Foreign university degree for an Italian public competition: equivalence, documents and translations
You do not need academic equipollenza to apply for a concorso. Art. 38, Funzione Pubblica, MUR, the notice and translations.
October 12, 2026 · 3 min
You want to apply for a public competition in Italy with a qualification earned abroad. That is not the same as asking an Italian university for the corresponding Italian degree, nor as having a regulated profession recognised. CIMEA describes non-academic recognition under art. 38 of Legislative Decree 165/2001: it assesses whether the foreign qualification is equivalent to the Italian one required by that notice, without issuing an Italian degree (equipollence).
Which procedure this page covers
If you do not know which procedure you need, start from foreign qualification in Italy: types of recognition. This page covers equivalence for a specific public competition, not academic equipollence or recognition of a regulated profession.
What the notice says (first of all)
The procedure is tied to that competition. CIMEA says you must attach the specific notice. You do not file “a generic equivalence” that works for every competition. MUR states that it does not issue the equivalence decision: it gives a mandatory opinion to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, which adopts the measure. The stated time limit for completion is 150 days, with suspensions if documents are missing.
In the practice described by administrative FAQs: you apply to the competition citing the qualification in the original language and request admission under art. 38; in parallel you send the equivalence request to Funzione Pubblica (and, for academic qualifications, to MUR) with the documents listed on the official form. Always check the text of your notice and the current form.
Documents that usually go in
| Document | Why | Common formalities |
|---|---|---|
| Degree / diploma | Main qualification in the notice | Apostille/legalisation if required + translation |
| Transcript / analytical certificate | Content of the studies | As above, if the administration lists it |
| Study plan | Sometimes to place the degree class | Not always |
| Notice | Identifies the competition | Attached to the equivalence application |
| Identity and, if asked, status | Personal requirements | As the form requires |
Secondary-school diplomas follow a different channel (MIM / school office; professional equivalence for that competition). School diplomas and university degrees are not the same procedure.
Legalisation and translation
Funzione Pubblica forms and competition notices usually call for a translation and, for non-EU records, an Apostille or legalisation. An EU qualification may have different rules; do not generalise. In Italy, when a legal form is required, it is a sworn translation of academic documents.
- General guide: sworn translation of academic documents
- Professional recognition (a different authority): foreign professional qualification
- CIMEA map of the procedures: recognition procedures
Do you need a degree or transcript translated for a competition? Request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Does university equipollence replace art. 38?
They are different routes. Equipollence (academic recognition aimed at an Italian degree) is not the equivalence measure for that competition. CIMEA notes that Law 148/2002 no longer treats equipollence as the only path.
Can I apply while waiting for the decision?
Many notices admit candidates subject to reservation. That is a rule of the notice, not an ItaloDocs guarantee.
