If Italy is your preferred study destination, that’s a solid decision right there. Italy is one of the go-to for studies right now, and this country warmly welcomes international students. However, you need a study visa to move to Italy for your education, and one of the stages of getting the visa is an interview with the embassy or consulate. So, in this post, we will be looking at the common Italy student visa interview questions and answers that will help you succeed in the interview.
As of 2024, Italy has a student visa success rate of approximately 85%. That’s about a 15% rejection rate, which is not high, although this number varies by country. We all want to fall into the success category, which is possible once you know the questions you will be asked. I am going to talk about different questions that you will encounter in your visa interview. I will also try to give a small hint for each question I mention and also provide a typical answer the visa officer expects.
Italy Student Visa Interview Questions
Let’s go directly into the topic at hand because there are many questions. Read till the end because whatever I am going to tell you, all those are the same questions that have been asked in the interview and will be asked. Let’s get right in.
1. Give a short introduction of yourself
This isn’t really a question but you’ll be asked to introduce yourself. The general questions will be first asked like, tell us your name, what is your full name, and a short introduction. So you just have to tell your name, like my name is this. You can present it in a different way, such as my first name is Angela Harris. So you can present it as you want, you can give a short introduction, and then they will ask you the next question. Put on a gentle smile while introducing yourself. Note that some of the responses you give will generate new questions from the visa officer.
2. Where do you want to study?
As one of the Italy student visa interview questions, you will be asked about where you want to study. This question is usually asked to know why you choose Italy and not any other country to study abroad. This question can be asked, “Why have you chosen Italy for your studies?” The officer is simply questioning your motivation and understanding of Italy as your study destination. Explain your academic interests, the appeal of Italian universities, and how they align with your career goals.
You need to answer according to your cover letter because they also check your cover letter and keep it in front of them to see if what you have mentioned in the cover letter matches your answer or not. Suppose you have put in your cover letter that you have chosen Italy because the education in Italy has come in the world record ranking. There mostly you know the theoretical approach is studied, and whatever reason you have given, a reasonable country where one can get an education with less money. Besides, Italy ranks in the top 200 schools in the world, according to Times Higher Education.
Now whatever it is, mention all the points well. If you can tell something related to your subject for this point, then you can also tell that. If you are supposed to study international relations, then you can say that Italy is a prime destination, it is located at a prime location where there are many world organizations around in Italy. So it will be better for me if I take education from there, then I will study in that environment and get the opportunity to learn a lot by going to many organizations, so it will be Italy for me. You can say all these things that if you study in Italy, then you will get a lot of exposure and a lot of internship opportunities.
3. What course do you intend to study?
After that, they will ask you Italy student visa interview questions about your particular course. So, you have to say that you know the course, you have to show a good relation with your previous study and your subject. If it doesn’t match, then you have to give some other valid point or how you make your answer, and the most important thing is to keep your answer short and to the point. Don’t say anything unnecessary. The visa adviser expects you to be knowledgeable of the course you want to study in Italy. Note that under this question, you will also be asked about the duration of your studies, so just have that in mind.
4. Did you take the language proficiency test?
Depending on your country, you will be questioned about the language proficiency test. The embassy will ask about the aptitude test for getting admission to Italian universities. So if you have given IELTS, then you have to let the interviewer know that you have given IELTS and you have this score. And if you have taken TOEFL or any other examination, then you have to tell them also that you have this score. So let’s move on to the next questions that they are going to ask you.
5. Do you have any knowledge about Italy?
And the next question they are going to ask is if you know anything about Italy. So in this situation, what will be your answer? You don’t have to know everything about Italy. The adviser just wants to know whether you cared to do any research about the city in Italy where you will reside during your study duration.
You just have to say a little bit that Italy is a country located in Europe, which is quite beautiful and is known all over the world for its food, its color, it has a very rich culture, its history has also been quite rich and great. You can also talk a little about Italy’s geography, and its people, and try to mention that Italy has the most heritage sites in the world and pizza was invented in Italy. You can also add that Italy is the fifth most visited country in the world—it is a very popular tourist place. So whatever you have inside about Italy, say that, okay? But try to explain it well, don’t say anything negative, only talk about positive things you have read about Italy.
6. Why did you choose this particular university?
After that, one of the Italy student visa interview questions you will face is why this particular university in Italy and not any other one. So for this question, you also have to be well prepared to know as much as you can about your preferred school. You can explain that the teacher ratio is quite balanced, and there will be a lot of interaction with teachers that will really help you improve.
So you have to say all these things that are related to the university and if there is a comparison of the university, then you can also define the university. Let’s say you are coming to the University of Bologna. Then you can tell that its world ranking is high, so you believe that your study experience will be excellent, and very helpful for your career.
7. How much do you know about the course you want to study?
So, we are now in number 7 of the Italy student visa interview questions. You will be asked about your specific course of study. The interviewer wants to know if you are a natural in this field of study or if you just picked it because you want to move to Italy.
They will judge you as a student based on your knowledge of this course. If you are coming for a Masters in Data Analysis, for example, then will wonder how much you know about this course, the university you are going to, and basically the course for which you are going. So they will ask you—just provide a brief explanation. So you can just say that you are coming to study this, and you will get internship opportunities, and also a chance to learn the language.
8. What is your previous course?
Another question they will ask you is what you have studied in your previous educational background. So it’s basically just about what you have studied. If you have applied for a bachelor’s, then you say that you have done 10th, and 12th from here, and these were your marks. If you have any extra degree certificates, then you can also mention that. If you have any skill, then you have to mention that too.
9. Do you have a job?
And the next question will be whether you are working or not. Suppose many people come for masters but after completing their bachelor’s they work for many years. So if you have a previous job background, then they will ask you if you are working, then talk about your job, what job you were doing, what were the features of your job, what was the salary, or then they will ask you if you were happy with your job or not. So you have to answer all this well. You have to prepare to explain your skills alongside. It’s a plus to your interview if what you will be studying is related to your skills.
During this interview, in every question you are asked, whatever you respond, go straight to the point, and don’t add anything extra. What they ask, answer that only, don’t add anything extra, but if you add, they will think that this person is overhyping a lot, and talking a lot, so it will be a little difficult.
10. What are your plans after completing your studies in Italy?
Look, they will ask you what you will do after completing your study in this course. The question can simply be, “What is your plan after completing your study?” So this is very important, this is a kind of intention revealer. It will show your intention to the visa officer, whether you plan to stay back and work in Italy or return to your home country.
The answer you will give should show your intention after study is to return to your home country. So you have to make sure that whatever you want to say, that should be more accurate and more related. I give an example, you are coming to do a Masters in Computer Science, then you can tell that after completing this course, I will go back to my country.
If there are many job posts in your country, you can mention the name of the company you hope to work with, or,m you can talk about freelance. Just say you will go and join any of the top institutions willing to hire someone with your skills. And if you want to go to the government sector, then you can also mention that there is a lot of positivity in the government sector in your country for computer science engineers, so you will go to your country and join all those companies or institutions.
And these are also your intentions because through this they just judge what this person is going to do after studying, whether he is going to live here only or he is going to return back to his country. So you have to explain to them very clearly that you are going back to your country after completing your study in Italy. You have to explain this well, they definitely ask because they want to know the future. Now those who come for a bachelors can tell that after completing my bachelor, I will go back to their home country. You don’t have to say that you will complete your masters in Italy and then stay back. You have to say that you will return.
11. Why don’t you study in your country?
And then they are going to ask why you don’t want to study in your home country instead of Italy. So you know, you have to explain that first, let’s suppose you know, you are coming to study Political Science, International Relations, or any course in Economics and Politics, then you can explain that you don’t want to do it in your country because it is more theory-based here. However, in Italy, mostly it is practical and research, so you want such education for your particular course.
The second thing is that the expertise I will gain from Italy will help me a lot back in my country because European geopolitics is very important in the whole world today, and if I study deeply about it and go back to my country, then I will get a lot of scope, a lot of possibilities for me. So you can say something like this, whatever course you are doing, you have to find out and research what benefits you will get if you do it from Italy.
11. Who is sponsoring your studies?
When this question is asked, you need to be honest. If your father is the one sponsoring you, then you have to tell them that your father is sponsoring you, and if your mother is, then you have to tell them that your mother is sponsoring you. If you are self-sponsoring, then you have to mention that you are a self-sponsor. You will be asked about the source of funding, which you will clearly explain to the Italian officer. Just let them know how you generate funds to support your education in Italy.
12. How will you manage your living expenses in Italy?
If they ask about how you’ll manage your living expenses while studying abroad, just explain that your parents saved money for this purpose a long time ago. They deposited it in an account for you to use during your studies. Keep it simple and don’t over-explain.
13. What is your plan after studying in Italy?
Be clear and structured in your response while talking about your course and future plans. For example, if you are studying Management, you might say you plan to start your own business in your home country after your studies. Present yourself positively and genuinely, and show that you are serious about your studies and future.
14. How/why did you get a student loan?
If the topic of a student loan comes up, explain how you convinced your bank to support your education in Italy. Share that you discussed your motivations and intentions with the bank, and after some questions, they approved your loan.
15. Are you on a scholarship?
For those with a merit-based or need-based scholarship, talk about it if asked. If you don’t have one, simply say you can manage your expenses without additional funds. The interviewers might ask about scholarships to understand your financial planning.
Remember, they might ask personal questions, such as if you are married, but focus mainly on the key topics. They’ll typically ask anyone about the marriage aspect. It doesn’t matter how young or old you look. Also, you’ll be asked about your relatives in Italy or any part of Europe. If you have any, just talk about them.
Helpful Tips During Italy Student Visa Interview
- Bring Your Documents – There might be questions where you can support your answers with relevant documents. Hence, carry documents that you might need.
- Provide Honest Answers – Make sure you answer all the questions honestly. Do not attempt to hide or lie about anything. This will prompt the interviewer to think that you might have bad intentions. Also, avoid going into unnecessary details while answering a question. Instead, stick to the question and answer accordingly.
- Arrive Early – Reach the venue a little early to ensure that the interview starts on time. In addition, reaching early would help you relax and adjust to the environment there.
- Wear Corporate Clothes – Make sure to dress properly and smartly. Your appearance will considerably impact the interviewer’s decision to grant the visa.
- Be Calm During the Interview – While seated for the interview, be calm and avoid any nervousness. Think of it as a normal conversation with a colleague where you have to answer a few basic questions.
- Don’t Argue with the Interviewer – There might be questions that would seem inappropriate or demeaning to you. However, understand that they do not intend to demean you. Do not avoid or argue over any question.
Conclusion
So, we have been able to look at a lot of Italy student visa interview questions and answers that will help you succeed in this interview. Just make sure not to give scripted responses—visa officers don’t like that. Just be natural and practice your answers before the interview. If you have done your research and your practice, you are going to pass this interview.
Read Also: Cheapest Country to Study Medicine
