Semester and One Year Programs

GENERAL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

1.1 IED admission requirements for international students
In order to be eligible for admission to an IED Semester and One Year programme in English leading to a Certificate awarded by the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) International Students must:
1) hold a foreign school leaving qualification that satisfies the requirements to enter a university education in the awarding country;
2) be proficient in English;
3) comply with IED pre-enrolment and admission procedures;
4) be 18 years old.

1.2 Language requirements
IED believes that the 5.5 IELTS (68 TOEFL IBT or equivalent) proficiency target level should be reached by all international students, at the latest, before the beginning of the program.

There are two ways for an applicant to prove that he/she has the necessary language proficiency and learning capacity:
a. present a language proficiency certificate issued by authorized institutions;
b. in case of absence of a certificate, take the online Language Assessment Test.
The Language Assessment Test will evaluate the feasibility of the above opportunity and the amount of academic
debits, if any, that the students will have to fill prior to the beginning of the IED Program:
1. Level 5.5 IELTS or higher, student will be directly accepted;
2. Level 5.0 IELTS, students will have to pass the motivational interview AND take a language course to upgrade their level of proficiency.
If you have any questions regarding your eligibility and/or language entry requirements, please don’t hesitate to contact us at admissions@ied.edu

2. IED ADMISSION AND ENROLMENT PROCESS
The Admission and Enrolment process foresees four steps to be completed  30 days prior to the beginning of the program.
The four admission steps are the following:
1) Pre-enrolment process
2) Personal Admission test interview
3) Enrolment confirmation process
4) Matriculation process
To comply with its strict level of quality, and in order to guarantee the effective interaction among teaching staff and
students, IED has a restricted number of available places to its semester and one year programs. To be assured of having a place in the course the applicants will have to complete the enrolment process as specified in point 2.3.

2.1 Pre-enrolment process
To gain admission to the selected IED semester program students must comply with the Pre-enrollment procedures and send the following documents:
a. the admission form and the registration request forms for the Admission Test Interview, which can be downloaded from the web page of the selected Program at www.ied.edu, completely filled out and duly signed;
b. the approval declaration form of Consensus to the personal data treatment according to the Privacy law 196/2003, disclaimer for free services, which is part of the pre-enrolment form, completely filled out and duly signed.
c. the Letter of motivation in English;
d. the supporting Portfolio of max 8MB (compulsory only for Milan Fall semester programs);
e. a copy of the Passport or (for EU citizens only) ID;
f. a copy of the Certificate of Proficiency in English, if available, in compliance with language requirements of the course (if not available the student will have to take the Language Assessment Test);
g. a copy of high school Diploma Translated in Italian or English;
h. a copy of Curriculum Vitae (Resume);
i. a copy of University Transcripts Translated in Italian or English (only if applicants are University students or graduates, and for all Florence 2014 programs). Specific program requirements can be found in the program brochure on the webpage of the selected Program at www.ied.edu.

The pre-admission documents must be sent to the following e-mail address admissions@ied.edu.
The above procedure allows the student to apply for the IED Admission Test Interview.

2.2 THE ADMISSION TEST INTERVIEW
IED welcomes applications from all prospective students and wishes to accept students with the best potential, irrespective of their background. The purpose of the admission interview is to understand the student’s motivation and attitudes in undertaking the chosen IED program and their level of comprehension of the language in which it is delivered.
A strong motivation and strong awareness of the IED program contents are the best guarantee that thestudents will get the most out of their IED experience.

2.2.1 The Admission Test Interview Procedure
Once the Admission forms and documents have been received and checked by IED, applicants will be allowed to undertake the Admission Test Interview.
In order to facilitate the admission process for international students, IED offers the possibility to go through the whole admission test interview process (including the personal motivation interview and the language proficiency test) on-line using SKYPE as a platform. For this test a PC with Webcam, microphone, headset and speaker, a fast Internet connection (minimum ADSL 4Mb) and a Skype account are required. An on-site interview can be organized in special cases if the students are in Italy.

The dates and time of the interview will be jointly agreed directly with IED international admission office.
Please note:
Students who are unable to participate to the test interview on the time and day originally booked with the Admission office must give IED written notice of this at least three days before the date in question, by e-mail to admissions@ied.edu. If this is not done, a new admission test interview request must be sent and a fee of €150 will be charged in order to book a new interview.

Applicants who do not pass the Admission test interview, can repeat the test up to two more times at no extra cost.
The Admission Test Interview consists of:
a. motivational interview;
b. language assessment test (only for the students without a language certificate)

2.2.2 The Motivational Interview
The motivational Interview aims at evaluating the student’s general cultural level in connection with attitudes, motivations and knowledge of the arts, design, communication and new technologies. During the interview, applicants have the opportunity to show what their academic expectations are and how they think they can contribute to the success of the course they have selected. The lack of specific preparation in some of the above subjects, due to students different educational background, will not result in prejudice to the final admission, on condition that the motivational attitude tested throughout the interview has been evaluated positively.

The motivational interview is based on:
a) a motivation letter: it will be the major topic of the interview and of the language assessment test, therefore students should explain the reasons that drove them to select the course they want to be admitted to, the contribution they think they can bring to the success of this course and what they expect from their experience at IED. Without this document the Admission Test Interview cannot be booked.
b) a supporting digital portfolio (when compulsory): IED invites applicants to submit a portfolio, when available, which may include drawings/illustrations, computer graphics projects, photos, research projects/dissertation projects on relevant topics, videos and any documentation regarding the applicant’s own hobbies/interests etc with a maximum size of 8MB. The works should provide indications of the applicant’s creative potential and, if possible, give some insight into the chosen area of study. If a proper portfolio is not available, the examination board would be glad to see a collection of works done in the past.

2.2.3 The Language Assessment test
The Language Assessment Test aims at evaluating the language proficiency of the students and their capacity to reach the minimum levels required at the beginning of the program. The on-line English assessment test is carried out through Skype conference with one of IED language professors.
The language test lasts 20 minutes and comprises a series of questions divided into three categories:
– basic questions about the applicant everyday and motivation;
– intermediate questions that call for a concept or an idea to be developed and a case made for it;
– complex questions that call for abstract concepts to be developed and an explanation about a selected topic.

If you have any questions regarding the Admission Test Interview process, please don’t hesitate to contact us at admissions@ied.edu.

2.3. Enrolment confirmation

2.3.1. After the Admission Test Interview
Once students have passed the admission interview, they will receive from IED:
a. a Certificate of Admission;
b. the Enrolment Contract Form for the Semester or One Year program, which enables them to demonstrate to the Italian Diplomatic Authorities that they have passed the Admission Interview and have complied with the admission conditions to IED courses and to the pre-enrolment conditions set by the Italian Institutions;
c. the IED General conditions and regulations;

This will complete the admission phase, but will not guarantee the enrolment in the course.
To be assured of having a place in the course the applicants will have to complete the enrolment process by returning the Enrolment Contract Form duly filled and signed, pay the Enrolment Fee, the Admission Test Interview fee and send it with a copy of payment receipt by mail to admissions@ied.edu or by fax to +39 02 5468517. The criterion used to determine the completion of the enrolment process is the submission date of the payment.

Please note:
If the student completes the enrolment process within 30 days from the mailing date of the Certificate of Admission, the Admission Test Interview fee of 150€ will not be charged.
Once IED has received the enrolment contract and a proof of payment of the enrolment fee, it will send the applicant an Enrolment Certificate, which confirms the enrolment in the course. This certificate is necessary for applying to the Italian Embassy or Consulate for a Student Visa.

2.3.2. VISA Process

NON-European Union Citizens
Applicants from outside the EU must apply for a student visa at the nearest Italian Embassy or Consulate prior to leaving their home country. Applicants should be prepared to submit the following documents in their original form (no photocopies are accepted):
a. a valid passport;
b. the Enrolment Certificate from IED;
c. proof of sufficient funds to support their stay in Italy (bank documentation is required in some countries);
d. evidence of private health insurance;
e. declaration of the availability in Italy of appropriate lodgings as well as the funds necessary for repatriation, to be demonstrated in the form of a return airline ticket.

European Union Citizens
EU citizens do not need a student visa to enter Italy. However, when they stay in Italy for a period of more than 3 months, the law requires to register at the local registry office (in Italian: Anagrafe), which requires:
a. a valid passport or Identification Document;
b. the Enrolment certificate from IED;
c. evidence of private health insurance, covering all medical expenses in Italy;
d. proof of available means of support (Euro 5.424,90) through a self-declaration (form Euro 1)

All international students starting a long course at IED are strongly recommended to register to the Italian Public Health Service as it is a necessary condition for registering with a local doctor.

Please note:
Students are advised to contact as soon as possible the Italian Diplomatic Authorities in their countries for further information on the VISA and language issues, as requirements are often subject to change. Since this process can take one month or more, applicants should ensure that all the procedures are started in good time. For detailed information:www.esteri.it/visti/index_eng.asp

IED recommends students to apply for a multi-entry Schengen Visa whenever possible. If you have any questions regarding the VISA process, please don’t hesitate to contact us at admissions@ied.edu.

2.4 Matriculation

Finally to complete matriculation in the chosen IED program, students must proceed to:
a. the payment of the tuition fee with a single payment no later than 30 days prior to the beginning of the program;
b. (Non-EU Students only) the application for a residence permit (Permesso di soggiorno): to be requested through the Italian Post Office within 8 days from the arrival in Italy.
To complete matriculation IED must receive from the student all the required documents.

3. RECOMMENDED TIMING
Enrolment for the One Year and Spring Semester Programs starts in July and ends in January.
Enrolment for the Fall Semester Programs starts in January and ends in August.
International students, particularly from NON-EU countries, are strongly advised to send all documentation and start the admission process no later than 90 days prior to the start of the Program.

4. ENROLMENT AND TUITION FEES
Fee structure (Enrolment Fee, Admission Test Interview Fee and Tuition Fee) can be found in the pre-enrolment form downloadable in the selected Course page.
The Language Prerequisite course fee, if requested, is not included in the above mentioned fees. The Admission Test Interview fee €150 will not be charged if the student completes the enrolment process within 30 days from the mailing of the Certificate of Admission.

5. REIMBURSEMENTS
IED will refund the Enrolment Fee only if NON-EU visa application is refused (letter of refusal to be provided as evidence).
Withdrawal from courses follows IED General Conditions and Regulations, that can be downloaded from the website.