Obtaining a Study Visa for Italy

Below you will find a general list of requirements for obtaining a student visa for Italy. A complete list may be found on the website of the Italian consulate that serves your jurisdiction as follows.

  • U.S. students should visit the Italian Consular Network page for more information.
  • Non-U.S. students must inquire with the Italian Consulate that services their jurisdiction within their home country. Click here for more information about how and where to apply. 
  • Do not delay on this! You will be glad you started early.
  • Most Italian consulates have a visa application fee of around 55 Euros as of 2023.
  • Make sure you have everything requested plus photocopies.

For U.S. Students:  If you are enrolled in a SRISA program with duration less than 90 days (ex. summer program) you do not need to apply for a Student Visa. You will only need a passport valid at least 6 months beyond the date you plan to leave Italy.

If you are enrolled in a SRISA program with duration more than 90 days (ex. semester program) you must obtain a student visa. You must check the Italian Consulate website that serves your jurisdiction.

Each consulate has specific rules and regulations regarding their visas. You must check the website of your specified consulate for complete information. For example, if you live in New Hampshire, do not gather your materials from the Italian Consulate of Miami's list; consult the Italian Consulate of Boston that services New Hampshire. Consulates can be very strict and extremely bureaucratic.

For Non-U.S. Students: If you wish to study with SRISA - and you do not belong to the European Union - you may need to obtain a student visa for Italy, depending on your citizenship, regardless of length of stay. You will need to contact the Italian Embassy or Italian Consulate General in your country to obtain information. SRISA will only provide non-U.S. students their official letters of enrollment to present to the Italian Consulate once full payment has been made. If your consulate requests additional documentation from SRISA, you may contact our office for assistance. Every consulate has specific rules and regulations regarding their visas, therefore we kindly recommend that you contact your specified consulate.

THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES NEED A STUDY VISA FOR PERIODS UNDER 90 DAYS:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua e Barbuda, Arabia Saudita, Armenia, Autorità Palestinese, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrein, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bielorussia, Bolivia, Bosnia-Erzegovina, cittadini britannici che non hanno la qualità di cittadino del Regno Unito di Gran Bretagna ed Irlanda del Nord ai sensi del diritto comunitario, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambogia, Camerun, Capo Verde, Centrafrica, Ciad, China, Colombia, Comore, Congo, Congo (rep. Democratica), Corea del Nord, Costa d’Avorio, Cuba, Domenica, Dominicana (Repubblica), Ecuador, Egitto, Emirati Arabi Uniti, Eritrea, Etiopia, ex-Repubblica Iugoslava di Macedonia, Fiji, Filippine, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Giamaica, Gibuti, Giordania, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Equatoriale, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakistan, Kenia, Dirghizistan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lesotho, Libano, Liberia, Libia, Madagascar, Malati, Maldive, Mali, Marianne del Nord, Marocco, Marshall, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Myanmar, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambico, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Papua-Nuvoa Guinea, Perù, Qatar, Repubblica Federale di Iugoslavia (Serbia e Montenegro), Ruanda, Russia, Saint Kitts e Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent e Grenadine, Salomone, Samoa Occidentali, Sao Tomè e Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Siria, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sud Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tagikistan, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailandia, Timor Orientale, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad e Tobago, Tunisia, Turchia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ucraina, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Additional information about Schengen Visas from a third party can be found at: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/

Basic Visa Requirements

  • Long Term Student Visa application form (D)
  • Recent passport-style photo
  • Passport valid at least 6 months after date you plan to leave Italy
  • Proof of residence in the jurisdiction of consulate (ID, Driver's License)
  • Proof of enrollment in course of study (Enrollment letters in English and Italian provided by SRISA)
  • Proof of lodging in Florence (Housing letter in English provided by SRISA)
  • Affidavit of Support/Proof of financial means
  • Affidavit of Health Insurance
  • Round trip flight reservation

NOTE: Please go by what your specific Italian Consulate requests as it may differ from what is listed above. Requirements may vary for each consulate.

Passport Requirements

Your passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond the date you plan to leave Italy.

Processing Time

Average processing time can be several days to several weeks. Applying as soon as possible is strongly encouraged. Rush processing is not possible. Applications will not be accepted if presented earlier than 120 calendar days from the departure date for most consulates. The consulates look at student's departure dates when processing visas so that they arrive in time, but this is not guaranteed. Many consulates require visa application in person with strict appointments that fill up fast. Make sure you check your consulate's webpage well in advance to either reserve an appointment or double check if they allow for notarized mail-in applications.

You should book your student visa appointment as soon as allowed with your region’s Italian Consulate (choose a date within 60-90 days before your program begins). By doing so you will ensure you have enough time to receive your visa before studying abroad – the appointment can always be canceled if need be. Please visit the Italian Consular Network page for more information.

Any foreign documents MUST be translated into English and the translations legalized by the competent consulate.

List Of Italian Embassy And Consulates: www.embassypages.com/italy

ITALIAN EMBASSY - Consular Section WASHINGTON, D.C. (For U.S. students)

3000 Whitehaven Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Homepage: https://ambwashingtondc.esteri.it/en/chi-siamo/la-rete-consolare/
Tel.: +1 (202) 612-4400
Email: washington.imbamba@esteri.it