Applying for an Italian Visa
Non-European MathMods Students selected to study at the University of L'Aquila will need to apply for a student visa at the nearest Italian Embassy. The visa application requirements and processing time can be lengthy, taking anywhere from a few weeks up to several months. It is very important that you contact the nearest Italian Embassy for information as early as possible in the application process.
When the evaluation process is concluded and the adequate students have been selected by the Consortium, the University of L'Aquila will issue a Confirmation document (invitation letter), which will enable you to apply for a student visa.
Please notice that, before arriving in Europe, you will only need to apply for a visa at an Italian Embassy/Consulate, as Italy is the location for your first semester. By using the documents we will send you, you will normally receive an Italian visa for one year (notice that it is necessary to have a passport valid until 3 months after the expiry of your visa). Afterwards, during your first semester you will have to apply for a German visa (Germany being the location for your second semester) at the Germany Consulate in Rome, and so on.
Find the nearest Italian consulate/embassy here
Documents you'll be required to provide
The Italian Embassy in your country will ask you to provide the following documents:
- a passport valid until 3 months after the expiry of your visa
- an invitation letter (in Italian) from the MathMods Consortium, which states information regarding your admission to our programme and the programme itself, the Erasmus Mundus scholarships and the official list of its holders, the language of instruction, proof of accommodation, tuition fees and health insurance coverage;
- a certified copy of your first cycle university qualification (degree, diploma, title), which allows access to a MSc Course.
- a transcript of records, issued by the competent academic authority, which records all the subject courses/exams included in the curriculum of your 1st cycle of Higher Education qualification.
- for non-EM scholarhip holders: proof of sufficient financial means to cover tuition fees, travel and living costs;
- other additional documents, depending on the Embassy you visit.
You'll also be required to produce a "Declaration of Value" (DV), which is a document providing an official description of your academic certificates, duly legalized by the Consular office of the Italian Embassy in the country where such degree was gained. When you're here, you will have to provide our registrar's office with such declaration in order to finalize your enrollment at our university. However, if the issuing of such document should delay the issuance of your visa, the Consular office should be informed that the DV can be provided even later after your arrival and so this should not affect the issuing of your visa at all (this is remarked in the invitation letter in Italian you'll hand in to them). Also, note that our university may also accept a Diploma Supplement instead of a DV to finalize your enrolment (this usually only applies to EU universities).
As of the 2020/2021 academic year, the University of L'Aquila may also accept a CIMEA statement of comparability to verify your previous qualification(s) in place of the DoV. However, though our Registrar will accept either DoV or CIMEA statements to confirm your enrolment, we invite you to ask the local embassy/consulate for confirmation, as they might still demand that you obtain a DoV in order to get a study visa.
For further information (study visa, declaration of value, legalisation of documents and more) visit:
Applying for an Italian Residence Permit (non-EUs only)
Within 8 days after your arrival in Italy, you will have to apply for a residence permit. Very important note: if you're going to get to Italy several days before our suggested arrival day, please make sure you apply for a residence permit in time.
The MathMods team will assist you with preparing all the required documentation, which includes a couple of forms to be filled in and, among others:
- a copy of your full passport (every single page, cover included)
- a copy of your health insurance card
- accommodation proof
- financial proof
- enrolment certificate
- financial proof
All you need to do is visit any Italian post office (map) and withdraw such forms. Just show your passport and ask for a "kit permesso di soggiorno" ("soggiorno" sounds like "sojjorno"). Then, bring it to class and we'll fill it in together!
All the required documents will have to be put into an envelope and submitted to the local police station (questura) through a post office. At the end of the submission, the clerk at the post office will hand you three different receipts, which will be your temporary residence permit (might be required while travelling in Schengen countries).
When the police station (questura) has received your application, they'll fix an appointment (usually after around one month) to complete the rest of the required procedures and finally issue the plastic card you can see on the right.
The whole process will cost you around 120 euros.