Faq - Admission Process

How can I apply?

To be admitted to Italian University students need to have completed at least 12 years of education. Students wishing to attend NABA’s Bachelor of Arts Programs will be required a high school diploma which has to be fully recognised by the Ministry of Education in their country of origin and which allows them to be admitted to university in their home country. The high school diploma must be translated, legalized and be given the value declaration certificate by the Italian Embassy or Consulate in the country of origin. If in doubt regarding the validity of the diploma, please enquire at the Italian authorities in the country of origin or contact the International Relations Office. As a general rule, EU diplomas equivalent to the A-Levels and the International Baccalaureat are accepted titles.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts program

Students willing to start a BA, or a 1-year or a semester course, must be at least 18 years old, must have an high school diploma (awarded after at least 12 years of education). Since the BA programs (as well as the 1-year and the semester programs) are held in Italian, International students are also required at least a basic knowledge of Italian language (for more information about language requirements please see the related FAQ below).

Admission procedure checklist:

1.Fill out the BA application form with full details and send it back to NABA by fax.

2.Payment of the enrolment fee by wire transfer (specifying the cause of payment with your name), send us a copy of the wire transfer by fax.

Please notice that all bank charges are your responsability along with any charges related to the transfer of these funds.

The enrolment fee will only be refunded if visa is rejected and thestudent sends a rejection declaration issued by the Italian Embassy. Please notice that in case the student fulfills the requirements to be refounded for the enrolment fee, the Academy will retain an administrative fee of 150 €.

3.NABA will issue a pre-admission letter for visa purposes and send it to the student by express mail.

Please notice that in some countries, non EU students are requested to pay the entire amount of the 1st year tuition fee (9600 €) in order to receive the visa, in this case please apply the same procedure as explained above but send a unique payment of 9600 €.

4.In case the student is a non EU citizen and will be attending an Italian language course at Leonardo Da Vinci prior to the beginning of the academic year(www.scuolaleonardo.com) please let us know as NABA students are entitled to a special fare when studying Italian at Leonardo Da Vinci School of Italian.

5.Request the admission to NABA through the Italian Embassy or Consulate in your home country between April 15th and May 15th and fill in the forms provided there (Moduli per l’Alta Formazione Artistica e Musicale, according to your status the forms can either be: Modulo A Bis, Modulo B bis, Modulo C bis, Modulo D bis,Modello F bis, Modello G bis, Modello H bis, Modello I bis).
By filling in these forms and submitting either the original or substitute of your high school diploma (if you do not have the original high school diploma in the time frame between April 15th and May 15th than please verify what the deadline is to submit it), you will request to receive the translation, legalization and value declaration certificate (copia autenticata del titolo di studio e relativa traduzione e Dichiarazione di Valore in loco) of your high school diploma. These documents are necessary to formally register the student into the Academy therefore into the Italian University system.


Requirements for the Master of Arts programs

Students willing to start an MA must have an high school diploma (awarded after at least 12 years of education) and a Bachelor of Arts Degree. Both high school diploma and the Bachelor of Arts Degree must be translated into in Italian and be given the value declaration certificate by the Italian consular authorities in the country of origin.

Is there an admission exam?

All students who are willing to enrol in a B.A. Degree Program in NABA must take an admission test which is usually held on the first or second week of October. The admission test lasts three days: during the first two days creativity level is tested through the development of a project. During the third day motivation and knowledge of Italian are tested through an interview.
Students have to pass both tests in order to be accepted.

What kind of degree will I get?

All of the Academy’s three-year courses are fully legally recognised by the Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR). At the end of the academic course, having passed all the necessary exams and having presented a thesis, students are awarded the "Academic Diploma ", legally valid (for state exams, teaching and some professional exams). The Academic Diploma is equivalent in all EU countries to the diploma of HIGHER EDUCATION and to the BACHELOR OF ARTS Honours and gives graduates right of access to the European Degree Courses for the diploma of Master of Arts (M.A. Honours) and also qualifies them to do a PhD in Arts Universities across Europe and in countries outside Europe which have a bilateral agreement with Italy on recognition of academic qualifications.

The Master programs are annual courses for students who wish to acquire a specialized education within a period of intensive studies aimed at gaining experience and relations in the artistic and professional world. It is possible to acquire 60 credits valid for continuing studies in Italy or abroad. The program is also aimed at professionals who wish to give a new stream to their professional career gaining new technical and project skills

The Two-year Master of Arts programs (MA) are intended for students who wish to complete their five-year academic curriculum - diploma program (3+2). The program foresees deep academic content, so theoretical disciplines are followed by intensive project work. It is possible to acquire 120 credits and to receive a diploma equivalent to an MA degree.
The degrees awarded by NABA are equivalent to university degrees and are therefore valid for further studies in the university system in Italy and abroad.

What is the total amount
of Teaching Hours?

The academic year lasts 27 weeks. In each week there are about 25 hours of lectures in class and 5 hours of lectures in a Lab (therefore a more practical training). Each lesson unit lasts 60 minutes. We calculate that each student needs about 10 hours per week to keep up with the academic requirements. Therefore, if we merely calculate the lectures, there are about 810 hours per year, but if we also calculate the individual work required to meet the academic standards, students work for at least 1080 hours per year. In each year students must obtain 60 credits in order to achieve the total amount of 180 credits to obtain the degree.

NABA believes that a combination of lectures and visits to museums, showrooms, studios and industries is the best way to connect with the design world; to learn about what is happening and to get a perspective about the future developments.

What about the academic calendar?

The academic year starts at the beginning of September with a compulsory course of technical Italian followed by a brief introduction course that prepares students for the admission test. The admission test is held around the 3rd/4th week of September. The Christmas break is approximately two weeks, the Easter holiday is one week and there are several other national holidays throughout the year. Final examinations finish by the end of June.
Study Design in Milan