Universitaly pre-enrolment: how it works
The online step required for the visa: what to prepare, what the university validates and the mistakes to avoid.
What pre-enrolment is for
Students who live outside Italy and need a visa must apply through a « domanda di preiscrizione » on Universitaly, the free official portal of the Italian Ministry of University and Research.
It connects three parties: you, the university that validates your application, and the embassy, which only processes validated pre-enrolments.
Before you start
- A valid passport: the embassy requires at least 15 months of validity for the visa.
- A recent passport photo.
- Scans of your diploma and transcripts, with their translations.
- Your chosen programme, ideally already pre-accepted by the university.
- An e-mail address you actually read: Almaviva will use it to invite you to the visa appointment.
Filling in the application
Create your account on Universitaly, then complete the pre-enrolment application: your identity, your diploma and a single programme of study. Attach the documents requested, then submit.
Validation by the university
The university reviews the application and validates it on the portal, stating which documents it has checked for authenticity. Validation can be « with reservation » in two cases only: if you do not yet hold your diploma, or if you must sit a language or admission test in person.
Once the application is validated, print its summary: the Italian Embassy in Tunis asks for two copies.
Mistakes to avoid
- Waiting until the last week: each university can validate only a limited number of applications.
- Changing your e-mail address along the way: the visa appointment invitation would go to the old one.
- Assuming validation guarantees the visa: the embassy decides, and it also assesses your funds and the coherence of your plan.
- Choosing the wrong programme: only one can be entered per pre-enrolment.