Laurea Degree Evaluation: Italian Diplomas, Grades and Transcripts in the U.S.

Is a three-year Laurea degree equal to a four-year American bachelor's degree? That single question holds up many Italian applications to U.S. graduate schools, employers and USCIS. This guide explains how U.S. evaluators read every Italian credential, from the Diploma di Esame di Stato to the Laurea, the Laurea Magistrale and the Dottorato di Ricerca, and how Italian grades become a U.S. GPA. It is for anyone who studied in Italy and needs a degree evaluation for graduate school, credit transfer, a job, a professional license, an H-1B or EB-2 petition, or military enlistment. MotaWord evaluates Italian credentials for $65 with delivery in 72 hours.

The Italian Education System

Italian schooling lasts 13 years: five years of primary school, three years of lower secondary and five years of upper secondary at a liceo, a technical institute or a vocational institute. Upper secondary school ends with the state exam, and graduates receive the Diploma di Esame di Stato (often still called the maturità), graded out of 100.

Higher education is overseen by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR), and the national agency ANVUR evaluates and accredits universities and programs. Besides universities, Italy has AFAM institutions (fine arts academies and music conservatories), which award their own first- and second-level academic diplomas, and ITS Academies for higher technical training.

Laurea Degree Levels After the Bologna Reform

Italy reorganized its degrees around the Bologna structure in the early 2000s. The main university degrees are:

• Laurea (Laurea Triennale): The first-cycle degree, three years and 180 CFU.
• Laurea Magistrale: The second-cycle degree, two years and 120 CFU after the Laurea.
• Laurea Magistrale a Ciclo Unico: A single long program of five or six years (300 or 360 CFU) in fields such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, law and architecture.
• Dottorato di Ricerca: The research doctorate, usually three years.

The "Master universitario" (first or second level) is a separate postgraduate certificate of at least 60 CFU, not the same as a Laurea Magistrale. Before the reform, Italy awarded a single Laurea of the old system (vecchio ordinamento) after four to six years. One Italian CFU equals one ECTS credit. Read our guide to Bologna Process degrees across Europe.

How Italian Credentials Are Evaluated in the U.S.

An evaluator looks at the level of each credential, its length, its entry requirements, the status of the institution and your results. The guidance below describes how Italian credentials are often treated. The evaluation report decides.

Secondary School Diploma (Maturità)

The upper secondary diploma is usually evaluated as comparable to a U.S. high school diploma. U.S. colleges and the military often ask for this evaluation.

Laurea Triennale and the U.S. Bachelor's Degree

This is the question most Italian graduates ask. A Laurea is a complete first-cycle degree of 180 CFU, and it follows 13 years of school rather than 12. Many evaluators find it comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree, while others describe it as three years of undergraduate study, depending on the program and the purpose. Some U.S. graduate schools accept the Laurea Triennale for master's admission; others prefer a Laurea Magistrale. For USCIS, a three-year degree is sometimes combined with further study or work experience. Read our step-by-step guide to getting your bachelor's degree recognized in the U.S.

Laurea Magistrale and Ciclo Unico Degrees

A Laurea Magistrale after a Laurea, five years in total, is often found comparable to a U.S. master's degree. A Laurea Magistrale a ciclo unico in law or pharmacy is often evaluated at master's or first professional degree level, and the six-year degree in medicine is often compared to a U.S. first professional degree in medicine. An old-system Laurea is evaluated by its length and field, often at bachelor's or master's level. U.S. licensing in medicine, law and similar fields still has its own steps.

Doctorate (Dottorato)

A Dottorato di Ricerca earned after a Laurea Magistrale is usually found comparable to a U.S. doctoral degree. If you are moving into a U.S. PhD program or an advanced degree petition, the details of your master's level study matter. Read how to validate a foreign master's degree for U.S. advanced degree filings. Your thesis and any publications can support that part of your file.

ECTS vs U.S. Credit Hours

Italian credits (CFU) measure total workload: one CFU, like one ECTS credit, represents about 25 hours of lectures, labs, independent study and exams. U.S. credits are based on classroom contact hours per semester. Evaluators often use a ratio of about 2 ECTS to 1 U.S. semester credit as a starting point, then look at the course content.

The final credit count in your report depends on the evaluator's method and the content of each course.

Italian Grading System: From 30 and 110 to a U.S. GPA

Italian universities grade each exam on a 30-point scale. 18/30 is the lowest passing grade and 30/30 is the top grade. 30 e lode means 30 with honors, given for exceptional work. The final degree grade is calculated on a 110-point scale, where 66 is the lowest passing grade and 110/110 e lode means the top grade with honors. In English, "110 e lode" is often described as 110 cum laude.

Online calculators that turn 27/30 into a percentage, or 110/110 into a 4.0, give misleading results. A U.S. GPA is an average of course grades, so evaluators convert each exam grade on your transcript with a scale built for Italian institutions, and they do not use the final 110 score alone. To turn your Italian grades into a U.S. GPA, you need a course-by-course evaluation. See how a course-by-course evaluation converts Italian grades to a U.S. GPA.

General vs Course-by-Course Evaluation

• General (Document-by-Document) Evaluation: States the U.S. equivalent of each degree. It is usually enough for USCIS petitions and most employers.
• Course-by-Course Evaluation: Lists every course with U.S. credits and grades and calculates a U.S. GPA. Most U.S. graduate programs, credit transfer offices and many licensing boards ask for it.

A Dottorato is evaluated with a general report, because a research doctorate usually has little or no coursework.

Documents You Need for an Italian Degree Evaluation

Prepare clear scans or photos of:

• Your transcript with every exam, CFU and grade (certificato di laurea con esami, or certificato degli esami sostenuti)
• Your degree certificate or diploma (Diploma di Laurea or certificato di laurea)
• Your Diploma Supplement, which many Italian universities issue in English
• Your Diploma di Esame di Stato, if you need a high school or college admission evaluation
• Certified English translations of every document in Italian

Italian registrar offices can take several weeks to issue official certificates, especially in summer. Request them early if you have a U.S. application deadline.

Certified Translation of Italian Diplomas and Transcripts

U.S. evaluators and USCIS need a complete English translation of each Italian document, with a signed certification of accuracy. Summary translations leave out the details an evaluator needs, such as each CFU and grade. Course titles also deserve care: "Informatica" usually means computer science, and a literal title can make a reviewer think a prerequisite is missing. Read about the challenges of Italian to English certified translation.

Certified translation can be added to your evaluation order at the quote stage, where our system detects non-English documents. Certified translations cost $24.50 per page, with delivery in as little as 12 hours and free digital notarization. See our certified Italian translation services. For academic papers, theses and other long academic texts, translation is priced by the word. See our academic translation for papers and transcripts.

Going the other way, to study or work in Italy with U.S. documents? Read our guide to expert English to Italian translation. Our 26,000+ professional translators work in 120+ languages.

How MotaWord Evaluates Your Italian Credentials

Our evaluators write each report to the standard the USCIS Policy Manual describes for credential evaluations: credible, logical and well documented. The officer, the university or the employer makes the final decision, and a clear report helps them make it. Some universities accept only reports from NACES or AICE member agencies, and MotaWord is not a member of either, so check your school's policy before you order.

1. Upload: Upload your certificato di laurea, transcript and Diploma Supplement and get an instant quote with price and delivery time.
2. Document Check: We confirm that your file is complete and add certified translation if your documents are in Italian.
3. Evaluation: Our evaluators review the degree level, CFU totals, program length, institution status and grades, and state the U.S. equivalent.
4. Download: Your report appears in your MotaWord client dashboard, where you can follow your order and download your invoices.

A general evaluation costs $65 with delivery in 72 hours, or $115 for same-day delivery when you order before 3 PM ET on a weekday. A course-by-course evaluation costs $120, or $200 same day. MotaWord is SOC 2 Type II certified, and live chat is available 24/7 for support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a 3-year Italian Laurea equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree?

Often, yes. Many evaluators find the 180 CFU Laurea Triennale comparable to a U.S. bachelor's degree because it follows 13 years of school. Some U.S. graduate programs still apply their own rules or prefer a Laurea Magistrale, so check with your school.

What does 110 e lode mean?

It is the top final degree grade in Italy: 110 out of 110 with honors (lode). In English it is often written as 110 cum laude.

What does 30 e lode mean?

It is the top grade for a single exam: 30 out of 30 with honors. It is usually converted to the highest U.S. letter grade.

How do I convert my Italian GPA to the U.S. 4.0 scale?

Italian universities do not use a GPA. A course-by-course evaluation converts each exam grade on your transcript and calculates a U.S. GPA on the 4.0 scale.

What is a Diploma di Laurea?

It is the degree certificate an Italian university issues when you complete a Laurea or Laurea Magistrale. For an evaluation, send it together with your transcript of exams.

Do I need to translate my entire thesis for grad school?

Usually not. Most admissions offices ask only for the degree certificate, transcript and Diploma Supplement. Some PhD programs may ask for a translated abstract.

How long does an Italian academic evaluation take?

A general evaluation is delivered in 72 hours for $65, or the same day for $115 when you order before 3 PM ET on a weekday.

Get Your Laurea Evaluated

A clear report helps U.S. universities, employers and officers see what your Italian degree is really worth. Get your Laurea and Italian transcripts evaluated with MotaWord academic evaluation services, and talk to us on live chat 24/7 if you have a question.

Mark Rogers - Evaluation Specialist at MotaWord

Written and reviewed by Mark Rogers, Evaluation Specialist at MotaWord, drawing on the team's experience evaluating Italian degrees, transcripts and Diploma Supplements for U.S. use. MotaWord is SOC 2 Type II certified and a corporate member of the ATA and ITI, providing academic evaluations and certified translations in 120+ languages. See our academic evaluation for university admissions →