Updated May 2026
Pre-enrolment for 2026 is now open!
Pre-enrolment is a fundamental part of the application process for many students. Completing it is mandatory for all non-EU students, and mistakes can be hard to fix. Make sure to read everything here carefully before completing your pre-enrolment, and follow our step-by-step pre-enrolment guide below.
Who Needs to Complete Pre-Enrolment?
Only non-EU candidates need to complete pre-enrolment. If you are an EU candidate, you do not need to complete this process; HOWEVER, do not confuse pre-enrolment with pre-registration (separate process), which EU candidates may be required to do at some universities.
What is Pre-Enrolment?
Pre-enrolment is a fully online application that non-EU students need to complete as part of their visa process. It basically allows universities to screen your qualifications and send a confirmation to your local Italian embassy that you are conditionally eligible for a visa. This process does NOT guarantee a full-time study visa, it is simply one of many mandatory steps.
Pre-Enrolment vs Pre-Registration
Do NOT confuse pre-enrolment with pre-registration (also called pre-evaluation). Pre-registration is a separate mandatory process for some universities that is carried out on the website of each specific university. This can be mandatory for both EU and non-EU students, or just for non-EU students, depending on the university.
Where is Pre-Enrolment Completed?
Pre-enrolment is done entirely online on the Universitaly platform. You do not need to visit the university or the embassy in person at this stage. Universitaly is run by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and is also where the IMAT registration will take place.
What Documents are Required for Pre-Enrolment?
You will generally need the following documents to successfully complete pre-enrolment
- A valid non-EU passport: We recommend that this passport is valid up until at least the end of the year, so that the same passport is used throughout all the stages of your application to medical or dental school
- A valid passport-style photo: Make sure this photo is not too old
- Final High School Diploma: English or Italian language are accepted. If your diploma is in another language, it will need to be translated. In this case, both originals and translations need to be provided.
- Final High School Transcript: English or Italian language is accepted. If your transcript is in another language, it will need to be translated. In this case, both originals and translations need to be provided.
- English Language Proficiency Certificate: While not always required, we recommend having this ready. You can check what certificates are accepted in our article – Studying Medicine in Italy Language Requirements.
- Other Potential Documents: The university can request other documents as well, such as a Declaration of Value (DOV) or CIMEA Certificates.
Is the Declaration of Value or CIMEA Certificate Needed for Pre-Enrolment?
While not usually asked for, the university can request one of these at this stage. If you submit the pre-enrolment application without either document, and the university asks for one, they can put your pre-enrolment on hold. Take a look at an email a student received where this was requested.
As such, it is recommended to have either your DoV or CIMEA certificate ready before the pre-enrolment deadline. You only need to submit one or the other, there is no need to supply both.
Many times, these documents are not required for pre-enrolment, so if you do not have them yet, you can still apply for pre-enrolment. However, as seen above, it is possible that these can be requested, so do not delay obtaining them.
The DoV is obtained from your local Italian embassy or consulate. The CIMEA certificate can be obtained online.
When is the Pre-Enrolment Deadline?
There is no single pre-enrolment deadline. Each university sets its own deadline, and these deadlines can be subject to change. Always check with your chosen university and make sure to submit the pre-enrolment application well before the deadline. If you miss the deadline, you will not be able to apply in the current year.
What is the Pre-Enrolment Fee?
There is no pre-enrolment fee.
Is Pre-Enrolment Required to Apply for the IMAT?
Technically no. Pre-enrolment is not required to sit the IMAT, however, many universities have pre-enrolment deadlines before the IMAT registration date. Thus, for many universities, you will need to pre-enrol before registering for the test. In either case, we recommend you pre-enroll as early as possible provided you know where you want to study.
Can I Edit My Information on Universitaly?
Yes. You can edit your profile if there are any errors or if you need to submit more documents.
Can I Pre-Enrol at Multiple Universities?
No. You can only pre-enrol at one university. This is why non-EU candidates only have one choice of university when taking the IMAT.
Can I Cancel and Redo My Pre-Enrolment?
Yes. You can cancel your pre-enrolment, but this is done by your chosen university and you will thus need to contact them. To avoid unnecessary stress and hassles, we recommend you perform the pre-enrolment application with the utmost care to avoid any last-minute stress associated with delays. Certain Italian universities can be hard to contact or take a very long to reply to requests, which can cause stress if you need to cancel a pre-enrolment urgently.
Step-by-Step Pre-Enrolment Tutorial
Below are the steps required on the Universitaly Platform. Please note that these are just general steps, and your situation may involve some deviation from the steps listed.
Please note that this tutorial involves a hypothetical candidate entering their details. These details are purely illustrative and will not match what you need to enter at all stages.
Step 1: Create a profile
Visit Universitaly and create a profile if you do not already have one. If you have one, skip this step.
You will be asked to fill out your personal details such as name, address, date of birth, passport number, among other requested information.
You will also need to give them your email address. We recommend not using PEC, Hotmail, Msn and Live because these domains have had trouble receiving emails from Universitaly.
Once completed you will receive an email with login details. Login to your new Universitaly account.
Step 2: Start Pre-Enrolment Application
At the Universitaly homepage, go to Pre-Enroll Now…
Click on the pre-enrollment application button you see below…
Step A
Your details will be automatically filled. If there are any missing details, add them now.
Make sure to select the current academic year at the top (2026/2027). Once done, press go to step B…
Step B
You will now need to fill in some details. Upload both your passport and a recent passport-sized photo of yourself.
For the visa application section:
- Country: select your country of current official residence
- Where will you apply for a visa: select the embassy/consulate responsible for your region. If your country has multiple options, make sure to check what consulate or embassy handles your jurisdiction!
- Specify the reason for the visa application: select I want to enroll in a study course
For the course information section:
- Institution: Select Universita
- Institution name: Select the university you wish to study at
- Type of university system: Select Laurea Magistrale a Ciclo Unico
- Select English Language
- Course Name: Medicine and Surgery (if you wish to study medicine, that is)
The details of your university and degree will now be listed. Make sure it is correct. You can enter your ID at your chosen university if you have one.
Now, click Go to Step C
Step C
Here you will provide your qualifications.
You may need to upload multiple files. For each qualification, you will have 3 things to do
- Upload the file
- Select which qualification it is
- Provide the name of the qualification
Press upload. Do the same for all qualifications you need to provide. You generally do not need to upload all the listed options that you will find in the menu. Typically, the following are required
- Final Diploma
- Transcripts
- Translations (if the above two are not in English or Italian)
- Declaration of Value OR Cimea certificates (not always required for pre-enrolment but recommended if you have it)
- Certificate of English Language Proficiency (not always required for pre-enrolment, but recommended if you have it)
You can now press Summary
Summary
You will now be given a summary of all you have entered. Review it carefully and make sure there are no mistakes.
Once you are certain of your decision to apply to your university, you can Apply for Pre-enrollment.
WARNING: Do not rush this! You can only apply to one university as a non-EU, and it can take time to cancel a pre-enrolment.
Frequently Asked Questions About IMAT Pre-Enrolment
Pre-enrolment is mandatory for all non-EU students applying to study medicine in Italy. EU students do not need to complete pre-enrolment, but may still need to complete pre-registration depending on the university.
Pre-enrolment is completed on Universitaly and is required for visa processing for non-EU students. Pre-registration is a separate process required by some universities and is completed on the university’s own website.
Technically, yes. However, many universities have their pre-enrolment deadlines before the IMAT date. You thus often need to have pre-enrolled before the IMAT to meet all requirements for enrolment. For a full breakdown of the process, see our IMAT 2026 complete guide.
Pre-enrolment usually opens in April, but in 2026 it opened in May on the Universitaly platform. For the full timeline, including exam dates and key deadlines, see our IMAT 2026 exam date and timeline guide.
If you miss the deadline set by your chosen university, you will not be able to apply for that academic year and will need to wait until the next intake or select another university.
No. Non-EU students can only pre-enrol at one university, which is why choosing carefully is very important.
You will typically need a passport, passport photo, high school diploma, transcripts, and potentially an English language certificate. Some universities may also request a Declaration of Value or CIMEA certificate.
These are not always required at the pre-enrolment stage, but universities may request them. It is recommended to have at least one ready to avoid delays.
Pre-enrolment is completed entirely online through the Universitaly platform, which is managed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research.
No, there is no fee required to complete the pre-enrolment process.
Most successful students begin preparing at least 3 to 6 months before the exam. As a non-EU student, competition is especially fierce, so do not delay with your preparation.
Have Questions?
Ask them below!
90 responses
Is DOV required for pre-enrolment?
The DoV can sometimes be requested, so you are suggested to have it (or Cimea certificates). You can submit your pre-enrolment without it however, and the university will contact you if they request it
What if I have eu and on-eu citizenship?
If you have both EU and non-EU citizenship, your EU citizenship prevails. You will thus be an EU candidate and will not need to pre-enroll
Can we purchase IMAT buddy course 2025 for 5 months only instead of 1 year??
Hi Jitesh,
The course can only be purchased with a one year subscription, however it does not take 1 year to complete the course. We have the subscription length this long to provided flexibility to students who wish to start their study early.
Dear
for “ID account at the chosen university /AFAM/institute ” i have no clue what i should put in ?
pls advise
It is generally not a problem if you don’t fill that part out. If you already have an account on your chosen university’s website, you can put your account number in.
Many thanks
Is pre enrollment started ? Currently I don’t have passport and there is an option like DL can I create account with my DL.
Yes Pre-enrollment has started. You will need your passport, so I suggest obtaining it as quickly as possible.
when does pre enrolment close
Each university sets its own pre-enrolment deadline
hi, i am currently a student in a university (1st year) which documents should I upload? highschool transcript or uni transcript
You generally only need to upload high school documents for pre-enrolment, unless your university studies are used to complement missing years or subjects in high school, if this is relevant to you.
If I want to change my pre enrollment to another university, how long does this usually take?
The university does this manually, so it can vary. It is thus suggested you do not leave such a decision to the very last minute
Hi!
Actually I want to ask that I have done my pre enrollment in a bachelors program at University of Messina and I also want to take IMAT test .
So when the registrations for the test will start, will I be eligible to book a seat?
As a non-EU you can only pre-enroll to one program. If you want to study medicine at Messina you will need to pre-enroll to their medicine program.
and if I just want to sit the IMAT test so can I take the test with pre enrollment in a different course.
It should be possible to still take the test, but if you are not pre-enrolled you will face trouble actually enrolling if successful on the test. Unless you plan to just sit the test for fun, you will need to pre-enroll to medicine in your chosen university
As a non EU high school student, what should I upload for pre enrollment qualification? I do not have the diploma yet. Should I upload tanscript translated in italian? I will be applying medicine-Tor Vergata. I heard they ask for cimea but they do not answer emails regarding my questions.
If you will receive your diploma before the pre-enrollment deadline, you can wait until you receive the diploma. Otherwise, ask your school for a certificate that confirms your place in the final year of high school and that notes the subjects you have taken/are taking and your expected graduation date. Regarding the language, if it is issued in English there is no need for a translation into Italian at the pre-enrollment stage, but otherwise you will need to get it translated.
I suggest also emailing the university to clarify if they require anything else for your particular situation. They may take a while to respond, but they are bound to reply eventually.
Is pre enrollment necessary to register for the IMAT?
Pre-enrollment itself is not necessary to sit the test. However, you do need it for the visa process as a non-EU so there is no point in sitting the IMAT as a non-EU without pre-enrolling
Can I pre enrol to two universities if they are separate degrees?
You can only pre enroll to one degree at a time
Is there any 3 month-long IMAT preparation course for June, July and August 2025 to prepare for the IMAT exam held in September?
Hi Josephine,
Our course can be enrolled in at any time. We have the subscription length at 12 months, so that students who wish to start early can do so. However, the course does not take 12 months to complete and if you study hard you should be able to finish everything in 12 months.
What if I miss my pre-enrollment dead line for preparing DOV, will the University consider it?
The DoV is generally not required for the pre-enrollment stage, with some exceptions. I would suggest applying for pre-enrollment before you get the DoV if you expect it will take a while. If you miss the pre-enrollment deadline, the university is likely to exclude you
Thank you sir, sir I have already applied the pre enrollment in Universitaly and they’re asking to attach the DOV so if I miss the deadline (31st July) while preparing the DOV so will it be considered If I attach after the deadline ?
Write to your university and tell them that you are in the process of obtaining your DoV and that you commit to obtain it by the enrolment date. The university then can decide if they will or will not allow you to pre-enroll without the DoV
Hello, ill be going to university in 2026, should I be giving my imat this year or next year? And what are the intakes for MBBS in italy?
If you plan to start university in 2026 then you will need to take the IMAT in 2026 as well. The results of the IMAT are only valid for the same year that you take the test.
Does my high diploma need to be original or a copy of original could work the same because I laminated my document as I didn’t know it would cause trouble during apostille
I suggest talking to the notary or whatever institution issues the apostille in your country.
Hi,
Which universities need EU students to pre-register (or pre-evaluate) and when does pre-registration open for 2025?
Thank you.
Only Marche and Messina require it for EU students.
Pre registration dates vary for each university. It should be noted that more universities can potentially announce pre registration requirements at later dates as well.
Thanks! Are either of them open yet?
Yes, I suggest checking both their websites to see what deadlines apply to you
Which universities require pre registration and what is the process? I’m from the EU.
Messina and Marche currently require it for EU students (and non-EU students). Be aware that more universities might open pre registration requirements for EU students as well. It should also be noted that for non-EU students there are more universities that require pre registration.
Note: Pre registration is not the same as pre-enrollment on Universitaly. EU students do not need to pre-enroll on Universitaly
Can you please tell me about university of Cagliari pavia padua and Campania that are these universities require pre registration or not for non EU and there deadlines
Pavia does require pre registration for non-EU candidates, as for the others you mentioned, we will have to see if any are announced.
Please note, all universities offering medicine in English require pre-enrollment for non-EU candidates on Universitaly, which is different from pre-registration.
Hello, I have already pre-enrolled to Federico II and it was forwarded to the embassy. Now I decided to apply to Milano-Bicocca and pre-enroll there. What should I do now?
You need to contact your university and ask them to cancel the pre-enrollment and then pre enroll again to your new university. Make sure to check deadlines before doing this
If I pre enroll in University of bologna and my IMAT score qualifies me to get admission in University of Milan. Can I switch University based on IMAT score.
Unfortunately no, as a non-EU student you are only considered for your first choice university
Hello, can I choose a first choice University in my IMAT Application that is not the same as the one who I did/completed the pre-enrollment from?
example, Pre-enrollment done on UNIPV (Pavia) but first choice for IMAT is Marche Polytechnic University (Ancona)
can I choose a first choice University in my IMAT Application that is not the same as the one who I did/completed the pre-enrollment from?
example, Pre-enrollment done on UNIPV (Pavia) but first choice for IMAT is Marche Polytechnic University (Ancona)
They must be the same. As a non-EU you only have one choice and you must pre enroll for that choice
Thank you IMAT Buddy, but one more question
Can I pick other options after my first choice?
As a non-EU you technically can add more choices on Universitaly, but they wont consider you. Only your first choice university will consider your application
how long does pre enrolment take generally,i have not heard anything back yet.
It depends on your university, sometimes they are done in a few days, in other cases it can take many weeks to get the application forwarded.
how long does pre enrolment take generally,i have not heard anything back yet and do we need it to be validated first before visa or once it is sent ,you just apply for the visa.
The pre enrolment application will need to be forwarded to the Italian embassy or consulate by your university, this will be stated in green on the Universitaly page when done.
“Hello! This guide is incredibly helpful for navigating the pre-enrolment process. I have a quick question regarding documentation – for students who might need to handle legal paperwork like a Declaration of Value (DOV) while applying from abroad, would services like https://nienumberspain.com (which specialises in streamlined document processing for Spain) be a useful reference for understanding how to approach similar bureaucratic steps in Italy? Specifically, I’m curious if the Italian system has comparable expedited options for foreign applicants. Thanks in advance!”
If you are interested in a service to help with the applications and document preparation, we do offer a consulting program. You can read more about it here if you are interested: https://www.imatbuddy.com/studying-medicine-in-italy/
Hey I want to apply (as a Non-EU) to a medical program for 2026. The pre enrollment is yet to open but I am a little confused. I live in the USA and would have to apply for the student visa here itself but regarding the high school diploma as a requirement to verify 12 years of schooling, my situation is a bit complicated. I studied till 7th grade in India, then moved to the US and finished my high school. I then went to a University in US and got my Bachelor’s degree. So would my American University’s diploma suffice in proving I have completed 12 years of schooling or would I need a transcript from my Indian school, one from my American school, and the transcript/diploma from my American University?
The high school transcript from the USA, the USA high school diploma and your university studies in the USA will be enough to prove that you have at least 12 years of schooling. When you apply for a DoV or Cimea certificate this combined will also ensure you are eligible for university in Italy
Hi there!
I wanted to ask that is pre registration done before pre enrollment on the University’s official website?
Is this required by the University of Turin and when does this university open pre registration for international non-European students who want to pursue medicine and Surgery in Italy
Pre registration is done on the individual university’s website (not to be confused with pre enrolment on Universitaly). Pre registration procedures and rules can change each year for each university, thus we cannot say yet what the opening times will be or which universities this year will have the requirement.
Hi, so I am a lebanese student (Non-EU) and my final high school diploma will not be issued until july. How can i pre enrol if i don’t currently have a high school diploma?
Universities generally let you pre-enroll with preliminary qualifications. For some universities pre-enrolment deadlines can be after July as well.
I wanted to know when exactly should I start worrying about pre enrollment, I’m trying to find where to pre enroll at the Universitaly but for some reason I can’t find it also the website itself isn’t apploading that well, I don’t know whether because its still too early or the problem is just coming from me.
Pre enrolment deadlines are not yet announced, but typically they vary from late June to September, so you dont have anything to worry about right now. As for issues with Universitaly, this is quite common for students accessing the website outside of Italy. Many students find that a VPN set to Italy resolves the technical issue
قدمت لجامعة جينوفا بتخصص غير الطب كما قدمت لجامعات اخرى اريد التقديم للفيزا بقبول المسبق لاحد هذه التخصصات وعند فتح تسجيلات IMAT اسجل للطب في تورينو لا اريد الغاء تسجيل المسبق حتى اضمن على حصولي على مقعد في تورينو والحصول على درجة تعطيني مقعدا في حالة عدم وصولي الى سكور مناسب اريد ان استكمل وادرس التخصص الذي قدمت له في الاول هل هذا ممكن ؟
Hi Khaoula,
To avoid translation errors impacting the accuracy of our response, please write your questions in English.
Hi when does pre enrollment for the Italian medical schools open I tried putting in my information on the pre enrollment form on universitaly.it and it would not let me select a medicine course anyway, is it just that they aren’t open yet?
We will send an email on our newsletter when applications open.
Hi! I have a question! I should be finishing high school and taking IMAT in 2027.
But is it possible to take IMAT in 2026 to see how I do? I know that the score won’t be counted nor kept till next year, but I would like to take it as my own mock test. Am I allowed to register without pre-enrollment ( not eligible yet )and take IMAT?
Yes you can take the IMAT without pre-enrolling, failure to pre-enroll creates issues at the enrolment and visa stage after the IMAT, not during test registration itself.
Hi!
Does University of Campania (Luigi Vanvitelli) need Pre-Registration or the mere Pre-enrollment in universitaly is sufficient ?!
It is too early to say. Pre-registration requirements are often announced later by some universities.
Thanks buddy!
So right now, is it reasonable to pre enroll for Luigi in universitaly, without knowing the exact number of sits for non-EUs and its visa policy ?! Or is it what it is ?!
If this is the university you genuinely wish to study at, then it is a good idea to pre-enroll. A high number of non-EU seats is no guarantee that cut-offs will be lower, remember that other students have the same information as you and might select the university with a higher number of non-EU seats, thinking that this will improve their chances. If enough students do this, cut-offs increase.
1. what should i fill in “foreign municipalty of residence” section during universitaly registration? 2. I only have marksheets of 10th(in CGPA format, i.e. , out of 10 CGPA) and 12th class(marks out of 100), there are no transcripts, so what should i upload in diploma and transcript section during pre-enrollment? 3. I have already completed my Bacholers in India. so, do i upload all the documents like 10th, 12th and bacholers in qualification or do i only upload 1oth and 12th documents?
You do not generally need to upload your university documents unless you have missing years or other requirements from high school. For residence information, simply fill out the required boxes as it relates to your residence
How long does it usually take for the pre-enrollment to be assessed? When does an answer from the university usually come?
This year it has been announced that universities will only verify a certain number of pre-enrolments, meaning the likely verification time for each university will be after the IMAT when the results are out and the known number of eligible candidates is available. However, each university may enforce this differently, thus it can be a good idea to email your university and ask them.
Thank you for the answer.
Wouldn’t it cause problems with obtaining a study visa and Declaration of Value for non-EU students? It takes quite a long time in many countries.
You cannot get the visa issued until you have been accepted and enrolled regardless. You should of course book the visa appointment in a timely manner, but obtaining the visa itself should not be impacted by the pre-enrolments being verified after the IMAT. Many universities verified the pre-enrolment after the IMAT in previous years as well.
I am a UK passport holder. Can I pre-enroll to more than one university, please?
No, this is not possible. You can only pre-enroll and be considered for one university at a time.
Hello, I am EU student
Now is 21 July and should I start pre-registration?
I’m bit confused with deadlines ( I choose university before I pass IMAT or after?)
Maria
As an EU student, you will choose your university preferences during IMAT registration. However, some universities also have pre-evaluation requirements on their websites, which often need to be done before the IMAT registration