The first month in Italy is the most administratively dense period of your entire Italian student experience. What you do in days 1 to 30 — and the order in which you do it — determines whether your scholarship arrives on time, your legal status is secure, and your bank account is open before your first bill arrives.
Most students who struggle in their first month do so not because anything went wrong, but because nobody told them the sequence. This article gives you that sequence.
The principle: Everything in Italy builds on the previous step. You cannot open a bank account without a codice fiscale. You cannot apply for your DSU scholarship without your enrollment certificate. You cannot get your enrollment certificate without completing your university registration. The order is not arbitrary — it is structural.
Days 1 to 5 — Codice fiscale first
Your codice fiscale is Italy's tax identification number. It is not a residency document. It is not a work permit. It is simply an ID number that every system in Italy — banks, landlords, utility companies, the DSU scholarship portal — requires before they will interact with you.
Get it on Day 1 or Day 2. The process: go to the nearest Agenzia delle Entrate (Revenue Agency) office with your passport. The codice fiscale is issued on the spot, at no cost, in approximately 15 minutes. Some universities also issue it through their international office — ask on your first visit to campus.
Without the codice fiscale, you cannot open a bank account. Without a bank account, you cannot receive your DSU scholarship stipend. The Day 1 priority is the codice fiscale.
Days 3 to 7 — University enrollment and enrollment certificate
Complete your university enrollment as soon as possible after arrival. This typically involves: confirming your admission, paying any nominal enrollment fee if applicable (scholarship students often have this waived), and registering on the university's student portal.
Once enrolled, request your enrollment certificate (certificato di iscrizione) from the university's segreteria studenti (student secretariat). This is the document that proves you are an enrolled student. You will need it for: the DSU scholarship application, your permesso di soggiorno application, and your bank account opening.
Days 5 to 10 — Permesso di soggiorno
The permesso di soggiorno (permit of stay) is your legal authorisation to remain in Italy beyond 90 days. You must apply within 8 working days of your arrival in Italy — this is a legal requirement, not a suggestion. Missing this deadline creates complications that are difficult and expensive to resolve.
The application process: go to a post office (Poste Italiane) that handles permesso applications — not all post offices do, ask at the university international office for the nearest one. You submit a kit of documents including your passport, visa, entry stamp, enrollment certificate, and proof of accommodation. The post office submits the application to the immigration office (Questura) on your behalf. You receive an appointment at the Questura for biometrics.
The permesso takes 2 to 4 months to arrive after your Questura appointment. Your post office receipt (ricevuta) serves as your legal proof of pending status in the meantime — keep this document safe. You can legally work, open a bank account, and continue studying on this receipt.
Days 7 to 14 — Bank account
Your DSU scholarship stipend is paid into an Italian bank account. You cannot receive it without one. Open your account as soon as you have your codice fiscale and enrollment certificate.
Two options that work well for international students: Hype (a digital bank that opens in 10 minutes via app, no Italian documents required beyond codice fiscale) or a traditional bank branch (UniCredit, Intesa Sanpaolo — takes longer but offers full services). For scholarship receipt, either works.
You will need for the bank account: your passport, your codice fiscale, your enrollment certificate, and your Italian address. The Hype app is the fastest route if you need an account urgently.
Days 10 to 20 — DSU scholarship application
This is your most important administrative task, and it is time-sensitive. The DSU bando — the scholarship competition notice — has a specific application window. In most regions this opens in July or August, but late applicants who arrive in September may still be within the window. Check the specific deadline for your regional DSU authority immediately on arrival.
To apply, you typically need: your ISEE Parificato (prepared before departure — if you did not prepare this before arrival, contact a CAF office in Italy immediately), your enrollment certificate, your Italian bank account details, and your codice fiscale.
Submit the DSU application before the deadline, even if some documents are still being processed. A late application is a missed application — the system closes on deadline, not when your documents are ready.
Days 15 to 30 — SIM card, health registration, and practical settling
An Italian SIM card is essential — your phone will be your primary interface with Italian administrative systems, many of which use SMS verification. TIM, Vodafone, and Iliad all have affordable student plans. Iliad is popular for its straightforward pricing and no-contract structure.
Register with a local GP (medico di base) through your ASL — the local health authority. As a scholarship student, you are entitled to the Italian national health service. Registration gives you access to GP visits, prescriptions, and specialist referrals at no cost or minimal cost. Do not assume your health insurance covers everything — the national health service registration is separate and important.
The six mistakes that cost students their scholarship
- Missing the DSU application deadline — even by one day. Set a calendar reminder for the closing date the week you arrive.
- Not preparing the ISEE Parificato before departure — the CAF process takes time even in Italy. Starting it after arrival creates delays that can push you past the bando deadline.
- Failing to apply for the permesso within 8 working days — creates immigration complications that affect everything else.
- Opening a bank account late — if your stipend instalment arrives before your account is set up, it bounces back to the DSU authority. Getting it re-issued takes months.
- Not getting the enrollment certificate early — required for almost every administrative step. Request it on Day 3 or 4.
- Ignoring the DSU hostel allocation — if you received a hostel allocation, you must accept it within a specific window. Missing the acceptance period can result in the allocation being cancelled, leaving you in private accommodation without the adjustment to your stipend amount.
The university international office is your first stop: Every Italian public university has an international student office (Ufficio Studenti Internazionali or similar). Go there on Day 1 or 2. They know the local processes, know which post offices handle permesso applications, can issue your enrollment certificate quickly, and often run orientation sessions specifically for non-EU students. Use this resource — it exists for you.