What is the Foundation Year?
The Foundation Year Program is a preparatory course taught in Italian targeting students who want to study at an Italian university (including University of Pavia). Specially, this program is meant for those students who lack the 12 years of schooling requirement or other specific additional requirements necessary for enrolling in an undergraduate degree program in Italy.
Is the Foundation Year a restricted-access program?
There is no admission exam, but the Program operates on a first come first served basis.
Is the Foundation Year Program online or in person?
The Foundation Year is a in-person program. The University of Pavia gives only students waiting for a visa the opportunity to follow the classes online from their home country. In the event of a visa refusal, it will no longer be possible to continue taking classes online and your enrollment will be withdrawn.
What are the courses offered by the Foundation Year Program?
The Program includes a 400-hour Italian language & culture course (October-June), and 300 hours of discipline-specific courses, entirely taught in Italian, based on the study area selected by the student, among Humanities, Science & Medicine and Social Sciences (February-June).
Will I get a certificate upon completion of the Foundation Year Program?
Yes. The Foundation Year certificate, only released upon completition of the Program, will attest that you have made up for the missing mandatory schooling year and have fullfilled all the requirements necessary to be admitted to degree programs at the University of Pavia. It will also substitute the mandatory language proficiency test administered to international students.
In what language are the courses taught?
All the courses are entirely taught in Italian.
I can not speak any Italian. Will I still be able to follow along with classes?
Yes, you will.The first part of the Program is enterely focused on language training, so that by the time the study-area courses start in February, your proficiency level will be adequate.The Italian language course will continue until June, alongside with the study area courses.
Is it possible to work a part-time job while attending Foundation Year classes?
Students aged 18 and above who hold a type D Visa are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week. However, since the Foundation Year Program requires a full-time commitment and mandatory attendance, even a part-time job may not be compatible with the Program.
How can I apply?
Fill out and submit the online application form via apply. Please submit all the additional documents required (see below) and pay the mandatory application fee of 35€
What documents do I have to submit along with the application form?
- A scanned copy of your passport photo/personal information pages;
- A scanned copy of your High School Diploma, accompained by an official translation in Italian or English by Apostille/legalization;
- A scanned copy of your high-school senior year transcripts, accompained by an official translation in Italian or English and by Apostille/legalization;
- A scanned copy of the "Declaration of Value" which must be released and signed by the Italian embassy/consulate of the student's country of residence. Alternatively, you can request Statement of Comparability from the CIMEA Institute by clicking here.
- Italian language certificate (if you have already taken an Italian language proficiency test)
I don’t have all the required documents; can I still submit my application?
Yes, you can, but you will have to send us the missing documents by September 15, 2024. Failure to submit the missing documents by the indicated deadline will result in the exclusion from the Program.
What is the application deadline for 2024-2025 Foundation Year Program?
You can find the application calendar here
Can I submit my Foundation Year Program application even if i have not received my High School Diploma yet?
Yes, you can; However, along with your application, you will need to submit a letter written by a representative of your high school in which it is started when you will receive your diploma. Your high school diploma must be submitted online or sent via email to foundationyear@unipv.it until September 15,2024.
Failure to submit the missing documents by the indicated deadline will result in the exclusion from the Program.
Can I submit the missing documents after submitting my application?
Yes, as long as you send the missing documents via email to foundationyear@unipv.it by September 15, 2024.
After being admitted to the Program, what are the next steps?
Once you receive the acceptance letter, you should:
- Wait for the email containing the credentials to complete the registration in the Student Area of the University of Pavia website
- Complete the enrollment process according to the instructions sent
- Pay the first installment of the tuition fee
At the bottom of the page you can find a detailed instructions on how to make the payment.
If you are a non-EU citizen, after receiving the acceptance letter, you must pre-enroll on the UNIVERSITALY platform. When you receive the confirmation, you will need to contact the Italian embassy/consulate in your country of residence and apply for a student Visa.
How can I obtain a Student Visa?
Once you received the acceptance letter and the confirmation of your pre-enrollment on UNIVERSITALY platform, you will need to contact the closest Italian embassy in your country of residence and apply for a student visa. They will provide you with all the information on how to apply.
Will I receive an “invitation letter” to apply for my Student Visa?
No. You will only receive our acceptance letter, which will allow you to request and apply for a Student Visa.
How and when can I proceed to the pre-enrollment?
You will receive all the necessary instructions on how to pre-enroll once you are admitted to the Program. Hence, you can proceed to the pre-enrollment only after having received the acceptance letter.
Can I apply for the Foundation Year Program even if I do not know any Italian?
Yes. Our Program is also suitable for students who have no prior knowledge of Italian.
Is the Foundation Year Program suitable for me if I am interested in Medicine as my University major?
Yes. One of the study areas offered by the Foundation Year Program is precisely Science & Medicine. Choosing this area will also help you prepare for the admission exam which is required to access this major.
How much is the tuition fee for the Foundation Year Program?
The tuition fee for the Foundation Year Program amounts to 5.000 euros, to be paid in three installments:
- First installment: 1.500 euros to be paid within ten days of receiving the email containing the instructions for enrollment
- Second installment: 1.750 euros to be paid by July 31, 2024
- Third installment: 1.750 euros to be paid by August,31 2024
The tuition fee includes:
- University fees
- Liability insurance
- Tutoring
- Access to University services ( access to libraries, student discounts)
- Registration for the CILS certification exam for the June 2025 session (B1 or B2 level)
Are there any scholarships or discounts for Foundation Year students?
No, there are not because the Foundation Year is not a University course.
What are the refund and cancellation terms?
- Until September 15, 2024: a refund of 75% of the amount paid will be issued
- After September 15, 2024: no refund will be issued
Only and exceptionally in the event of a visa refusal, it will be possible to obtain a refund of 75% of the amount paid even after 15 September.
The requests for refund due to visa refusal will be accepted by the 31st of January 2025. Subsequent requests will not be refunded. In case of visa rejection, students won't attend classes online and the enrollment will be withdrawn.
How can I find an accommodation for my stay in Pavia?
After being admitted to the Program, feel free to reach out to us for some information that could help you find an accommodation.
If I successfully complete the Program, will I automatically be enrolled in a undergraduate degree program ?
No. The Foundation Year is only a preparatory course. If you obtain the Foundation Year certificate of successful completion, you will not automatically be enrolled in a undergraduate degree program, but:
- You will have met the minimum requirements to be amitted to a universitary program at the University of Pavia;
- You will not be required to take the Italian language proficiency test administred to international students prior to access to university.
You will need to apply for undergraduate degree program of your chioce. If this is a restricted-access program, you will have to take the admission exam required to access said program-major.
What courses will I be eligible to take at the University of Pavia after successfully completing the Foundation Year Program?
You can find our courses offer here