International students who are asylum seekers can now enrol at the Alma Mater

International students seeking asylum may now enrol in single course units at the University of Bologna and benefit from total exemption from fees for the academic year 2015/2016. The measure was approved today by the Academic Senate of the Alma Mater, for students who are political refugees or requesting international or humanitarian protection.

Alessandra Scagliarini, Vice Chancellor for international relations at the University of Bologna explains that "This decision embraces the European Commission's invitation for the development of integration opportunities for students who have been forced to suspend their education because they have fled from persecution or war zones".

Under this new provision enrolment in single course units of the Alma Mater is now possible not only for students with a "political asylum" or "humanitarian asylum" residence permit, but also for those students awaiting the granting of a political asylum residence permit or similar, upon presentation of a Degree certificate (or transcript).

On this occasion the Academic Senate has also approved the establishment of five scholarships to the value of 8,000 Euros for students who have been granted international or humanitarian protection and who enrol at the University of Bologna in the academic year 2016/2017.

From next January, all eleven of the University's schools shall work towardsfacilitating access for students awaiting the granting of asylum to single learning activities at the University and the International Desk of the International Relations Division shall organise a series of orientation activities. New students shall also have the chance to enrol free of charge at Italian courses held at the University Language centre.