How ApplyAZ Gets Paid (and Why It Matters)
ApplyAZ is paid by students and their families, never by universities: here is what you pay for, when you pay and how refunds work.
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Less than 2 minutes
Limited intake, 1:1 support
international students trusted us
universities only, where study can be tuition-free for eligible students
English-taught programmes
Italian regions covered
ApplyAZ is paid by the students it helps and their families. No university pays us, public or private. This page explains who pays whom in the study abroad industry, what you pay ApplyAZ for, when you pay and how refunds work.
Why students choose ApplyAZ: evidence you can watch
Our independence is a statement about how ApplyAZ operates. The student videos show what our support felt like in practice. A Pavia student describes honest course guidance and attention to application costs; a Bologna student and her family describe help with documents and questions; and a Naples Federico II student explains support with rescheduling an interview. Watch their own words and decide which kind of support matters to your plans.
In short
- ApplyAZ takes no commission from any university: students and their families pay our fees.
- The eligibility check is free, and we assess whether a suitable study route in Italy is realistic for each student.
- The next step is a 30-minute consultation, refunded if you don't find it useful. Its price varies by country and degree.
- After that, you pay step by step as results arrive: a starting fee, then our admission, DSU and visa fees.
- If you get no admission, we refund your starting fee. Terms apply, and you see them in writing before you begin.
The first step costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Check your eligibility before you think about fees.
Who pays study abroad agents?
Some study abroad agents are paid a commission by universities for each student they send. In that model, the agent's income depends on where the student enrols. ApplyAZ works the other way round. We work only with Italian public universities, take no commission from any university and are paid by students and their families.
Source for ApplyAZ's model: our How it works and About pages. Verified on 25 September 2026.
Why does it matter who pays the adviser?
It matters because an adviser's income can shape their advice. An adviser paid per student by a university has a reason to recommend that university, whether or not it suits you. An adviser paid by the student has no reason to prefer one university over another, so the shortlist can follow your profile.
That is also why we focus on public universities. They are where study can be tuition-free for eligible students, depending on family income and each region's rules. Our guide on how to choose a study in Italy consultant shows how to test any adviser on this point.
What does the student pay ApplyAZ for?
You pay for expert work on your own file, from the consultation to your arrival in Italy. The consultation gives you a straight answer about your chances. After it, you receive your personalised Italy Roadmap: realistic universities, admission strategy, DSU pathway and visa steps. If you ask us to handle your file, the full service covers the rest.
In detail, the full service includes:
- a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at public universities, each with a DSU scholarship path
- your CV in a European format and a statement of purpose tailored to each programme
- your applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment
- your DSU scholarship application
- your visa file, appointment booking and interview preparation
- guidance on housing, your residence permit and arrival in Italy
- a named person responsible for each stage
We operate across every Italian region, because each region sets its own rules and deadlines. That matters most for the DSU scholarship, where the rules differ from one region to the next. See how it works for the full sequence.
When do you pay ApplyAZ?
You pay step by step, as results arrive. After the consultation, you pay a starting fee when you join. Then come our admission fee once you're admitted, our DSU fee when your scholarship application is submitted and our visa fee at the visa stage. You see each fee in writing before you pay it.
Source: ApplyAZ's How it works page. Terms apply, and you see them in writing before you begin. Verified on 25 September 2026.
Our fees follow results, but no fee buys a result. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa. Parents are welcome in the consultation and see the same roadmap and fees in writing.
Why is there no single ApplyAZ price?
Our fees are not the same for every student, so this page explains them without figures. The consultation price varies by country and by the degree you plan to study. The later fees depend on the service you choose, and you see each one in writing before you pay it.
What is free at ApplyAZ?
The eligibility check at go.applyaz.com is free, and every student starts there. In under two minutes it tells you honestly whether an Italian public university fits your profile, with no pressure to continue. We never ask for your phone number or email before the check.
Our guides on this site are free too, including this one and the ApplyAZ Code of Practice.
Check your eligibility before you pay anyone for anything.
When is applying alone the better choice?
Applying alone can be the better choice when you are organised and confident, and your case is simple. That might mean one or two programmes, clear documents and a region whose scholarship rules you already understand. If your profile is strong, the roadmap from your consultation may be all you need, and we will say so.
Working directly from each university's admission pages, Universitaly and your region's DSU call costs no adviser fees. What you save in fees, you pay in time. You also carry the risk of missing a region's rules or deadlines yourself.
How do refunds work at ApplyAZ?
ApplyAZ has three published refund rules. If you don't find your consultation useful, we refund it. If you get no admission, we refund your starting fee. If your visa is refused because of a mistake on our side, we refund our visa fee.
Terms apply, and you see them in writing before you begin. Ask your Italy expert how they apply to your file before you commit.
The first step is free. Check your eligibility, and decide about a consultation afterwards.
Independent advice includes explaining exceptions
ApplyAZ has no private-university tie-ups and receives no university commissions. Students and families pay for advice and application support; universities do not pay us to recommend them. Public universities remain our main focus.
A selected exception can still serve the student. IULM is a private university with DSU support and tuition exemptions or refunds for eligible students under its published rules. Those benefits depend on the applicable financial, enrolment and merit requirements. ApplyAZ has no tie-up with IULM and receives no commission from it. Read the IULM student experience and how this exception is assessed.
Frequently asked questions
Is ApplyAZ paid by universities?
No. Universities never pay ApplyAZ, and we take no commission from any university, public or private. Our fees come from students and their families. Some agents are paid by universities for each student they send, so their income depends on where you enrol, while ours does not.
Is the ApplyAZ eligibility check free?
Yes. The eligibility check at go.applyaz.com is free, and every student starts there. In under two minutes it tells you honestly whether an Italian public university fits your profile, with no pressure to continue. We never ask for your phone number or email before the check.
How much does an ApplyAZ consultation cost?
The consultation price varies by country and by the degree you plan to study, so we do not quote one figure here. You see the price before you pay, and we refund it if you don't find the consultation useful. It lasts 30 minutes on Zoom, parents are welcome, and your personalised Italy Roadmap follows it.
When do I pay ApplyAZ's fees?
You pay step by step, as results arrive. After the consultation comes a starting fee when you join, then our admission fee once you're admitted. Our DSU fee follows when your scholarship application is submitted, and our visa fee at the visa stage. You see each fee in writing before you pay it.
Can I get a refund?
In three published cases. We refund your consultation if you don't find it useful, and your starting fee if you get no admission. If your visa is refused because of a mistake on our side, we refund our visa fee. Terms apply, and you see them in writing before you begin.
Why pay an adviser instead of using a commission-funded agent?
An agent paid by universities for each student they send earns more when you enrol where they are paid. When you pay the adviser yourself, the advice works for you alone. ApplyAZ is paid by students and their families and focuses on public universities. There, study can be tuition-free for eligible students, depending on family income and regional rules.
When should I apply without ApplyAZ?
Apply on your own when you are organised and your case is simple. That might mean one or two programmes, clear documents and scholarship rules you already understand. If your profile is strong, the roadmap from your consultation may be all you need to apply through Universitaly, and we will say so.
What does the ApplyAZ fee cover?
The full service starts with a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at public universities. It then covers your CV, tailored statements of purpose, applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, your DSU scholarship application, your visa file and guidance on arrival. A named person handles each stage, and we work across every Italian region.
Where they're studying now
Students who started exactly where you are
English-taught programmes that can be tuition-free for eligible students, and the DSU grant landing in their account every year. The funding mechanics are identical at every Italian public university: the same ISEE Parificato, the same regional bando, the same ranking. Only the authority and the dates change.
They began right where you are
Now they're studying at Italian public universities, where a degree can be tuition-free for eligible students, with DSU scholarships of up to about €8,250 a year for students living away from home, depending on the region.
