A complete list of Scuole Elementari, Medie e dei Licei Italiani statali is constantly updated by the Ministry of Education, University and Research.
A complete list of Scuole Elementari, Scuole Medie e dei Licei Italiani non statali is available on the official MIUR website.
The Italian training system
The Italian government, for several years, has set itself the goal of internationalizing its educational and academic system, to attract more and more students from all over the world to Italy.
Moreover, Italy is a destination of excellence for those who want to continue their studies in different sectors, from traditional ones such as
those relating to art and cultural heritage, design or fashion, up to scientific and related to technological innovation.
As for the university sector alone, foreign students in Italy are an increasingly important part of the national school population. Since the eighties, when students with non-Italian citizenship were few thousand (0.06% of the total in the year 1983-1984) there has been a constant growth, both in terms of absolute value and percentage. To date, the percentage of foreign students in Italian universities is equal to about 5% of the total enrollment.
There is also a growing interest in learning our language. More and more people decide to learn Italian, which for some years has become the fourth most studied language in the world, chosen not only by those with Italian origins but also for the purposes of
professional development in a range of sectors ranging from fashion to design, from food and wine to art to classical music and opera.
The Italian education system is organized as follows:
- scuola dell’infanzia, not mandatory, for girls and boys from 3 to 6 years;
- first cycle of education, of a total duration of 8 years, divided into
- scuola primaria, for pupils from 6 to 11 years;
- scuola secondaria di primo grado, for pupils from 11 to 14 years;
- second cycle of education divided into two types of paths:
- scuola secondaria di secondo grado, for students who have successfully completed the first cycle of education. The schools organize courses in high schools, technical schools and vocational schools for students aged 14 to 19;
- three-year and four-year paths of istruzione e formazione professionale (IeFP) regional competence, always aimed at students and students who have successfully completed the first cycle of education.
Higher education offered by Universities, Higher Education Institutions of Arts, Music and Dance (AFAM) and Higher Technical Institutes (ITS) with different types of paths:
- tertiary education offered by universities;
- tertiary education courses offered by the institutions of AFAM (Advanced Artistic, Musical and Dance Training);
- professional tertiary training courses offered by ITS (Higher Technical Institutes)
Frequently asked questions
I am a foreigner not a European citizen. I want to enroll in an Italian University: where can I find the information and the list of documents I need?
The website https://www.studiare-in-italia.it/studentistranieri Italian and English versions of the MIUR circular on the procedures for entry, residence, enrolment of international students and the related recognition of qualifications are available for higher education academic courses. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has portal that illustrates the various steps of the procedura per l’iscrizione, available also in lingua inglese.
Where can I find the list of scholarships for foreigners?
Every year the Italian Government provides scholarships to foreign or Italian citizens living abroad to complete formal studies and/or to follow study or research programs, bilateral or multilateral, in Italy. For more information, you can visit l’apposita pagina sul nostro sito.
I have applied for a visa, can I already enroll in the University of my choice?
All international students applying for a visa can already apply to the Universities through the portal
For international students applying for visa candidates for admission to the courses of the Institutions of Higher Artistic Education Music and Dance (AFAM) and the Higher Schools of Linguistic Mediation (SSML), it will be possible to activate the same digitized registration procedure from 14 May 2021; by that date, the MIUR will provide these categories of institutions with the necessary instructions on the use of the Universitaly portal.
How do I apply for a study/registration visa at the Italian Embassy?
Once the digitalized registration procedure has been completed and the University has obtained the validation, it will be possible to send the application for a study/matriculation visa to the Italian Embassy by writing an email to panama.visti@esteri.it.
What other documents do I need to apply for a study/registration visa?
In addition to the documentation required for the issuance of a study visa, the student must also submit a summary of the application generated by the platform, as validated by the University, and the original qualifications, or the Declaration of Value, if requested by the University. In the event that the University requests the Declaration of Value, the student must apply to the Embassy before being able to apply for the visa, following the methods published on our website to this link.
It should also be noted that the Association Uni-Italy, in agreement with the Conference of Rectors of Italian Universities (CRUI), has made available to all international students the site web https://uniitalia.studioware.it/registration-form.
The page is conceived as an integrative support tool and allows students to register indicating the institution and the course of their interest, in order to receive assistance and useful information in the following stages of entry, matriculation and stay in Italy, as well as receive periodic updates.
Please also remember to visit https://studyinitaly.esteri.it/en/home_borse
for further information on the education system, courses and scholarships offered by Italian universities.
What financial resources do I need to prove to obtain a study visa?
For the academic year 2021 – 2022, who applies for a visa for matriculation at an Italian University (study-University visa), must demonstrate a minimum annual availability of € 5,983.64 (460.28 per month for each month of the academic year). This amount is proportionate to the amount of the so-called “social allowance” for the year. If the course of study is spread over several years, it is sufficient to demonstrate the availability for the first year.
I was admitted to a multi-year degree program, but the Embassy issued me a visa for a year. What will I do for future years? Will I need to apply for a new visa?
That won’t be necessary. The visa constitutes the permission to enter Italy for the first time with the motivation shown on the visa label (study-University, in this case). Within 8 days of entering Italy, the foreign student must submit an application for a residence permit to the Immigration Office of the Questura competent for the Municipality of residence. The residence permit is the title that legitimizes the presence of the foreigner in Italy. It must be renewed before its expiry.
I graduated/graduated abroad. Is my degree recognized in Italy?
Foreign degrees are not automatically recognized in Italy. Information on how to obtain recognition can be found at CIMEA – Information Centre on Mobility and Academic Equivalences. In questa pagina of the Farnesina website it is possible to verify whether Italy has concluded an agreement for the recognition of qualifications.