Study in Italy from Congo-Brazzaville

Academic application to the university (its own platform), language check (Italian B2 or English B2), pre-enrollment on universitaly.it in a single program at a single institution, validation by the institution. Places reserved for non-EU applicants residing abroad are limited per program. ITS Academy: direct application, without Universitaly. PhD/doctorate: university competition, Universitaly pre-enrollment, visa with no fixed deadline but before activities begin.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Sources for filing^[5][6][7]

1. 1

   Choose a program and apply to the university^[1][2][3][8]

   When: November 2026 - summer 2027

   Check the number of places for non-EU students residing abroad and the university's deadline: Padua closes a first window for 2027-2028 on November 15, 2026; other universities close between July and September 30. Usual documents: passport, secondary school diploma (12 years of schooling), transcripts, language certificate.

2. 2

   Prove your language level^[1][9]

   When: before the pre-enrollment is validated

   Programs in Italian: B2 level checked by the university (CILS, CELI, PLIDA, Roma Tre certificate, or the university's own test). Programs in English: English B2 at the visa stage if the university has not checked it. Certification centers in Congo-Brazzaville not found.

   • B2 language certificateamount not found

     Center and fee in Congo not found (October 12, 2026).

3. 3

   Pre-enroll on Universitaly^[1][4][5]

   When: before the university's deadline

   Section "Extra-EU citizen: Pre-enrolment application for a study VISA", a single program; validation by the institution. Only Universitaly pre-enrolled applicants can apply for the visa in Brazzaville. The visa is valid only for that program: changing programs means returning to Congo and applying for a new visa.

4. 4

   Get diplomas recognized, legalized and translated^{[1][10][11][12][13][14]}

   When: as soon as you are admitted, before the visa appointment

   At the visa stage: CIMEA comparability and verification certificates (verification replaces legalization) or a Dichiarazione di valore (declaration of value) from the embassy (€50, 33,000 FCFA at the consular rate), supplemented by the CIMEA verification certificate if it does not mention authenticity. Congo is not party to the Hague Convention: Congolese documents are legalized by the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then by the Italian Embassy, on the original, in person, by Prenot@Mi appointment (signature legalization: €24, 16,000 FCFA), and translated into Italian "per traduzione conforme" (certified translation; list of four translators published by the embassy, no price guarantee).

   • Signature legalization by the Italian Embassy (per document)^[10]16,000 FCFA
   • Dichiarazione di valore (if chosen instead of the CIMEA certificates)^[10](depending on profile)33,000 FCFA
   • Certification of conformity of an Italian translation (per document)^[10]9,000 FCFA
   • CIMEA certificates^[11]amount not found

     Prices shown on the Diplome platform, not recorded.

5. 5

   Gather funds, accommodation and insurance^[1][15][16]

   When: summer 2027

   Funds of at least €10,179.85 per year (€783.06 per month, i.e. 513,654 FCFA; 6,677,544 FCFA per year) plus the return trip: personal account or family account up to the 4th degree, stable and traceable; cash, bank guarantees and recent deposits refused; a scholarship only counts if it has been awarded. Real accommodation (lease, accommodation certificate, assigned place, paid hotel); a mere application for university housing is not enough. Insurance covering medical care and hospitalization in Italy (at least €30,000 according to several embassies).

   • Health insurance for the visa^[15]amount not found

     Price not recorded.

6. 6

   Book an appointment on Prenot@Mi and file at the embassy^[5][6][10]

   When: as soon as the pre-enrollment is validated, no later than October 31, 2027

   Appointments Monday to Thursday, only with a complete file; filing in person with originals, national visa form (template published by the embassy), biometrics and payment of visa fees in CFA francs.

   • National D "study" visa^[7][10]35,000 FCFA

     €50 at the consular rate (35,000 FCFA, not 32,798 FCFA at the fixed rate).

7. 7

   Decision^[1][5]

   When: September-November 2027Duration: up to 90 days

   Processing in 90 days at most after a complete file (2026-2027 vademecum). The embassy revokes the visas of students not enrolled by January 31 of the academic year (January 31, 2027 for 2026-2027). Italian appeal procedures not verified (destinations/it.json).

8. 8

   Arrival in Italy^{[1][17][18][19]}

   When: September-November 2027

   Apply for a "study" permesso di soggiorno (residence permit) within 8 working days (postal kit, €116.46 for one year), appointment at the Questura (police headquarters), codice fiscale (tax code), voluntary registration with the health service (€700 per calendar year) or private insurance, finalize enrollment.

   • One-year residence permit (after arrival)^[17]€116.46≈ 76,393 FCFA
   • Voluntary SSN (national health service) registration (after arrival)^[18]€700 / year≈ 459,170 FCFA

• National visa form^[5][16]

  required

  "Formulario Visto Nazionale" template published by the embassy with the vademecum.

• Passport^[15][20]

  required

  Valid at least 3 months after the requested visa expires; copy of the ID page.

• ID photo^[15]

  required

  Recent, ICAO format.

• Validated Universitaly pre-enrollment summary^[1][5]

  required

  Required to file in Brazzaville.

• Secondary school diploma (and bachelor's degree for a master's), transcripts^[1][12]

  required

  After at least 12 years of schooling.

  Local specifics: Legalized by the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then by the Italian Embassy, unless there is a CIMEA verification certificate.

• CIMEA certificates or Dichiarazione di valore^[1][10]

  required

  Dichiarazione di valore at the embassy: 33,000 FCFA.

• Translations into Italian^[10][12]

  required

  Certified "per traduzione conforme"; certification by the embassy 9,000 FCFA per document.

• Funds: €10,179.85 per year^[1][16]

  required

  Traceable, personal or family; no cash or bank guarantee.

• Accommodation in Italy^[1][15]

  required

  Lease, accommodation certificate, assigned place or paid booking.

• Health insurance^[1][15]

  required

  Medical care and hospitalization in Italy.

• B2 language certificate^[1]

  requiredbachelor's, master's

  Italian or English depending on the program, if the university has not checked it.

• Flight reservation^[15]

  required

  Do not buy a ticket before the decision.

• Visa fee: 35,000 FCFA^[10]

  required

Depending on your profile

• Birth certificate^[12][21]

  Requested by some posts and for minors; Congolese document to be legalized and translated.

1. November 15, 2026

   Padua: end of the first application window (foreign qualification)^[3]

2. November 30, 2026

   visa application deadline in Brazzaville for 2026-2027 (for reference)^[5]

3. January 31, 2027

   revocation of visas of non-enrolled students (2026-2027)^[5]

4. September 30, 2027to be confirmed

   Universitaly pre-enrollment deadline at several universities (open-access programs)^[2][23][24]

   September 30, 2026 last year in Pisa, Bari, Venice; each university sets its own date

5. October 31, 2027

   visa application deadline (laurea, laurea magistrale) for 2027-2028^[1]

   Date from the ministerial circular; the embassy's 2027-2028 vademecum is not yet published.

What differs from the general rule

• •No service provider: filing directly at the Italian Embassy in Brazzaville, appointments only on Prenot@Mi, Monday to Thursday, with a complete file.
• •Fees collected in CFA francs at the consular rate: 35,000 FCFA for the visa (€50).
• •Embassy-specific vademecum: deadline of November 30, 2026 for 2026-2027 (October 31, 2027 for 2027-2028 according to the circular), processing in 90 days at most, revocation of visas of students not enrolled by January 31.
• •No apostille: Congolese documents legalized by the Italian Embassy (16,000 FCFA per signature) and translated into Italian, unless there is a CIMEA verification certificate.
• •Congo is not on the 2026-2027 list of "particularly poor" countries: no simplified income assessment for the regional DSU scholarship.

Pitfalls to avoid

study visas issued by Italy to Congolese nationals

No official figure found: Not found (October 12, 2026).

1. [1]Procedure per l'ingresso, il soggiorno, l'immatricolazione degli studenti internazionali… a.a. 2026/2027 e 2027/2028 (circolare MUR-MAECI-Interno, copie hébergée par l'Université de Ferrare) — Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca / MAECI / Ministero dell'Interno, accessed October 12, 2026
2. [2]Preiscrizione su Universitaly — Università di Pisa, accessed October 12, 2026
3. [3]Università di Padova – page d'accueil (annonce candidatures titre étranger 2027/28) — Università degli Studi di Padova, accessed October 12, 2026
4. [4]Foundation Course – Visa — Università di Pisa, accessed October 12, 2026
5. [5]Avviso : vademecum immatricolazioni universitarie degli studenti internazionali A.A. 2026/27 (3 juillet 2026) — Ambasciata d'Italia a Brazzaville, accessed October 12, 2026
6. [6]Gli uffici — Ambasciata d'Italia in Repubblica del Congo, accessed October 12, 2026
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10. [10]Servizi consolari e visti — Tariffario per il pubblico per gli atti maggiormente richiesti (fichier « tariffa consolare aggiornata 2025rev ») — Ambasciata d'Italia in Repubblica del Congo, accessed October 12, 2026
11. [11]Attestati CIMEA — Università degli Studi di Brescia, accessed October 12, 2026
12. [12]Traduzione e legalizzazione dei documenti — Ambasciata d'Italia in Repubblica del Congo, accessed October 12, 2026
13. [13]Status table — Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents — HCCH (Conférence de La Haye de droit international privé), accessed October 12, 2026
14. [14]Légalisation de documents du Congo-Brazzaville — NetherlandsWorldwide (ministère néerlandais des Affaires étrangères), accessed October 12, 2026
15. [15]Visto per studio – Immatricolazione universitaria — Ambasciata d'Italia ad Addis Abeba, accessed October 12, 2026
16. [16]Requisiti per il Visto di Studio — Ambasciata d'Italia a Lusaka, accessed October 12, 2026
17. [17]Permesso di soggiorno per studenti e dottorandi — Università di Pisa, accessed October 12, 2026
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22. [22]Studiare in Italia – Domande frequenti — Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale, accessed October 12, 2026
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24. [24]Preiscrizione e visto studentesse e studenti non europei — Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, accessed October 12, 2026
25. [25]Study visa – students enrolling in full Italian university programs — Ambasciata d'Italia a Helsinki, accessed October 12, 2026