CIMEA
The Information Centre on Academic Mobility and Equivalences (CIMEA) is the Italian institution that supports 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.
CIMEA may also, in certain cases, issue an alternative document to the declaration of value for specific purposes, such as Blue Card applications.
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 opportunities offered by Italy to pursue further studies, read our article on the Italian education system.
Those seeking recognition of a diploma obtained at the end of lower secondary education must contact the regional school office responsible for their province of residence. Conversely, those needing recognition of an upper secondary education diploma can approach any regional school office.
Recognition of foreign qualifications can only be requested by adults who fall into one of the following categories:
- Citizens of European Union member states;
- Citizens of states party to the European Economic Area Agreement;
- Citizens of the Swiss Confederation (Switzerland);
- Individuals holding refugee status or subsidiary protection.
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 recognition for specific or non-academic purposes (Equivalenza) is an evaluation that confirms that the foreign qualification is equivalent to an Italian one without granting it legal validity. It is valid only for the specific purpose stated in the application and cannot be used for other purposes. Applications should be submitted to universities or AFAM institutions. Examples of this type of recognition include access to public competitions, registration with employment centers, and assignment of scholarships.
The academic recognition (Equipollenza) is an assessment that 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.
Finally, the professional recognition is a type of recognition 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 more information, read our article on the declaration of value for educational qualifications in Italy.