Entry Visa for Study Purposes: Insurance and Surety Bond

Non-European foreign citizens who intend to study in our country must follow a well-defined procedure that allows them to first obtain an entry visa and, once in Italy, a residence permit.

The Residence Permit for study purposes is regulated by Article 39 of Legislative Decree no. 286/98 and subsequent amendments, and by Article 44bis, 45, and 46 of Presidential Decree no. 394/99 and subsequent amendments.

Apply for an Italian visa (Application for Italian visa)

It is important to know that, before applying to the consular authorities for a visa, the non-EU student who intends to attend a degree course such as a master’s degree, a first or second-degree university master’s degree, a doctorate or a specialization diploma, must pre-register through the online student portal  Universitaly created by the Ministry of Education, University and Research, in which Students must register, select the University where he/she intends to enroll, choose the Academic program, specify the language of learning  and lastly indicate the Embassy or Consulate in which he/she will apply to get their visa (student).

Visa Requirements

In order to obtain a Study Visa for a University Enrolment, once in Italy, with relative Permit to Stay, the international student must meet the following requirements:

  • Means of Subsistence – is a document that proves the necessary financial resources to support travel and the duration of their stay; the estimated monthly cost of stay is € 467.65. These expenses should be calculated for the entire Academic year, for a total amount of € 6 079.45 per year.

The means of Subsistence must be guaranteed by personal financial meanings, from parents, institutions, or Italian citizens/foreigners regularly residing in Italy (Surety bond).

  • The necessary amount of money needed for repatriation.
  • An accommodation in the national territory.
  • An insurance coverage that protects the subject and the State for medical treatment and hospitalization due to emergency conditions.
  • foreign insurance coverage whose guarantees match the provisions of Italian law on the subject.

What are the differences between bank and insurance surety?

As we have seen before, if the economic means of subsistence cannot be demonstrated, the non-EU student must present a surety that can be either bank or insurance:

– Insurance Surety: In this type of guarantee, the insurance company plays the role of guarantor, has a more streamlined process, and can be issued in a short time. The insurance agency undertakes to guarantee the sum foreseen by law through payment of a cash premium which the contracting party pays in a single solution.

– Bank Guarantee: In this type of guarantee on the other hand, the procedure is more complex, and the policy holder must (deposit) from 100 to 120% of the guaranteed amount. In addition, if the contractor is a client of the credit institute, it is foreseen the freezing of the sum to be insured directly on the current account.

The advantages of the insurance surety compared to the bank surety are, therefore, the lower cost, the ease of subscription, and the much quicker timescale for its issue.