non-EU international students

The attendance of non-EU students in Conservatories is established by the quotas deliberated by the Academic Council, which concern:

  • international candidates who joined the Turandot Project (Programma Turandot).
  • non-EU international candidates not residing in Italy. The non-EU citizens not residing in Italy, before proceeding with their enrollment to the entrance examinations, will have to present a pre-enrollment request on the Universitaly portal.

For the non-EU international students, the process to follow is the one established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Italian embassies in the Country of residence: deadlines, documents and links are on the Ministry website (Studiare in Italia).

Students who earned a degree abroad are required to present:

  • the original (or a certified copy) of their secondary education degree, obtained with at least 12 years of schooling, or a substitute certificate valid for all legal purposes, all duly translated in Italian;
  • Declaration of Value in loco, released by the Italian Diplomatic Authority in their Country of origin.

To the Admission Application, they must attach:

  • a form of identification (passport)
  • a potential language certificate (Italian level B2) (see section “Italian language knowledge verification”)

Foreign candidates must, then, present to the Conservatory the admission application in the process described in the Attachment A of the Admission Announcement.

International students quotas are established yearly by the Academic Council and published on the webpage reserved for admissions. 

International European students and non-EU international students with equivalent status and/or lawfully residing in Italy

The above process does not apply:

  • to the citizens of European Union countries, as well as those from Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Swiss confederation, San Marino Republic and Holy See, even if in possession of a foreign degree;
  • to foreign citizens already legally residing in Italy, as expressly indicated in art.39, comma 5, from the D.lgs. July, 25th 1998, n. 286;
  • to the students already present in the Schengen Area and scholarship recipients under European Union programmes for education, training, and research, to whom the instructions issued for the “Erasmus Mundus” action, extended to the “Erasmus Plus” programme, apply by analogy, as well as any further instructions regarding entry visas provided by the Visa Unit of the DGIT of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and of International Cooperation.

The procedure to follow is specified in the instructions for the compilation contained in the Attachment A, valid for Italian citizens, for those belonging to the European Community and residing everywhere, and for non-EU international students regularly staying in Italy (long term residency permit), in the ADMISSION ANNOUNCEMENT A.A. 2025/2026.

General Admission Requirements

Admission requirements to the First Level Academic Courses

The admission to the First Level Three-Year Academic Courses (Trienni Ordinamentali) delivered at the Conservatorio is exclusively for students holding a secondary school-leaving certificate or any other certificate obtained abroad and duly recognized.
In case of remarkable capabilities and aptitudes, students shall be entitled to the admission also before obtaining these certificates, which shall be obtained, in any case, before the end of the academic diploma course.
In order to be admitted to the courses, applicants are required to pass an admission test aimed at verifying the possession of the theoretical, interpretative and/or composition skills according to the parameters of the equivalent European musical institutions. The admission skills are specified in the regulations of each course, taking into account not only the main subject, but also the other subjects featuring in the regulations themselves. The admission test is aimed at creating a list of eligible students. The number of available places is identified according to the planning that the Institution provides yearly. Should the background be incomplete, the admission “with an educational debit” is allowed. These debits shall be resolved according to the procedures set out by the Academic Board within the winter session of the first year of course. The students admitted “with an educational debit” shall be entitled to enroll in the second year “with a reserve”. This reserve will be canceled when the debit is resolved. The implementation of possible activities aimed at their recovery by the Institution is determined by the Academic Board after consultation with the competent Department. The Conservatorio is not obliged to set up said activities. In compliance with the provisions set out in article 25 of the Academic Regulations, the non-fulfillment of any additional training obligation (debit) is deemed an obstacle to pursue the career. The access to the admission for the First Level Three-Year Academic Courses of students coming from Pre-Academic Courses entails the submission of the same documents the other applicants must provide.

Admission requirements to the Second Level Academic Courses

The admission to the Second Level Academic Courses (Bienni superiori sperimentali) is only for students holding a first-level academic certificate or a degree or a conservatory diploma in association with a school-leaving certificate. The admission is also granted to students holding another equivalent certificate obtained abroad and recognized as suitable. These certificates shall be consistent with the selected course. According to the provisions set out in the Regulations relating to First and Second level courses (article 2, paragraph 2) the applicants for the Second level who do not hold certificates consistent with the selected course shall take specific admission tests set out by the Academic Board on a case by case basis.
In order to be admitted to the courses, applicants are required to pass an admission test aimed at verifying the possession of the theoretical, interpretative and/or composition skills according to the parameters of the equivalent European musical institutions. The admission skills are specified in the regulations of each course, taking into account not only the main subject, also the other subjects featuring in the regulations themselves. The admission test is aimed at creating a list of eligible students. The number of available places is identified according to the planning that the Institution provides yearly.
Should the background be incomplete, the admission “with an educational debit” is allowed. These debits shall be resolved according to the procedures set out by the Academic Board within the extraordinary session of the first year of course. The students admitted “with an educational debit” shall be entitled to enroll in the second year “with a reserve” by 28 July 2017. This reserve will be canceled when the debit is resolved. The implementation of possible activities aimed at their recovery by the Institution is determined by the Academic Board after consultation with the competent Department. The Conservatorio is not obliged to set up said activities.
In compliance with the provisions set out in article 25 of the Academic Regulations, the non-fulfillment of any additional training obligation (debit) is deemed an obstacle to pursue the career.

Italian language knowledge verification

For the foreign students in possession of the necessary requirements, the admission test includes the verification of an adequate knowledge of the Italian language through the passing of a specific test preparatory to any other admission test. The international student may potentially be admitted with an academic deficit which must be made up for through an exam within the first year. In this case the student will have the obligation to attend the potential Italian language course activated by the Conservatory. According to the current regulations, the students who possess the recognitions stated at the following link  http://www.studiare-in-italia.it/studentistranieri/ have the right to exemption from the test mentioned above. The students who do not pass the admission test or who, although deemed eligible, do not obtain the reassignment to another location or another academic course, will have to leave Italy no later than the expiry date of their visa or their study residency permit. Resit exams are not admitted in the event of failure to pass the final exam of the Italian language course. 

ITALIAN LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE VERIFICATION – Italian language proficiency test for international students: the dates will be announced in the admission announcement.

Passport or another valid form of identification must be presented to both tests.

Enrollment procedure

The candidate qualified and admitted to the Conservatory must proceed with the enrollment within 10 days from the date of publication of the ranking lists of admitted students, following the publication of the relevant circular.

The international students and the italian students residing abroad must attach:

  • Self-certification of the academic qualification used for admission to the course, submitted on unstamped paper;
  • Residency permit or currently valid identification card;
  • Declaration of residence;
  • Eventual ISEEE (Equivalent Financial SItuation Indicator abroad – Indicatore di Situazione Economica Equivalente all’Estero).

Full/partial exemptions from the tuition and administrative fees

Enrolled students, except for exemptions and reductions, contribute to cover the costs of educational, scientific, and administrative services of the Conservatory, through an annual institutional fee, in compliance with the criteria of equity, gradualness, and progressivity.

The international students and the Italian students residing abroad who intend to benefit from the full or partial exemptions from the tuition and administrative fees, in relation to the maximum set amount, must attach:

  • ISEEE (Equivalent Financial SItuation Indicator abroad – Indicatore di Situazione Economica Equivalente all’Estero); (ISEE and ISEEU are not valid; failure to submit the ISEEE will result in placement in the highest tuition fee bracket as established in the Tuition and Fees Regulations).

To obtain the ISEEE, you must visit a Patronato office or a Tax Assistance Center (CAF), a list of which is provided here  Patronati e Centri di assistenza fiscale (Caf) | Comune di Bologna. The calculation of the fee due, based on your 2024 ISEEE certificate, will be carried out automatically by the system NETTuno P.A. An ISEE/U/E equal to €0.00 will be rejected in any case and will result in placement in the highest tuition fee bracket as established in the Tuition and Fees Regulations. Failure to submit the ISEEE certificate when finalizing enrollment or registration, or the submission of a document non/compliant with the requirements, will result in the application of the maximum tuition fee provided for the relevant degree course. Reductions are not applicable to the regional tax for the right to education, the insurance, and the revenue stamp.