Jumbangla Desk: Italian is one of the nations that have set an example in the world in terms of art practice. One of the most interesting aspects of higher education abroad is the diversity of people with different cultures and customs. The greatest diversity is found in European countries. Where there are considerable differences between classmates or colleagues, starting from language to manners.

Italy

They have taken academic excellence to the level of art by incorporating originality and creativity. And this is the reason why industrial students choose this beautiful country for higher education.

Why choose Italy?

Italy, a member of the European Union, has some of the oldest universities in the world. Over the course of time, they have accumulated hundreds of years of tradition in the background of continuous development of the old education system. These institutions are now well-known in elite forums of international education curriculum and scholars. The universities in the QS World Ranking are Politecnico di Milano (123), Sapienza University of Rome (134) and University of Bologna (154).
According to Global PEO (Professional Employer Organization) Services and Forbes, Italy is the third largest economy in Europe and the ninth largest in the world. In that source, the country has enough facilities like internship, on the job training and industrial attachment. Let's know the details including application process, student visa, scholarship for studying in Italy.

Although the main language is Italian, the number of foreign students is increasing every year due to the importance of English. Milan, Rome and Turin in particular—among the main student-friendly cities in Europe.

Apart from education, the area that attracts international students the most in the Schengen country is tourism. According to UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization), the country is ranked fourth in the world tourism ranking. Italy has by far the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (59). Of these, 53 are culturally recognized and 6 are of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Popular Universities in Italy
• Politecnico di Milano
• Sapienza University of Rome
• University of Bologna
• University of Padua •
Politecnico di Torino
• University of Milan
• University of Naples Federico-II
• University of Pisa
• University of Florence
• University of Turin

Some of the more popular topics

Fine Arts, Fashion Design, Business & Management, Social Sciences & Humanities, Hospitality & Tourism, Medicine, Computer Science, Economics, Finance, Political Science etc.

What are the linguistic qualifications required?

Italian universities offer courses in both English and Italian. And if you are not fluent in Italian, you should definitely choose courses in English. Language proficiency will be required. An IELTS score of 6 is currently required for visas in Italy. Italiano languages ​​on the other hand would require at least the p2 label Europas language real class category. Because if you pass the b2 label, you have to go to Italy and take the exam again at the university. But if you pass the c2 label, you don't have to sit for any more exams.

Mode of Application

Like the other Schengen countries, Italy follows the two-semester system of education. The first admission season is known as Fall Intake, the application process of which starts between November and April. Courses start in late September or early October after all applications are received between April and July. During this period, the leading universities of the country admitted students in the largest number of courses.

In another intake called Spring, applications are taken between July and September. Their period is from October to December. Courses start after completing admissions between February and March.

Here each educational institution has to apply for admission separately on their own web portal. The specific deadlines along with required documents of application, cost are mentioned in detail on the website. It should be noted here that only one subject can be applied to a university.

Pre-enrollment

Pre-enrollment is one of the main aspects of admission in Italian educational institutions. It is a prerequisite for applying for any course. For this the student has to apply by registering on the Università Italia portal.

At this time, to get all the information and instructions of the preferred university, you have to contact its website research and admission officers. Then upload all required documents to the Università Italia site for the chosen study program. After completing the pre-enrollment online application, the university will start preparing the offer letter.

At this time the student will be given urgent instructions to pay the study fee. This fee is usually charged in three installments throughout the academic year. The first installment is taken at the time of admission. The specific dates for subsequent installments are notified by the respective universities.

Necessary documents required

• Complete online application form
• Valid passport
• Document of past educational qualifications
• High school diploma or equivalent certificate and academic transcript for undergraduate program
• Graduate certificate and academic transcript for master’s program
• Master’s certificate and academic transcript for doctoral program
• Minimum score of language proficiency test
• 6 in IELTS or 59 in TOEFL IBT
• IELTS score of 6.5 or TOEFL IBT 79 for Masters
• IELTS score of 7 or TOEFL IBT 96 for PhD
• Receipt of payment of study fees: minimum one installment of three installments. In most cases it is between 120 and 180 euros.
• CV
• Statement of Purpose
• Multiple motivation letters
• Medical certificate and health insurance
• GMAT or GRE test results (for Masters)
• Portfolio: for applicants in creative fields
• Research proposal: for PhD
• Contact information of the person under whom the research is being conducted and A letter of consent to supervise the student's research
• Summary of relevant publications (if applicable)
• Evidence of work experience, for selected programs
• Other relevant documents may be required depending on the university, course and programme.

Application Procedure for Student Visa

Students wishing to study for a longer period of time need to apply for a Type-D visa in Italy. This visa, known as a national visa, allows you to stay in Italy for more than 90 days. The visa is valid for the entire duration of the selected full-time study program. Bangladeshi students can apply for Type-D visa through VFS (Visa Facilitation Services), the global partner of Italian immigration. The application form can be downloaded from this link https://visa.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/italy/bangladesh/english/pdf/visa-d-long-term.pdf. After filling it, it should be printed and signed by hand and then submitted to the visa application center along with the relevant documents.

Documents required for visa application

• Fully filled and self-signed National (Type-D) visa application form.
• 2 copies of recent color photographs.
• Photographs must be in ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) format (size 4 x 3.5 cm, taken on white background and taken within the last six months at most).
• Original copy of valid passport with copy of each page.
• Passport should be valid for at least three months from the date of arrival in any Schengen country. Passport should have at least two blank pages.
• Proof of pre-enrollment in an Italian university or AFAM Institute (Institute of Fine Arts, Music and Dance) (only for pre-enrollment): admission and study costs must be mentioned.
• Admission offer letter from university in Italy.
• Proof of applicant's financial solvency: Student's personal bank statement issued by any bank operating in Bangladesh for six months.
• Proof of financial resources if sponsored. Sponsor's last six months bank statement from any bank in Bangladesh.
• Proof of family relationship with the sponsor (sponsor must be related by blood or marriage).
• Evidence of the above financial resources is essential even if the scholarship is received.
• IELTS (minimum score 6) certificate as evidence of English language proficiency: The date of issue of the certificate cannot be more than two years before the date of visa application.
• Proof of student residence in Italy.
• Apartment purchase or rental agreement.
• Resident statement from an Italian citizen or a foreign citizen holding a permanent residence permit in the country. Along with this, the identity card of the person signing the statement will need to be attached.
• Documents of advance air ticket booking.
• Travel Insurance: Total 30 thousand euros including medical fees, hospitalization, repatriation expenses.
• Marriage certificate if married, divorce certificate if divorced and death certificate of spouse in case of widow or widower.

Visa application submission and biometric registration

Online appointment is not required to visit VFS together with all the application documents. Bangladesh VFS Center Address -
Dhaka: Nafi Tower (4th & 5th Floor), 53, South Gulshan Avenue, Gulshan 1, Dhaka 1212.
Chittagong: World Trade Center Chittagong, (5th Floor) 102/103 Agrabad C/A. Commerce College Road, Chittagong-4100.
Sylhet: 4th Floor, Nirvana Inn Complex, Ramer Dighir Par, Mirzajungal Road, Sylhet-3100.
In case of any center it is important to attend between 8:30 am and 1 pm. Biometric registration will be completed by photographing the candidate and taking 10 finger prints on the date mentioned in the e-mail. This may be accompanied by an interview where applicable. Finally, after all the activities, the candidate will be given an acknowledgment letter or receipt subject to accepting the incidental expenses including the visa fee.

Visa processing time and incidental costs

A study visa usually takes a minimum of 21 working days to prepare. However, due to various reasons including verification of documents, the time to get the visa may be longer.
According to Italy's VFS website, the Type-D visa fee is 50 euros. The VFS Global Service charges 38 Euros. With additional bank draft 270 taka.

Potential cost of education

Study costs in Italy vary considerably by subject, program level and institution. However, in most cases, universities of different quality determine the budget variation. According to Lipscholar, annual tuition fees at public universities range from 900 to 4,000 euros. On the other hand, the course price in private universities is on average 6 to 20 thousand euros per year.

Scholarships in Italy

Studying in top universities requires living in expensive cities. In this case, scholarships play a major role in managing the overall cost burden. According to Lipscholar, the highest level of scholarships in Italy are as follows-
1. Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Government Scholarships are worth 9,000 euros per year for Bachelor's, Master's or PhD.
2. The University of Bologna offers the International Talents at Unibo Scholarship worth 4,500 euros and a full tuition fee waiver.
3. The University of Milano University Excellence Scholarship Program is for Masters only. A total of 8,000 Euros is awarded in this scholarship every year.
4. The University of Padua has the University of Padua International Excellence Scholarship for undergraduate or postgraduate students. It also allocates eight thousand euros every year.

Part time job opportunities

A resident work permit will be required in addition to a student visa for part-time employment in Italy. This permit allows a maximum of 20 hours of work per week or 1,400 hours per year. But business cannot be done with this permission. A popular option for students looking for part-time jobs is '150 Ore'. 'Ore' is an Italian word meaning bell. Through this arrangement, selected students can work for a maximum of 150 hours at the university (usually in the administrative department). Some popular jobs with average hourly wages are: Cashier 11 Euros, Package Handler 11 Euros, Waiter 10 Euros, Customer Service Agent 15 Euros, Delivery Boy 17 Euros, Receptionist 12 Euros and Student Collaborator 14 Euros. As the wealthiest city in Italy, Milan's job market is relatively high. Rome is second and Pisa has the lowest wages.