Originally Posted On: https://www.imatbuddy.com/everything-you-need-to-do-to-enter-medical-school-in-italy-2024/
Entering medical school in Italy is not just as simple as passing an admission test. There are plenty of other things you need to do to secure enrolment as an international student. Make sure you are familiar with all the steps, since missing a deadline can cost you your admission.
This article will cover what you need to do as an international student.
Pre-register on University Websites
Certain universities require you to pre-register on their website. Make sure to have your high school documents ready for this, and in translated into the correct language if needed. Please note that not all Universities have this step. Turin, Pavia and Messina have had this step, and others may also have it this year. Make sure to not miss out on the deadline.
Pre-Enrolment (Non-EU Only)
If you are a non-EU student you will need to pre enrol. This is done on Universitaly’s website. Upon the announcement of the pre-enrollment date for the IMAT by MIUR (Italian Ministry of Education) typically in April, you will need to visit your nearest consulate/embassy as well as set up an account on Universitaly.
For educational credentials and legalization, it is necessary to reach out to the embassy overseeing the region where the diploma was obtained, and not just the embassy that is most convenient for you. This is important to take into account if you have moved to another country since you graduated
You will need to…
- Create an account on Universitaly
- Fill out Form A
- Legalize and translate your education documents
- Submit ID documents/photos on Universitaly
- Submit language certificate
Declaration of Value (DoV)
The DoV is mandatory for any international student who has not graduated in Italy. The DoV encompasses various details, such as your academic record, the total years spent in formal education, where the education was obtained, and your highest educational attainment. It is not something you need to submit when applying for the IMAT exam itself, but you will need it when enrolling in your university.
It requires translation into Italian and must be notarized. In Italy it is a legal requirement that you have completed 12 years of schooling or more before you can study at university level. To qualify for admission to study medicine at an Italian university, you must thus demonstrate completion of a 12-year educational curriculum. You will be able to get this document from the embassy where you completed your education. Thus even if you live in a country different from the one where you graduated high school, it is the Italian embassy in the country that you graduated that will issue the DoV.
We recommend getting this document early since embassies can take time to arrange appointments.
Language Certificates
You do not need any Italian language certificates, but an English language certificate is officially mandatory. While many times universities do not actually check for this certificate upon enrolment, it is technically a requirement. It may also be required during pre-enrolment for non-EU students. You are thus advised to get one. Check out our article on language certificates if you want more information.
Register for the IMAT 2024
Booking the test is an essential step since you cannot take the exam without a booking. To do this you will need to…
- Have an account on Universitaly
- Pay the registration fee (roughly 150 euros)
- Fill out your university choices (non-EUs have only one choice)
- Select a test venue
If you are selecting a test venue outside of Italy, make sure to book as soon as possible. Venues outside of Italy often fill up very fast. This is especially true for certain venues with a lot of applicants, such as India and Turkey.
You will receive two important emails after successfully booking your exam. You need to print and bring BOTH copies to the test venue on the day of your exam…
- Receipt of payment
- Confirmation of your booking (with date, time and place of test mentioned)
Pass the IMAT
This is the most obvious step, you need to get a score high enough for your chosen medical school. How high is high enough? It varies each year and is increasingly getting more competitive. However, as a general trend, 60+ is considered safe for non-EUs (except perhaps for the most competitive universities). For EUs, 50+ is considered safe. Be aware that competitiveness can change year to year, and that less competitive universities often have significantly lower cut offs than more competitive universities.
We have plenty of articles and content to help you pass the IMAT, so take a look at our news page and subscribe to our newsletter if you have not already done so.
Accept Your Offer
Assuming you pass the IMAT, you will be given an offer to a university. For non-EUs either you will have passed the IMAT and secured your first and only choice university, or you will not gain admission.
For EU students, if you do not get in straight away, you can partake in the ‘IMAT Scrolling’ whereby the entry score progressively lowers each week. You will need to manually submit your interest to remain in the scrolling, if you do not do this, you will no longer be eligible for consideration. You have 4 days to express your interest after each new round starts, after which you are automatically removed from the scrolling if you do not express interest to remain.
For EU students this process takes place on Universitaly, for non-EU students, this takes place on the university website.
Enrollment
Once you have accepted your choice, you need to enrol in the course. This is done on the university website and requires you to submit ID documents, passport photos, and other documents you have received during the entire process. You will also need to pay a fee. You only have 4 days from receiving your offer as an EU student to enrol, so make sure to not delay!
Once you are enrolled, you have gained admission to medical school in Italy.
Visa (Non-EU Only)
Unlike the case for your diploma legalisation, the visa application needs to be made in the Italian embassy of the country you currently reside in. If the country you finished high school in and currently live in are not the same then be aware these are two separate embassies.
There are various requirements for the visa, which you need to meet, in order to not get rejected. You will need to meet certain financial requirements. This typically means having at least around 6000-7000 euros worth of funds in your or your sponsor’s bank account. This amount should not be put in your bank account at the last minute. You will also need to have health insurance and will need to submit various other documents.
You will need to…
- Prove that you have adequate funds (typically around 6000-7000 euros)
- Fill out the Application Form D
- Submit recent passport-style photographs
- Confirm your admission
- Submit ID document copies
- Submit language certificates
- Submit your high school documents
- Submit financial documents of you and/or your parents
- Prove you have medical insurance
- Prove you have a flight ticket
- Prove you have a place to stay in Italy¨
There will also likely be a visa interview.
Please note that the visa process may differ on a country-wide basis, and the list above may not be exhaustive.
Once in Italy
You are now enrolled and have the right to reside in Italy, but the journey is not yet over. You now need to get your residence permit (non-EU only) and your fiscal code. The fiscal code is required for many things, such as getting an apartment. Obtaining these things involves visiting various Italian institutions. Be prepared to spend a whole day obtaining one of these documents, since the bureaucratic process in Italy can be quite intense.
Finding an apartment in Italy is of course very important. Not only because you need a place to stay, but things like scholarships and residence status may be influenced without an official residence. Finding an apartment can be quite challenging for an international student since real estate agents in Italy are often not that eager to rent to non-Italians. Nevertheless, you will get one eventually, but be prepared for some headaches.
Need Help with The Entire Process?
This process is long and difficult, with many tedious steps to follow and deadlines to meet. It can be overwhelming for many to keep on track with all this while also studying full-time for the IMAT. Unfortunately, every year many students mess up on small details and thus lose the chance to gain admission to Medical School. The risk of this is quite high as well, given the confusing nature of the Italian bureaucratic system.
If you want peace of mind and want to spend your time studying for the IMAT instead of worrying about this confusing process, we are here to help! We can be your personal guide through the entire process and ensure that everything runs smoothly. Check out how we can help you successfully study medicine in Italy.
