Recognition of a foreign doctoral degree

On this page, you will find all the information and instructions required to apply for academic recognition of a doctoral degree (PhD) awarded by a foreign institution, in compliance with Law no. 15/2022.

Recognition grants the foreign qualification the same legal status as the corresponding Italian degree, making it valid also for participation in public recruitment processes.

BEFORE APPLYING

Essential requirement: matching ERC sectors

The University of Milano-Bicocca can only proceed with recognition if the foreign doctoral degree falls under an ERC (European Research Council) sector for which the University has an active PhD program. This ensures a direct comparison of the study program, both in terms of program type and disciplinary field.

Please consult the updated list of ERC sectors covered by our University’s PhD programmes to check the compatibility of your degree.

Lists of ERC sectors

Required documentation for the online application

Before starting the online application, please ensure you have the following documents ready in digital format.

Documents are accepted in Italian or English. For documentation in other languages, a translation into Italian or English must be provided.

Important note: To ensure your documents are processed correctly, please rename the files prior to uploading, following the numbering indicated in the table below:

Mandatory documents

File names
  1. Copy of the official foreign doctoral degree corresponding to the third cycle according to the Qualifications Framework of the Bologna Process and level 8 according to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), awarded by an official foreign higher education institution.

“1_Titolo_Dottorato.pdf,”
  1. Statement/certificate issued by the competent foreign higher education institution attesting to the components and activities of the PhD program completed to obtain the final qualification, as well as the duration of the program in years. If the foreign system provides a Diploma Supplement for doctoral studies, it should be attached.

“2_Diploma_Supplement.pdf “

(or ” 2_Attestazione_Percorso.pdf”)
  1. Copy of the PhD thesis completed and/or web address (URL) of the university repository or library where the approved thesis is archived and available for consultation. 

“3_Tesi.pdf”
  1. Copy of the Italian or foreign second-cycle degree (Master's degree) that granted access to the foreign doctoral program.

“4_Laurea_Magistrale.pdf”
  1. Curriculum Vitae

“5_CV.pdf”

Additional documents:

  • If available, Statement of Comparability, Statemenet of Verification issued by the Italian ENIC-NARIC center (CIMEA), or certification issued by official foreign authorities, or a Declaration of Value (Dichiarazione di valore in loco), where issued by the competent diplomatic-consular representation.
  • Legalisation of documents (such as the Hague Apostille).
  • Any translations into Italian or English of the mandatory documents.
  • Any other relevant documentation (e.g., recommendation letters / reference letters)..

 

SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION

To apply for recognition, please follow the steps outlined below carefully.

Step 1: Complete the online application

The application must be submitted through the online system. While filling out the form, you will be required to enter your personal details and upload all the necessary documentation in digital format (see above).

Step 2: Complete the payment

The required fee for the procedure is €516 (€500 fee + €16 duty stamp). Payment must be made exclusively via the PagoPA system, accessible upon completing the online application (Step 1).

Step 3: Finalise the application via email (mandatory action)

After completing the online application and payment, your request is not yet complete.

To officialise your application, you must send an email to [email protected], including:

  1. Subject line: Istanza riconoscimento dottorato estero  First Name Last Name
  2. Payment receipt.
  3. Tax Code (Codice Fiscale).
  4. Copy of a valid identity document.
  5. Consent Letter, duly completed and signed: download the Consent Letter form here.
  6. Email address of the administrative office of the foreign university that awarded the doctoral degree, required for subsequent verification.

Please note: The verification and evaluation of your file will begin only after receiving this email complete with all the required items.

 

Click here to submit your application

APPLICATION VERIFICATION AND EVALUATION

Administrative Verification

The Doctoral School Sector:

  • checks the formal completeness of the application and requests any necessary supplementary documentation from the applicant;
  • requests confirmation of the degree from the administrative office of the foreign university that awarded the qualification.

If the documentation is incomplete and is not supplemented within the required timeframe, the procedure will be terminated. The fee paid is non-refundable.

Substantive  Evaluation

Following the evaluation by the designated Committee, the procedure concludes with a Rectoral Decree granting:

  • recognition in Italy of the foreign PhD degree;
  • refusal of recognition, in the event of a "substantial difference" (differenza sostanziale) compared to the corresponding Italian degree.

Timeline

The procedure is concluded within 90 days from receipt of the complete application (or from receipt of any requested supplementary documentation).

COMMITTEE

The Committee for the evaluation of the recognition of PhD degrees awarded abroad is appointed by Rectoral Decree, upon proposal of the Board of the Doctoral School.

It is composed of five full members and at least two alternate members, chosen — where possible — from representatives of the various disciplinary and research fields of UNIMIB PhD programs, ensuring compliance with the quota reserving at least one-third of the positions for women.

The Committee serves a three-year term, and its mandate is renewable

by Scuola di dottorato, last updated on 30/10/2026