Foreign educational qualifications are not automatically recognised in Italy. Non-Italian citizens interested in obtaining recognition of the equal value and utility (“equivalence”) of their foreign educational qualifications (obtained in officially recognised teaching establishments) with the correspondent Italian qualifications, can apply through the Consulate Student Office. Italian citizens must, on the other hand, apply to an official Italian Education Office, but only after having applied for a “Statement of Equal Value” from the Consulate Student Office.
Once school certificates obtained abroad have been declared equivalent to the Italian qualifications of corresponding value (lower secondary school diploma, upper secondary school diploma or university degree), they have legal value in Italy. This means, for example, that a person with Italian citizenship has the right to take part in competitions announced by Italy’s public administration.
The documents to be presented to the Consulate in order to request the Statement of Equal Value and the Equivalence of Academic Qualifications are:
- original or duly certified diploma or degree endorsed with the seal or embossing stamp of the school or university, and signed in legible fashion by the responsible official;
- an exact translation of the document in Italian that is in conformity with the original. The translation can be carried out by the person concerned or by a translator; the Consulate can reserve the right to approve the translations produced by the applicant.