Someone you know has left or is planning to leave. 1,000 Ways To Japa will speak to real people and explore the infinite number of reasons and paths they use to get to Japa
Arike had dreams of pursuing a degree in the U.S, but after multiple rejections, that dream slowly faded. In this story, she shares how she ended up studying for free in Italy after receiving a scholarship.
Where do you currently live, and when did you move out of Nigeria?
I live in Italy and I moved out of Nigeria in October 2022.
Italy is so random. How did you end up there?
I’ve been passionate about studying abroad since I was an undergraduate student at the University of Ilorin. In my final year, I dreamed of moving to the United States. I researched schools, but I couldn’t secure funding.
In 2020, I got in touch with an American professor who showed interest in supervising me. But when COVID hit, he suddenly stopped responding to my emails. I never found out why, so that opportunity just disappeared.
By 2021, I was still focused on the U.S until I came across the University of Padua in Italy. They didn’t have the exact course I wanted, but they had a closely related program. I checked their requirements, liked what I saw, and decided to apply. That’s how Italy came into the picture. It was the result of a random Google search.
What was the application process like?
First, I checked the requirements and made sure I had everything—a statement of purpose, CV, international passport, and other documents. Like most Italian universities, the University of Padua’s website is easy to navigate, so I did the whole thing myself without an agent.
I started the online application, uploaded my documents, and received a notification within 24 hours that my application had passed the first evaluation stage.
When my admission came five weeks later, I discovered I had been offered the International Excellence Scholarship, a merit-based award. You don’t apply separately; everyone is automatically considered. Those with the highest academic achievements are awarded the scholarship. I was lucky enough to be granted it.
Was it a full scholarship?
Yes. It covered tuition fees completely, and I got about €8,000 for living expenses. So I only had to fund my travel to Italy and have some cash for initial expenses before the scholarship fund came in.
What do tuition fees usually look like for those who don’t get a scholarship?
At my school, it’s around €2,700–€3,000 per academic year, depending on the course. Some universities in Italy are even cheaper, like the University of Pisa, where some programs cost about €300 a year, and others range from €700 to €1,000. Generally, tuition in Italy can be anywhere from €300 to €3,000 a year.
That’s insane. What’s it like getting a student visa for Italy from Nigeria?
People say it’s hard, but I think it’s more accurate to say it’s not straightforward than hard. You just have to understand the process.
First, proof of funds is very strict. For a one-year program, you need about €6,000–€7,000 in your account. For a two-year master’s, that’s about €14,000. And Italy isn’t like the UK, where you can borrow money for proof of funds; the source matters. They’ll want to know your sponsor, why they’re sponsoring you, and whether the funds are sustainable.
The embassy mainly recognises parents or spouses as sponsors. Relatives like uncles can only be co-sponsors, unless they’ve been your legal guardian.
Another key thing is that before applying for the visa, you must pre-enrol at Universitaly, the central platform for all Italian universities. You authenticate your documents at the Ministry of Education (for educational documents) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (for others, like birth certificates). Then, you translate them into Italian using an embassy-recognised translator and finally legalise them at the Italian consulate in Lagos or Abuja.
Once all that is done, you submit your visa application with the authenticated, translated, and legalised documents. The visa processing time is officially up to 90 days. Sometimes they give a pre-rejection notice if something is missing or unclear, giving you 10 days to fix it before they officially reject it.
Got it. So, what’s studying in Italy like for you?
At first, it was challenging because of the language barrier. Although my course is taught in English, outside the classroom, everyone speaks Italian. Even people who understand English will say, “Sorry, I don’t speak English,” in perfect English!
If you plan to stay long-term, I’d advise learning the language. It makes getting jobs much easier.
Community-wise, I’ve been lucky. There’s a group called Nigerian Scholars in Italy that supports new students. I’ve met amazing people, so I haven’t had major issues besides the language barrier.
Also, Italy is great for travel. If you have a student permit, you can visit other parts of Europe without booking flights for every trip. The education system is flexible; you can retake exams up to three times a year, which helps you improve your grades.
Are there many Nigerians in Italy?
Yes, especially in cities like Padua, Naples (which is like the Lagos of Italy), Rome, and Bologna. Many Nigerians came through the sea route in the past, but now the student community is growing fast, and people realise it is a better way to move here.
Do you see yourself staying in Italy for the long term?
I planned to use Italy as a stepping stone to the US. But after living here, travelling across Europe, and doing internships, I’ve changed my mind. I like Europe and prefer to stay here.
On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you in Italy?
I’d say eight out of ten. The economy is way better than Nigeria’s, but the language barrier still affects my communication and career opportunities.
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