PhD · Part D: Documents
CIMEA or Declaration of Value for my master's degree?
Short answer: For the visa you need one of them for your master's degree: a CIMEA statement of comparability plus a statement of verification, or a Declaration of Value (DOV) from the Italian embassy (MUR circular). The PhD office may also ask for one at enrolment.
| CIMEA statements | Declaration of Value (DOV) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who issues it | CIMEA, online on DiploMe | The Italian embassy for the country where you got the degree |
| Cost | €300 per qualification | Free when requested for study, in Dhaka |
| Time | 60 working days; comparability can be cut to 30 for €100 more, verification cannot | Not fixed |
| Who can apply | Only you; no agents | You, following the embassy's procedure |
Sources: CIMEA, Embassy of Italy Dhaka fee table.
Timing is everything for PhD applicants. Rankings come out in summer and programs start on 1 November. If you wait for the ranking before starting CIMEA, sixty working days can push you past the start date. Start it as soon as you hold your master's certificate. The Dhaka checklist also accepts the receipt of a DOV application (Dhaka checklist).
If your master's is from a European country that signed the Lisbon Convention (for example the UK), your degree may be in CIMEA's ARDI database, which gives a free statement of correspondence plus a paid verification (CIMEA).
Why ARDI, CIMEA’s faster route, does not apply to Bangladeshi qualifications is explained in V6.
This page explains official rules in plain language. I am not an immigration adviser and I do not give visa advice. For that, always use official government sources. Rules change: confirm with your university, the embassy and VFS before you act.