CIMEA
The Information Centre on Academic Mobility and Equivalences (CIMEA) is the Italian institution tasked with supporting individuals who need recognition of their educational or academic qualifications. CIMEA’s role is to assist applicants in identifying the steps necessary to obtain recognition of foreign qualifications.
For EU Blue Card applications, the joint circular of 28 March 2024 permits a CIMEA statement of comparability and authenticity as an alternative to the Declaration of Value for higher-education qualifications. This does not replace any separate recognition required to practise a regulated profession.
Recognition of Foreign Educational Qualifications
Educational qualifications obtained abroad do not have legal validity in Italy. Therefore, anyone wishing to use them in Italy to practice a profession, pursue further studies, or participate in a competition must apply for their recognition.
For more information on the various educational pathways offered by Italy for continuing studies, read our article on the Italian education system.
For the equipollenza of a foreign school-leaving qualification, contact the relevant Regional School Office (Ufficio Scolastico Regionale, USR) or its territorial office. Check the office’s current instructions on territorial competence and required documents before submitting the application.
The following eligibility categories apply specifically to the equipollenza of foreign school qualifications, rather than to every form of recognition of foreign qualifications:
- Citizens of EU Member States, including Italian citizens;
- Citizens of states party to the European Economic Area Agreement;
- Citizens of the Swiss Confederation (Switzerland);
- Individuals holding refugee status or subsidiary protection.
Applicants who do not qualify for school-level equipollenza should check whether a purpose-specific recognition procedure is available for their intended use. Eligibility for the underlying procedure, including access to public employment, must be assessed separately.
Recognition of Academic Qualifications
As with educational qualifications, academic qualifications obtained abroad do not have legal validity in Italy. For this reason, their recognition is required for use in certain sectors. The procedure to obtain recognition varies depending on the purpose of the recognition.
The competent authority for purpose-specific recognition (equivalenza) depends on the procedure. For public recruitment competitions covered by Article 38(3) of Legislative Decree No. 165/2001, recognition is handled by the Department for Public Administration with the required approval of the Ministry of Education and Merit or the Ministry of University and Research.
Under the procedure amended in 2025, candidates holding the required foreign qualification are admitted provisionally. Successful candidates must submit the recognition application to the relevant ministry within 15 days of publication of the final ranking, or risk losing their entitlement. This procedure excludes competitions for school teaching staff. Check the competition notice and current official forms.
Academic recognition (Equipollenza): This assessment recognizes the legal validity of the foreign qualification. Italian universities handle this process, which may result in the recognition of equivalence or the acceptance of the qualification to shorten the corresponding Italian study program and obtain an Italian qualification.
Professional recognition: This type of recognition is intended to practice a regulated profession in Italy and is managed by the Ministry responsible for overseeing the profession.
Declaration of Value
A document often required when applying for the recognition of foreign qualifications is the declaration of value, issued by the Italian consular office in a foreign country. It does not constitute recognition of the foreign qualification but serves as an informational document to help officials evaluate the qualification.
The declaration of value includes the following information:
- The nature and level of the institution issuing the foreign qualification;
- The legal duration of the study program;
- The admission requirements for the course;
- Any grades obtained, with reference to the existing grading system;
- The qualification’s value in the country of origin for further studies or, if applicable, for practicing a profession;
- Any other information deemed useful for its evaluation in Italy.
For admission to Italian higher-education courses, check the chosen institution’s requirements before obtaining a DoV or CIMEA documentation. The institution is responsible for assessing the foreign qualification. Applicants who require pre-enrolment for a study visa must use the official Universitaly portal.
For more information, read our article on the declaration of value for educational qualifications in Italy.