Students who want to enrol at an Italian university with a foreign qualification do not need to have it recognised as equivalent to an Italian title. They need the university to declare that the qualification gives access to the programme they have chosen: a bachelor’s programme for a school-leaving diploma, a master’s programme for a bachelor’s degree, a doctorate for a master’s degree. This is the equivalence procedure under article 2 of Law 148 of 2002, decided by each university within its autonomy. It does not confer legal value on the foreign qualification and it is far quicker than academic recognition, which makes it the standard route for international students and for Italians who studied abroad.
What the university assesses
For admission to a first-cycle programme the university verifies that the foreign school-leaving qualification is official in its system, that it was obtained after at least twelve years of schooling, that the applicant passed the national or final examination where the system of origin provides one, and that the qualification gives access to university in the country of origin. Students whose schooling lasted less than twelve years make up the difference with one or two years of university studies in their country or with a foundation course. For admission to a master’s programme or a doctorate the university verifies that the bachelor’s or master’s degree was awarded by an officially recognised institution, that in its own system it gives access to the next cycle, and that its content corresponds to the Italian degree required for admission, which may involve a check of the examinations passed and of the credits earned in specific subject areas.
Equivalence of periods of study
The same procedure allows a student who completed part of a programme abroad to have that period recognised as if it had been completed in Italy, with the corresponding credits. This is the mechanism behind exchange programmes such as Erasmus+ and the bilateral agreements between universities, and it also serves students who interrupted their studies abroad and want to continue them in Italy at the same level. The university compares the examinations passed abroad with those of its own programme and admits the student to the appropriate year.
How the procedure works
Non-EU students residing abroad apply through the Universitaly portal for pre-enrolment, which is also the basis for the student visa, and then to the university. EU students and non-EU students already residing in Italy apply directly to the university, within the deadlines each university publishes, usually between spring and summer for the following academic year. Programmes with restricted access add an admission test. The university’s decision is communicated with the admission and is valid for that university and that programme: a student who later changes university repeats the assessment, although the documents already prepared are reused.
Documents
The qualification, legalised with an apostille or by the Italian consulate; the transcript of records or the school record of the final years; the Dichiarazione di valore issued by the Italian representation in the country of study or, as most universities now accept, the CIMEA statements of comparability and verification; proof of the right to access university in the country of origin where the system requires an entrance test, such as the Chinese gaokao or the Iranian konkur; a language certificate in Italian or English according to the language of the programme; and sworn translations of every document not in Italian. The firm prepares the translations and legalisations, obtains the CIMEA statements, assists with the Universitaly pre-enrolment and the university application and follows the file until admission, which is also the moment at which the documents for the student visa are checked.
Frequently asked questions
My school system lasts eleven years: can I enrol in an Italian university?
Yes, after completing one year of university studies in your country with the examinations passed, or a foundation course recognised by the Italian university, so as to reach the twelve years required. Some universities offer foundation courses designed for this purpose.
Is equivalence the same as having my degree recognised?
No. Equivalence establishes that your qualification gives access to a programme at a given university. It does not give the qualification legal value in Italy and cannot be used for public competitions or regulated professions, which have their own procedures. If you later need the Italian title itself, academic recognition remains possible.
Do I need the Dichiarazione di valore or is the CIMEA statement enough?
Most Italian universities accept the CIMEA statements of comparability and verification in place of the Dichiarazione di valore, and they can be requested online from anywhere in a few weeks. Some universities and some programmes still require the consular statement. The firm checks the rules of the university before advising which document to request.
Can I enrol in a master’s programme with a three-year bachelor’s degree from the United Kingdom?
Yes. A British bachelor’s degree with honours is a first-cycle qualification giving access to master’s programmes, and Italian universities admit its holders to laurea magistrale programmes subject to the check of curricular requirements in the relevant subject areas, which may lead to the request to pass a few additional examinations before or during the programme.
Do you want to study in Italy with a foreign qualification?
Send us a scan of your diploma or degree and tell us the programme you have chosen: you receive within one working day the documents required, the timing and a written quote.
