Education & Schools

Enrolling Your Child in Italian Schools: A Step-by-Step Guide

Enrolling your child in an Italian school isn't just filling out a form. There's a specific timeline, required documents, and a process that varies slightly by region. Getting it wrong means delays, stress, and potentially a semester without a school place. Here's exactly what you need to do and when.

The Timeline

School enrollment in Italy follows a strict calendar set by the Ministry of Education (MIUR). Missing the window doesn't necessarily mean your child can't start school, but it does mean fewer choices and more paperwork. Here's what the typical year looks like.

Key Dates

JanuaryOnline registration opens (usually mid-January)
Late JanuaryRegistration deadline (typically 4-week window)
February-MarchSchools confirm placements
June-JulyClass lists published, orientation meetings
SeptemberSchool year begins (usually second week)

Preschool (scuola dell'infanzia) follows a separate process. Registration is usually paper-based, handled directly at the school. Primary and secondary schools use the MIUR online portal. The exact dates shift slightly each year, so check the MIUR website from November onwards.

Moving mid-year? Don't panic. Italian law guarantees every child's right to education. You can enroll at any point during the school year. The process is different (see the mid-year section below), but your child will not be turned away.

Required Documents

Italian schools need documentation that proves your child's identity, health status, and educational history. Gathering these before you leave your home country will save you weeks of frustration.

Document Checklist

☐Codice fiscale for the child (and parents). Get this from the Agenzia delle Entrate or Italian consulate before you move.
☐Passport or identity document for the child.
☐Birth certificate with apostille (Hague Convention) or legalisation. Must be translated into Italian by a certified translator.
☐Vaccination records. Italy requires specific vaccinations for school entry. Bring the original records plus an Italian translation.
☐Previous school records. Report cards, transcripts, or a letter from the school confirming the years completed and subjects studied.
☐Proof of residence in Italy (residency certificate or utility bill). For initial enrollment, a self-declaration of address may suffice.
☐Health insurance documentation. EU citizens: EHIC or TEAM card. Non-EU: private insurance or enrollment in the SSN (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale).
☐Permesso di soggiorno (residence permit) or receipt of application, if applicable to non-EU families.

Vaccinations

Italy mandates 10 vaccinations for school enrollment: polio, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella. If your child's home-country schedule covers these (most UK and US schedules do), you'll need the records translated and presented to the local ASL (health authority) for validation. The ASL issues a certificate confirming compliance.

Translations and Apostilles

Documents issued outside Italy need to be translated by a sworn translator (traduttore giurato) and, for countries that are part of the Hague Convention, apostilled. Get apostilles before leaving your home country. In the UK, this is done through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. In the US, through the Secretary of State's office in the relevant state.

Registration Process

The process differs depending on the level. Primary and secondary schools use the national online system. Preschool is handled directly with the school.

Primary and Secondary (Online)

Get a SPID digital identity. This is required to access the MIUR portal. You'll need an Italian codice fiscale, a valid identity document, and an Italian phone number. SPID can be obtained through providers like PosteID, Aruba, or InfoCert.

Find your school's code. Every Italian school has a unique code (codice meccanografico). You can search for schools in your area on the MIUR "Scuola in Chiaro" portal. Visit the school in person before registering to understand the atmosphere and ask about support for non-Italian-speaking children.

Complete the online form. The MIUR Iscrizioni Online portal opens in January. You'll enter your child's details, your preferences for schedule (tempo pieno or tempo normale), and your ranked school choices. You can list up to three schools.

Submit and wait. You'll receive a confirmation email. Schools typically confirm placements by late February or March. If your first choice is oversubscribed, your application automatically moves to your second choice.

Preschool (Paper-Based)

Preschool registration is handled directly at the school. Visit the segreteria (school office) during the registration period (usually January) with your documents. Some comuni also run their own preschools with a separate application process. Ask at the municipio (town hall) what's available locally.

Practical tip: Visit the school's segreteria in person even before the registration period. Introduce yourself, explain your situation, and ask what they need. Italian school secretaries hold a lot of practical power and local knowledge. Being known to them before registration opens makes the process smoother.

Mid-Year Enrollment

If you're arriving outside the standard registration window, your child can still enroll. Italian law (DPR 394/1999) guarantees the right to education for all children present in Italy, regardless of residency status or time of year. This applies to EU and non-EU families alike.

The process is simpler in some ways: you go directly to the school, present your documents, and the head teacher (dirigente scolastico) places your child in the appropriate year group. Placement is based on age, not assessed ability. A child who was in Year 5 in the UK will typically enter quinta elementare, regardless of their Italian level.

What to Expect with Mid-Year Entry

Your child will likely be placed based on age, not academic level
There's no formal language assessment before placement
The school may request a PDP (Piano Didattico Personalizzato) to support your child's transition
Teachers will adapt expectations while your child acquires Italian
It's common for children to feel lost initially but this passes faster than parents expect

One advantage of mid-year enrollment: you can visit schools while they're in session. This gives you a real sense of the school's atmosphere, the teachers, and how they handle non-Italian-speaking students. It's far more informative than visiting an empty building during summer.

Practical Tips

Before You Enroll

Get the codice fiscale for your child as early as possible. Many steps require it.
Start the SPID process before the registration window opens. It can take days to activate.
Have all documents translated and apostilled before leaving your home country.
Visit the ASL early to get vaccination records validated. Bring originals and translations.
Talk to other expat parents in your area. Local Facebook groups and forums are genuinely useful for school recommendations.

Italian School Vocabulary

IscrizioneEnrollment/registration
SegreteriaSchool office/administration
Dirigente scolasticoHead teacher/principal
Tempo pienoFull-time schedule (with lunch)
Tempo normaleStandard schedule (morning only)
Codice meccanograficoSchool's unique identification code
PagellaReport card

Setting Expectations

The first term will be hard. Your child will be tired, possibly frustrated, and may resist going to school. This is normal. Most expat parents report a turning point somewhere between the second and fourth month, when their child starts understanding enough to follow along and makes their first real friendship.

Resist the urge to intervene too quickly. Pulling a child out at the first sign of struggle often makes things worse. Schools have more experience with non-Italian-speaking children than you might expect, particularly in areas with established expat communities.

School enrollment is one of the most practical topics we cover during the retreat. We connect you with families who've been through it recently and professionals who can answer your specific questions about schools in the area you're considering.

Read: Understanding the Italian School System Read: Language Integration for Children