Valid for the academic year 2024-2025
The 2024/2025 annual procedures are drawn up on the basis of the outcomes reached during the annual meeting of the working group organised by the Ministry for Universities 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 missions and police headquarters regarding entry, residence, enrolment and recognition of the 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 jurisdiction of the diplomatic/consular mission. The approval of a pre-enrolment request for a study course and the relative documentation produced by higher education institutions is to be considered a support for the evaluation procedures for study visas of the diplomatic missions, and does not automatically imply the issue of the visa, inasmuch as the diplomatic-consular missions, in addition to verifying the possession of the requirements for the issue of a study/enrolment visa, are also obliged to assess the absence of the student's migration risk (D.I. 850/2011 art. 4 paragraph 2 ).
The evaluation of foreign qualifications presented for enrolment at Italian higher education courses of study is the exclusive jurisdiction of higher education institutions, as established by Art. 2 of Law 148/2002. The documentation referring to a qualification, including the one produced by the diplomatic-consular missions and/or other bodies or Institutions, is not mandatory and is not binding for the evaluation decisions of the individual higher education institutions in relation to admission to the chosen course.
The administrative procedure in place for the release and renewal of residency permits is the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior and is regulated by the Consolidated Law of the dispositions concerning immigration regulations and norms on the treatment of foreigners (Legislative Decree n. 286 of 25 July 1998), by the relative Rules of implementation (Republic Presidential Decree n. 394 of 31 August 1999) and Law n. 68 of 28 May 2007, relative to the regulations concerning short-term stays of foreigners for visits, business, tourism and study. For the 2024/2025 academic year, visa applications must be submitted to the competent diplomatic-consular missions by and no later than November 29th , 2024.
In the event of an extension of the terms, the higher education institutions will be able to continue their procedures for the recruitment of international students and the relative evaluation of the eligibility of the foreign qualifications they hold, and the diplomatic-consular missions will also be able to proceed with the processing of visa applications, until all pre-enrolment applications are terminated, provided they are received by the dates set out in this circular and subsequent updates. Furthermore, with reference to the deadline of November 29th , 2024, the higher education institutions may, on the basis of their autonomy and with reference to the individual courses of study included in their education offer, indicate on their portals a prior date to the one indicated for each individual course, based on the specific needs associated with the beginning of the teaching activities.
The pre-enrolment request for the issuance of visas for candidates for study courses at Italian higher education institutions must be exclusively submitted using the UNIVERSITALY1 portal, the only free and official access portal of the Ministry for Universities and Research. The Ministry for Universities and Research reserves the right to issue subsequent additions or modifications to these Procedures following consultation with the other Ministries involved.
Copyright © Universitaly 2023. All Rights Reserved