Planning · · 7 min read
A Month-by-Month Timeline for the September Intake
Work backwards from the visa appointment and the whole process becomes a calendar problem rather than a panic.
Almost every student who fails to make an intake failed on the calendar, not on merit. Here is the sequence that works, running backwards from a September start.
September to November — the year before
Assess your profile honestly and fix your target level. Sit IELTS or an equivalent test. If your programme requires an entrance test such as TOLC or IMAT, register early; seats are limited and dates are fixed.
December to March
Applications open across most universities. Build the shortlist, write the SOP, gather references and file. Aim to have every application submitted by early March rather than at each individual deadline — later rounds are more competitive for the same seats.
March to May
Offers arrive. Begin the ISEE parificato immediately; it is the long pole. Start collecting family financial documentation for translation and legalisation, and open or season the bank account that will support the visa file.
May to July
Accept your offer and complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, then confirm the university has validated it. File the regional DSU application before its deadline — this is usually July or August and it will not wait for you.
July to August
Book the visa appointment the moment pre-enrolment is validated. Assemble the file, arrange accommodation proof and insurance, and rehearse the interview. Expect six to eight weeks for the decision.
September
Fly, complete enrolment, apply for the permesso di soggiorno within eight working days of arrival, and get your codice fiscale. Then, and only then, worry about which lectures to attend.
Applies to your case?
Send us your file and we will check
A counsellor will tell you which steps in this guide you have already completed correctly and which need fixing — free, on WhatsApp.