How to study at the University in Italy?

Italy has always been one of the main European stops for many students who intend to deepen their studies.

Do you want to study in an Italian university but you don't know how to do it?
We know that extricating yourself from bureaucratic procedures can be difficult and we at the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci want to help you understand how to do it.

The Italian university system is based on three main study cycles (first level degree courses, second level degree courses, post graduate courses). To complete a course of study, the achievement of a certain number of CFU, university training credits that quantify the required study commitment, is expected.

To understand how to choose the university faculty, the aspects to be evaluated are different: in addition to your attitudes and your interests, it is good that you are informed about the subjects studied, such as the duration of the courses, the services offered by the university, the job opportunities in the various areas.

In Italy, access to degree courses can be:

planned nationally,
programmed by individual universities,
free.

Enrollment in some degree courses (Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary, Architecture, Medicine in English, Design, Engineering) can only take place after passing the relevant entrance test.

Thousands of students take the entrance exam every year. Passing the test can be difficult, for this reason Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Florence, Milan and Rome organize a preparation course geared towards foreign students who wish to attend University in Italy. This course will prepare students by reinforcing language skills, enhancing writing competence and by focusing on subject matter and vocabulary closely related to each specialized program.

Enrollment at the University in Italy is regulated by ministerial provisions which establish different access procedures for EU or equivalent students and non-EU students residing abroad. Each study cycle has different enrollment methods, costs and deadlines.

Foreign citizens who arrive in Italy after having obtained a high school diploma in their country and wish to continue their study path, if EU citizens or in possession of a residence permit, can enroll at the university in the same way as citizens Italians by submitting their application directly to the chosen university.

It is also possible to continue in Italy a University course started abroad or to attend one or more single courses or internships. In this case, the student must attach the university booklet or other document of the foreign university and the documentation required by the individual university to the application form.

For whom are different admission methods applied?

Non-EU students residing abroad (visa applicants for study)
Students on Erasmus or in mobility programs
Students participating in the Marco Polo exchange program
Students seeking asylum

The procedure currently includes:

The pre-registration: the application must be delivered to the Italian diplomatic-consular representation in the country of residence. The application must be drawn up in original and double copy on Form "A" available on the website of the Ministry of University and Education. The application must be accompanied by a series of documents, officially translated into Italian, indicated in the model itself.
The entry VISA: Once the pre-enrollment application has been acquired, the student receives an entry visa that allows him to take the admission exam to the University and enrollment.
Italian language test: If they are not already in possession of suitable certification, foreign students must also take an Italian language test, which takes place at the chosen university according to the calendar published on the website of the Ministry of Education.

In Italian universities there is an orientation service, aimed at future students, which provides information on the educational paths offered, distributes information material and organizes individual interviews or prepares aptitude questionnaires.

Find our more information about our preparation courses to attend at the University in Italy.