Indian students who want to study in Italy first apply for admission to the Italian institution, then complete pre-enrolment on the Universitaly portal, then apply for a study visa by appointment at a VFS centre. Each institution sets its own admission requirements, deadlines and tuition fees. [1]
Costs
- The Bengaluru consulate states that each institution has its own tuition fees. Confirm the selected institution and programme fee; the visa procedure does not establish scholarship entitlement. [2]
Visa steps
- The consulate lists three mandatory steps: apply for admission on the chosen institution website within its deadline, apply online for pre-enrolment on the Universitaly portal within the deadlines, and once pre-enrolled apply for the visa. [1]
- A D visa is needed if the course lasts more than 90 days, and a C visa if it lasts less than 90 days. [1]
- Visa applications are submitted only by prior appointment at a VFS centre. The consulate names Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. [1]
- All students must attend a mandatory video interview when they submit the visa application. [1]
- Under Italian law, processing of a D visa application can take up to 90 days from the day the consulate receives it. If the consulate asks for extra documents, the total time is likely to be longer. [1]
Documents
- The consulate currently links a study visa checklist labelled 2025-2026 and recommends complete documentation. That linked edition is historical; confirm the checklist for the intended intake rather than applying an old deadline. [1]
- If the Italian institution requires a Declaration of Value (DOV) and the previous studies were completed in an Indian state under the Bengaluru consulate, the consulate publishes a separate DOV checklist. [1]
Frequently asked questions
Do Indian students need Universitaly pre-enrolment to study in Italy?
Yes. The consulate lists pre-enrolment on the Universitaly portal, within the deadlines, as a mandatory step after applying for admission and before applying for the visa.
FAQ source [1]
Which Italian study visa do Indian students need?
A D visa for courses lasting more than 90 days and a C visa for courses lasting less than 90 days.
FAQ source [1]
Is there an interview for the Italian study visa?
Yes. All students must attend a mandatory video interview when they submit the application at the VFS centre.
FAQ source [1]
How can students avoid fake emails about the Italian study visa?
The Consulate General of Italy in Bengaluru states that its official visa email is bangalore.visa@esteri.it, and it warns students to ignore messages from other addresses that claim to come from the consulate and never to share personal or financial information with them.
FAQ source [1]
Sources
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