€10,179.85. That is the money Italy now wants to see for each year of study. Until 2025/26 it was €6,947.33. But many Pakistani websites still tell families that €6,000 to €8,000 is enough.

The cost of studying in Italy for Pakistani students in 2027 is about PKR 2.8 million to 3.9 million for the first year at a public university outside Milan. This covers tuition, rent, food, transport, health cover and one-time fees. Your family must also show about PKR 3.17 million in the bank for the visa.

All rupee figures in this guide use the State Bank of Pakistan rate of Rs 310.95 per euro on 9 October 2026. Figures are correct as of 14 October 2026.

Pakistani students are still a small group in Italy. In 2024, Italy gave 833 new study permits to Pakistani citizens, out of 20,130 in total, says Italy's statistics office.

A small group also means few people can tell you the real costs. This guide does that, line by line, with an official source for every number. Read on to see the cost most families forget, and why a scholarship cannot count as your visa money.

Still choosing a country? Start with our page on how to study in Italy.

How much does it cost to study in Italy in 2027?

Your first year will cost about PKR 2.8 million to 3.9 million. Two choices make the biggest difference: your university's fee system and the type of room you rent.

The table shows two real examples. They use official fee pages and the University of Bologna's own cost figures.

Not included: flights, utility bills, a rent deposit, university application fees, entry tests, travel health insurance for the visa, and document attestation, apostille and translation. The section on costs before you fly covers these.

Spend versus show: the table shows what you will spend. The €10,179.85 visa balance is what you must show. Many families plan for only one of the two.

For parents: the visa balance is your child's living money for the year. It is not a fee you pay to anyone.

What are the recent changes in Italy study visa rules for 2027?

Italy's university ministry (MUR) made one set of rules for two academic years, 2026/27 and 2027/28. So the Italy study visa 2026 rules are also your 2027 rules. You can read them in the ministry's official rules.

If you read an older guide on study in Italy for Pakistani students 2026, check its money figures and dates. These are the recent changes in Italy study visa rules that affect your budget:

The last point comes from MUR Decree 176 of 24 February 2026. These study in Italy recent updates are the reason older budgets no longer work.

In short, the study in Italy updated requirements ask for more money and an earlier start. Pre-enrolment means applying on Universitaly, Italy's free government portal, before your visa.

How much do public universities in Italy charge Pakistani students?

There is no single fee for all of Italy. At the public universities in Italy we checked, yearly tuition for Pakistani students ranged from €300 to €2,990. Each university uses one of three systems.

Fee by country group: the Sapienza example

Sapienza University of Rome charges students with income outside Italy a fixed fee based on their country. Pakistan is in Band A, the lowest group, at €300 a year (PKR 93,300). Band B pays €700 and Band C pays €1,500.

These amounts come from a 2023 board decision. Check them on Sapienza's fee page before you apply.

One fixed fee for all non-EU students: the Padua example

Some Italy universities for international students charge one fixed fee. For 2026/27, the University of Padua charges non-EU students whose family lives abroad €2,790 for humanities and €2,990 for science courses.

Fee based on your family's income

Other universities set your fee from your family's income and property in Pakistan. This check is called ISEE parificato. Your family will need income and property papers from Pakistani offices, with an apostille and an Italian translation.

These figures come from the official fee pages for the public universities in Italy 2026 intake:

Watch for extra charges: most universities add a regional tax and a €16 stamp duty on top of tuition. Private universities cost much more. Many of the best universities in Italy by ranking, such as Bologna, Padua and Sapienza, are public.

So when you compare universities in Italy for international students, compare the full yearly bill, not only the tuition line.

What are the monthly living costs when you study in Italy?

In Bologna, rent, food and a bus pass cost about €590 to €690 a month (PKR 182,500 to 213,600), before bills. These numbers come from the University of Bologna.

Why Milan costs more

Milan is known as Italy's most expensive student city. A 2026 guide from the housing website Uniplaces says a shared room there costs about €500 to €800 a month. This is a market estimate, not an official number. Still, it can add about PKR 62,000 or more a month compared with a shared room in Bologna.

The costs families forget

Bologna's page lists rent "plus bills", so electricity, gas and internet cost extra. Landlords also ask for a deposit before you move in, and Italian rental law allows up to three months of rent. Many guides on study in Italy for international students skip these two costs.

What does the Italy study visa cost before you leave Pakistan?

The fixed Italy study visa cost before you fly is about PKR 185,000. This covers IELTS, the visa fee and degree recognition. Application fees, entry tests, insurance, document work and your flight can add more.

Italy visa fee from Pakistan

The Italy visa fee from Pakistan is €50 for a Type D study visa. The embassy sets the rupee price every three months. It was PKR 16,250 for July to September 2026, so check the embassy's fee page for the current amount.

IELTS exam fee in Pakistan

The IELTS exam fee in Pakistan is PKR 75,600 in most cities and PKR 76,240 in Lahore and some other Punjab cities. These are the British Council's July 2026 fees. Before you pay, compare the fees of IELTS exam centres on the official booking page. A retake costs extra, so prepare well first.

Is IELTS required for the Italy study visa?

Some universities accept students with an English medium of instruction (MOI) letter. That is why some websites say "IELTS not required for Italy study visa". But the visa is a separate check. The embassy asks for at least B2 English in listening, reading, speaking and writing, and its checklist names IELTS and TOEFL as accepted tests.

On IELTS bands required in Italy, IELTS itself matches B2 to bands 5.5 to 6.5. Each university sets its own minimum, so read your course page.

TOEFL test fee in Pakistan and PTE test booking

The TOEFL test fee in Pakistan is set in US dollars by ETS. You see the final price only after you choose Pakistan on the ETS website. So the TOEFL exam fee in Pakistan in rupees changes with the dollar rate.

PTE is not named on the embassy checklist. So before any PTE test booking, check in writing that both your university and the embassy accept it.

Degree recognition for Italy university admission

Italy university admission needs proof that your Pakistani degree is recognised. CIMEA, Italy's degree recognition centre, lists €300 per degree for its combined CIMEA statement of comparability and verification. The other option is a Declaration of Value (DOV) from the Italian embassy. Your university will tell you which one it accepts.

Timing tip: the embassy treats documents as valid for six months from the date they were issued. Do not pay for apostilles and translations too early, or you may pay twice.

You also need proof of where you will live in Italy, such as a booking, a hosting declaration or a university letter. A place you have only applied for in a student residence does not count.

For the full list of papers, read our guide to Italy visa documents.

What will you pay after your Italy student visa is issued?

In your first weeks in Italy, keep about €816 (PKR 253,900) for your residence permit and health cover. Your rent deposit is extra.

1.     Residence permit: €116.46. Apply for your permesso di soggiorno (residence permit) within 8 working days of arriving. You pay a €16 tax stamp, €30.46 for the card, a €40 fee and a €30 postal fee, as the EU Immigration Portal lists.

2.     Health cover: at least €700 a year. Joining Italy's national health service (SSN) costs at least €700 for each calendar year, January to December. The University of Bologna says a private policy valid in Italy is also accepted.

3.     Codice fiscale (tax code). Italy's tax office, the Agenzia delle Entrate, gives you this number. You need it to rent a room and buy a SIM card.

Your Italy student visa lets you enter Italy. These steps keep you legal after you arrive, so plan the money before you fly.

What you pay again every year

Your residence permit and health cover are not one-time costs. Each year you renew the permit, pay tuition and pay for health cover again. The permit renewal uses the same postal kit and fees, and you may be asked to show your money again.

How much bank balance does the Italy student visa need?

You must show at least €10,179.85 for each year of study, about PKR 3.17 million. The money must be legal, and the embassy must be able to see where it came from.

What the Italy study visa requirements for Pakistan accept

Under the Italy study visa requirements for Pakistan, the embassy checklist asks for the money in a bank account in the student's name. Family up to the fourth degree, such as parents, uncles or first cousins, can provide it, says the ministry's rules. The sponsor then signs an affidavit, with an apostille and an Italian translation.

Our advice, not an embassy rule: keep some extra money above the minimum. If the rupee falls before your appointment, your balance can drop below €10,179.85.

For parents: the embassy checks for regular monthly funds, not only one day's balance. A big deposit with no clear source can raise questions. Our bank statement guide explains the sponsor papers step by step.

Which scholarships in Italy can lower your costs in 2027?

Two kinds of funding can cut your costs a lot: regional DSU grants based on family income, and the Italian government's MAECI scholarship. Neither is guaranteed, and a grant usually arrives too late to help with your visa money.

Is a DSU grant a fully funded scholarship in Italy?

For many students, a DSU grant is the closest thing to a fully funded scholarship in Italy. Each region runs its own. In the Italy scholarships 2026 round, ER.GO in Emilia-Romagna (the region of Bologna) offered:

• Up to €7,171.11 a year (PKR 2.23 million) for students living away from home, with an ISEE up to €16,666
• Up to €8,246.78 a year for students with an ISEE of €12,500 or less (the extra 15% is paid only if funds remain)
• A full tuition fee waiver for grant winners
• An income limit (ISEE) of €25,000

ER.GO does not ask first-year students for school grades when they apply. Instead, first-year students must earn a set number of credits by 30 November 2027, or pay the money back.

The scholarship timing most families miss

ER.GO's first ranking list for 2026/27 is due on 20 October 2026. The final list comes in May 2027. Most visa files are ready months earlier. The ministry's rules say a DSU grant counts toward your visa money only if you hold an award certificate. Just applying, or being eligible, does not count.

What this means: plan the full €10,179.85 from family money. Think of DSU as a bonus that lowers your costs after you arrive. If you are tracking recent scholarship changes in Italy 2026, always read the new call from your region, because amounts and dates change each year.

Italian government (MAECI) scholarship

MAECI pays €10,800 for nine months, in payments every three months, says the University of Pisa. At Pisa, winners still pay the €140 regional tax and €16 stamp. The study in Italy scholarship 2026 call closed on 26 March 2026. For the next scholarships update in Italy, watch the Study in Italy portal for the 2027/28 call.

University fee waivers

Many universities also offer their own fee waivers and merit awards. When you search for universities in Italy scholarships, open the scholarship page of every university on your list.

Can you work part-time while you study in Italy?

Yes. A study permit lets you work up to 20 hours a week, with a limit of 1,040 hours a year, says the EU Immigration Portal.

Part-time pay helps with daily costs. But plan your visa money without counting on a job. Speaking some Italian gives you more job choices when you study in Italy.

How can you cut the cost of studying in Italy?

Small choices add up over 12 months. Each tip below uses a real number from this guide:

• Share a room: in Bologna, a shared room costs about €100 a month less than a single room. That saves about PKR 373,000 a year.
• Eat at the university canteen: a full meal costs €4.50 to €6 in Bologna, says the University of Bologna.
• Get the student bus pass: it costs €27 a month in Bologna if you are under 27.
• Pick your fee system with care: a €300 country-group fee instead of a €2,990 fixed fee saves about PKR 836,000 in tuition alone.
• Apply for DSU anyway: if you win, the grant can cover much of your living cost after you arrive.
• Pass IELTS in one try: every retake costs extra.

How do you choose the best study abroad consultant for Italy?

The best study abroad consultant for Italy study visa files quotes the new €10,179.85 figure, gives fees in writing and never promises a visa. Any best study abroad consultant for Italy 2026 list that still shows €6,947.33 is out of date.

Whether you compare overseas study consultants online or consultants for education abroad in your city, use these five checks:

1.     They quote €10,179.85, not the old €6,947.33.

2.     They give their service fees in writing before you pay.

3.     They never promise a visa. Only the embassy decides.

4.     They never sell embassy appointments. The Embassy of Italy does not charge for study visa appointments.

5.     Their advisers have studied or lived in Italy.

Searching for a consultant near me, or typing "consultant of Italy near me" into Google? Ask every office these five questions before you sign anything.

The same applies if you want a study abroad consultancy in Karachi. A website that calls itself the best study abroad consultant in Karachi should still pass all five checks.

Students who plan global education from Karachi, Lahore or Islamabad face the same embassy rules. No single best study abroad consultant in Pakistan fits every student, and no list can name one best study consultant in Italy for everyone.

Good study abroad consultants will show you the official source for each figure. The best study abroad consultant for you is the one that passes these checks for your own file.

At Global Mobility Experts, both our founders studied for master's degrees in Italy. We hold our own work to the same five checks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Plan your Italy study budget with Global Mobility Experts

Start with your university list. Then build your budget and bank file around the numbers above. For the full admission timeline, read our Italy study guide. If you want someone to check your plan, book a free profile check with Global Mobility Experts.

The final visa decision is made only by the Embassy or Consulate of Italy, which checks each student's file.

This guide was written with AI help. [Author name] checked every number against the official sources linked above on 14 October 2026.