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Student visa for Italy, for students from Colombia
As a citizen of Colombia you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Italy before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Italy without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
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 Any guide quoting €6,000-8,000 is out of date.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
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.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Italy that covers Colombia, 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.
Questions students ask
Do students from Colombia need a visa to study in Italy?
As a citizen of Colombia you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Italy before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Italy without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
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. (source: Ministry of University and Research circular, AY 2026/2027, checked 2026-09-24).
Can I work while I study in Italy?
20 hours a week, capped at 1,040 hours a year.
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.