Italy

Are you planning to study in Italy from Bangladesh? Italy is an attractive European study destination offering internationally recognized qualifications, a wide range of English-taught programmes, historic and research-focused universities, comparatively affordable public university tuition fees, and several regional and university-specific scholarship opportunities.

With more than two decades of experience in international education consultancy,
Exotic International supports Bangladeshi students throughout their study abroad journey. Our experienced team provides personalized assistance with university and programme selection, admission applications, documentation, scholarship guidance, Universitaly pre-enrolment, and the Italy student visa process from Bangladesh.

Why Study in Italy?

Italy has one of Europe’s oldest and most established higher education systems. Italian universities offer academic and professionally oriented programmes in engineering, architecture, business, economics, medicine, design, arts, information technology, agriculture, social sciences, humanities, and many other fields.

• Internationally recognized European qualifications
• English-taught Bachelor’s, Master’s, and doctoral programmes
• Historic universities with strong academic and research traditions
• Comparatively affordable tuition fees at many public universities
• Regional scholarships based on financial circumstances and academic merit
• University-specific merit scholarships and tuition-fee exemptions
• Specialized opportunities in architecture, engineering, arts, design, fashion, and cultural studies
• Valuable European academic, cultural, and professional exposure

Students can search for recognized Italian institutions and study programmes through the official
Universitaly education portal.

Requirements to Study in Italy from Bangladesh

Admission requirements depend on the university, programme, study level, intake, and applicant’s academic background. Italian universities independently assess foreign qualifications and determine whether applicants meet their academic and programme-specific requirements.

1. University Admission Offer

Applicants must receive an official admission offer, eligibility confirmation, or acceptance letter from a recognized Italian university or higher education institution.

Admission to a university does not automatically guarantee Universitaly validation, a visa appointment, or the approval of a student visa. These are separate stages of the process.

2. Bachelor’s Admission Requirements

International applicants generally need a secondary education qualification completed after at least 12 years of schooling and giving access to higher education in the country where it was issued.

Bangladeshi Bachelor’s applicants will generally need:

• Secondary School Certificate and marks sheet
• Higher Secondary Certificate and marks sheet
• At least 12 years of completed education
• Proof of English or Italian proficiency, depending on the programme
• Passport identification page
• Programme-specific academic documents
• Entrance examination or admission test where required

Some programmes may require Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or another subject at the upper-secondary level. Competitive or restricted-access programmes may also require an entrance examination, interview, TOLC or CEnT test, portfolio, or another selection procedure.

3. Master’s Admission Requirements

Admission to an Italian Laurea Magistrale or Master’s degree normally requires a recognized Bachelor’s degree in a relevant academic field.

• A completed and recognized Bachelor’s degree
• A Bachelor’s degree relevant to the selected Master’s programme
• Official degree certificate and academic transcripts
• Required academic credits or courses in specific subject areas
• Proof of English or Italian proficiency
• Curriculum vitae and motivation letter where required
• Course descriptions or syllabus where requested
• Portfolio, interview, recommendation letters, GRE, or GMAT where applicable

A Bachelor’s degree does not automatically qualify an applicant for every Master’s programme. The university may evaluate the content, duration, academic level, credits, grades, and relevance of the previous degree.

4. Proof of Language Proficiency

Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in the language in which the selected programme is taught.

For English-taught programmes, universities may accept:

• IELTS Academic
• TOEFL iBT
• Cambridge English qualifications
• PTE Academic where specifically accepted
• A university-issued language assessment or other evidence specifically accepted by the institution

For Italian-taught programmes, applicants are normally required to demonstrate an appropriate level of Italian-language proficiency, commonly B2, unless the programme or university states otherwise.

For student visa applications submitted in Bangladesh, applicants must also follow the language requirements of the Embassy of Italy in Dhaka. Under the current Dhaka student visa checklist, when language proficiency has not already been verified by the university and recorded on Universitaly, English-language applicants are instructed to provide a valid IELTS certificate with a score of at least 6. The certificate should generally not be more than two years old at the time of the visa application.

University admission language requirements and Embassy visa language requirements are separate. Therefore, receiving an English-language waiver from a university should not automatically be treated as confirmation that no language document will be required for the visa.

5. Academic and Supporting Documents

Depending on the programme and university, Bangladeshi applicants may need to provide:

• SSC certificate and marks sheet
• HSC certificate and marks sheet
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree certificate where applicable
• Official academic transcripts
• Passport identification page
• Proof of language proficiency
• Curriculum vitae
• Motivation letter or statement of purpose
• Letters of recommendation
• Course descriptions or syllabus
• Portfolio for architecture, design, or creative programmes
• Employment certificates where professional experience is required
• Additional programme-specific documents

Documents not issued in Italian or English may need to be officially translated. Legalization, verification, and document-format requirements must be checked with the university and the Embassy of Italy in Dhaka.

6. CIMEA Certificate or Declaration of Value

The university or Italian authorities may require verification of an applicant’s foreign academic qualifications. Depending on the applicable instructions, this may involve:

• A CIMEA Statement of Comparability
• A CIMEA Statement of Verification
• A Declaration of Value issued by the competent Italian diplomatic authority
• Other document-verification procedures requested by the university

The Embassy of Italy in Dhaka has instructed student visa applicants to provide either an appropriate CIMEA certificate or a Declaration of Value as evidence of the authenticity of their academic qualification, according to the applicable university and Universitaly requirements.

Applicants should not automatically obtain both documents. They should first check the exact requirements stated by the university, Universitaly validation, and the Embassy’s current student visa checklist.

7. Tuition Fees

Tuition fees in Italy vary according to the university, programme, degree level, and applicant’s financial or citizenship category.

As a general guideline:

• Public university tuition fees commonly range from approximately EUR 900 to EUR 4,000 per year.
• Private university tuition fees may range from approximately EUR 6,000 to EUR 20,000 or more per year.
• Some programmes may have tuition fees outside these general ranges.
• Regional taxes, stamp duties, admission test fees, and application fees may be charged separately.
• Tuition reductions or exemptions may be available based on financial circumstances or academic merit.

Students must check the exact application fee, tuition fee, payment deadline, instalment rules, and refund policy on the official website of the selected university.

8. Proof of Financial Capacity

Student visa applicants must demonstrate a stable and credible financial position sufficient to cover tuition fees, accommodation, living expenses, travel, and other costs.

The current Embassy of Italy in Dhaka student visa checklist may require:

• The applicant’s personal bank statement covering the previous 12 months
• The sponsor’s personal bank statement covering the previous 12 months
• Evidence explaining the lawful source of the funds
• Salary, business, property, tax, or other financial documents where applicable
• Evidence of funds required for returning to Bangladesh
• A return air ticket or evidence of funds sufficient to purchase one

Sponsors must fall within the categories accepted by the Embassy. The Embassy’s June 2026 notice states that financial guarantees may be provided by the applicant or eligible relatives, including parents, grandparents, siblings, uncles, aunts, and cousins.

Receiving a scholarship does not necessarily exempt an applicant from submitting the financial documents required by the Embassy’s student visa checklist.

9. Valid Passport

The applicant must have a valid passport. The current Dhaka checklist requires the passport to have at least two unused visa pages and sufficient validity beyond the intended visa period.

10. Accommodation and Health Insurance

Applicants must provide appropriate proof of accommodation in Italy and health insurance valid for the required period.

Proof of accommodation may include:

• University accommodation confirmation
• Signed rental agreement
• Valid hotel or temporary accommodation booking
• Declaration of hospitality from an eligible host in Italy

The insurance must meet the requirements applicable to a long-stay Italian student visa and cover necessary medical treatment and hospitalization.

How to Apply to an Italian University

The admission process normally begins on the official application portal of the selected university. Non-EU students requiring a visa must then complete pre-enrolment through Universitaly.

• Search for a suitable programme and university.
• Check the academic and language requirements.
• Confirm the application deadline for non-EU visa applicants.
• Submit the university admission application.
• Pay the application fee where required.
• Complete any entrance examination or interview.
• Receive an admission or eligibility decision.
• Create an account on the Universitaly portal.
• Submit the official pre-enrolment application through Universitaly.
• Upload the admission and academic documents requested by the university.
• Wait for the university to validate the Universitaly application.
• Download the validated Universitaly pre-enrolment summary.
• Proceed with the student visa application after receiving the relevant instructions.

Universitaly is the official and free pre-enrolment portal of the Italian Ministry of University and Research. Validation of a Universitaly application by a university supports the visa application but does not guarantee that the visa will be approved.

For the 2026/2027 academic year, university pre-enrolment student visa applications must generally be submitted no later than 30 November 2026. However, individual universities may impose significantly earlier admission, pre-enrolment, enrolment, or arrival deadlines.

Applicants should review the official
Universitaly international student procedures.

Popular Universities in Italy for International Students

Italy has numerous recognized public and private universities offering programmes for international students. Popular institutions include:

• University of Bologna
• Sapienza University of Rome
• University of Padua
• Politecnico di Milano
• University of Milan
• University of Turin
• University of Pisa
• University of Florence
• University of Trento
• Ca’ Foscari University of Venice

The most suitable university depends on the applicant’s academic qualifications, chosen programme, language proficiency, budget, scholarship requirements, and career plans.

Scholarships in Italy for Bangladeshi Students

Italy offers national, regional, and university-specific scholarship opportunities. Scholarships are competitive and are not automatically awarded with admission. Applicants must carefully check eligibility requirements, required financial documents, application procedures, and deadlines.

1. MAECI Italian Government Scholarship

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation offers MAECI scholarships to eligible international students, including applicants from Bangladesh when Bangladesh is included in the applicable annual call.

For the 2026/2027 academic year, the Embassy of Italy in Dhaka announced MAECI scholarships of EUR 1,200 per month for eligible programmes including:

• Second-cycle Master’s degree programmes
• Higher education programmes in arts, music, and dance
• PhD programmes
• Research projects under academic supervision
• Advanced Italian-language and culture courses

The MAECI scholarship application and university admission are separate procedures. Applicants must submit the scholarship application through the official
Study in Italy portal during the applicable annual call.

2. Padua International Excellence Scholarship

The University of Padua offers the Padua International Excellence Scholarship to highly talented international applicants admitted to selected English-taught degree programmes.

For the 2026/2027 academic year, the programme offered:

• Up to 69 scholarships for eligible international programmes
• EUR 8,000 gross per academic year
• Exemption from university tuition fees
• Renewal subject to academic progress and scholarship conditions

Students should check the official
Padua International Excellence Scholarship page.

3. Politecnico di Milano Merit Scholarships

Politecnico di Milano offers merit-based scholarships to selected international students admitted to eligible English-taught Master of Science programmes.

• Full tuition-fee waivers may be available.
• Some awards may include a gross allowance of up to EUR 10,000 per year.
• An administrative fee may remain payable.
• Eligibility depends on the admission round, academic merit, programme, and annual scholarship call.
• A valid English-language certificate may be required by the scholarship deadline.

Applicants should review the official
Politecnico di Milano scholarship information.

4. Talents 4 UniTo Scholarship

The University of Turin offers the Talents 4 UniTo scholarship programme for selected international students enrolling in eligible English-taught postgraduate programmes.

For the 2026/2027 academic year, the programme offered:

• 40 two-year scholarships
• A total gross scholarship value of EUR 20,000
• Selection based on academic background, motivation, English proficiency, curriculum vitae, and any required interview or test

Students should check the official
University of Turin international scholarship page.

5. Ca’ Foscari Honours Scholarships

Ca’ Foscari University of Venice offers merit-based scholarships to high-achieving international students applying for eligible Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes.

For the 2026/2027 academic year, the university offered:

• Eight Bachelor’s scholarships of EUR 10,000 per year for up to three years
• Twenty Master’s scholarships of EUR 10,000 per year for up to two years
• Selection based on academic excellence and the annual call requirements
• A separate scholarship application procedure

These scholarships do not automatically exempt recipients from tuition fees unless the relevant call specifically states otherwise.

Applicants should review the official
Ca’ Foscari international financial aid information.

6. ER.GO Regional Scholarship

ER.GO administers right-to-study benefits for universities in the Emilia-Romagna region, including:

• University of Bologna
• University of Parma
• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
• University of Ferrara

Depending on eligibility and the annual call, ER.GO benefits may include:

• Financial scholarship
• Tuition-fee exemption
• Student accommodation
• Meal services
• Other right-to-study benefits

Selection is generally based on financial circumstances and academic merit. International applicants must provide the required family income and asset documentation in the prescribed translated and legalized format.

Applicants should check the official
ER.GO scholarship portal.

7. DSU Toscana Scholarship

DSU Toscana administers regional right-to-study scholarships for students attending institutions including:

• University of Florence
• University of Pisa
• University of Siena
• University for Foreigners of Siena

Depending on eligibility, benefits may include:

• A financial scholarship
• University accommodation or accommodation-related benefits
• Meal services
• Tuition-fee exemption or reduction

International students must follow the annual call and provide family income, property, and household documents in the required translated and legalized form.

Applicants should review the official
DSU Toscana scholarship information.

8. Lazio DiSCo Scholarship

Lazio DiSCo administers regional right-to-study benefits for students at participating institutions in the Lazio region, including:

• Sapienza University of Rome
• University of Rome Tor Vergata
• Roma Tre University
• Other eligible universities and higher education institutions in Lazio

The annual right-to-study call may offer:

• Financial scholarships
• Student housing
• International mobility grants
• Graduation awards
• Access to subsidized meal services

Applicants should consult the official
Lazio DiSCo right-to-study call.

9. EDISU Piemonte Scholarship

EDISU Piemonte provides regional benefits for eligible students studying at participating institutions in Piedmont, including the University of Turin and Politecnico di Torino.

• Financial scholarship
• Student accommodation
• Meal and other student services
• Benefits based on economic and academic requirements

International applicants normally need translated and legalized documents covering family composition, income, and assets.

Applicants should review the official
EDISU Piemonte scholarship information.

10. University of Padua Regional Scholarship

In addition to the Padua International Excellence Scholarship, eligible University of Padua students may apply for a regional scholarship based on financial circumstances and academic merit.

• The scholarship may be provided partly in money and partly through accommodation and meal services.
• International students may need an ISEE Parificato or equivalent financial documentation.
• First-year students must meet the required academic credit conditions to retain the scholarship.
• Application deadlines and eligibility conditions are published annually.

Students should check the official
University of Padua regional scholarship page.

Important Scholarship Advice

• Admission and scholarship applications are usually separate procedures.
• A scholarship is not guaranteed simply because a student meets the minimum eligibility requirements.
• Regional scholarships normally require detailed family income, property, asset, and household documents.
• Foreign financial documents may require Italian translation and legalization.
• Some scholarship deadlines may occur before final university enrolment.
• Many scholarships require students to earn a minimum number of CFU or ECTS credits to retain the award.
• Scholarship recipients may still need to pay regional taxes, stamp duty, administrative charges, or other fees.
• A scholarship may not remove the Embassy’s requirement to examine the applicant’s overall financial position.

Italy Student Visa Process from Bangladesh

Bangladeshi students planning to attend a long-term university programme in Italy normally need to apply for a national Type D study visa.

The general process includes:

• Receive an official admission or eligibility decision.
• Complete pre-enrolment through the Universitaly portal.
• Wait for the university to validate the Universitaly application.
• Prepare the CIMEA certificate or Declaration of Value required for the case.
• Prepare academic and language documents.
• Arrange proof of financial capacity and sponsor documentation.
• Arrange accommodation and health insurance.
• Prepare the national Type D visa application form and required photographs.
• Wait for VFS Global to contact the applicant using the email registered on Universitaly.
• Attend the visa submission appointment and provide biometrics.
• Wait for the final decision of the Embassy of Italy.

According to the Embassy of Italy in Dhaka’s June 2026 notice, applicants properly registered through Universitaly are contacted by VFS Global using the same email address entered in their Universitaly account.

Students should carefully monitor their Universitaly email address, including the spam or junk folder.

For the latest requirements, applicants should review the official
Embassy of Italy in Dhaka student visa notice and
student visa checklist.

After Arriving in Italy

Non-EU students holding a long-stay study visa must normally apply for a Permesso di Soggiorno or residence permit within eight working days of arriving in Italy.

• Complete the residence permit application procedure.
• Keep copies of the passport, visa, admission, and accommodation documents.
• Complete university enrolment and document verification.
• Obtain an Italian tax identification code where required.
• Register for appropriate healthcare coverage.
• Attend the immigration appointment for fingerprints when instructed.

Working While Studying in Italy

International students holding a valid Italian student residence permit may generally work:

• Up to 20 hours per week
• Up to a maximum of 1,040 hours per year
• Subject to the conditions of the employment contract and residence permit

Part-time employment is not guaranteed and should not be treated as the primary source of funding for tuition fees or living expenses.

How Exotic International Can Help You

Applying to study in Italy involves several academic, financial, scholarship, pre-enrolment, and immigration-related steps. Exotic International provides personalized support to make your Italy university admission and student visa process clearer, easier, and more organized.

• Student Profile Assessment: Evaluation of academic qualifications, language proficiency, budget, and study goals.
• University and Programme Selection: Assistance in identifying suitable Italian universities and programmes.
• Eligibility Review: Guidance regarding academic and programme-specific admission requirements.
• Admission Application Support: Assistance with university application forms and supporting documents.
• Universitaly Pre-enrolment Assistance: Guidance with preparing and submitting the Universitaly application.
• CIMEA and Declaration of Value Guidance: Assistance in understanding the appropriate document-verification procedure.
• Scholarship Guidance: Information about MAECI, regional, and university-specific scholarships.
• Financial Documentation Guidance: Support with organizing applicant and sponsor documents.
• Student Visa Assistance: Step-by-step guidance for preparing the Italy student visa application.
• Interview Preparation: Support for university or visa-related interviews where required.
• Pre-departure Assistance: Practical guidance before travelling to Italy.

Explore Other European Study Destinations

Students comparing different European education options may also explore our guides to
study in Finland from Bangladesh and
study in Sweden from Bangladesh.

Start Your Italy Study Journey Today

Your journey to study in Italy from Bangladesh begins with selecting the right programme, checking your eligibility, and preparing a complete application. Contact Exotic International for personalized counselling and professional assistance with university admission, documentation, scholarships, Universitaly pre-enrolment, and the Italy student visa process.

Contact Exotic International

Dhaka Head Office

EXOTIC INTERNATIONAL
Huda Apartment (2nd Floor), House 59, Road 04, Block C,
Banani, Dhaka 1213, Bangladesh

Sylhet Branch

EXOTIC INTERNATIONAL – SYLHET
Going Global, Sadik Tower, Lift 3,
Nayasarak Road, Sylhet 3100, Bangladesh

Phone:
+8801611-008781
+8801914-232255

Email:
info@exoticbd.com

Counselling Hours: Saturday–Thursday, 11:00 AM–7:00 PM
Weekly Holiday: Friday

Disclaimer: University admission requirements, application fees, tuition fees, scholarships, Universitaly procedures, financial documentation, CIMEA or Declaration of Value requirements, work permissions, and visa conditions may change. Final admission, scholarship, and visa decisions are made by the respective Italian university, scholarship authority, and relevant Italian diplomatic and immigration authorities.