It is great to be able to move from a country to another freely while pursuing our aspirations. It is a gift, a learning experience and an organizational exercise too! You will need to be proactive getting everything in place for your stay abroad and you will grow from each little experience. Our teamâ€™s role is to be there for you. Bureaucracy, paperwork, boring forms but also tips for settling happily: this is our purview. We will support you to make sure you progress with your preparation, step by step and we are committed to make things as easy as possible for you.

My name is Sara Cuko and I’m MIP International Students Office coordinator. Going to live in a different country can be a major endeavour, you’ll need help in sorting out a few practical matters, such as your visa and accommodation. Don’t worry: I’ll be here to assist you for the entire duration of your studies at MIP. My job, and that of my colleagues, is to provide you with specific services to help you settle in and make your stay in Italy as easy as possible.

In my video, you can find 4 things you’ll need to sort out before coming to Italy:

Declaration of value
What is it? It’s a document attesting to the validity of your academic qualification within the Italian education system.
This document is issued by the Italian diplomatic authorities,such as the Italian Embassy Consulate, or the Italian Cultural Institute responsible for the area of the city in which you obtained your degree.
Why do I need a declaration of value? This document is required to enroll at Politecnico di Milano and enjoy all the associated benefits.
A word of advice: start the application procedure for your Declaration of value well in advance of your departure date – it can sometimes take several months to receive the document…
Visa for Italy
Unless you’re a citizen of an EU country you’ll need an entry Visa to come and study in Italy. Different types of Visa are available depending on how long you wish to remain in Italy. If you plan to take one of our master courses, you’ll need a ‘long stay study’ Visa, type D.
On the other hand, if you’ll be staying for less than 90 days because you’re on an exchange programme, you’ll need to apply for a type C Visa. At the Visa for Italy website you can read about what documents you’ll need for your Visa application.
Keep in mind that:
- Your Visa application can be submitted no earlier than 90 days before your intended arrival date.
- If you start one of our master courses in another European country,such as France or Spain,youâ€™ll need to obtain a Visa for that country first. This is because you are not allowed by law to have two Schengen Visas on your passport at the same time.
Accommodation
Having a safe place to stay is just as important as having your Visa. That’s why we provide students with several options, including accommodation at Politecnico’s halls of residence or booking a room or apartment from one of our accommodation providers, selected for your convenience.
In this case, just choose the accommodation provider you prefer and send them an email. It’s straightforward: write your full name, the type of room you’d like and your expected date of arrival. You’ll be required to pay a deposit to confirm your booking. You can also choose to rent accommodation privately. Also for this option, we can give you a leaflet with a series of guidelines.
Health insurance
Health insurance is extremely important for your safety and tranquility. That’s not all: you’ll also be required to produce proof that you have a couple of months’ health insurance coverage when you lodge your Visa application.
Also, for your residence permit application, to be done upon arrival in Italy, you will need health cover for the entire duration of your visa. You can arrange your health insurance from home or purchase it here in Italy.
You may want to look at options on the market to find a package offering comprehensive coverage, since health insurance for international students available in Italy only covers hospital admission and hospital treatment.