Recognition of foreign academic qualifications and exams

Recognition of foreign qualifications
Studiare-estero

Qualifications obtained abroad are not automatically valid in Italy, but are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Each university decides whether to recognise exams taken in foreign universities or foreign qualifications, for the purposes of admission, furthering studies and achieving Italian qualifications.

The recognition of foreign academic qualifications for other purposes, such as participation in public competitions or access to regulated professions, shall be obtained from other public administrations.

For more information on the recognition procedure, please visit the website of Cimea, the national information centre for the recognition of qualifications obtained abroad.

Notice

The Regulations on the recognition of foreign degrees and transfer of credits earned abroad is available in appendix 2 of the new Student regulations. Please read them carefully before applying.

Attention

In case a foreign qualification is obtained after studies mainly carried out in Italy, the recognition, even partial, of this qualification is subject to the accreditation procedure of the institution operating in Italy, as established by Decree n. 214 of April 26 2004, “Regulation containing criteria and procedures for foreign higher education institutions operating in Italy for the purpose of recognising their qualifications (implementation of Article 4 of Law No. 148 of 11 July 2002)”, in implementation of Article VI.5 of the Lisbon Convention.

Attention - test results

The test for the validation of the degree in Medicine and Surgery obtained abroad will take place on Wednesday 13th September 2023 at 08:30 in room 201 of the Educational Sector of Via Festa del Perdono 3 - Milan.

How to claim recognition

If you want to enrol with the University of Milan, you need not submit a special application for recognition: your university degree will be assessed during the admission procedure. The recognition of any exams taken abroad may be requested during the enrolment procedure.

If you wish to have your university degree assessed to obtain the same Italian qualification, you have to submit an Application for recognition, together with the documents listed below from 2 April to 30 June of each year.

For Medicine and Surgery applications are open from 1 June to 31 July.

Non-European citizens residing abroad have to access the Universitaly portal in order to fill in the relative "pre-enrolment application" online. The subsequent pre-enrolment phases must be completed at the relevant Diplomatic-consular missions for the purpose of obtaining the study visa. 

Special cases

Medicine and Surgery, Dental Medicine, Veterinary Medicine

The recognition of degrees in Medicine and Surgery, Dental Medicine, Veterinary Medicine is subject to an ad hoc test. As they are nationally planned programmes, enrolment is also subject to the availability of places for the last year of the course.

Health professions

Recognition of health professions degrees is subject to admission. To register for the admission test, see the procedures and deadlines in the call for applications. Qualifications obtained more than 3 or 5 years ago cannot be recognized (for more information see the Study Programme).

Pharmacy

Under no circumstances careers with exams passed 10 years ago or more will be recognised.

Law

Only credits relating to exams taken in the 8 academic years preceding the application for recognition may be recognised.

Economics & Management, Medical Biotechnology and International Relations

The recognition of bachelor degrees in Economics & Management, Medical Biotechnology and master degree in International Relations is subject to admission. To register for the admission test, see the procedures and deadlines in the call for applications.

Admission to years subsequent to the first into a programme with limited access is conditional upon the availability of places in the programme.

Documents to be submitted

The application for recognition of a foreign qualification addressed to the University of Milan must state the degree programme for which you claim recognition. Please attach the following documents:

  1. high school diploma;
  2. legalized University degree, translated officially in Italian and with Dichiarazione di Valore or Statement of comparability issued by CIMEA (for recognition of a Master's Degree, attach also the first cycle Degree);
  3. official certificate issued by the foreign university listing the exams taken with corresponding marks, credits/hours and exam dates, translated and certified (for recognition of a Master's Degree, attach also the transcript related to the first cycle Degree);
  4. detailed syllabuses for exams taken, on headed paper and with a stamp of the university of origin, with translations (not required for Medicine, Dental Medicine and Law);
  5. receipt of payment for recognition that has to be made through the online service Gestione pagamenti by selecting Contributi per prestazioni d'ufficio > Contributo riconoscimento titolo estero;
  6. valid identity document;
  7. tax code;
  8. residence permit (ONLY for non-EU citizens).

The high school diploma, university statement and syllabuses (points 1, 3, 4) are also accepted in French, English, German and Spanish (unless otherwise indicated for individual programmes).

The certified translation of the university degree and the related statement of validity can be replaced by the Diploma Supplement issued by the universities of countries belonging to the European Higher Education Area.

How we assess foreign qualifications

If there are bilateral agreements for the mutual recognition of academic qualifications (eg Italy/Austria), the equivalence of qualifications is automatically recognized upon completing administrative checks of documents submitted.

Failing bilateral or specific agreements, the competent academic authority will assess the exams taken abroad and, if there are no substantial differences, may approve, within 90 days from the date of receipt of the application:

  1.  the total recognition of the qualification (also known as “equipollence”), following which the equivalent Italian qualification will be issued. It will only be granted where the foreign educational pathway is entirely congruent with the one needed to earn the equivalent Italian degree.
  2.  the partial recognition of the qualification, resulting in the possibility of enrolling in a given year of the corresponding Italian programme (shorter programme). In this case, you can enrol in the chosen programme according to the deadlines and requirements for the current academic year, take pending exams and obtain your degree.
Riconoscimento della precedente carriera universitaria estera

Gli studenti che si immatricolano all’Università degli studi di Milano, e sono già in possesso di una laurea o hanno frequentato un’università estera e vogliono ottenere il riconoscimento degli esami sostenuti, possono presentare domanda per la valutazione della precedente carriera universitaria, esclusivamente entro i 3 mesi successivi all’immatricolazione.

Lo studente che non dichiara entro i termini suddetti di volere il riconoscimento degli esami della carriera precedente non potrà più farne richiesta in seguito.

La domanda di riconoscimento dovrà essere inviata tramite Informastudenti, categoria International, allegando:

  1. Modulo per istanza
  2. certificato rilasciato dall'Ateneo estero attestante l'elenco degli esami sostenuti nel corso di laurea (con relativi voti, crediti/ore e data di sostenimento), tradotto e legalizzato;
  3. programmi didattici dettagliati degli esami sostenuti, su carta intestata e con timbro dell'Università di provenienza, con traduzione.

Nel caso in cui l’ammissione all’università estera sia avvenuta in seguito a un periodo scolastico inferiore ai 12 anni, non potranno essere considerati gli esami sostenuti durante gli anni necessari a raggiungere il requisito minimo di ammissione alle università italiane, cioè i 12 anni di scolarità.

La carriera pregressa estera per cui si richiede il riconoscimento deve essere stata frequentata presso un’università o altra istituzione di livello universitario che appartenga ufficialmente al sistema educativo di riferimento.