Applications for the selection procedure will be considered from candidates of all ages and nationalities who have an Italian degree (laurea specialistica o laurea magistrale) or a post-graduate degree or any foreign academic qualification recognised as equivalent to the Italian degree by the academic authorities in accordance with inter-university agreements of co-operation and mobility.

Candidates from Italy, the European Union or other nations holding a foreign academic qualification which has not been declared equivalent to an Italian degree will have to request that their qualification is recognised as equivalent. This request is done in the application for the selection procedure, and is valid only for purposes of admission to the research doctorate programme. To this end, documents necessary for the teaching staff to reach a decision about the recognition of equivalence should be enclosed with the application.

Applications will be also considered from candidates who, by the date of the application deadline, have not yet obtained their degree or other foreign academic qualification. In this case, admission will be accepted conditionally and the candidate will have to obtain the diploma di laurea or the foreign academic qualification within a date which is set by the Italian Ministry of Education. Such date is usually the 31st of October of the year in which the course starts.