Visas

Canadian citizens do not need to apply for a visa to enter the Schengen Area and can stay in the Schengen area for 90 days without a visa. Both the Winter School and the Spring School are shorter than 90 days.

International students, please check whether or not you need a visa to enter the Schengen Area. If you do require a visa here are some tips:

1. Schedule a visa appointment with the Italian Consular Services Branch in Edmonton via the email address visa.edmonton@esteri.it .

2. Contact cortona@ualberta.ca as soon as you book your appointment.

3. Prepare the Application Form and the required documents. You can find these information on their official website:

  • Refer to F1 - Documents required for Tourism for all of the required documents
  • The School in Cortona Administrator will provide you the following required documents:
  • Number 7 - Proof of lodging in Italy
  • Number 9 - Letter from University you are attending

4. Bring the Application Form as well as the list of documents to your appointment at the following address (* You will need to bring in cash or a money order for the payment of your visa):

Consular Services Branch Office-Edmonton
2592 Commerce Place
10155 - 102 Street
Edmonton Alberta T5J 4G8

Tel: (780) 423-5153
Email: edmonton.vancouver@esteri.it

5. After the interview, they will instruct you on mailing your visa application to the Consulate General of Italy in Vancouver for processing. You DO NOT need to travel to Vancouver. Wait for the result. It will take three weeks to process your application. Normally they will mail back your passport in three weeks.

Attending both Winter and Spring terms

While students are welcome to apply for both Winter and Spring terms, the program isn't designed for both terms to be attended in the same calendar year since it exceeds the number of days that non-EU nationals are normally allowed to remain within the Schengen Zone. This applies to both Canadian passport holders and international students on a visa for the duration of the program.

If you are interested in attending both terms, we recommend that you chose to attend the Winter term first and attend a Spring term in the subsequent calendar year.

Please note that since immigration regulations are subject to amendments, students are expected to keep themselves updated on the latest regulations.