Recognition of your degree achieved abroad

Foreign students and Italian citizens who have achieved a Degree abroad can apply to have their qualification recognised at the University of Ferrara. A degree achieved in a foreign country can either be fully or partially recognised.

To have your academic qualification recognised

Prior to applying to have their academic qualification recognised, non-EU students have to consult the Italian Embassy in their country to start the pre-enrolment procedures.

Applicants should submit the following documents at the International Office:

  1. Application for degree recognition
  2. Secondary school-leaving diploma along with its certified Italian translation and a “Dichiarazione di Valore” (Certificate of Equivalence of Qualification) stating the student has gone through 12 years of pre-university school attendance (legalised translation and Dichiarazione di Valore);
  3. University degree diploma along with the certified translation into Italian and a "Certificate of Equivalence of Qualification" (legalised translation and Dichiarazione di Valore);
  4. The transcript (listing all the exams taken and passed during the academic years at university, as well as the corresponding university credits and grades)
  5. The syllabus of every course/exam stated in the transcript translated into Italian (an official translation is not required). The syllabus is a short description of all the courses attended at university and must be issued by the university itself and confirmed by the Embassy/Consulate. The syllabus can be submitted in English, French or Spanish. No  other language shall be accepted and therefore must be translated into Italian;
  6. A Diploma Supplement (only for countries where this is issued). This includes a general section and a specific/analytical section that can replace the syllabus.

For non-EU students it is also compulsory to provide:

  •     A pre-enrolment A form;
  • A passport-sized photo certified by the competent Italian Embassy

Recommendations

If applicants cannot go to the Embassy or Consulate in person, it is possible to contact the Diplomatic Authorities in advance and decide upon the appropriate academic qualification recognition application procedures to go through. After having legalised and translated all the qualifications, the Italian Embassy abroad shall be in charge of verifying the validity of the above-mentioned documents and shall send them, together with an official letter, to the designated University.

All the above-mentioned documents must be translated into Italian, legalised and submitted along with the corresponding "Dichiarazione di Valore in Loco " (Certificate of Equivalence of Qualification) which certifies the authenticity and the duration of the pre-university study period.

Pre-academic years

Students who attended fewer years of school prior to attending university have to:

  1.   certify how they completed the remaining one/two years of education at a foreign University in order to meet the 12-year compulsory school attendance requirement. This period shall not be taken into consideration in order to reduce the duration of the students’ degree course in Italy, whereas it shall simply entitle the student to fulfil the 12-year compulsory school attendance requirement, as stated by the Italian Government. Once proof the student actually attended 12 years of compulsory education has been provided, he/she is deemed fit to enrol in the 1st year of this University (Bachelor’s degree courses only);
  2.   achieve an Italian secondary school-leaving diploma.

Those students who achieved both a secondary school-leaving diploma after 10 years’ compulsory education as well as a Bachelor’s degree in their home country shall be taken into consideration as follows:

  1. the University of Ferrara takes into account 2 of the years of University attendance in order to fulfil the 12-year compulsory school attendance requirement; 
  2. moreover, the University of Ferrara may decide to either partially or totally acknowledge the remaining University year in order to reduce the students’ study plan.

Further steps

All categories of citizens (Italian, EU and non-EU) first of all, shall hand all these documents into the International Mobility Office for a preliminary check. The documents shall be then sent to the relative Department via the Registrar’s Office. In the event that the Departmental Board does not allow the full recognition of the degree, the applicant may request for the reduction of the duration of his/her university course.

In order to enrol on any degree course, students have to pass a preliminary test. More specifically, if students choose a degree course subject to limitations, they have to pass an Admission test that shall enable access to said course; if the chosen degree course is not subject to limitations, then students simply need to take a preliminary test aimed at assessing the students' current level of knowledge of their future field of study. Here is the list of UNIFE degree courses that are subject to particular limitations as well as free access degree courses.