Documents you need if you're studying in Italy

Have you always dreamed of studying abroad and wanted to do it in Italy? Then the right opportunity to live this fantastic experience has finally arrived and you couldn't have made a better choice!

The so called "Bel Paese" is the perfect destination if you want to take full advantage of this opportunity and enjoy the dolce vita. Italy is a perfect mix of history, culture, art, nature and good food and its wonderful cities are considered open-air museums.

However, it is normal to have doubts before departure: "What documents will I need to live in Italy?" "Do I have to fill out any forms before leaving?" That's what we at Erasmusu are there for! Always ready to check that everything is in order. Let's get started!

Visa and documents

Before you leave, you must have a clear understanding of the Italian laws governing your stay and make sure that all your documents for entering Italy are in order.

EU citizens

If you are from a European Union (EU) country, an EFTA country (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland), Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or the Vatican City, you can travel and stay in Italy for up to three months. If you are planning to attend a course of study and you will be staying in Italy for more than three months, you will have to register as a temporary resident at the Registry Office of the city where you live and study and extend your residence visa.

In order to extend your visa you will need:

• A copy of your valid identity document or passport;
• A copy of your Codice Fiscale: an alphanumeric code that is used to identify individuals and gives you access to Italian public services. To receive your Italian tax code, you must apply to the Italian Consulate in your country of residence;
• The university enrolment certificate, which can be found on your personal university portal;
• The European Health Insurance Card (TEAM), the card that allows all citizens of EU countries to access public health care more easily;
• The rental contract for your accommodation and the landlord's identity card.

Non-EU citizens

If you are not from an EU country, you will need to apply for an entry visa at the Italian Embassy in your country of origin.

Don't worry, here is a list of all the documents you will need to travel to Italy and apply:

• The entry visa application form, which is compulsory and can be found on the Italian government website, where you will be asked for your sensitive data (name, surname, date of birth), the duration and purpose of your stay;
• A recent passport-sized photo, i. e. 40-45 mm high by 32-35 mm wide;
• Pre-enrolment or enrolment in a university degree course, which you can request from the secretariat of the university where you have chosen to study in Italy;
• Proof of domicile in Italy, such as a copy of the signed rental contract once you have arrived;
• A certificate stating that you have sufficient financial means to support yourself during your stay in Italy;
• Insurance coverage for medical and hospital expenses;
• Certification of adequate knowledge of Italian or English according to the chosen programme.

Covid documents

Remember also that one of the documents to travel in Italy during the covid period, or to take public transport and access universities, hospitals and emergency rooms, restaurants or hotels is the COVID-19 Green Certification, or Green Pass.

Don't worry, the European Commission has set up a platform to ensure that certificates issued by European states can be verified throughout the EU, so you shouldn't have any problems!

However, if you arrive in Italy and do not have a valid Green Pass from vaccination, recovery or swab, you will be required to undergo a 5-day fiduciary isolation. Not only that, in Italy without the vaccine it will be difficult to fully enjoy your experience as it is required almost everywhere.

What about language?

At Erasmusu we want you to have the best possible experience!

For this reason, if the thing that worries you most is the knowledge of the Italian language, you can enrol in our course to learn Italian in Rome in 8 weeks, perfect for those who have no time to lose or for those who want to admire and live fully the Roman life, among monuments, museums and parks.

You'll only have classes twice a week, from 6pm to 7.30pm, so you can use every morning to visit the city and take part in the cultural events that Rome has to offer.

And if 8 weeks doesn't seem like enough, book the 12-week Italian course for foreigners before 28 February and save money!

If your destination is not Rome, check other available cities, sign up to Erasmusu Education!

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