1. Be an official second-cycle qualification (for example, a Master’s degree or Laurea Magistrale) of the relevant national education system, awarded by an official institution* of that system.
   
   * A university or institution is official when it is that is accredited or officially recognised in the country awarding the qualification. If you earned your degree at a branch campus or foreign university located outside its home country, the campus must be recognized or accredited in the country where it is physically located. 
    
2. Qualify you for entry to a comparable third-cycle programme (such as a Ph.D.) in the relevant foreign education system. 
    
3. Match the requirements for to enter a “Master universitario di II livello” in Italy, i.e.: 
   • Be an academic degree. 
   • Include research contentelements. 
   • Have the same programme length (minimum 2 years and 120 ECTS credits) 
   • Count the same years of schooling (usually 17 years in total)  

By when must I obtain my undergraduate degree? 

• EU citizens: You must have your degree before the start of the programme. 
• Non-EU citizens: You must obtain your degree at least two months before the programme starts. 

• A 2nd Level Specialising Master requires you to have already completed a Master’s degree (or Laurea Magistrale), not just a Bachelor’s degree. 
   
• It prepares students for highly specialised, advanced professional roles and requires a higher level of prior study than 1st level specialising masters (Master Universitario di primo livello) or the Master of Science (Laurea Magistrale). 
   
• Your qualification must be at the level required for Ph.D. access in Italy. 

• Uiversità Cattolica will review your academic records to check if your degree qualifies you for admission. 
   
• Each university in Italydecides the set of documents needed for evaluation and sets its own specific rules for admission. 
   
• Your enrolment will only be confirmed after the Admissions Office verifies that your qualification is valid. 

• If the country awarding your diploma/degree signed the Lisbon Convention, use the ARDI database to check if your qualification meets the Italian requirements to enter a Master Universitario di II livello. 
   
• If your diploma is not listed, we encourage you to submit your application after you have carefully checked both the general and the programme-specific entry requirements.