“I don't have words”
The day after he collected his visa from VFS Chattogram, Nafis was asked how it felt. He struggled to answer.
“I don't have words to express how I feel about getting the visa, because I was confused about whether I would get it or not.”
That doubt is familiar to almost every applicant. What makes Nafis's story different is where it started: with two of the world's most popular study destinations, and a door that seemed to be closing on both.
Why did Nafis choose Italy over Australia and the USA?
Nafis chose Italy after his research into Australia and the USA left him discouraged about the visa situation there. During that search, a friend pointed him towards Italy. The more he researched, the more he found what he calls strong universities and strong study programmes that many students in Bangladesh still don't know about.
There was a second reason. Italy offered many master's programmes directly related to pharmacy, which meant he wouldn't have to abandon the subject he had already spent years on.
By January 2026, his mind was made up.
Why did he choose the University of Eastern Piedmont?
Nafis chose the University of Eastern Piedmont because its Master's in Medical Biotechnology connects directly to his Bachelor's in Pharmacy.
With his counsellor Mukta Sultana, he applied to several Italian universities, including the University of Pavia. His offer letter, and ultimately his visa, came from the University of Eastern Piedmont.
The programme is a two-year, 120-credit master's taught entirely in English, with classes held in Novara. It builds advanced laboratory skills alongside a solid grounding in molecular biomedicine. Admission requires a bachelor's or master's degree in biology, biotechnology or medical and health sciences, so a pharmacy background fits naturally. The university lists the course as open access with no entry test. Novara sits on the main rail line between Milan and Turin.
See the University of Eastern Piedmont's fees and requirements · University of Pavia
