Non-EU candidates living outside Italy who are interested in enrolling in Corsi di laurea (Bachelor’s degrees – 1st cycle degree), Corsi di laurea magistrale a ciclo unico (Combined Bachelor- Master’s degree – 2nd cycle degree), Corsi di laurea magistrale (Master’s degrees – 2nd cycle degree) or Single courses, must submit their visa application using the Universitaly portal.
Non-EU students interested in any Degree programme must apply for a pre-evalutaion of the previous qualifications before applying to the Universitaly portal.
The application on the Universitaly portal consists in 5 phases:
- Register on the portal and get the access credentials
- Log in and fill in the online form (STEP A) with personal data
- Upload a passport-size photo and a copy of passport. Candidates must also indicate the State and the Italian representation where they will start the visa process, and the reason for their application. (STEP B)
- Select the University of Messina, type and name of the study programme. The language box enables candidates to filter the courses and curricula taught in the chosen language. Please note: In the field “Identification account at University/AFAM/Institute”, please indicate the Application ID of the application submitted online via the UniME Candidate Portal (for programmes taught in Italian) or the UniME Application Portal (for programmes taught in English).
- Upload the copies of the qualifications needed for admission (STEP C) and the pre-acceptance letter provided by Unime at the end of the pre-evaluation procedure. At this stage neither translation nor legalization or Declaration of value are required. This document can be handed in upon arrival in Messina
We strongly recommend candidates to pay attention when selecting State, Italian representation and University in order to avoid any problem during the visa issuance process.
Unime will confirm candidate acceptance on the Universitaly Portal only if the required documents are valid and correctly uploaded. This will begin the pre-enrolment at Unime and the visa application process.
Applications are conditionally admitted if candidates:
- Have finished their previous studies but do not have the High School/Bachelor Diploma yet. These documents must be issued in English or translated into Italian, legalized and accompanied by the Declaration of Value (DoV) issued by the competent Italian Diplomatic/Consular section.
- Take the admission test for selected restricted access degree programme.
Upon Unime confirmation, the Italian Diplomatic/Consular Representation indicated by the candidate will check and evaluate the application to the relevant specific provisions for visa issuance. The decision on the issuance of a visa for study purposes is the exclusive jurisdiction of the Diplomatic/Consular Authorities.
During the visa issuance process, candidates are allowed to take both Italian language proficiency examination (if required) and the admission test (if required) under condition of obtaining the visa.
The selective admission tests for the listed study programmes must be taken in presence:
- Combined Bachelor and Master’s degree in Medicine and surgery
- Combined Bachelor and Master’s degree in Dentistry
- Bachelor’s degrees in Health Professions
Candidates can access Universitaly portal using their credentials and check their application status. Once Unime have dealt with the pre-enrolment application (granting the status of “admitted” or “conditionally admitted”) it is no longer necessary to contact us about the visa. We suggest candidates to access the Universitaly portal and check their visa application status.
Minor international students applying with a standard Italian study visa are not automatically assigned a public guardian by Italian authorities.
For minor students, the family is fully responsible for appointing a guardian (soggetto affidatario), and the guardianship must be arranged before starting the visa application process.
How to Identify a Guardian in Italy
If the student’s family does not have direct contacts in Italy, the following options are available:
- Relatives or family friends
The most common solution is to appoint someone who lives permanently in Italy and meets the legal requirements. - Student residences or colleges
Some private or religious residences may act as guardians, based on a formal agreement with the parents. - Specialized agencies
Professional organizations can provide guardianship services, including administrative and legal support for minor students.
Documents for Visa Application
The following documents are typically required:
- Travel consent and guardianship authorisation signed by the parents.
- Copy of the guardian’s passport and/or residence permit.
- Proof of accommodation (rental contract, property ownership, or residence registration).
- Notarial declaration of acceptance of guardianship.
- Confirmation of recognition by the Italian Juvenile Court.
- Guardian’s flight reservation (if required, on the student’s travel date).
- Copies of parents’ or legal guardians’ ID documents.
- Student’s birth certificate, translated into Italian and legalised/apostilled.
Important Disclaimer
The University provides this information for general guidance only.
It can offer basic indications on guardianship procedures and visa documentation, but does not provide legal advice or direct assistance in the process.
For students planning to start or continue their academic journey in Italy, we suggest taking advantage of the assistance of Uni-Italia, the national reference body for the promotion of Study in Italy. Students who benefit from Uni-Italia's support will be followed in all orientation phases and assistance with administrative procedures so that documentation required to continue their study in Italy is complete and compliant for the visa application. To find out in which countries Uni-Italia operates, click here.