STUDY IN ITALY FROM SAUDI ARABIA & THE UAE
Grew up in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dubai or Doha on a Pakistani, Indian or Bangladeshi passport? This guide is for you. It covers where to file your Italian study visa, how much money to show, and how a Gulf salary affects your DSU scholarship.
If you hold a valid iqama or UAE residence visa, you apply for the Italian study visa (type D) in the Gulf country where you live, not back home. You need a validated Universitaly pre-enrolment, at least €10,179.85 a year in funds (in the UAE these must be held in a UAE account), and a residence permit valid at least 3 months beyond your return date.
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Rule one: apply where you live, not where your passport is from
Italian missions process national (type D) visas for people legally resident in their area. The Embassy of Italy in Islamabad states plainly that it accepts study visa applications only from students “permanently resident” in its jurisdiction. If you live in Saudi Arabia on an iqama, Islamabad is not your office. Riyadh or Jeddah is.
Gulf missions also ask for proof that you really live there. That means a copy of your residence permit, valid well beyond your trip, and in the UAE, financial resources held in the UAE.
Italian visa offices in the Gulf
Saudi Arabia and the UAE each have two Italian offices, and which one you use depends on where you live.
| Country | Italian office | Where you submit | Key residence rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia (west and south) | Consulate General, Jeddah: Makkah, Madinah, Al Bahah, Asir, Jazan, Najran, Northern Borders, Qurayyat | Visa application centres in Jeddah, Riyadh or Dammam (Almaviva and VFS consortium) | Iqama valid at least 3 months after planned return |
| Saudi Arabia (rest) | Embassy of Italy, Riyadh: Riyadh, Eastern Province and other regions | Visa application centres in Riyadh or Dammam | Iqama copy with long validity |
| UAE: Abu Dhabi | Embassy of Italy, Abu Dhabi | VFS Global, after the Universitaly email | Abu Dhabi residence visa valid 90+ days from return date |
| UAE: Dubai and Northern Emirates | Consulate General, Dubai | VFS Global Dubai | Valid UAE residence visa; funds in a UAE account |
| Bahrain | Embassy of Italy, Manama | VFS Global Bahrain | Residence permit valid 3+ months from return date |
| Oman | Embassy of Italy, Muscat | Directly at the embassy (book by email) | Check the embassy checklist |
| Qatar / Kuwait | Embassy of Italy, Doha / Kuwait City | VFS Global centres | Check the embassy checklist |
Office rules change between intakes. Always download the checklist for your own office in the month you apply.
How much money you need to show
The Italian missions in the UAE list a minimum of €10,179.85 per year for 2026/27 and 2027/28. That is about €848 a month and a big jump from the roughly €6,000 used before 2026. On top of this, you show funds for your return journey.
Converted at 4.2071 SAR and 4.1201 AED per euro (31 October 2026) and 309.72 PKR (30 October 2026). Keep a margin above the minimum, because rates move.
What counts as proof (UAE checklists)
- Sponsored by a parent: a signed NOC from your parent committing to support you for the whole stay, their passport and visa copy, salary certificate or title deed, and the last 3 months of bank statements.
- Self-funded: your own salary certificate, an NOC from your employer, and 3 months of personal bank statements.
- Bank stamp: online statements are accepted only with an original bank stamp.
- Who can sponsor: only relatives up to the 4th degree, proven with a family status certificate.
- Where the money is: only UAE-located funds are accepted in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. A savings account in Lahore will not count there.
Not sure if your family budget is enough for the full year? Our cost of studying in Italy guide and the cheapest universities ranking show real totals.
Your degree papers: the part Gulf students get wrong
You live in the Gulf, but your school or university certificate usually comes from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh or a foreign curriculum (CBSE, FBISE, Cambridge). That changes who verifies it.
- The Italian Consulate in Dubai issues a Declaration of Value only for UAE-curriculum schools. Abu Dhabi recognises only UAE Emirati, SABIS and MOE curricula for this step.
- For a Pakistani, Indian or Bangladeshi degree, the DoV comes from the Italian mission in the country that issued it, which means a trip or an agent back home.
- The faster route is CIMEA: a Statement of Comparability plus a Statement of Verification, done online, if your Italian university accepts them.
- Diplomas and transcripts must be translated into Italian by a legal translator and legalised or apostilled.
The full route, step by step
Apply to Italian universities
Shortlist English-taught programmes and apply between January and April for September 2027. See our 2027/28 deadline list.
Universitaly pre-enrolment
Choose the Italian office for where you live (Riyadh, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai…) on the portal. Your university validates it and you get an email to contact the office.
Collect the Gulf documents
Residence permit copy, sponsor NOC, salary certificate, 3 stamped bank statements, individual health insurance with unlimited hospital cover (at least the first month even if your university insures you), and 30+ days of booked housing.
Book and submit
Apply no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before travel. The national visa fee is €50 at the Dubai consulate. Processing can take up to 90 days, and they keep your passport until the decision.
Arrive and get your permesso
Apply for your permesso di soggiorno within 8 working days of arriving in Italy. Our moving checklist covers the first week.
DSU scholarship when your family earns in the Gulf
DSU looks at your family’s income and assets, not your nationality, and a Gulf salary is often higher than income back home. That does not rule you out: many regional DSU calls go up to an ISEE of about €27,000–€28,300, and the calculation uses an equivalence scale for family size.
- Income documents must come from the country where the income is earned: a Saudi or UAE salary certificate, not a Pakistani one.
- Those documents must be legalised and translated by the Italian mission in that Gulf country.
- Property you own back home is documented in your home country, so you may need papers from two countries.
See the full list in our ISEE parificato documents guide, and compare calls in DSU by region.
Five mistakes that get Gulf applications refused
- Booking in Pakistan or India while still living on an iqama or UAE residence visa.
- Showing funds from a home-country account to the UAE office, which accepts only UAE-held funds.
- An iqama or residence visa expiring too soon after the trip.
- A family or company health policy instead of an individual one with unlimited hospital cover.
- Waiting for a DoV from back home in October, when CIMEA could have been done in spring.
Questions Gulf families ask us
Can I apply for the Italian study visa in Pakistan if I live in Saudi Arabia?
Usually not. Italian missions accept visa applications from people legally resident in their area. The Embassy of Italy in Islamabad says it accepts study visa applications only from students permanently resident in its consular jurisdiction. If you hold an iqama and live in Saudi Arabia, you apply through the Italian Embassy in Riyadh or the Consulate General in Jeddah.
How much money do I need to show for an Italian study visa in 2027?
The current minimum is €10,179.85 per year, the figure printed on the 2026/27 and 2027/28 checklists of the Italian missions in the UAE. That is about SAR 42,800 or AED 41,900. You also need proof of funds for your return ticket.
Can my father’s Saudi or UAE salary sponsor my Italian study visa?
Yes. The UAE checklists accept a parent or relative up to the 4th degree as sponsor, with a signed NOC committing to support you, their salary certificate and the last 3 months of bank statements with an original bank stamp. In the UAE the funds must be held in the UAE.
How long must my iqama or UAE residence visa be valid?
The Consulate General of Italy in Jeddah asks for an iqama valid for at least three months after the planned return date, and the Embassy in Abu Dhabi asks for a residence visa valid for at least 90 days from the intended return date. Renew before you apply if your permit is close to expiry.
Who issues the Declaration of Value if my degree is from Pakistan but I live in Dubai?
The Italian Consulate in Dubai issues Declarations of Value only for UAE-curriculum schools. For a Pakistani, Indian or Bangladeshi degree, you get the DoV from the Italian mission in the country that issued the degree, or a CIMEA Statement of Comparability if your university accepts it.
Can Gulf residents get the DSU scholarship in Italy?
Yes. DSU is based on your family’s income and assets, not your passport. Income earned in Saudi Arabia or the UAE must be documented by the authorities of that country and legalised and translated by the Italian mission there. Property back home is documented in your home country.
When should I apply for the visa from the Gulf?
Apply between six months and 15 days before travel. Processing can take up to 90 days. For the 2026/27 intake, the Italian Consulate in Dubai’s deadline is 30 November 2026. For September 2027, start Universitaly pre-enrolment in spring 2027 and book your visa appointment as soon as your university validates it.
Living in the Gulf? Let us plan your Italy route
Send us your transcript and your residence country. We shortlist programmes, tell you which office handles your visa, and plan CIMEA, funds and DSU for September 2027.
