PROCEDURES FOR ENTRY, RESIDENCY AND ENROLMENT OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND THE RESPECTIVE RECOGNITION OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION COURSES IN ITALY

VALID FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2025-2026

These Annual Procedures 2025/2026 are drawn up on the basis of the outcomes of the annual meeting of the Working Group convened by the Ministry of University and Research, in agreement with the Ministry of Education and Merit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of the Interior. The purpose of these procedures is to coordinate and guide the policies of Italian higher education institutions, diplomatic-consular Representations and Police Headquarters regarding the entry, stay, enrolment and recognition of qualifications of international students for higher education courses in Italy.

The final decision on the issue of a visa for study purposes is the exclusive competence of the diplomatic-consular Representation: lo scioglimento dell’eventuale riserva, la validazione della domanda di preiscrizione ad un corso di studio e la relativa documentazione prodotta da parte delle Istituzioni della formazione superiore non implica automaticamente il rilascio del visto, ma è da considerarsi di supporto alle procedure di valutazione effettuate dalle Rappresentanze diplomatico-consolari poiché queste ultime, oltre a verificare il possesso dei requisiti per il rilascio di un visto di studio/immatricolazione, hanno altresì l’obbligo di valutare l’assenza del rischio migratorio dello studente (D. I. 850/2011 art. 4 par. 2).

The evaluation of foreign qualifications aimed at enrolling in Italian higher education courses is the exclusive competence of higher education institutions, as established by Article 2 of Law no. 148/2002: the documentation referring to a qualification and possibly produced by diplomatic-consular representations and/or other bodies and institutions is not mandatory and is not binding for evaluative decisions that fall within the competence of individual higher education institutions regarding admission to the chosen course. The administrative procedure for the issuance and renewal of residence permits is the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior and is governed by the Consolidation Act of provisions concerning immigration regulations and norms on the condition of foreigners (legislative decree no. 286 of 25 July 1998), its implementing regulations (presidential decree no. 394 of 31 August 1999) and Law no. 68 of 28 May 2007 on the regulation of short-term stays of foreigners for visits, business, tourism and study.

For the academic year 2025/2026, visa applications must be submitted, at the competent diplomatic-consular Representations, no later than 30 November 2025.

This deadline is valid for visa applications for the purpose of attending ordinamental courses, i.e., Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree, First Level Academic Diploma and Second Level Academic Diploma, also in the case of single-cycle courses, but is not to be considered for other types of courses for which a timetable defined by the higher education institutions is followed in line with what has occurred in previous years. In the event of an extension of the deadline, higher education institutions will be able to continue their procedures for the recruitment of international students and the related assessment of the suitability of the foreign qualifications they hold, just as diplomatic-consular missions will be able to proceed with the processing of visa applications until all pre-enrolment applications have been received, provided they are received by the scheduled dates and subsequent updates. In addition, with reference to the deadline of 30 November 2025, higher education institutions must, on the basis of their autonomy and with reference to the individual study courses included in their educational offer, indicate on their portals the exact dates referred to their courses by which they will require the submission of visas for enrolment purposes, based on the specific needs related to the start of teaching activities. These dates may also be earlier than 30 November 2025.

The pre-enrolment application for the issuance of visas for candidates on study courses at Italian higher education institutions must be submitted exclusively through the UNIVERSITALY portal, the only free and official access portal of the Ministry of Universities and Research.

"The Ministry of University and Research reserves the right to issue subsequent additions or amendments to these Procedures after consultation with the other competent Ministries".

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