How to Apply to Universities in Italy (2027/28 Step-by-Step Guide)

To apply to a university in Italy as a non-EU student, you apply on the university's own portal, then submit a pre-enrolment on Universitaly for one chosen course, and finally apply for a type D study visa. Universities set their own deadlines, often 6–10 months before classes start, while the national deadline for 2027/28 degree visa applications is 31 October 2027.

This guide gives you the exact order of steps, the portals you will use, and real dates from official university calls, clearly labelled by academic year. If you are new to Italy, start with our complete guide to studying in Italy.

The three systems you will use

The MUR circular for 2026/27–2027/28 says pre-enrolment deadlines, except for limited-access courses, are defined by each institution. So you must check every program separately.

Step-by-step application process

1. 1

   Shortlist English-taught programs

   Search the Universitaly course search and each university's English programs page. Note the call for non-EU applicants residing abroad, which is often separate and earlier than the call for EU students.

2. 2

   Check requirements and tests

   Confirm years of schooling, required subjects, GPA rules, English level and any test (SAT, TOLC, CEnT-S, IMAT, a university test or interview). See Italy university admission requirements.

3. 3

   Prepare documents

   Usually passport, diploma and transcripts, English certificate, CV and motivation letter. Start CIMEA statements or a Declaration of Value early: documents and legalisation guide.

4. 4

   Apply on the university portal

   Upload documents and pay the application fee if there is one. Fees vary: Politecnico di Milano charges €50 for its early-bird 2027/28 MSc call and €150 after that.

5. 5

   Receive pre-evaluation or ranking

   The university checks your file and tells you whether you are admitted, admitted with conditions, or ranked.

6. 6

   Submit the Universitaly pre-enrolment

   Choose a single course. The university validates it digitally. Validation 'with reservation' is allowed only if you have not yet received your diploma or must sit a test in Italy.

7. 7

   Apply for the study visa

   Book at the Italian mission for your country of residence. Bring the validated Universitaly summary, funds, housing and insurance proof: Italy student visa guide.

8. 8

   Enrol in Italy

   After arrival, request the residence permit within 8 working days and complete enrolment and fee payment before 31 January.

Real deadlines: 2027/28 calls already published

As of October 2026, a few universities have already published 2027/28 calls for non-EU applicants:

Last year's deadlines (2026/27) to plan ahead

Most universities publish their 2027/28 calls between December and February. Until then, last year's dates show you the typical rhythm. These are 2026/27 dates, not the new ones:

Universitaly pre-enrolment explained

All visa-requiring students living abroad must file the pre-enrolment only through Universitaly, which is free. You pick one course and the university validates it. Without validation, the visa is automatically refused.

• Cap on validations: from 2026/27, each university may validate only as many pre-enrolments as its places for foreign students plus 20%. When the cap is reached, validations stop until a visa is refused.
• University-specific pre-enrolment dates: some universities set their own Universitaly deadline. For 2026/27, Politecnico di Torino asked admitted master's students to pre-enrol by 30 June (1st call) or 15 July 2026 (2nd call); the University of Milan by 31 July 2026; the University of Pisa by 30 September 2026.
• 100-day visa: if you must sit the language or admission test in Italy, or do not yet hold your diploma, you may get a type D visa valid at least 100 days (until 31 January), and then renew your permit in Italy after enrolling.

Special cases: Medicine and limited-access programs

English-taught Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine at public universities use the IMAT procedure published on Universitaly. Ranked non-EU candidates' data are sent to the Foreign Ministry to schedule visa appointments. Other limited-access courses, such as architecture or primary education, use tests set in each university's call. Registering for a test does not exempt you from the study visa.

When should you start? A realistic timeline

This is a planning suggestion, not an official schedule – always follow the dates in your program's call. You can track deadlines for free on FindUniPath to see official and last year's dates side by side.

What goes into a typical application file

Every call lists its own documents, but most English-taught programs ask for a similar set. Prepare these as clear PDF scans before the window opens, so you can apply on the first day rather than the last.

• Passport – the identity page, valid well beyond your planned arrival.
• Secondary school diploma and transcript (bachelor's) or bachelor's degree and transcript with course descriptions (master's). The University of Bologna, for example, asks master's applicants for a CV in English and states that the degree must be obtained by 31 December of the intake year for its Global Cultures program.
• English certificate at B2 or higher, or proof that your previous degree was taught in English where the call accepts that. The University of Padua lets applicants upload the certificate later, by 31 July 2027 for its 2027/28 calls.
• Test scores where required: SAT, TOLC, CEnT-S or GMAT/GRE for some business programs.
• Motivation letter and CV, and sometimes reference letters or a portfolio for design and architecture.
• Translations of documents not issued in English or Italian, as the call specifies.

After you are admitted

Some universities ask admitted non-EU students to confirm their place or pay a deposit. The University of Trento, for example, mentions a €100 confirmation fee in its 2026/27 Computer Science master's call. Read your admission email carefully: it usually tells you which course code to choose on Universitaly and by when.

Tuition itself is normally paid when you finalise enrolment, which can only happen after the visa is issued. If the consulate refuses your visa, contact the university at once about refund rules for any deposit, which differ by university.

Applying from Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iran

The Italian Embassy for Afghanistan, relocated to Doha, does not issue visas. Afghan nationals apply where they are legally present. In Pakistan, the Islamabad embassy says that after your Universitaly pre-enrolment is confirmed, BLS contacts you to schedule the appointment, at the Islamabad or Lahore centres (Multan and Faisalabad closed on 6 September 2026). In Iran, appointments go through VisaMetric Tehran, and the embassy urges students with a confirmed pre-admission to book early.

Common application mistakes

• Applying in the EU-student call instead of the non-EU call for residents abroad.
• Missing the university's own Universitaly deadline, which can be months before 31 October.
• Choosing a course on Universitaly that does not match the program you were admitted to.
• Uploading uncertified translations when the call requires official ones.
• Assuming admission means a visa – the consulate decides separately.

Next, read our guides on costs and scholarships, or see every Italy article on the Italy hub.