All About the Declaration of Value Italy

A Declaration of Value Italy is a document issued by the Italian diplomatic missions that describes your educational qualification in terms an Italian institution can understand and act upon.

If you are an Indian student planning to join an Italian university for the 2026-27 academic year, you have probably already come across the term "Declaration of Value" or "Dichiarazione di Valore" (DoV) while reading about admission and visa requirements. And due to several misleading pieces of information found online, several students trip through this step.

This article provides all of the information you need about the Declaration of Value to study in Italy for Indian students in 2026 and beyond.  

What is the Declaration of Value Italy?

The Declaration of Value is officially called Dichiarazione di Valore (DoV) in Italian. It is an official document issued by Italian diplomatic missions (embassies and consulates) abroad and provides a formal description of a foreign academic qualification - such as an Indian Class 12 certificate, bachelor's degree or master's degree - in a format that Italian educational institutions, universities and government authorities can understand and evaluate officially.

The Declaration of Value (DoV) is issued on the official letterhead of the Italian Embassy or Consulate - stamped and signed by the competent consular officer. Note that a DoV is not an automatic recognition or equivalence of your Indian qualification to an Italian one and this decision belongs to the receiving Italian university or institution.

Thus, the DoV only certifies the nature, level, duration and validity of the qualification you hold, within the context of the Indian education system.

Information on a Declaration of Value, Italy

As defined by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, a Declaration of Value usually contains the following information:

1. The legal status and nature of the institution that awarded the qualification

2. The admission requirements for the programme in question

3. The duration of the study programme and workload in hours or credits

4. The validity of the qualification within the awarding country (India) for academic purposes

What are the Uses of the Declaration of Value Italy?

The Declaration of Value Italy serves as the primary mechanism through which Italian institutions verify and assess a foreign academic qualification. The main uses of a Declaration of Value, Italy, are:

1. University Admission: It is the most common use for Indian students. Italian universities use the DoV to confirm that your Indian qualification (Class 12 or a degree) meets the entry requirements for undergraduate, postgraduate, or single-cycle programs (such as Medicine, Dentistry, Law, or Architecture).

2. Study Visa Application: When an Italian university explicitly requires a DoV as part of its pre-enrolment process through the Universitaly portal, the DoV becomes a mandatory requirement for obtaining a study visa from the Italian Embassy or Consulate in India.

3. PhD and Research Admission: For students applying to doctoral programs or research positions at Italian institutions, the DoV is used to verify that the qualifying degree meets the academic standards required for admission.

4. Professional Recognition: For Indian professionals seeking recognition of their academic qualifications for employment or licensed practice in Italy, the DoV is the first step before the relevant Italian Ministry (Ministry of Education, or sector-specific ministries) can evaluate the qualification.

5. Employment in Italy: Indian nationals applying for work in Italy may be required to present a DoV so that their academic credentials can be formally assessed by Italian employers or public authorities

Is a Declaration of Value Important for Indian Students Willing to Study in Italy?

Yes, but not every Indian student needs one automatically. Whether you need a DoV depends on what your specific Italian university asks for during the Universitaly pre-enrolment process. 

If your university does require a DoV, it becomes critically important - it is a precondition for the university's final validation of your pre-enrolment and, in turn, for your study visa to be processed. Without it, your visa application cannot proceed.

So, always check your university's specific instructions on the Universitaly portal before assuming you need (or do not need) a DoV.

How can Indian Students get a Declaration of Value in Italy?

Indian students must apply for the Declaration of Value through the Italian Embassy or Consulate General in India that has jurisdiction over the state where their certificate or degree was issued - not where they currently live.

Italy has four diplomatic missions in India that issue the DoV and jurisdiction is divided as follows (as per the official 2025 procedure circular of the Consulate General of Italy, Kolkata):

Here is the step-by-step process to get a DOV for Italy in India:

1. Complete your pre-enrolment on the Universitaly portal (universitaly.it) and receive confirmation that your Italian university requires a DoV.

2. Get your educational documents HRD authenticated (by the State Department of Education of the certificate-issuing state).

3. Get the Apostille from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

4. Get the documents translated into Italian (only if specifically required by the Italian university or consulate).

5. Fill out the DoV Request Form and Data Privacy Form from the relevant embassy or consulate website.

6. Submit the application at a VFS Global centre or through UNI-Italia (for most applicants), or directly at the Consulate for those under Kolkata's jurisdiction.

7. Collect the issued Declaration of Value once notified by the mission.

Documents Required for Getting a Declaration of Value in Italy

The following documents are required as per the official checklist of the Italian Embassy in New Delhi and the Consulate General of Italy in Kolkata. However, minor variations may exist between missions. 

1. Duly filled and signed DoV Request Form - available on the respective embassy or consulate's official website.

2. Data Privacy/Data Protection Form - available on the same website.

3. Passport copy - first and last page only. The name on your passport must match exactly with the name on your educational certificates. V

4. Final degree or school certificate in original, with HRD authentication and Apostille, plus 2 photocopies. Provisional certificates are not accepted. SDM (Sub-Divisional Magistrate) attestation is not accepted - only HRD/RAC authentication is valid.

• For Class 12 certificates: a DigiLocker copy of the marksheet with an Apostille is accepted (New Delhi Embassy).

5. Original transcript or marksheet, with HRD authentication and Apostille, plus 2 photocopies.

6. Supporting certificates from earlier stages of education:

• For Bachelor's degree applicants: a copy of the Class 12 certificate.

• For Master's degree applicants: copies of both the Class 12 certificate and the Bachelor's degree.

7. Information on the Indian institution - whether it is private, autonomous, or state-governed; grading system or credit system details, if not clearly printed on the certificate or transcript.

8. Acceptance or pre-acceptance letter from the Italian university or institute.

9. Pre-enrolment summary downloaded from the official University portal

What is the Mandatory HRD Attestation and Apostille Step for the Declaration of Value for Italy?

Before approaching the Italian mission, every educational document submitted for a DoV must go through a two-step authentication process within India. These steps are explained here below:

1. HRD Attestation (State-Level): Your original degree certificate and transcript must first be authenticated by the Regional Authentication Centre (RAC), which is the Department of Education of the state government that issued your certificate. This is commonly called the "HRD Stamp" or "RAC Stamp."

2. Apostille (Central Government Level): After HRD authentication, the document must receive an Apostille issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India as an Indian Apostille is legally accepted in Italy without any further embassy legalisation.

Translations

Translation of your documents into Italian is not always mandatory. According to the official DoV procedure circular of the Consulate General of Italy in Kolkata (2025), translation is required only when specifically asked for by the Italian receiving authority - that is, your Italian university or the consulate handling your application.

How and Where to Submit Your Application?

Submission process of Declaration of Value form vary slightly between the four Italian missions in India. For the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi, the applications are submitted through VFS Global Visa Application Centres. And for DoV applications specifically, the Embassy also permits submission through UNI-Italia India, which has offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

What are the Cost for getting a Declaration of Value for Studying in Italy?

For Bachelor's or Master's degree study in Italy (with Universitaly pre-enrolment), the cost of getting the Declaration of Value Italy is free of charge. And for PhD, research ot employment applications in Italy, some consular tariff may apply. The tariff is specified by the consulate at the time of appointment confirmation. Payment is accepted via bank draft in favour of "Consulate General of Italy," and at some missions, via UPI/QR code payment.

Note - The fees for HRD attestation, MEA Apostille, and translation (where required) are separate costs borne by the applicant before reaching the Italian mission stage.

What is the Application Timeline for Getting a Declaration of Value Italy?

There is no single fixed processing time that applies across all cases, since it varies by state (for HRD attestation), workload at the MEA (for Apostille), and the specific Italian mission. However, based on official guidance and the typical sequence of steps involved, here is the timeline for application of Declaration of Value Italy:

Note:- Start the HRD attestation process as soon as your final certificate or marksheet is issued. Do not wait for a provisional certificate as the Italian missions do not accept provisional documents.

This was all about the Declaration of Value in Italy. If you have any doubts, feel free to post your queries in the comments below.