Student Visa D

Hello everyone! Is there any Filipino here who has applied for an Italian student visa with a host sponsor who covered all of their expenses, even though they were not related to the sponsor?

I already have all my documents prepared, but I came across some information on Google saying that the visa may be automatically denied if the sponsor is not a family member or relative.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Were you approved, or did the embassy raise any issues about having a non-relative sponsor?

I would really appreciate any advice or personal experiences. Thank you!