Guidance only, updated November 2026. Always check the requirements with the receiving authority.
For a Moroccan student who wants to enrol at an Italian university, there are three stages: pre-enrolment on Universitaly, the study visa from the Italian consular network in Morocco, and the residence permit. Each stage requires Moroccan documents with an apostille, often translated. This information is up to date as of November 2026 and based on the ministerial procedures for 2026/2027 and 2027/2028.
The steps, in order
- Apply to your chosen university within its deadlines: requirements, dates and fees vary from one institution to another.
- Complete the pre-enrolment application on Universitaly, the only official, free portal of the Italian Ministry of University and Research.
- Wait for the university to validate it. You can apply for a visa only with a validated pre-enrolment. From 2026/2027 each university can validate only a limited number of applications, so start early.
- Book your visa appointment through VFS Global: VFS Casablanca for the district of the Consulate General in Casablanca, VFS Rabat (Embassy) for other areas.
- Apply for the visa in time: for bachelor’s (laurea) and master’s (laurea magistrale) degrees, the ministerial deadline is 30 November 2026 for 2026/2027 and 31 October 2027 for 2027/2028, but universities may set earlier dates.
- Apply for a study residence permit at the Questura within eight working days of arrival, using the dedicated application kit.
The study visa
It is a type D “Immatricolazione Università” visa, valid for 365 days with multiple entries. Besides the validated pre-enrolment, you need means of support of at least €10,179.85 per year from lawful, traceable sources, suitable accommodation and health insurance. For courses taught in a foreign language, a certificate of at least B2 in the language of instruction is required. University validation does not guarantee a visa: the consulate also assesses migration risk.
The Italian Embassy in Rabat’s checklist requires all documents to be apostilled and those in Arabic to be translated into Italian by a sworn translator. Besides school records, it includes the full birth certificate showing both parents, the family booklet (livret de famille), a certificate of kinship with the sponsor, a legalised undertaking of financial support and the sponsor’s employment, income and bank documents, with the funds held under an irrevocable bank commitment.
Declaration of value or CIMEA statements?
For the visa, the diploma must be accompanied either by the CIMEA statements of comparability and of verification of authenticity or by a declaration of value (Dichiarazione di valore, DV); if the DV does not confirm that authenticity was verified, it covers comparability only. For admission, each university decides independently which documents to request.
In Morocco, the guidance depends on the consular office:
- the Consulate General in Casablanca issues the DV to residents of its district, by appointment and free of charge for study purposes. It asks for the original diploma, a certified copy with apostille and an Italian translation by a sworn translator, also apostilled; for the baccalauréat, also the final-exam transcript (relevé de notes) listing all subjects;
- the Embassy in Rabat refers students to the CIMEA portal for the documents needed for the visa.
CIMEA statements are requested online on the DiploMe platform, by the qualification holder only; the standard processing time stated is 60 working days. Where translations are needed, CIMEA accepts them in Italian or English, provided they are accurate, complete and done by a qualified translator.
Regional grants (DSU)
Right-to-study (DSU) grants are managed by regional agencies. For a student whose family lives in Morocco, financial status is proven with documents from the authorities of the country where the income is earned: household composition, income of each member, real estate and financial assets. Morocco is not on the ministerial list of particularly poor countries for 2026/2027, so a complete file is required.
Rules differ by region. ER.GO (Emilia-Romagna) asks for documents issued in the year of application, translated into Italian, with the issuing official’s signature legalised or apostilled. DiSCo (Lazio) asks for documentation issued by the Italian diplomatic authorities in the country of residence, translated into Italian, and does not accept self-declarations or sworn statements. Read the call (bando) before requesting and translating your documents.
Checklist of documents to prepare
- Valid passport
- Original baccalauréat, with apostille and translation
- Final-exam relevé de notes, with apostille and translation
- For a master’s: university degree, transcripts and course syllabi
- DV from the Consulate or CIMEA statements
- Summary of the validated Universitaly pre-enrolment
- Language certificate required by the course
- Proof of funds and sponsor documents
- Full birth certificate, family booklet, certificate of kinship
- Accommodation and health insurance
- For a DSU grant: family, income and asset documents, as required by the call
FAQ
Declaration of value or CIMEA statements: which is better?
Both are accepted for the visa, under the conditions above. Ask your university which one it accepts and follow the instructions of your consular office.
Do documents in French need translating?
It depends on the body. For the DV, the Casablanca Consulate requires an Italian translation of the diploma; the Rabat Embassy requires a sworn translation of documents in Arabic; universities and DSU agencies set their own rules (ER.GO, for example, requires all financial documents in Italian).
Can a DSU grant count as means of support for the visa?
Only if it has already been awarded. The ministerial circular states that simply applying, or being eligible, without proof of award does not count.
Sources
- Universitaly – International students
- MUR – Circular on international students 2026/2027 and 2027/2028
- Universitaly – FAQ on the circular
- Italian Embassy in Rabat – Studying in Italy
- Italian Embassy in Rabat – Study visa checklist
- Consulate General in Casablanca – Declaration of value
- Consulate General in Casablanca – Where to apply for a visa
- CIMEA – Comparability & Verification
- CIMEA – Required Documents
- MUR – Ministerial Decree 176/2026, particularly poor countries
- Normattiva – Presidential Decree 394/1999, art. 46
- ER.GO – What you need
- DiSCo Lazio – 2026/2027 call
Tarjama24 can prepare sworn Italian translations of the baccalauréat, transcripts, diplomas, civil status records and financial documents required for the visa and DSU grants. Send us a legible scan and tell us which body the documents are for.