Study in Italy with the IB Diploma
This guide explains how the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma is used for university admission in Italy, using only official public sources. It is written exclusively for IB Diploma students and IB Coordinators.
Last updated for the 2027 intake
Recognition
How Italy Recognizes the IB Diploma
Italy accepts the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma for access to higher education if it meets the conditions set by the Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR) in its procedures for international students, which cover 2026–27 and 2027–28:
- At least 24 points in six subjects, 12 of them at Higher Level
- Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and CAS passed
- The IB started after the second-to-last year of secondary school (the 11th year in a 12-year school system)
IB Diploma Programme Course Results do not give access. Each university decides on admission itself and relies on CIMEA, the Italian ENIC-NARIC centre, to verify foreign diplomas, including the IB.
Maturità Exemption
Do IB Students Need the Italian Maturità?
No.
IB students do not need to obtain the Italian Maturità (Esame di Stato). An IB Diploma that meets the MUR conditions gives access to Italian higher education on its own.
Diplomas from IB schools in Italy on the Ministry of Education's list under Law 738/1986 are equivalent to the Italian school-leaving diploma.
Admission System
University Admission System in Italy
Italy does not use a centralized points-based admission system.
There is no national IB score conversion table equivalent to Spain's 14-point scale.
Admission decisions are made per university and per program, based on:
Non-EU students who need a visa pre-enrol through Universitaly. Each university sets how many places it reserves for them and its own pre-enrolment dates.
Entrance Exams
Entrance Exams and Restricted Programs
Yes, some programs require entrance exams, even for IB students.
Nationally restricted programs (corsi ad accesso programmato) include:
Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine (taught in Italian)
Open first semester (semestre aperto): you enrol, then pass national exams in Biology, Chemistry and biochemistry, and Physics to continue
Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine (taught in English)
National admission test (IMAT)
Architecture
Admission test set in each university's call for applications
Primary Education Sciences
Admission test set in each university's call for applications
The Medicine reform (Law 26/2025) replaced the old national entrance test for Italian-taught courses from 2025–26. These requirements apply regardless of holding an IB Diploma.
Language Requirements
Language Requirements for IB Students
Yes, your language level is checked for every course.
Italian-taught programs
Each university tests your Italian at B2 or higher. A recognised Italian certificate at B2 or above exempts you from the test.
English-taught programs
No Italian test, but you need a certificate in the language of the course
The required level and the accepted certificates are set by each university.
Official Sources
- MUR — Procedures for international students (PDF, in Italian)
- Individual university admission pages
University Types
Public vs Private Universities for IB Students
Public Universities
- Diploma recognition required
- Entrance exams for restricted programs
- Language level checked for every course
Source: Universitaly — Procedures for international students (in Italian)
Private Universities
- Independent admission procedures
- The same MUR rules on foreign diplomas
- Program-specific selection criteria
Documentation
CIMEA Verification and Required Documents
For the IB Diploma, the MUR procedures tell universities to ask for CIMEA documents instead of a Dichiarazione di valore.
Typical documents:
- IB Diploma (IB Diploma Programme Course Results do not give access)
- Attestato di Corrispondenza for your IB Diploma, free from CIMEA's ARDI platform
- CIMEA verification of your IB Diploma (attestato di verifica)
- Passport or ID
- Proof of language level: Italian at B2 or higher for courses taught in Italian, or a certificate in the language of the course
Timeline
Application Timeline
The main steps for 2027–28 entry, from the MUR procedures and the 2026 calendar:
Before you apply
Check that your IB Diploma meets the Italian conditions: at least 24 points in six subjects, 12 of them at Higher Level, with TOK, the Extended Essay and CAS passed.
Dates set by each university
Non-EU applicants who need a visa pre-enrol through Universitaly. Each university sets its own pre-enrolment dates and publishes them on its website.
July–September
Restricted programs. In 2026, registration for the Italian-taught semestre aperto ran from 13 July to 3 August, and the English-taught admission test (IMAT) was held at the end of September. The 2027 dates are not yet published.
By 31 October 2027
Last day to apply for a study visa for 2027–28 courses. Universities may set earlier dates.
Source: Universitaly — Procedures for international students (in Italian)
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions (IB Only)
Are predicted IB grades accepted in Italy?
Universities assess applications themselves, so ask each one whether it accepts predicted grades. Access itself depends on the final IB Diploma: CIMEA verifies the Diploma only once it has been awarded and meets the Italian conditions.
Source: MUR — Procedures for international students, Annex 1 (PDF, in Italian)
Can IB students study Medicine in Italy?
Yes. Italian-taught Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine now start with an open first semester (semestre aperto): you enrol, then pass national exams in Biology, Chemistry and biochemistry, and Physics to continue. English-taught programs use a national admission test (IMAT).
Source: MUR — Registration opens for the semestre aperto 2026–27 (in Italian)
Is Italian mandatory for all programs?
No. For courses taught in Italian, each university tests your Italian at level B2 or higher, unless you are exempt, for example with a recognised B2 certificate. For courses taught in another language, you show a certificate in that language instead.
Source: MUR — Procedures for international students (PDF, in Italian)
Is CIMEA mandatory for IB students?
Yes, in practice. For the IB Diploma, the MUR procedures tell universities to ask for the Attestato di Corrispondenza, which is free on CIMEA's ARDI platform, and CIMEA's verification, instead of a Dichiarazione di valore.
Source: MUR — Procedures for international students, Annex 1 (PDF, in Italian)
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