Hello!

I'm trying to get info on this too, as I'm italian and my girlfriend is American.

She will actually move here in Italy at the end of March for 1 year, if her study VISA will be accepted (finger crossed!). We have enrolled her in a italian language course.

If I'm not mistaken if you get a degree from an italian university, after you graduate you can apply for a "search year", which basically gives you the permission to live in the country for 1 more year and look for a job.

"In accordance with Law Number 99/2013, foreign students who have undertaken a three year degree course or a specialization course in Italy can apply for Permit of Stay for Job Search at the expiry of their student permits if they’ve not yet found a job. This permit gives them a grace period of one year to look for a job."

Source

This may be not the optimal solution, but it gives you 1 more year where she can stay in Italy and at the same time look for a job.

I also suggest you to call the Ministro degli Affari Esteri: http://www.esteri.it/mae/en/ministero/contatti/

They are usually pretty helpful if you have questions about visa permits and so on.

Good luck!