical insurance cover, valid in the case of urgent hospitalization without any limit on expenses or duration, with “INA Le assicurazioni d’Italia”. This insurance covers the risk of hospitalization in the event of traumas or illnesses that necessitate urgent hospitalization, but cannot be used for surgery or domicilary examinations. For this reason it is also necessary to have medical insurance from the country of origin, valid in Italy, covering these risks. AI 03.10.2003 the costs of insurance with “INA-Le assicurazioni d’Italia” are: -Euro 72,30 for siz months or euro 118,79 for twelve months, up to the age of 40 years; – Euro 92,96 for six months or Euro 154,94 for twelve months, from 40 to 65 years of age (INA does not stipulate this type of policy for those over 65). It is possible not to stipulate insurance cover with “INA- Le assicurazioni d’Italia” for those who are in possession of a declaration by the Italian Consulate which states clearly that their insurance (it must include the name of the insurance) is valid in Italy, that it covers expenses in the event of hospitalization or medical examinations and that it can be used for the application for the residence permit.