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Recognition of foreign qualifications

How to get recognition in Italy of a qualification from a foreign university.

Foreword

If you have earned a degree abroad and wish to have it recognised in Italy, you must apply to different administrations depending on the purpose for which you are seeking recognition.
Please visit CIMEA's website to find out which category you fall into (academic, non-academic, professional):

  • if you need an academic recognition of your qualification, please apply to an Italian university;
  • if you need a non-academic or professional recognition of your qualification (eg to enter an open competition or practise a regulated profession), please apply to the administrations listed on the CIMEA website.

Full academic recognition to obtain an Italian university qualification

This process is within the competence of the University of Bologna.

Bachelor's and Master's degrees (first and second cycle studies)

What full academic recognition means

Full recognition of a foreign academic qualification is aimed at obtaining an Italian university qualification: it is the analytical recognition of a qualification obtained abroad, the contents of which must fully and accurately match those of the Italian qualification for which recognition is being requested.

If you earned an academic qualification abroad

  • issued by a university or other university-level institution belonging to the official education system of the country concerned, and
  • which concludes the first or second cycle (Bachelor’s or Master’s degree) and allows admission to the next cycle of studies in the system of reference,

you can apply for full recognition at an Italian university.

Application assessment at the University of Bologna

The Degree Programme Board is the body that assesses applications for recognition of foreign qualifications.

If there are no bilateral agreements between two countries concerning mutual recognition of qualifications, your application for recognition may end with:

  •  full recognition of your qualification and issuing of the equivalent Italian qualification (such cases are extremely rare);
  • a denial of recognition if the Board finds shortcomings: in this case, you can enrol in the degree programme you are interested in by following the standard admission procedures and apply to shorten the degree programme.

If bilateral agreements are in place establishing mutual recognition of qualifications (for example between Italy and Austria), once administrative checks on the documents have been completed, the Board approves the recognition and then issues the corresponding Italian qualification.

How to apply at the University of Bologna

To apply for recognition:

  • search in the programme list of the University of Bologna, in the academic year in which you submit your application for recognition, for a degree programme which, by nature and in terms of level and content, corresponds to the qualification you have and for which you are requesting recognition. You cannot apply for recognition for degree programmes that have not yet been activated until the last year of the degree programme;
  • you have to know the language (Italian or English) that the degree programme is taught in at the University of Bologna at least at B2 level;
  • for degree programmes with restricted access at a national level, please contact the Student administration office first.

You can submit your application at any time of the year. Fill in the application form for recognition of foreign qualifications [.pdf 223 KB] and submit it:

  • if you are an EU or non-EU equivalent student, to the Student Administration Office that manages the degree programme for which you are requesting recognition;
  • if you are a non-EU student and are resident abroad, via the Italian diplomatic representation in your country, which will send it to the Student Administration Office in charge of that degree programme.

Please note that the Degree Programme Board must also assess the qualification immediately preceding the one for which you are requesting recognition (secondary school diploma if you are requesting recognition for a Bachelor’s degree; Bachelor’s degree if you are requesting recognition for a Master’s degree). Carefully read the page Translation, authenticity and value of foreign qualifications and attach to your application:

  • a copy of your passport or, only for EU students, of your identity card;
  • only for non-EU students with EU equivalent status: a copy of your residence permit providing the status of EU equivalent student;
  • a passport size photo, which must be certified if you do not submit your application in person;
  • if you are applying for recognition of a first cycle or single cycle qualification: the original foreign secondary school diploma and foreign academic qualification and their translation, with confirmation of authenticity and documents concerning their value;
  • if you are applying for recognition of a second cycle degree: the original foreign academic first and second cycle degree qualifications and their translation, with confirmation of authenticity and declaration of value;
  • an original certificate listing all exams passed, translated and with confirmation of authenticity for each academic qualification submitted;
  • the official syllabi of all the learning activities you completed to obtain the foreign academic qualification, translated into Italian. The syllabi must be accompanied by a declaration of the issuing institution, confirming their authenticity and that they correspond to the activities you completed: this declaration must be attached to the syllabi, specifying the total number of pages. It must be signed and stamped and must include a confirmation of authenticity; alternatively, each page must be stamped, signed and it must include a confirmation of authenticity;
  • information on the grading system adopted at the university where the academic qualification in question was earned and for which you are applying for recognition. This information may already be contained in your exam certificates or in the Diploma Supplement. If not, you can hand over the relevant documents without having to complete any formalities (such as printing the web page of the university where you earned the degree);
  • the documents required to prove knowledge of the language (Italian or English) in which the degree programme is taught at the University of Bologna (see below).

Language proficiency

For degree programmes taught in Italian, you can submit one of the following certificates/qualifications: 

  • Italian Language competence certificates corresponding at least to level B2 as determined by the Council of Europe, issued as part of the CLIQ (Certificazione Lingua Italiana di Qualità) quality system: CELI B2 (Università per Stranieri di Perugia), CILS B2 (Università per Stranieri di Siena), PLIDA B2 (Società Dante Alighieri), CERT.IT B2 (Università Roma Tre);
  • “Diploma di I o II grado in Lingua e Cultura italiana” awarded by the “Università per Stranieri di Siena” or “Attestato di conoscenza della Lingua e Cultura italiana” corresponding to levels C1 or C2 awarded by the “Università per Stranieri di Perugia”;
  • a 5-year or 4-year secondary school diploma received from an Italian school abroad;
  • one of the secondary school leaving qualifications listed in Annex 2 of the Ministerial Memo for A.Y. 2024/25 (in Italian), where it is expressly stated that exemption from the Italian test for admission to the degree programmes is allowed;
  • a certificate supplementing the middle school diploma obtained in Argentina, certifying that the study plan included Italian language lessons for at least 5 years;
  • a secondary school diploma or academic degree of the Italian educational system, taught in Italian. 

Alternatively, you can take an Italian language test for admission to the degree programmes of the University of Bologna.

For degree programmes taught in English, to demonstrate your knowledge of English for admission to the degree programme you are requesting recognition for, please refer to the procedures established for the current year. See the Admission section on the website of the degree programme you are requesting recognition for.

Application fee

To start the recognition process, payment of a €600 fee is required: the recognition process starts on the date the University of Bologna receives the payment.

The fee is always due and is not refundable, whatever the outcome of the process. We recommend that you first contact the degree programme offices (Degree Programme Office or Degree Programme Tutor) for information on recognition.

To pay the application fee please:

  • register on Studenti Online and select “Admission application”
  • select “Other qualification” and “Riconoscimenti ed equipollenze titoli accademici conseguiti all'estero”
  • enter the data of the foreign qualification you are requesting recognition for and other required information
  • make the payment.

CONTACT
Student Administration Offices
International Desk: internationaldesk@unibo.it

PhD degrees (third cycle studies)

What academic recognition of a foreign PhD qualification means

The academic recognition of a foreign PhD degree is aimed at obtaining the corresponding Italian degree, having legal value in Italy. 
The recognition process consists in the analytical verification of the PhD qualification obtained abroad: its contents must fully and accurately match those of the Italian qualification for which recognition is being requested in terms of duration, nature, quality of the scientific research and awarding modality.
If you have obtained a PhD abroad, either in an EU or non-EU country, you can directly apply for recognition at an Italian university.
If you have already obtained the academic recognition of a foreign PhD degree by an Italian university, you cannot request it again.

Application assessment at the University of Bologna

The Academic Board of the PhD programme is in charge of the recognition of PhD degrees obtained abroad. The procedure will last a maximum of 90 days. The academic recognition of your foreign PhD qualification will be issued by Rector Decree.
In case of one or more substantial differences between the foreign PhD degree and the corresponding one at the University of Bologna, the recognition will be denied.

Academic recognition "sub condicione" (with the provision of additional training and research activities to be carried out by the applicant) is not possible. To be admitted to a PhD programme at the University of Bologna you can apply for a position according to our calls for applications.

How to apply at the University of Bologna

To submit your recognition request:

  • check the PhD programme catalogue at the University of Bologna and find the PhD programme corresponding in terms of name, duration, nature and quality of research to the qualification you hold and for which you are requesting recognition. Please check with the PhD Unit that the PhD programme you have selected is running up to its last year;
  • pay the fee according to the instructions provided below;
  • e-mail to the PhD Unit the application form for the recognition of the foreign PhD degree [.pdf 216 KB], completed and signed, with the relevant attachments.

You can send your application at any time of the year.

Please note that the Academic Board of the PhD programme must also assess the qualification immediately preceding the one for which you are requesting recognition (ie, Master’s degree).
Please read carefully the webpage Translation, authenticity and value of foreign qualifications and attach to your application:

  • a copy of your passport or – only for EU citizens – your identity card;
  • final diploma and its official translation in Italian or English. If the documents are written in English, translation is not required. The foreign PhD degree must be issued by an official Higher Education Institution. Furthermore, it must correspond to a third cycle degree according to the Qualifications Framework of the Bologna Process and to level 8 according to the European Qualifications Framework – EQF;
  • statement/certification by the foreign institution that issued the PhD degree declaring the duration of the programme (number of years), the content of the training and research activities carried out for the awarding of the degree. Diploma supplement if available;
  • document stating the authenticity of the foreign PhD qualification (one of the following options):
    - "Statement of Verification" by an ENIC-NARIC centre (eg, CIMEA)
    - authentication by the Italian embassy/consulate in the country where the qualification was awarded
    - Apostille (if the country where you obtained your qualification is part of the Hague Convention);
  • document concerning the value of the foreign PhD qualification (one of the following options):
    - "Statement of Comparability" by an ENIC-NARIC centre (eg, CIMEA)
    - Diploma Supplement based on the European Commission standards
    - "declaration of value" by the Italian embassy/consulate in the country where the qualification was awarded
  • PDF copy of your PhD dissertation with the e-mail of the office to be contacted for further verification and/or the link to the online repository of the university or library where the official thesis is published and available for consultation. The above mentioned thesis must be submitted in its original language and legally translated in Italian or English; if the original thesis is written in English, translation is not required;
  • qualification immediately preceding the one for which you are requesting recognition (ie, Master’s degree). The final diploma and list of exams must be officially translated in Italian or English. If the documents are in English, an official translation is not required. The documents must be provided along with the declaration of authenticity and the declaration of value, as explained above;
  • any other relevant documents, such as your CV, in Italian or English.

Application fee

To start the recognition process you will have to pay a €1.016 fee. The fee is always due and is not refundable, whatever the outcome of the process. For any questions, please get in touch with the PhD Unit.

To pay the application fee please:

  • register on Studenti Online and select “Admission application”
  • select “Other qualification” and “Riconoscimento accademico titoli di dottorato conseguiti all'estero”
  • enter the data of the foreign qualification you are requesting recognition for and other required information
  • make the payment.

CONTACT
PhD Unit: 

FURTHER INFORMATION
Academic recognition - Italian Ministry for University and Research (in Italian)
CIMEA guidelines (in Italian) 

Non-academic recognition to take part in assistant professor competitions in Italy

This process is within the competence of the Italian Ministry of University and Research.

PhD degrees (third cycle studies)

If you have obtained a PhD abroad and want to take part in a competition for a position as assistant professor at a public university or research organisation in Italy for which a PhD is required, you will have to apply for recognition to the Italian Ministry of University and Research. You can email the application form [.pdf 98 KB] (in Italian), completed and signed, to dginternazionalizzazione@pec.mur.gov.it.

Please attach the apostille of the Hague Convention to:

  • Master's certificate with examination list
  • PhD certificate
  • PhD academic certificate stating both the institution at which you attended the PhD programme and the method of attendance (full or part time, online or in person); if the foreign institution does not issue the certification of attendance in person/online, when you send your application you can authorise MUR to acquire the information directly from the institution concerned.

Please note that:

  • MUR will first assess the applications of candidates who have already won an assistant professor competition; if this is your case, please attach the relevant documents;
  • the recognition of your PhD degree can be used for any assistant professor competitions you wish to take part in.