Visiting PhD students from abroad

Before arriving in Italy

If you are a citizen of one of the European Union countries or of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and San Marino, you must:

• check that your identity document is valid for the entire duration of your stay in Italy;
• have appropriate health care coverage valid in Italy (EHIC card and/or private insurance).

After your arrival in Italy

After three months of residence in Italy, you can register with the registry office of the municipality where you live. Visit your municipality's website for instructions on how to:

• apply for temporary registration, while keeping your primary residence outside of Italy (see, for example, instructions for the municipalities of Bologna, Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna o Rimini),

or

• transfer your residency to Italy (see, for example, instructions for the municipalities of Bologna, Forlì, Cesena, Ravenna e Rimini).

Before arriving in Italy

You must check if you need a visa on the Visa for Italy website by selecting “Study – Exchange and mobility programme” as the reason for your stay.

If you need a visa, you have to:

• pre-enrol online via the Universitaly portal (step 6). In the application you must indicate:
• “Specify the reason for the visa application”: I want to spend a mobility period for study/traineeship (e.g. Erasmus);
• “Course information”: Institution: Università degli Studi di Bologna, Course type: Corso/i singolo/i – Single course(s), Course name: in the text field you must describe your position at the University of Bologna, e.g.: Visiting PhD (and your contact professor at Unibo).

• apply for a visa. Contact the relevant Italian Embassy well in advance to check the specific documents required for a visa for study purposes. Usually you need to submit:
• passport or valid travel document expiring at least three months following the requested visa;
• a letter of invitation from the department at the University of Bologna hosting you;
• the summary of your Universitaly pre-enrolment application validated by the University of Bologna;
• a document demonstrating suitable means of financial support;
• demonstration of accommodation (hotel booking, declaration of hosting signed by an EU citizen or non-EU citizen with an Italian residence permit);
• if you are not entitled to health care in Italy by virtue of agreements in force with your home country, a health insurance policy for medical care and hospital treatment. Read more on Medical Assistance for Foreign Students.

After your arrival in Italy

If you intend to stay in Italy for less than 90 days, you do not need to apply for a residence permit, but you must go to the Questura within 8 days for the Declaration of presence (if not exempted). Read the general information on how to make the Declaration of presence for exchange students.

Attention: in contrast to what is stated, as a visiting PhD you check-in at the hosting Department. 

Before arriving in Italy

You must check if you need a visa on the Visa for Italy website by selecting “Study – Exchange and mobility programme” as the reason for your stay.

If you need a visa, you have to:

• pre-enrol online via the Universitaly portal (step 6). In the application you must indicate:
• “Specify the reason for the visa application”: I want to spend a mobility period for study/traineeship (e.g. Erasmus);
• “Course information”: Institution: Università degli Studi di Bologna, Course type: Corso/i singolo/i – Single course(s), Course name: in the text field you must describe your position at the University of Bologna, e.g.: Visiting PhD (and your contact professor at Unibo).

• apply for a visa. Contact the relevant Italian Embassy well in advance to check the specific documents required for a visa for study purposes. Usually you need to submit:
• passport or valid travel document expiring at least three months following the requested visa;
• a letter of invitation from the department at the University of Bologna hosting you;
• the summary of your Universitaly pre-enrolment application validated by the University of Bologna;
• a document demonstrating suitable means of financial support;
• demonstration of accommodation (hotel booking, declaration of hosting signed by an EU citizen or non-EU citizen with an Italian residence permit);
• if you are not entitled to health care in Italy by virtue of agreements in force with your home country, a health insurance policy for medical care and hospital treatment. Read more on Medical Assistance for Foreign Students.

Visitors with a D-type study visa may apply for a residence permit. While your residence permit for study purposes is valid, you may work for up to 20 hours a week. These hours are cumulative over fifty-two weeks, with a maximum limit of 1,040 hours (for more information, see art 14 comma 4, DPR n. 394/1999).

After your arrival in Italy

If you have a D-type visa for study purposes and intend to stay in Italy for more than 90 days, you must apply for a residence permit within 8 working days of your arrival in Italy.

Read the information about how to apply for a residence permit for exchange students. Attention: in contrast to what is stated, as a visiting PhD student you will check-in at your hosting department instead of at the International Relations Office.

For information and to book a free appointment with an immigration support service, you can write to ases.visiting@unibo.it. The staff of the immigration support service will provide you with an application kit (including the envelope, required forms and payment slip), and will assist you free of charge in filling out the application for the issue or renewal of the residence permit.

To start their mobility, international guests of the University of Bologna who are hosted in a department receive an acceptance message by e-mail.

You must follow the instructions in the e-mail and complete the online registration.

When you have completed your registration, you will automatically receive a second message ("Confirmation of registration") containing your username and password name.surname@studio.unibo.it to access the online services for students of the University of Bologna.

Some online services are granted only after the Check-in.

Contact your department’s offices to get information on the welcoming procedures.

List of departments

At check-in, bring an identity document with you: your passport or, only if you are an EU citizen, your identity card.

At check-in, you will get a message (“Institutional credentials”) containing your username and a password name.surname@unibo.it to access online services for staff of the University of Bologna and your Arrival Statement, which you will then use to apply for your residence permit.

Badge

If a badge is issued, after the check-in you will receive an e-mail with a QR CODE and the instructions to follow to collect your badge at one of the self-service machines.

Accident insurance

As an exchange student, after check-in, you are insured against accidents that may occur on the university premises or any other place in which studies and research activities authorized by the University are performed.

For more information read about the insurance service of the University of Bologna.

Useful information and contacts to find accommodation.

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Useful information for using the healthcare services in Italy.

Find out more

The “codice fiscale” (Italian tax code) is essential to carry out a wide range of activities in Italy, such as opening a bank account, entering into a rental contract, registering with the Italian National Health Service, and receiving payments or reimbursements from the University of Bologna.

Find out more

Useful information on coming to Italy with your family.

Find out more

At the end of your stay, you will have to check out. You will get a Certificate of Departure, confirming the start and end dates of the mobility you have completed.

Detailed certifications for the activities carried out may be issued by your contact professor.