How to Apply


Documentation

Required documents

We are glad to know you are interested in enrolling in our courses and investing in your future.

Our Academy requires future international students to submit the following documents: - Valid identity document (e.g. ID card, passport)
- Study visa
- (For the Healthcare Operator – O.S.S. Certification course) Certificate of Comparability OR Declaration of Value of your High School/University Degree
- Permesso di soggiorno (residence permit) and Codice fiscale (tax code/fiscal code)

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Visa

Obtain your Student Visa

A study visa is required if you wish to enter Italy for study and/or vocational training purposes.

In order to apply for a study visa, or student visa, your local Embassy or Consulate might require different documents depending on your country of residence. In order to know exactly what you need to submit, you can contact the Embassy or Consulate in your area, or visit their official website.
Alternatively, you can consult the dedicated section on the website of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs here

Embassies or Consulates will ask applicants from non-EU countries to submit the following (please make sure to also check all the official information here):
- Valid passport;
- Recent photo of yourself, valid for ID purposes;
- Proof that you will have appropriate accommodation (e.g. rental contract) for the entire duration of your stay in Italy.
- Proof that you hold sufficient funds to support yourself financially for the entire duration of your stay in Italy.
- Proof that you hold sufficient funds to pay for your return to your home country at the end of the training program.
- Health insurance.
- Airplane ticket.

Health/medical insurance: You can choose to either pay for a private insurance (which, of course, must be valid in Italy) or apply to the national healthcare system for 149,77€ per year

For detailed information or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

USEFUL LINKS:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs – FAQ's regarding coming to Italy to study as a non-EU resident
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs – All required documents for a study visa, based on your home country

Tax Code / Fiscal Code

Obtain your Residence Permit

Your student visa simply allows your entrance in Italy. In order to stay in the country for more than 90 days, you will need to apply for a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno), which includes your fiscal code/tax code (codice fiscale).

The Italian tax code/fiscal code (codice fiscale) is "a means of identification of foreign citizens in their relations with public authorities and other administrations" (source: Agenzia delle Entrate official website). You will need it to open a bank account, have access to the public healthcare system, rent a property for longer than 30 days, be registered as a Healthcare Operator, and more.

Important: You might be able to request a codice fiscale in your home country through your local Embassy or Consulate. We highly recommend this, as it will make the process of enrollment and obtaining a residence permit considerably easier and quicker.

Regardless of your fiscal code, once you have arrived in Italy you will have 8 working days (excl. Saturday, Sunday, national holidays) to submit an official request for a residence permit. Please note that holding a residence permit is a legal requirement and therefore not optional.

A member of our Student Administration Office will closely assist you with the bureaucratic procedures regarding your residence permit and tax code.

Here is a list of everything you will need:
- Four recent photos of yourself, valid for ID purposes
- Photocopy of every page of your passport
- Two photocopies of your passport with official stamp(s) of the Italian Embassy or Consulate of your home country
- Copy of the admission letter, with official stamp(s) of the Embassy or Consulate
- Proof of health insurance
- Tax stamp(s)
- Duly filled out forms included in the Kit (more on this below)

What is the "Kit"? The so-called "Kit" includes a set of forms that are necessary to submit a new request for a residence permit (kit per la richiesta di un nuovo permesso di soggiorno). It looks like an envelope with a yellow stripe and you can find one in almost all post offices.

Here is how to get one:
- Go to one of the many post offices that offer the service "Sportello Amico", and ask for a kit.
- Bring the Kit to school on the day and time indicated by our team. We will assist you in filling out all forms.

If you wish, you can also ask a Patronato (institution that specializes in assistance, consultancy, and mediation in matters pertaining to public administration, free from additional fees) to assist you with the process. In this case you will not need a Kit (source: Poste Italiane official website).

After submitting all the documents, you can monitor the progress of your request here.

You will need to wait for the local police station (Questura) to schedule an appointment with you, so make sure to check the link regularly! We ask you to be patient as it may take anywhere between 4 to 10 months; in the meantime, the receipt(s) of your payments for the residence permit will be valid, effectively allowing you to stay in Italy in accordance with the law.

For detailed information or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. A member of our Student Administration Office will be glad to assist you.

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Certificate

Obtain your Certificate of Comparability

Starting from 22/05/2023, the administrative region of Lombardy requires one of the following for all foreign High School or University degrees held by students looking to sign up to certain training courses (such as our Healthcare Operator training program):
- a Certificate of Comparability, OR
- a Declaration of Value.

We strongly recommend requesting a Certificate of Comparability for your degree, as the documentation can be submitted online and it is a relatively easy process thanks to the new "DiploMe" section of the official CIMEA (Centro di Informazione sulla Mobilità e le Equivalenze Accademiche) website.

Here is a brief guide on how to send your request on DiploMe: Cimea_step_by_step_-_eng.pdf

Required documents to obtain a Certificate of Comparability will vary depending on the country of residence.
A certified or notarized translation of your degree is always required, if the submitted degree is not already fully translated in English or Italian.
Among the additional documents that CIMEA might require is an apostille or similar stamp.
Please make sure to read all the FAQ's and instructions on CIMEA's official portal, DiploMe

For detailed information or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. A member of our Student Administration Office will be glad to assist you in understanding how to acquire a Certificate of Comparability.

FAQ

FAQ'S

Do I need a residence permit even if I already have a fiscal code?
Yes. It is true that you will get a fiscal code upon obtaining your residence permit, but the two serve different purposes and are equally necessary

Do I need a declaration of value or certificate of comparability to enroll in one of MD Academy's training programs?
It is required only for students looking to enroll in the Healthcare Operator training program.

What is the difference between a declaration of value and a certificate of comparability?
The main difference is that a declaration of value is usually issued by a Consulate or Embassy, whereas a certificate of comparability is issued online by CIMEA.
Please make sure to also refer to the related FAQ's on the CIMEA/DiploMe website.

How do I obtain a translation of my degree?
Keep in mind that CIMEA does not offer a translation service, so students have to autonomously submit a translation along with a copy of the degree in its original language. There is usually no specific requirement for the format of the translation (unless otherwise specified by CIMEA for certain countries of origin); however, we advise our students to:
- Contact qualified translators or agencies that have previous experience with similar procedures
- Request that the translation follow or resemble the format of the original document
- Request a complete and thorough translation even in the case of degrees that are already partially translated
Please make sure to also refer to the related FAQ's on the CIMEA/DiploMe website.

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One of our consultants will be at your disposal. You can call us without obligation on +39.3488614396 or fill out the form below to get in touch with us.