Enrolling Your Child in School in Italy: Translation Guide

You walk into the school office, and they hit you with: “permesso di soggiorno?”, “codice fiscale?”, “certificato di vaccinazione?” - and then “where’s the pagella?” One Ukrainian mom from Milan shared on a forum: “I enrolled my daughter in terza elementare, and a week later the teacher says - we don’t have a translation of her grades from Ukraine, we can’t assess her level. Had to urgently find a sworn translator and pay 150 euros for one page of her report card.” To save you from the same headache, let’s break down how it all works - from picking a school to getting documents translated.

How the Italian school system works¶

The Italian school system is structured differently from Ukraine’s, and that’s the first thing to understand before enrolling your child.

Compulsory education in Italy covers ages 6 to 16. This applies to ALL children in the country, including foreigners, regardless of their residence status or documentation. The right to education is guaranteed by the constitution.

Public school in Italy is free. Textbooks for scuola primaria are also free. For scuola media and superiore, you’ll need to buy textbooks (or get used ones - Italy has a whole culture of swapping secondhand textbooks through mercatini).

How it compares to Ukraine¶

In Ukraine, primary school is 4 years and basic secondary is 5 years. Italy flips that: primary is 5 years, middle school (media) is only 3. So a child who finished 5th grade in Ukraine won’t go into 5th grade in Italy - they’ll likely end up in 1st or 2nd year of scuola media, depending on their age.

What grade will your child be placed in¶

The main rule: children are placed by age, not by how many grades they completed in Ukraine. Here’s the correspondence table:

But the consiglio di classe (teaching council) can make a different decision based on the child’s curriculum from their home country, their actual skill level, and prior years of study. That’s exactly why a translated report card isn’t just a formality - it’s a way to show your child’s real academic level.

Example: an 11-year-old should be placed in 1st year of scuola media by age. But a translated report card shows they already completed 6th grade in Ukraine with excellent math scores. The consiglio di classe can place them directly into 2nd year.

What documents you need for enrollment¶

Basic package¶

No documents? The school must still accept your child¶

Here’s something many people don’t know. In Italy, missing documents CANNOT be a reason to refuse enrollment in compulsory education. Even if you don’t have a report card, vaccination records, or even residenza - the school is legally required to accept your child.

The parent can submit an autocertificazione (self-declaration) - a document where you personally state the child’s date of birth, which grade they attended in Ukraine, and other required information. This rule was specifically established by ministerial directives for Ukrainian refugees and remains in effect.

When and how to enroll¶

The standard enrollment window for the 2026/2027 school year was January 13 to February 21, 2026. Enrollment is done online through the Unica platform (unica.istruzione.gov.it). You need SPID, CIE, or eIDAS credentials to log in.

But if you arrived mid-year - don’t wait until September. You can enroll your child at any point during the school year. Just walk into the school office (segreteria) with your documents. Schools are required to accept children throughout the entire year.

Translating school documents: when you need it and when you don’t¶

This is where the nuances start tripping up most parents.

For scuola primaria and media (ages 6-14): translation isn’t mandatory, but it helps¶

To enroll your child in primary or middle school, document translation from Ukraine isn’t formally required. An autocertificazione is enough. The school will accept the child even without a translated report card.

But there’s a catch. If you want your child placed in the right grade based on their actual knowledge level - the school needs to see their previous grades. And that’s where a translated report card becomes very useful.

For scuola superiore (14+): translation is needed¶

For high school, things get more serious. Here you need to prove that the child completed previous education levels. The school may ask for:

• Translated report card (pagella) with grades
• Translated school certificate or diploma
• List of subjects studied and their programs
• Dichiarazione di valore (declaration of value) - issued by the Italian consulate

All these documents need to be translated by a sworn translator (traduzione giurata) and go through asseverazione at the tribunal.

How much translating school documents costs¶

A report card translation with asseverazione runs about 150-200 euros total. If you’re translating multiple documents at once, the asseverazione is paid once for the whole package - so bundling saves money.

You can also use ChatsControl for a preliminary translation, then have it certified by a sworn translator - this brings down the overall cost.

Vaccinations: what Italian schools require¶

Italy has a law (DL 73/2017) requiring 10 mandatory vaccinations for all children aged 0-16, including foreign nationals.

Mandatory vaccinations¶

• Polio
• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Hepatitis B
• Pertussis (whooping cough)
• Haemophilus influenzae type b
• Measles
• Rubella
• Mumps
• Varicella (chickenpox)

Missing vaccinations - what to do¶

For scuola primaria and media (compulsory education, ages 6-16), missing vaccinations are NOT grounds for refusing enrollment. Your child will be enrolled, but parents must contact the ASL and start the vaccination process. Failure to comply can result in an administrative fine of 100-500 euros.

For scuola dell’infanzia (kindergarten, ages 3-6), rules are stricter - they can refuse admission without vaccinations.

If you have a Ukrainian vaccination card, get it translated through traduzione giurata and show it to the ASL. A doctor will assess which vaccinations are missing and create a schedule. Translating a vaccination card costs roughly 30-50 euros.

Support for Ukrainian children in school¶

The Italian education system has several built-in support mechanisms for foreign children. Don’t hesitate to ask about these at your school - it’s your child’s right.

Italiano L2 (Italian as a second language)¶

Most schools with foreign students offer extra Italian lessons:

• Separate sessions with an L2 teacher during or after school hours
• Intensive courses at the start of enrollment
• In-class help from a facilitatore linguistico (language assistant)

Mediatore culturale¶

A cultural mediator helps with communication between the school and your family. They usually speak Ukrainian or Russian and can attend parent-teacher meetings, explain how the school system works, and translate messages. A mediatore is usually available through the local comune or ASL - ask at your school.

Piano Didattico Personalizzato (PDP)¶

For children who just arrived and don’t speak Italian, the school can create a personalized learning plan. A PDP means adapted assignments, extra time on tests, and more attention from teachers. It’s not a “freebie” - it’s a tool that helps your child gradually integrate into the learning process without unnecessary stress.

FAQ¶

Can I enroll my child in an Italian school without documents from Ukraine?¶

Yes. For compulsory education (ages 6-16), missing documents are not grounds for refusal. The parent submits an autocertificazione - a self-declaration with the child’s basic information. The school must accept the child even without a report card, vaccination records, or residenza.

Do I need a translated report card for school in Italy?¶

For scuola primaria and scuola media - technically no, they’ll enroll your child without one. But a translation is strongly recommended - it helps properly assess your child’s level and determine the right grade. For scuola superiore (14+), a translation with asseverazione is practically required.

Is school in Italy free for Ukrainian children?¶

Public school is free for all children regardless of nationality. Textbooks are free at the scuola primaria level. For media and superiore, you’ll need to buy textbooks (new or used), plus school supplies. For Ukrainians with temporary protection, some comuni offer assistance for school supplies - check with local social services.

What if my child doesn’t speak Italian?¶

The school is required to help. Most schools offer Italiano L2 (Italian as a second language) classes. You can request a mediatore culturale for communication with teachers. The school will create a Piano Didattico Personalizzato (PDP) - an individual plan adapted to your child’s language barrier.

Can my child study online in a Ukrainian school at the same time?¶

Yes, many Ukrainian children in Italy combine Italian school with distance learning in a Ukrainian school. Ukraine’s Ministry of Education supports this arrangement. It helps maintain the connection with the Ukrainian curriculum and language, though it does increase the workload on the child.