Student Section

Practical information on visa, enrolment procedure, accommodation, how to reach us...

Practical Information

Academic Calendar & Term dates

Key Dates
2022/23
Semester 1
Christmas vacation

23 December - 6 January

Semester 1 examinations

16 January - 24 February

Semester 2
Easter vacation

6 - 11 April

Semester 2 examinations

12 June - 28 July

Re-sit examination period

4 - 15 September

Bank Holidays

1 November, 8 December, 6 April, 25 April, 1 May, 2 June, 10 June, 15 August

    UAQ Schedule of Lectures

    Visa information

    Applying for an Italian study visa

    Non-EU students selected to study at the University of L'Aquila will need to apply for a student visa at the nearest Italian Embassy/Consulate. The visa application requirements and processing time can be lengthy, taking anywhere from a few weeks up to several months. It is very important that you contact the nearest Italian Embassy for information as early as possible in the application process.

    Please notice that, before joining our programmes, you will only need to apply for one visa only at an Italian Embassy/Consulate, as Italy is the location for your first semester/year. Afterwards, while you're spending your semester(s) in Italy, you will have the chance to apply for another visa, e.g. a German one if you're spending your Semester 2 in Hamburg, at the Germany Consulate based in Rome.

    Web-based visa application on Universitaly.it

    Starting from Academic year 2020-2021, the visa application procedure is completely web-based. Non-EU students not living in Italy are requested to pre-enrol using the online platform called UNIVERSITALY. Once your pre-enrolment request on Universitaly.it has been approved by the University of L'Aquila, you will receive a confirmation email. After that, you will have to get in contact with the local Italian Diplomatic-consular mission for the visa request process. Please note that the university confirmation email does not automatically imply the issue of a study visa for you, which is all up to the Diplomatic mission you're in contact with, instead.

    Documents required (to be submitted via Universitaly.it)

    Passport
    valid until 3 months after the expiry of your visa
    Transcript of records
    A transcript of records, issued by the competent academic authority, which records all the subject courses/exams included in the curriculum of your undergraduate studies.

    Italian Residence Permit

    If you need a visa to stay in Italy, remember that you will also have to apply for an Italian residence permit within 8 days after arriving in our country. A residence permit is indeed required when a foreigner stays in Italy for longer than three months.
    The InterMaths team will assist you with preparing all the required documentation, which includes a couple of forms to be filled in and, among others:

    A full copy of your passport (every single page, cover included)

    A copy of your health insurance card

    Accommodation proof

    Financial proof

    Enrolment certificate

    All you need to do is visit an Italian post office and withdraw the required form known as "kit permesso di soggiorno" ("soggiorno" sounds like "sojjorno"). Then, bring it to campus and we'll fill it in together!
    After that, put all the required documents (including blank forms) back in the envelope, visit an Italian post office once again and complete the submission process (including payment of the required fees) with the post office clerks. After that, your application will be submitted to the L'Aquila police station ("questura" in Italian, which sounds like "kuestura") via the post office itself. Note that you may withdraw and drop your application form at any Italian post office, not necessarily the ones in L'Aquila, but the envelope must be addressed to the L'Aquila Questura, as it's the one in charge of the place where you're going to live and study.

    At the end of the submission process, the clerk at the post office will hand you out three receipts, which will be considered as your temporary residence permit (always carry a copy with you whenever you're around and drop one to our Registrar's Office to confirm your enrolment).
    On such receipts you'll also find the date and time of the appointment fixed for you at the L'Aquila police station (Questura) to complete the rest of the required procedures, which includes an interview for fingerprints (carry with you passport & ID-size photos). Eventually, you'll be summoned for another appointment to collect your final (plastic) permit card - the one you can see on this page.
    The whole process will be complete in approximately 2 months (but it might even take longer) and will cost you around 120 euros.

    Enrolment procedure

    Upon arrival in Italy, you'll have to complete your enrolment at the University of L'Aquila, which is the coordinating institution of your MSc programme. The enrolment process involves a preliminary online phase (registration on our university info system, online pre-enrolment and fee payment), which is usually taken care of by our InterMaths team.
    To finalize your enrolment, you'll then have to submit your translated and legalized qualifications, which include, depending on the case, ONE of the following:

    Declaration of Value (DoV)

    The DoV is a document providing an official description of your academic certificates, duly legalized by the Consular office of the Italian Embassy in the country where such degree was gained.

    CIMEA Statements of comparability

    CIMEA has implemented a service of certification and comparison of Italian and foreign qualifications, with a view to rendering qualifications increasingly more comprehensible and recognizable.

    Diploma Supplement

    You may submit a Diploma Supplement to verify your previous qualification only if it is issued by the institution where you gained your undergraduate degree.
    Note that the local Diplomatic-consular mission might still require that you obtain a Declaration of Value (DoV) before they issue your study visa, although our university accepts either CIMEA or Diploma Supplement by now. If that is the case, you will have to go through the DoV request process instead of the CIMEA statements or Diploma Supplement, otherwise you will never obtain any visa from that embassy. And that can be much lenghtier, so make sure you start the whole process in good time in advance.

    Insurance

    All our students, doesn't matter if they are EU or not, must hold valid insurance covering risks related to health, accidents, death, permanent invalidity, civil responsibility (including travel assistance) while they are outside their home country.

    Personal medical cover is required in most European countries, even in those that have a public health system. An insurance card will also be required by local authorities in order to obtain a residence permit.

    For all the Erasmus Mundus (EMJMD) students: a mandatory insurance coverage, covering risks related to health, accidents, death, permanent invalidity, civil responsibility, is provided to all students (whether they're scholarship holders or not) by the InterMaths Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) Consortium.
    Such insurance complies with the minimum requirements set out by EACEA

    To all the other students (Double Degree programmes, for instance). If you are non-EU, note that you will have to purchase a valid insurance policy that complies with some minimum requirements established by the consortium and that will allow you to obtain a visa and a residence permit. You may refer to these links if you wish. All the below-listed companies offer insurance that comply with the minimum requirements to obtain an Italian residence permit:

    • AON 
      [AON 24/7 emergency assistance: # +31 10 448 8260]
    • Expat & Co
    • Protrip-World by DrWalter
    • Waitaly (cheapest option. Not EACEA compliant (thus, not valid for Erasmus Mundus students, but still valid for an Italian residence permit to attend other programmes, like RealMaths for instance)
      [Waitaly 24/7 emergency assistance via Europ Assistance # 800046421 (toll free from Italian phones only)
      or # +39 0258286966]

    Housing options in L'Aquila

    Currently, our university hasn't got its own halls of residence, though there is one in town managed by the Abruzzo Regional Agency for Education, aka A.D.S.U. (a link is provided below). But, as L'Aquila is undergoing huge reconstruction after the 2009 earthquake, we stronly suggest you opt for renting a flat from private owners. The cost per person ranges from 150 to 250 euros per month depending on several factors (e.g. shared or private rooms, utility bills included or not, area). Living near the campus (the area is a in a suburb in west L'Aquila known as Coppito) can be cheaper but this means staying on the outskirts away from the city life (events, night life, restaurants...).
    Lately, a new student's hall has opened up in town - it's known as Camplus. It is a private one, with no relation whatsoever with our universityu, but it is ideally located in the heart of the city centre, and fares seem to be in line with the rest of private flats (they also offer wifi, cleaning, maintenance etc.). Check out their website to submit your application and find out more.
    Please make contact with Aquilasmus - ESN L'Aquila to receive support with finding a place to stay in L'Aquila
    Housing Contact Form by Aquilasmus
    Camplus is a newly-established hall of residence right in L'Aquila city centre. It includes single and double ensuites, maintenance, wifi, cleaning, utilities etc. Check out the current selection announcement for more details.
    Camplus Application form

    Temporary accommodation in L'Aquila & Useful links

    The Aquilasmus staff will typically meet you within a few days after your arrival to help you find a place to stay. For your first days in L'Aquila you may refer to the links below

    ADSU Hall of Residence

    ADSU (Abruzzo regional agency for education)

    Adverts on Univaq.it

    Online ADs from private owners available on our university website

    FB group

    "Cerco/Affitto Casa a L'Aquila!" Facebook group

    Idealista.it

    Rooms for rent - Ads in English

    airbnb

    Vacation rentals in L'Aquila

    Bed & Breakfast in L'Aquila

    Vacation rentals in L'Aquila

    How to get to L'Aquila

    Ideally located in central Italy, L'Aquila is around 110 Km (68 miles) east of Rome and 100 Km (62 miles) west of Pescara. Choose one of the following means of transport to find out more.
    By plane
    The closest international airports are:
    01

    Rome Fiumicino

    main hub, aka Leonardo Da Vinci Airport
    02

    Rome Ciampino

    aka G.B. Pastine Airport
    Both airports are connected to L'Aquila by express coach service operated by Gaspari or Flixbus. Read the section below ("By Bus") for further information.
    Another coach service (operated by T.U.A., aka as A.R.P.A.) is available from the "Tiburtina train station" (Stazione Tiburtina in Italian) located in East Rome.  But this means you'll have to firstly get on a train/bus/undeground from the airport to get to the "Tiburtina train station", which will take you one hour at least. So, we strongly suggest you use the other option, as such buses will be departing right from inside the aiport parking area.
    A bunch of European cities are also connected to the Abruzzo Airport in Pescara, located at about 100 km to the east of L'Aquila.
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    Getting to campus

    The University of L'Aquila is made up of several campuses spread over the whole city, each of which with its own focus and identity. To get an overview, check out this interactive map 

    Our programmes are coordinated and hosted by D.I.S.I.M. (Department of Information Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics) located on the Coppito campus in via Vetoio - West L'Aquila. The Coppito campus also hosts other departments (biology, chemistry, physics, medicine) and, most notably, the main city hospital (in Italian ospedale). Keep that in mind whenever you will be asking for directions, as everybody knows where the hospital is.

    Local buses are operated by A.M.A. For more information and timetable see here 

    The webpage is in Italian, but all you need to do is enter the word "ospedale" or "coppito" in the search box.
    Number 1 or 2U Bus are very likely the ones you'll need most, as they connect our campus to the bus station at the Hotel Amiternum, the "L'Aquilone" shopping centre, as well as the main coach station (known as Collemaggio) in the old city centre. But there are several other buses that might take you there - just check out the link above.

    Travel Links

    RealMaths Double Degree Consortium

    InterMaths Network
    A network of 12 European Universities, coordinated by Department of Information Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics (DISIM) at University of L'Aquila in Italy (UAQ)