If you are eligible for admission, the International Admissions Office will inform you publishing an offer in your Self Service Center and sending you a notice via e-mail (remember to check your spam box as well!).
The offer will outline:
- The conditions (if any) that will have to be satisfied in order to enroll;
- If you have been awarded the UCSC International Scholarship;
- The instructions to accept Cattolica’s offer and pay the first installment of the tuition fees reserve a place on the indicated degree program.
Upon receipt of the deposit, the International Admissions Office will publish in your Self Service Center the official admission letter (Italian and English version) addressed to the Italian Consulate/Embassy in your country. The original copy of the letter will be sent via courier to the address indicated on the application form.
Please note that we can send only one original copy of the admission letter. You are therefore required to double check the address provided and let us know as soon as possible if you need the letter to be couriered to a different one. For further certificates or request of a second shipment of the admission letter, a fee will be applied to cover the shipment expenses.
As a preliminary step to apply for a study visa in August, all admitted students need to submit a formal “Pre-enrollment request” to the Italian Consulate/Embassy of their jurisdiction (1) no later than July 24, 2019. In a few countries, the Istituto Italiano di Cultura may be responsible to collect candidates’ pre-enrollment requests and documents on behalf of the Embassy.
Upon receipt of the admission letters, you should contact the Italian Consulate/Embassy of your jurisdiction in order to verify the procedure in place for the submission of the pre-enrollment request. In fact, each Consular office may autonomously require additional documents and/or steps with respect to those established by the Italian Ministry for Education, depending on the country where it is located (2).
In particular, it is important that you double check:
- If you need to book an appointment in large advance;
- If you need to attend an interview with the Consular staff;
- The full list of the required documents;
- The deadlines: in a few countries they may be anticipated with respect to those established by the Ministry.
Please find the list of the documents that are generally required by the Italian Embassy/Consulate:
- Pre-enrollment application form - FORM A (2 copies);
- Your passport
- 2 passport-size photos;
- Università Cattolica’s admission letter (Italian version);
- High School leaving Diploma, if required by the Embassy;
- Bachelor-level Diploma, if you already graduated;
- Transcript of academic records issued by the University you attended/are attending; as an alternative, you can provide the Diploma Supplement (3): this is only possible if you already graduated and your University issues it.
Please note: Italian Embassies/Consulates usually require that diplomas and transcripts are legalized (4) by the relevant local Ministries and translated into Italian before they are submitted for pre-enrollment. - For degree courses taught in Italian: Italian language proficiency certificate.
This step ends with the formal acceptance of your pre-enrollment request by the Italian Embassy/Consulate, that will in turn contact Università Cattolica to confirm your admission.
If the previous step has been successful, you can submit an application for a long-term entry visa - “D” type – issued for study reasons (“Immatricolazione Università”) at the Italian Embassy/Consulate of your jurisdiction.
You will have to satisfy the following requirements:
- Proof of economic means of about 6.000€. Please note however that the cost of living in Italy per annum is higher;
- A return ticket;
- .Health insurance for medical expenses and hospital stays;
- Passport or travel document valid for at least three months after visa expiry date;
- Successful completion of university studies (you will have to provide the graduation certificate);
- Proof of accommodation in Italy. Check housing opportunities:
Please note that each Consular office may autonomously require additional documents.
If your application is accepted, the Italian Embassy/Consulate will:
- Stamp the study visa on your passport;
- Return the pre-enrollment application form (duly stamped) and a certified copy of your Diploma and transcript;
- Issue the “Dichiarazione di Valore” (5) of your qualification.
It is also suggested that, while requesting the visa, you also apply to the Italian Consulate for the issuing of your “Codice fiscale” (Italian tax registration No.). It is a 16-character alphanumeric code issued free of charge by the Revenue Agency to identify Italian nationals and foreign residents. You need to have your own "codice fiscale" to enroll in any Italian university, open a bank account and sign any type of contract (rental, phone line, ...).
Every year, Università Cattolica organizes Orientation and welcome events before the beginning of classes. You are required to attend the events in order to receive useful information to start your academic experience at Università Cattolica. You will receive an official invitation via e-mail during the Summer to register.
Within eight days from arrival to Italy, you will have to request a permit of stay (“permesso di soggiorno”). UCSC International will provide support in completing the application form during the Orientation Event.
Please note that your enrollment to Università Cattolica will be possible only if the conditions outlined in the admission communication are satisfied.
Key
(1) The Italian Embassy of the country issuing your passport and responsible for the area where you reside (eg. in Turkey or the USA there are several Italian Embassies, and each of them is responsible for a specific state/region in the country). Find here a list of the Italian Consular Offices. If you temporarily live in a country that you are not a citizen of, you may submit your pre-enrollment request to the Head of Italian Consulate/Embassy of that country, who will decide whether to accept it or not.
(2) Read here the official government Guidelines for admission (in Italian only).
(3) The Diploma Supplement is a document attached to a higher education qualification, with the aim of improving international transparency and facilitating the academic and professional recognition of qualifications (diplomas, degrees, certificates). It is designed to provide a description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies that were successfully completed by the individual. The Diploma Supplement is produced by national Higher Education institutions according to a template developed by a Joint European Commission - Council of Europe - UNESCO working party that tested and finalized it. Download a few examples.
(4) Legalisation is the official confirmation that a signature, seal or stamp on a public document is genuine. It does not authenticate the content of the document. Legalisation is usually required by Italian authorities before they will allow a document issued in a third country to be used for official purposes in Italy. If your country signed the La Haye Convention of 05/10/1961, the competent authorities will stamp the Apostille on your qualification. In other countries, specific Ministries are appointed to legalise documents through a stamp. If you studied in Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Germany, Austria or Estonia legalisation of documents is not required according to international agreements.
(5) The Dichiarazione di Valore in loco (DV) is an official document which provides a short description of your qualification, its validity in the awarding country to academic and/or professional ends, and the legal status of the awarding institution. In order to obtain the DV, you have to contact the Italian Consulate/Embassy of the country that awarded the qualification. For example, if you studied in a British university in Ghana, you should refer to the Italian Embassy in the UK for the DV issuing.