Useful Information for Pakistani Tourists visiting Italy

Dos:

• Do take care of your luggage and belonging especially near touristic areas. Pick-pocketing is particularly high in Milan near Central station, Duomo, Metro stations and other touristic areas.
• In case of lost of Luggage, Passport or other travel documents. Do visit closest police station for theft report. The Consulate can issue Emergency Passport/ETD on the basis of the lost report for your travel back to Pakistan.
• Do make sure that you have medical insurance before entering Schengen area. In case of an emergency, for immediate medical attention or to call an ambulance dial 112 from any telephone in Italy.
• For transport in Milan, you can use public tram, metro, or bus which use single ticket valid for 90 min. For airport transfer, shuttle bus or train can be taken from Milan Central Station. For calling a taxi in Milan, dial 028585.
• Do feel free to contact Consulate for any assistance.

Don’ts

• Don’t accept currency notes of 200 Euros. Shops, Restaurants and other retail outlets usually do not accept currency notes above 100 Euro denominations. It is better to pay through credit/debit card which is widely accepted in Milan.
• Don’t forget to validate your ticket. A ticket for a regional train in Italy does not have a time or date because it can be purchased in advance and used as needed. When you’re using it, remember to validate it to avoid hefty fines once on the train. Tickets can be validated from the machines on the platform where you board the train.
• Don’t expect to find stores always open. Shops and retail stores starts closing after 20:00 hrs. It is better to start shopping early.
• Don’t expect to hail a cab by waving your hands.

Useful information for Pakistani Students in Italy

Pakistani students are advice to take help from the following guidance:

1. To get necessary information for the entire process of admissions and scholarships grand and Visa, visit the following website: https://www.esteri.it/en/sportello_info/domandefrequenti/studiare-in-italia/
2. Admission:
   Before you start the application process, choose some universities in Italy.While making your decision, consider the course content, university rankings, your budget, living costs, and the size of the city.To avail the admission in Italian Universities, the general admission requirements include:
   1. Passport / ID car.
   2. Passport size photograph.
   3. Academic transcript and Degree (Bachelors or Masters).
   4. Recommendation Letter from the teacher (2 Letters) and a prove of previous work experience (If required).
   5. CV (Europass Format).
   6. Letter of motivation (Adding a letter of motivation as a supporting document is useful, even if your university doesn’t require it.
   7. Language Proficiency (English or Italian) – English Proficiency letter by University, TOFL and ILETS
   8. Test scores: Besides your GPA, universities may ask for other exam results. For example, students who want to study Medicine in Italy need to take the IMAT exam.
   9. Essay: Some universities might want an essay on a given topic to see your writing and argumentation skills.
   10. Portfolio: For Art and Design and related degrees, your university will want to see your past work.

For the most accurate information, check the official websites of the universities you’re interested in. Here are some Universities websites:

11. University of Milan –  https://www.unimi.it/en
12. Politecnico Milano – https://www.polimi.it/en
13. University of Bologna –  https://www.unibo.it/en
14. University of Venice – https://www.unive.it
15. University of Pisa – https://www.unipi.it/
16. Sapienza University of Rome – https://www.uniroma1.it/en
17. University of Turin – https://en.unito.it/
18. University of Genova – https://unige.it/en

3. Scholarship:
   In Italy, there are many scholarship and financial aid options based on merit, financial need, and other criteria such as nationality. There are also options to get grants, bursaries, and loans. You can study in Italy for free if you get a full scholarship. Even if you don’t get free tuition, lowering your fees is possible. Public universities offer payment plans based on your financial situation. Most universities’ websites show a range of tuition fees from the minimum to the maximum payable amount.
   Some documents are common in almost all scholarship applications. Firstly, they will ask you why you are applying for financial aid. This is usually done through motivation lettersin which you have to discuss how the scholarship will help your future career. Other documents for a successful scholarship application include:
   • Complete scholarship application form: Make sure you proofread your application form. A small mistake can cost you the entire scholarship.
   • Copy of your passport or ID card
   • Copy of transcripts
   • Resume/CV
   • Letter of recommendation: You usually need to request it from a teacher or an employer who knows you well.
   • Financial information such as bank statements
   • Proof of language proficiency: For English programmes, you will only need to prove your English level.
   • Test scores: Besides your GPA, universities may ask for other exam results. For example, students who want to study Medicine in Italy need to take the IMAT exam.
   • Essay: Some universities might want an essay on a given topic to see your writing and argumentation skills.
   • Portfolio: For Art and Design and related degrees, your university will want to see your past work.
   • *For the income based Scholarship, students are advised to approach their consent local FBR / Revenue office for obtaining income and asset certificate for the entire family. The document has to be attested by ministry of foreign affairs before submission for the attestation from Pakistan embassy Rome and Pakistan consulate Milan*

For the most accurate information, check the official websites of the universities you’re interested in

4. Obtaining Italian student visa:
   After completing the admission process and request for making a grants / Scholarship, student may apply for Italian visa from the Italian embassy in Islamabad / Karachi. Besides the general study visa, there are six other types of study visas: for enrolling in an Italian University; for attending a single university course; for post-graduate studies; for participating in an exchange and mobility program; for traineeship and apprenticeship; for vocational training. With a view to checking the requirements to be met for each of these types of visa, see the database  https://vistoperitalia.esteri.it/home.aspx.
   To apply for a student visa for Italy, you need to go to the Italian embassy or consulatein your city with the required documents on your appointment date, which you can book online on the Italian embassy or consulate website. The general documents include the following:
   • Entry visa application form
   • Recent passport-size photograph
   • Valid travel document (the expiry date should be three months longer than that of the visa requested)
   • Proof of accommodation (hotel booking, declaration of hospitality, contract, etc.)
   • Proof that the applicant has sufficient means of subsistence for their stay in Italy, for an amount not lower than that specified in Table A annexed to the Directive of the Ministry of the Interior dated 1st March 2000 ( View )
   • Health insurance, if the foreign national is not entitled to health care in Italy by virtue of agreements or conventions in force with their country
   • Enrolment or pre-enrolment in courses (bachelor’s, master’s degrees, doctorates, specialisations, training programmes) at Italian Universities, public or private, authorised to award qualifications having legal value
   • Receipt of the visa application fee* In case of problem in settling visa appointment, student may send an email on the following email: consularsectionrome@yahoo.comor pakconsulatemilan@gmail.com*
5. Apply for a student permit after reaching to Italy. For the procedure and requirements visit:
   https://www.portaleimmigrazione.it/apr_pds_motivi_studio.aspx
6. Appling for a Student ATM (Public Transport Card), visit the website:
   https://www.atm.it/en/ViaggiaConNoi/Abbonamenti/Pages/PublictransportinMilanhowtosubscribe.aspx
7. Appling for a Medical Card, visit the website:
   https://www.agenziaentrate.gov.it/portale/web/guest/italian-health-insurance-card-and-foreign-citizens
8. Applying for a Codice Fiscale, visit the website: https://www.agenziaentrate.gov.it/portale/web/english/nse/individuals/tax-identification-number-for-foreign-citizens

Note:

• Be aware of the accommodations scams, do not pay before verifying the place and contract of the house.
• Do not approach agents or unauthentic paid services.
• Fake documents submission to the university is prohibited, strict action will be taken against the culprit.