Study in Italy Consultants in Mumbai (2027/28): Consulate, VFS, Documents and Costs

Written by İrem Yılmaz, Student Experience Lead. Reviewed by Reeya Sharma, Student Success and Partnerships. Published 28 September 2026. Updated 28 September 2026.

In short

• If you are comparing study abroad consultants in Mumbai for Italy, start with the local rule: the Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai decides your visa and DOV, and study visas go in only at VFS Mumbai in Mahalaxmi (or Cochin), by appointment, followed by a mandatory video interview.
• Maharashtra degree documents need attestation by the state Higher and Technical Education Department and an MEA apostille, on paper or online through E-Sanad. The Mumbai consulate refuses SDM attestation.
• A first year for a master's student living in Milan comes to about ₹10.57 lakh to ₹16.86 lakh at 2026/27 figures (€9,674 to €15,434, at the ECB rate of 25 September 2026: 1 EUR = 109.2605 INR). The visa needs proof of €10,179.85 a year.
• ApplyAZ has no office in Mumbai. Students here work online with our team in Milan and India, from the first consultation to the visa file.
• ApplyAZ, an independent study-in-Italy consultancy with offices in Milan and India, works only with Italian public universities and takes no commission from them. For eligible students, we handle the applications, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the DSU scholarship application and the visa file.

Before anyone books a slot at Mahalaxmi, the first step is a check that takes under two minutes. If you are eligible, you book a one-to-one consultation with one of our Italy experts, and from there we take care of everything.

Mumbai key facts for 2027/28

Ten facts decide how an Italian file from Mumbai runs. Four of them sit at addresses in the city itself: the consulate, VFS Mahalaxmi, Uni-Italia and Mantralaya.

Your documents from Maharashtra

For a Mumbai family, the attestation trail starts at Mantralaya. MEA's list of Regional Authentication Centres names the Higher and Technical Education Department there, in the Annex Building, among Maharashtra's authorities. The Mumbai consulate's June 2026 DOV checklist then makes this state attestation mandatory before any apostille.

Your family obtains these papers and their stamps; ApplyAZ never attests or apostilles documents itself. We tell you exactly which documents to get, in which order, and check every page before the visa appointment. Our guides to the DOV for Italy and to choosing between a DOV and a CIMEA statement go deeper.

Your visa from Mumbai

Your study visa goes to the Consulate General in Mumbai through VFS Mahalaxmi, and only the consulate decides it, in up to 90 days. For the full Mumbai checklist read our Italy student visa page for the Mumbai consulate, and for the national rules our Italy student visa guide.

Budget from Mumbai

For a Mumbai family the largest line is rent in Italy, so the city you choose usually moves the total more than tuition does. Fees are 2026/27 figures, the latest published; every other line names its source and year.

Worked example with 2026/27 figures: a master's student from Mumbai at the University of Milan, in an Area B programme, living in Milan for the first 12 months. Tuition is €402, living costs run from €8,160 to €13,920, and health cover, visa, permit, the ₹631 VFS service charge and one flight add about €1,112. The total is €9,674.15 to €15,434.15, about ₹10.57 lakh to ₹16.86 lakh.

The low end sits below the €10,179.85 a year that the visa asks your family to show, so plan savings against the visa figure, not the cheapest budget.

Tuition at public universities depends on family income and regional rules, and can be tuition-free for eligible students. The regional DSU scholarship is separate and can also help with living costs. See the full cost of studying in Italy, how the visa funds rule works and the University of Milan DSU call.

Numbers only help once you know which programmes fit your marks. Check your eligibility first; if you are eligible, one of our Italy experts takes you through a one-to-one consultation, and from there we take care of everything.

Where to start: English-taught programmes by level in our catalogue

Milan, Rome and Bologna, the three cities in the budget table, hold 116 of the English-taught programmes in our catalogue. These are catalogue counts from ApplyAZ's programme database, not national totals and not data about students from Mumbai.

Counted from our catalogue on 28 September 2026, where English-taught means the programme is taught in English only; the nine subjects add up to 500. Italian is not required for these courses: under the MUR circular for 2026/27 and 2027/28, the consulate checks B2 English for English-taught courses at the visa stage, most universities ask for B2 too, and the Italian B2 test applies to Italian-taught courses.

How do I choose between study abroad consultants in Mumbai?

Choose the one whose answers you can check against official pages, whoever pays for the advertising. One test is local: the Mumbai consulate takes study visas only at Mahalaxmi or Cochin since 15 April 2024, so a consultant who books VFS Pune for one has failed already. Our guide on how to choose a study in Italy consultant goes further.

Put these ten questions to any consultant, including us:

1. Who pays you: my family, or the universities you send me to?
2. Are the universities on my list public?
3. Which VFS centre will take my study visa, and how will you prepare me for the video interview?
4. Which authority attests a Maharashtra degree, and will an SDM stamp do? (It will not.)
5. Do I need a DOV or a CIMEA statement, and why?
6. Who is the named person on my file at each stage?
7. Will you promise admission, a scholarship or a visa? (The only honest answer is no.)
8. Will I approve every application before it is submitted?
9. How are your fees paid, and what is refunded if I get no admission?
10. Where is your office, and who actually works on files from Mumbai?

Red flags, whoever you speak to:

• A promise of admission, a scholarship or a visa. The university, the region and the consulate decide those.
• Silence on university commissions, or a shortlist of private colleges only.
• An office address that does not exist when you look for it, or a firm that claims offices it cannot show.
• Figures with no official source or year, such as a stipend or "zero fees" with no call behind it.
• Full payment upfront, before any work is delivered.

Read the ApplyAZ Code of Practice, how ApplyAZ gets paid and our comparison of Italy consultant models before you decide.

How ApplyAZ works with students in Mumbai

A Mumbai student's file with us runs online end to end, because our team works from Milan and India and there is no ApplyAZ office in Mumbai. You start with the eligibility check, which takes under two minutes and asks for no phone number or email first.

If a public university in Italy is realistic for you, you book a 30-minute Zoom consultation with one of our Italy experts; parents are welcome. Its price varies by country and degree, and we refund it if you do not find it useful. If you ask us to handle your file, we shortlist 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at public universities.

From there we prepare your CV in a European format and a statement of purpose for each programme. We handle your applications, Universitaly pre-enrolment and DSU scholarship application. We also build your visa file, book the VFS Mahalaxmi appointment and prepare you for the interview, then give guidance on housing, your residence permit and arrival in Italy.

A named person handles each stage, and you approve every programme before we apply. You pay step by step as results arrive: a starting fee, then our admission, DSU and visa fees. Our fee varies by country and is never shown as one figure; how ApplyAZ gets paid explains each fee and refund.

Which Italian office handles my visa if I live in Mumbai?

The Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai handles it, as long as you live in Maharashtra or another state in its area. Its visa page lists eight states and territories, from Goa to Kerala, and gives its address at 72 G. Deshmukh Marg, Mumbai 400026. The same consulate issues the DOV for your degree.

The Embassy of Italy in New Delhi also lists Lakshadweep under Mumbai. Students living in Mumbai never file with New Delhi, so advice written for Delhi applicants may not fit your file.

Where is the Italy VFS centre for Mumbai students?

It is the VFS Global Italy centre in the Urmi Axis Building at Mahalaxmi (W), Mumbai 400011. Since 15 April 2024 the consulate takes study visas only there or in Cochin, by appointment, so a Pune or Ahmedabad slot will not do. The consulate's study page adds a mandatory video interview after you submit.

The VFS Mumbai page states that the consulate accepts study visas only from students living in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa and Kerala. We book the Mahalaxmi appointment and prepare you for the interview.

How do I get my degree attested in Maharashtra for Italy?

Your degree and marksheets are attested by Maharashtra's Higher and Technical Education Department at Mantralaya, then apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs. The Mumbai consulate's June 2026 checklist calls the state attestation mandatory and refuses SDM stamps. The MEA charges ₹50 per apostille, and documents reach it through its outsourced agencies.

Your family obtains these attestations; we never attest or apostille anything ourselves. Since 1 January 2019 the MEA has run apostille services from branch secretariats in 16 cities, and Mumbai is one of them. We tell you which pages need which stamps before you queue anywhere.

Is E-Sanad accepted for Maharashtra university documents?

Yes, the Mumbai consulate accepts a digital degree attested by the Higher Education Department and apostilled online through E-Sanad. The condition is that the document sits in a digital depository. E-Sanad lists the Maharashtra State Board as an integrated issuer, charges ₹50 per apostille, and DigiLocker shows the University of Mumbai issuing degrees and marksheets.

An E-Sanad apostille does not replace the state attestation: the checklist asks for both. Whether your own college's degree reaches E-Sanad depends on the depository, so we check that before your family starts.

How much does it cost to study in Italy from Mumbai?

Plan on about ₹10.57 lakh to ₹16.86 lakh for a first year in Milan, if you study a master's at the University of Milan and pay its 2026/27 fixed fee for India. That sums tuition, the Politecnico di Milano living-cost ranges, health cover, permit, visa and one flight. The visa still asks for €10,179.85 a year.

Sapienza's own estimate for Rome, €800 to €900 a month, sits inside Milan's range, and Bologna comes close to Milan's low end. The budget table above shows each line with its source and year.

Are there direct flights from Mumbai to Italy?

Not on Air India's Milan route: its Mumbai to Milan page shows no non-stop service and routes every option through Delhi, from AI 9845 at 00:20 to AI 2986 at 22:50. The lowest economy fare it showed on 28 September 2026 was ₹26,213 one way, for 15 October. For Rome, its page lists fares but no schedule.

Mumbai's 2025/26 visa checklist asked for a return booking, or €2,000 on top of the funds, so the ticket belongs in the visa plan. The flight reservation is part of the visa file we prepare with you.

Where can I take IELTS, TOEFL, SAT or GRE in Mumbai?

IELTS runs through IDP in India, and IDP has three Mumbai offices at Andheri, Churchgate and Thane. The College Board finder lists Mumbai SAT centres in JVPD Scheme, Tardeo and Fort for 7 November 2026. ETS offers the GRE and TOEFL iBT at a test centre or at home.

Only 8 of the 500 English-taught programmes in our catalogue list GRE or GMAT among their entry tests, all as optional or alternative routes, so many Mumbai graduates never need either. We tell you which test, if any, your shortlist asks for before you book one.

Can a CIMEA statement replace the DOV for a Mumbai file?

Yes: the consulate issues only DOVs itself, but its June 2026 checklist lets a student choose the CIMEA statement of verification and comparability instead. CIMEA charges €300 per qualification and takes 60 working days, or 30 with a €100 urgent surcharge. A DOV can take up to 90 days.

CIMEA itself says its statement does not establish formal recognition. The choice depends on your dates and your university, and we make it with you; see our DOV guide for Italy.

Do I need a consultant to study in Italy?

No, you can apply alone, and for a simple case that can be the better choice. Pre-enrolment runs only through Universitaly, and Uni-Italia's office inside the Mumbai consulate offers guidance for a fee. A consultant earns their keep when your file mixes several universities, a DSU call and the visa deadline of 31 October 2027.

Applying alone suits an organised student with one or two programmes and clear documents. If one consultation gives you everything you need, we say so, and you can apply alone from there.

Does ApplyAZ have an office in Mumbai?

No: ApplyAZ has offices in Milan and India, but none in Mumbai, and we will not pretend otherwise. Students from Mumbai work with us online, from a 30-minute Zoom consultation to the visa file, while the consulate, VFS Mahalaxmi and Uni-Italia stay local. The About ApplyAZ page explains who we are.

You follow every application live in your ApplyAZ dashboard. A named person on our team handles each stage, so you always know who holds your file.

Reality check

Three different bodies decide your case, and only one of them sits in Mumbai. The Italian university decides admission, the region decides the DSU scholarship and the Consulate General in Mumbai decides the DOV and the visa. Universitaly says a validated pre-enrolment does not ensure an appointment or a visa.

What we control is the work: the shortlist, applications, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the DSU application, and a visa file checked page by page. We never promise an outcome.

The usual Maharashtra mistakes, and what each costs:

• SDM attestation instead of the Higher and Technical Education Department: the consulate refuses it, and a new DOV can take up to 90 days.
• An E-Sanad apostille with no state attestation behind it: the checklist asks for both, so the same restart follows.
• A study visa slot at VFS Pune or Ahmedabad: not accepted for study visas, so you lose the appointment and book Mahalaxmi again.
• Missing the 30-day reply window after an advance notice of refusal: the DOV is refused and the clock starts again.
• A sponsor who is not a parent or legal guardian (under Mumbai's 2025/26 checklist): the funds may not count.
• A budget built on Milan's cheapest figures: at €9,674 it sits below the €10,179.85 the visa asks you to show.
• Lodging in late October 2027: with up to 90 days' processing, classes may start before a decision.

If the Mumbai route looks clear, find out where your marks can take you. Check your eligibility first; if you are eligible, you book a one-to-one consultation with an Italy expert, and from there we take care of everything.

Frequently asked questions

Can I submit my Italian study visa at VFS Pune?

No: since 15 April 2024 the Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai takes study visas only at VFS Mumbai in Mahalaxmi or at VFS Cochin, by prior appointment. VFS Pune and Ahmedabad still accept DOV requests. For a student living in Mumbai, Mahalaxmi is the practical choice, and we book that appointment as part of your visa file.

What is the video interview for a study visa in Mumbai?

It is a mandatory step: the consulate's study page says every student attends a video interview after submitting the visa application at VFS. It publishes neither the format nor the questions, and processing can take up to 90 days from receipt. We prepare you on your own file: course, university, funding and accommodation.

Can I lodge my DOV at Uni-Italia Mumbai?

Yes: the consulate's DOV checklist for 2026/27, revised in June 2026, lists the Uni-Italia office in Mumbai as a submission point, alongside VFS Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Cochin. Uni-Italia sits inside the consulate building on G. Deshmukh Marg and charges for its assistance. We tell you which route suits your timeline.

What happens after an advance notice of refusal on my DOV?

The Mumbai consulate gives you 30 days to answer an advance notice of refusal and fix what it objects to, according to its June 2026 DOV checklist. Missing that window usually means a refusal and a fresh request, which can take up to 90 days again. We answer these notices with you, point by point.

How long does the Mumbai consulate take to decide a study visa?

Up to 90 days from the day the application is received, says the consulate's study page, and longer if it asks for more documents. With the 2027/28 visa deadline on 31 October 2027, an application lodged in late October leaves little margin before classes. We plan your file so it goes in well before then.

How much money must my family show for an Italian study visa?

At least €10,179.85 for each year of study, which is about ₹11.12 lakh, under the ministry circular for 2026/27 and 2027/28. The monthly form is €848.32. Mumbai's latest posted checklist also asked for six months of bank statements stamped by the branch manager and three years of income tax returns.

Is SDM attestation accepted on Maharashtra documents?

No: the Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai states that attestations by a Sub-Divisional Magistrate on study documents will not be accepted. Its June 2026 checklist makes attestation by the competent Higher Education Department mandatory, followed by an apostille. An SDM stamp can cost you a restart and up to 90 days for a new DOV.

Who can sponsor my Italian study visa from Mumbai?

Under Mumbai's 2025/26 checklist, the latest posted at VFS Mumbai, only parents and legal guardians living in India could sponsor a student. The sponsor adds six months of bank statements, an ID proof and a sponsorship letter. The 2026/27 Mumbai edition is not yet posted, so we check the current rule for your file.

Do students from Mumbai pay tuition at Italian public universities?

Often only a small amount: tuition depends on family income and each region's rules, and can be tuition-free for eligible students. Otherwise the University of Milan's 2026/27 fixed total for students from India is €346 or €402, and Politecnico di Milano's full 2026/27 total is €3,943.04 without an ISEE parificato. We check your fee band early.

How many DOV copies does the Mumbai consulate want?

One: the Mumbai DOV checklist for 2026/27 asks for each original document with one black and white photocopy, including digital degrees apostilled through E-Sanad. Other consulates in India set their own copy rules, so a checklist from another city can mislead. We assemble the Mumbai set and check every page before submission.

Sources

• Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai, Visas (jurisdiction, VFS centres, address), undated page, verified 28 September 2026.
• Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai, Study in Italy (study visas at Mumbai and Cochin from 15 April 2024, video interview, 90 days, Uni-Italia), verified 28 September 2026.
• Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai, Requisite documents for DOV for study purposes 2026/2027, revised June 2026, verified 28 September 2026.
• VFS Global, Italy Visa Application Centre Mumbai (address, ₹631 service charge), verified 28 September 2026.
• VFS Global Mumbai, Requisite documents for study visa application 2025/2026 (May 2025; 2026/27 edition pending), verified 28 September 2026.
• Embassy of Italy in New Delhi, Visas (fees, jurisdictions), verified 28 September 2026.
• Universitaly, international students (visa deadlines 2026/27 and 2027/28), verified 28 September 2026.
• MUR circular on international students, valid for 2026/27 and 2027/28 (means of support), verified 28 September 2026.
• Consulate General of Italy in Kolkata, Italian study visa checklist 2026/27 and 2027/28 (monthly means figure), verified 28 September 2026.
• Ministry of External Affairs, Attestation and Apostille (fees, decentralisation from 1 January 2019), verified 28 September 2026.
• Ministry of External Affairs, Regional Authentication Centres list (Maharashtra), verified 28 September 2026.
• E-Sanad, Ministry of External Affairs (depository rule, integrated issuers), verified 28 September 2026.
• DigiLocker, University of Mumbai issuer page, verified 28 September 2026.
• CIMEA, comparability and verification service, verified 28 September 2026.
• Uni-Italia, Where we are (Mumbai office), verified 28 September 2026.
• British Council India, IELTS dates, fees and locations, verified 28 September 2026.
• IDP IELTS India, test centres in Mumbai, verified 28 September 2026.
• College Board, SAT test centre search (7 November 2026 date), verified 28 September 2026.
• ETS, schedule your GRE General Test, verified 28 September 2026.
• ETS India, TOEFL iBT test centres, verified 28 September 2026.
• ETS, TOEFL iBT Home Edition requirements, verified 28 September 2026.
• GMAC, GMAT exam, verified 28 September 2026.
• Air India, Mumbai to Milan flights, verified 28 September 2026.
• Air India, Mumbai to Italy flights (fares shown 28 September 2026), verified 28 September 2026.
• Politecnico di Milano, cost of living, verified 28 September 2026.
• Sapienza University of Rome, International Student Guide (2024 file), verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Bologna, living costs in Bologna, verified 28 September 2026.
• Politecnico di Milano, health insurance (2026), verified 28 September 2026.
• Poste Italiane, residence permit guide, verified 28 September 2026.
• Regione Toscana, residence permit postal costs, verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Milan, fees 2026/2027, verified 28 September 2026.
• University of Milan, country groups for fees 2026/2027 (India in Group A), verified 28 September 2026.
• Politecnico di Milano, student contribution regulation 2026/2027, verified 28 September 2026.
• European Central Bank, euro reference rate for INR, 25 September 2026, verified 28 September 2026.
• ApplyAZ programme catalogue, English-only programmes counted on 28 September 2026.

Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 109.2605 INR, ECB euro reference rate of 25 September 2026. INR figures are rounded.

Every file from Mumbai starts the same way: Check your eligibility. If you are eligible, you book a one-to-one consultation with one of our Italy experts, and from there we take care of everything.

Further reading

• Italy student visa at the Mumbai consulate
• How the DOV for Italy works
• DOV or CIMEA statement: which one you need
• Cost of studying in Italy
• How to pick the best consultancy for Italy
• Study abroad consultants in Pune