ISEE Parificato for University: How to Get It When Your Family Lives Abroad

In a Nutshell

The ISEE Parificato is a special version of ISEE (income-and-wealth indicator used to qualify for means-tested benefits) designed for students whose families live and earn abroad. The standard ISEE does not work in these cases because it pulls data from Italian databases at INPS (Italy's social-security agency — pensions, unemployment, family benefits) and Agenzia delle Entrate (Italy's tax-revenue agency): if your parents do not appear in Italian records, the system returns an ISEE of zero — which looks suspicious and will likely be rejected. With the ISEE Parificato, your family's financial situation is certified by the Italian consulate in your home country and then calculated by a CAF (free assistance office for tax forms and benefits applications). Without this document, the university automatically places you in the highest tuition bracket — even if you are entitled to a full exemption.

At a Glance

Cost	CAF affiliated with your university or with DiSCo Lazio: free for students. Non-affiliated CAF: approximately €30–50. Consular documentation: approximately €41 + sworn translation (€30–150 per page).
Timeline	ISEE certificate: 10–30 working days from submitting a complete set of documents to the CAF.
Where in Rome	CAF ACLI (06 5840 11), CAF CGIL-INCA, CAF CISL (Via degli Etruschi 19), CAF UIL (Via Cavour 108). DiSCo Lazio offices: Via Cesare De Lollis 24/b.
Documents	Consular certification of income and assets, family status certificate, residence permit, Codice Fiscale (Italian tax ID).

Why It Matters — and Why You Can't Skip It

The ISEE Parificato directly determines how much tuition you pay. Rome's state universities (Sapienza, Tor Vergata, Roma Tre) set fees on a sliding scale based on ISEE. Indicative figures for academic year 2025/26:

ISEE	Annual fees (Rome state universities)
Up to €22,000	€0 (no-tax zone, if you also meet academic requirements)
€22,000–30,000	€200–500
€30,000–50,000	€500–1,500
€50,000–90,000	€1,500–2,500
Above €90,000	€2,500–3,500 (maximum bracket)
No ISEE submitted	Maximum bracket, automatically

The ISEE Parificato is also required to apply for a DiSCo Lazio (Lazio's regional student welfare agency) scholarship, to secure a place in a university residence, to access the subsidised canteen, and for other student-welfare benefits. It is valid for one calendar year and must be renewed annually before the deadline set by your university — typically between October and December.

Who Can Apply

Foreign students — or Italian students whose family lives abroad — enrolling at an Italian university, where the family's income is generated mainly outside Italy.

The procedure varies slightly depending on where you are from:

EU students: submit standard tax documents from your EU country, translated into Italian. The CAF converts the figures. Less red tape, often no need to involve an Italian consulate.

Non-EU students from higher-income countries: you need a consular certification issued by the Italian embassy in your parents' country of residence, attesting to the income and assets of all members of your household.

Non-EU students from least-developed countries (LDCs): the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) publishes an updated list each year. For these students the process is simplified: the Italian consulate certifies that the student does not come from a notoriously wealthy family, and the ISEE is calculated using the standard values set by the DiSCo Lazio scholarship call.

Students with refugee status or international protection: treated on a par with Italian students with no income. The ISEE is calculated solely on the basis of income earned in Italy.

Step-by-Step Guide

If Your Family Lives Abroad (non-LDC country)

The cornerstone document is the consular certification. You must request it from the Italian embassy in the country where your parents live (not where you yourself are currently based). This certification must cover the income of all members of your household for the second calendar year before the application (for ISEE 2026, that means 2024 income), plus real-estate and financial assets as of 31 December of the previous year.

Once you have the consular certification with a sworn Italian translation, go to a CAF affiliated with your university or with DiSCo Lazio. Fill in the Dichiarazione Sostitutiva Unica (DSU — Italy's standardised self-declaration form for ISEE calculations), specifying "ISEE Università per studenti con famiglia all'estero" (ISEE University for students with family abroad). The CAF submits the application to INPS, which issues the ISEE Parificato certificate within 10–30 working days.

Once you receive the certificate, upload it to your university's student portal:

• Sapienza → Infostud
• Tor Vergata → Delphi
• Roma Tre → GOMP
• LUMSA → MyLumsa

For the DiSCo Lazio scholarship, upload separately at laziodisco.it.

If You Are from an LDC Country

Request the simplified declaration from the Italian consulate, as specified in the DiSCo Lazio scholarship call for students from least-developed countries. Submit it to the CAF along with your personal documents (Codice Fiscale, residence permit, ID). The rest of the process is the same.

If You Have Mixed Income (Italy and Abroad)

If your parents earn income partly in Italy and partly abroad, the CAF combines both sources into a single ISEE. For the Italian portion, INPS and Agenzia delle Entrate already hold the data; for the foreign portion, you need the consular certification.

Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using the standard ISEE when your family is abroad. It will show zero income, and INPS may flag the inconsistency. Your university may reject it. Always use the ISEE Parificato.
2. Missing the submission deadline. Even if you are entitled to a full tuition waiver, if you do not upload the certificate on time you pay the maximum bracket. University deadlines are typically in October–November.
3. Only documenting one parent's income. The consular certification must cover the entire household: father, mother, and any dependent siblings living at home.

Special Cases

Slow consulate: if the university deadline is approaching and you have not yet received the consular certification, upload the proof of your request to the student portal and ask for an extension. Almost all Rome universities grant extensions for documented reasons. DiSCo Lazio deadlines are stricter — contact their helpline if you are in this situation.

Separated parents: only the income of the parent you live with or who financially supports you is considered. Documents are submitted separately.

Financially independent adult student: to be treated as an independent household (i.e. your parents' income is not counted), two conditions must be met simultaneously: you must have lived outside your parents' home for at least two years in accommodation that does not belong to your family, and you must have earned at least €9,000 gross per year from employment over the past two years. Most foreign students who have recently arrived in Italy will find this threshold very hard to meet.

Married student or student with dependent children: your household is you, your spouse, and your children. Your parents' income is not counted.

Countries in conflict: for situations of instability (Ukraine, Syria, Gaza, Yemen, and others), special procedures exist involving certification from international organisations or the Italian consulate. Contact your university's international office to find out which route applies to your specific situation.

Official Sources

• INPS — ISEE
• DiSCo Lazio — Scholarship calls
• DiSCo Lazio — Official website
• Sapienza — Tuition fees
• Tor Vergata — Fees
• Roma Tre — Fees and contributions
• LUMSA — Fees and administrative office
• MUR — Student welfare
• CAF ACLI Rome
• CAF CGIL

Legal references: DPCM 05/12/2013 n. 159 (ISEE reform), D.Lgs. 29/03/2012 n. 68, Legge 30/12/2010 n. 240, Legge 11/12/2016 n. 232 art. 1 commi 252-267 (no-tax zone), annual MUR ministerial decree on ISEE thresholds.