Australia
Netherlands
Ireland
Cyprus
Student visa for Italy
Money to show for the visa: €10,179.85 a year. Work while you study: 20 hours a week, capped at 1,040 hours a year. Checked against the official pages on 24 September 2026.
The numbers
- Money you must show
- €10,179.85 a year
- Work while you study
- 20 hours a week, capped at 1,040 hours a year
Up 46% from €6,947.33. Any guide quoting €6,000-8,000 is out of date.
Ministry of University and Research circular, AY 2026/2027, checked 2026-09-24
Art. 14(4), DPR 394/1999, checked 2026-09-24
Worth knowing: State university fees depend on family income via the ISEE Parificato, and students who miss the deadline pay the top bracket by default.
The visa
Type D national visa for study. Pre-enrolment is mandatory and exclusive through Universitaly, the Ministry's only official portal, and it is free. The sequence is: apply on Universitaly → your university validates → consulate appointment → type D visa → travel → apply for the permesso di soggiorno within 8 working days of arrival → enrol.
A 2026 change that matters: universities may now validate only a number of applications proportionate to their available places, capped at a 20% overshoot. Validation is now a genuine bottleneck, a complete, on-time application is no longer a guarantee once a programme fills. Apply early in the cycle, not close to the deadline.
The money: €10,179.85 a year, stated verbatim in the Ministry's circular. This is up from €6,947.33, a 46% increase, so any guide quoting €6,000-8,000 is wrong, and we found one live while researching this page. Funds must be documented and traceable; a large lump-sum deposit shortly before the appointment is a known trigger for refusal.
Visa fee is around €50 and processing has a 90-day legal maximum, typically three to six weeks after the appointment.
The permesso di soggiorno costs about €116.46 for a first year: €16 stamp duty, €30 post office fee, €30.46 for the electronic permit, plus a €40 contribution.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
No student visa is needed: citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland may live and study in Italy. For more than three months you normally register your residence after you arrive, and show that you are enrolled, insured and can support yourself.
What Italian universities charge
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Italy that covers your country, or through the visa application centre it names. Book early: in the busiest months appointments can be weeks away. Apply only through the official website; nobody can sell you a faster place in the queue.
Government scholarships to study in Italy
- Invest Your Talent in Italy closed for this round
Which of these are open to your nationality
By nationality
From Algeria
From Armenia
From Azerbaijan
From Bangladesh
From Brazil
From Cameroon
From Canada
From China
From Colombia
From Egypt
From Ethiopia
From Georgia
From Ghana
From India
From Indonesia
From Iran
From Iraq
From Japan
From Jordan
From Kazakhstan
From Kenya
From Lebanon
From Malaysia
From Mexico
From Morocco
From Nepal
From Nigeria
From Pakistan
From Philippines
From Russia
From Saudi Arabia
From Senegal
From South Africa
From South Korea
From Sri Lanka
From Syria
From Tanzania
From Tunisia
From Türkiye
From Uganda
From Ukraine
From United Arab Emirates
From United States
From Uzbekistan
From Vietnam
From ZimbabweQuestions students ask
How much money do I need to show for a Italy student visa?
€10,179.85 a year. Up 46% from €6,947.33. Any guide quoting €6,000-8,000 is out of date. (Ministry of University and Research circular, AY 2026/2027, checked 2026-09-24).
Can international students work in Italy?
20 hours a week, capped at 1,040 hours a year.
Do EU citizens need a student visa for Italy?
No. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may live and study in Italy without a student visa. For a stay of more than three months they normally register their residence after arriving.
This page is general information from official sources, not immigration advice. For a decision about your own case, the official source or a regulated adviser is where that belongs.