Redemption for pension purposes for those enrolled in the CPDEL, CPS, CPI and CPUG funds of the Public Pension Scheme

For "insured persons" who have left the service, without the right to a pension, after 30 July 2010, the claim for redemption may be submitted beyond the applicable deadlines (90 days from the date of termination of service, as indicated in the message no. 2802 of 2 August 2024 (in Italian)).

"Insured" means anyone who can claim a contribution accredited by the Civil Servants’ Pension Scheme who have not already been granted entitlement to a pension, even if they are no longer working (operating note ex INPDAP no. 56 of 22 December 2010 – section 1.1 (in Italian)).

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From 12 July 1997, the duration of the legal courses of university study may be redeemed even if the qualification obtained is not required for the position held. The right of redemption may also be exercised for two or more courses of study and redemption can also be requested partially (Circular ex INPDAP no. 12 of 24 February 1999).

Enrolment periods outside of the course are not eligible for redemption.

In the definition of university diploma, any qualification, even differently named, issued by universities or university-level institutes must be included, according to the various educational systems that have succeeded each other over time (information note ex INPDAP no. 5 of 24 January 2000).

Periods of university studies must not already be covered by compulsory, figurative, redemption or voluntary contributions, not only in the fund to which the claim is directed, but also in the other pension schemes indicated in paragraph 1, of Article 2, of Legislative Decree no. 184/1997 (Employees' Pension Fund, special pension schemes of the Fund itself for self-employed workers, substitute and exclusive funds of the Compulsory General Insurance for Disability, Old Age and Survivors, Separate Pension Scheme referred to in Article 2, paragraph 26 of Law no. 335 of 8 August 1995).

Academic qualifications introduced by Decree no. 509 of 3 November 1999 are eligible for redemption, namely:

• Bachelor's Degree;
• Master's Degree.

The diplomas awarded by the AFAM Institutions (Higher Education Institutions for Artistic, Musical, and Dance Training) for courses activated from the 2005/2006 academic year are eligible for redemption (operating note ex INPDAP 14 May 2009, no. 25). In particular:

• first level academic diploma - degree;
• second level academic diploma - degree;
• postgraduate degree;
• academic research training diploma-degree;
• advanced diploma - degree.

The academic diplomas issued by the aforementioned AFAM Institutions, obtained according to the regulations prior to the entry into force of Law no. 508/1999, can be redeemed under the conditions indicated in INPS circular no. 95 of 21 August 2020 (in Italian).

 ITS Academy diplomas can also be redeemed for pension purposes, provided that they are issued in accordance with the legislation provided for by Law no. 99/2022 and the related accreditation of ITS foundations (INPS Circular no. 98 of 25 November 2024 (in Italian)).

PERIODS OF STUDY COMPLETED ABROAD

Academic qualifications obtained abroad must be subject to specific recognition for social security purposes (Article 3, paragraph 1, letter b) of Presidential Decree no. 189 of 30 July 2009 message no. 6208 of 22 July 2014 (in Italian)).

CALCULATION OF THE CHARGE

The charge of the redemption for the periods of the university course of study is determined by the rules governing the settlement of the pension with the remuneration or contributory system, taking into account the moment in time of the periods subject to redemption.

• Periods to be redeemed that are in the "remuneration system". If the periods subject to redemption are in the remuneration system, the amount of the sum to be paid is determined with the criteria provided for in Article 13 of Law no. 1338 of 12 August 1962 (mathematical reserve); the charge varies in relation to factors such as age, the period to be redeemed, gender and salaries received in recent years. The cost of the operation involving the calculation of the mathematical reserve is identified with the actuarial reserves corresponding to the portion of the pension that is potentially or actually acquired by the interested party as a result of the redemption (pension benefit).
• Periods to be redeemed that are in the "contributory system". With regard to the periods to be redeemed for which the relevant pension rate must be calculated with the contributory system, the corresponding charge is instead determined by applying the contribution rate in force on the date of submission of the claim for redemption, to the extent provided for the payment of the mandatory contribution due to the pension scheme from which the benefit itself is due. The salary to which the contribution rate is to be applied is that which was subject to contribution payments in the most recent twelve months with respect to the date of the claim and is related to the period subject to redemption.

The remuneration taken as the basis for the calculation of the charge and related to the redeemed period is credited to the position of the individual, placing it temporarily in correspondence with the periods subject to redemption. For the purposes of calculating the pension, the revaluation of the individual amount of contributions relating to the periods subject to redemption takes effect from the date of submission of the claim.

Article 20, paragraph 6, of Decree-Law no. 4 of 28 January 2019, converted with amendments into Law no. 26 of 28 March 2019, introduced the so-called subsidised redemption of the degree for the periods that fall within the contributory system of the future pension.

In this case, the charge is determined on the minimum of Artisans and Traders in force in the year of submission of the claim and based on the calculation rate of pension benefits in force, in the same period, in the Employees' Pension Fund (FPLD). The relevant remuneration amount is related to the period subject to redemption and is attributed temporarily and proportionally to the same periods. The contribution is re-evaluated according to the rules of the contributory system, in accordance with the date of the claim.

For 2025, the minimum annual income to be taken into consideration for the calculation of the IVS contribution due by artisans and by operators of business activities is equal to 18,555 euro. The rate of 33% must be applied to this amount. Therefore, for claims submitted during 2025, the cost to redeem a course year is 6,123.15 euro.

In the case in which the settlement of the pension must take place exclusively with the contributory system (for example due to the option to the contributory system pursuant to Article 1, paragraph 23, Law no. 335/1995), the subsidised calculation methods of the redemption charge also apply if the periods of the degree programme are prior to 1 January 1996 (INPS Circular no. 6 of 22 January 2020 (in Italian)and INPS Circular no. 54 of 6 April 2021 (in Italian))

The fulfilment of the economic charge by paying at least one instalment of the redemption determined with the different criterion of the percentage calculation, as a result of exercising the option to the contributory system, makes the option itself irrevocable.

The redemption determined according to one of the previously described methods, and whose charge has been paid in whole or in part, cannot be redetermined according to the alternative method. For further details, please refer to INPS Circular no. 106 of 25 July 2019 (in Italian).

The following periods and services may also be redeemed by way of a claim and at the expense of the interested party:

• periods after 31 December 1996 to the maximum extent of three years, in which the employment relationship is interrupted or suspended on the basis of specific legal or contractual provisions and which are without insurance coverage (for example, leave for family reasons, for study reasons and interruptions for disciplinary reasons) - (Article 5, Legislative Decree no. 564 of 16 September 1996 – Circular ex INPDAP no. 9 of 14 February 1997);
• periods between one employment relationship and another in the case of discontinuous, seasonal or temporary work, after 31 December 1996, not covered by compulsory or figurative contributions (Article 7, Legislative Decree no. 564/1996 - Circular ex INPDAP no. 9/1997);
• periods following 31 December 1996 of non-performance of the work, in cases of part-time work of a vertical, horizontal or cyclical nature not covered by compulsory contribution (Article 8, Legislative Decree no. 564/1996 - Circular ex INPDAP no. 9/1997);
• periods corresponding to parental leave outside of the employment relationship pursuant to Article 35, paragraph 5, Legislative Decree no. 151 of 26 March 2001.
  Periods not covered by insurance that give way to parental leave may be redeemed up to a maximum of five years, provided that claimants can demonstrate at the time of claim at least five years of contributions paid during actual working activity.
  The right to redeem parental leave cannot be combined with the right to redeem the legal degree course for claims submitted up until 31 December 2015. From 1 January 2016, Article 1, paragraph 298, of Law no. 208 of 28 December 2015 abolished the regime of incompatibility/alternativeness; consequently, for claims submitted from 1 January 2016, the right to redeem the period of parental leave and the legal period of the degree programme operates cumulatively, also with reference to "periods" prior to the aforementioned date of 1 January 2016 (INPS Circular no. 44 of 29 February 2016 (in Italian));
• Fine Arts academy diploma and all those diplomas, qualifications or specialisation courses obtained at recognised institutes or schools of higher education (post-secondary), when the relevant diploma or qualification of specialisation or further training is required for admission to service or for the performance of certain functions.
  The post-secondary courses of study covered by the Ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 52/2000 must be accompanied by prior possession of upper secondary school qualifications of any duration (Ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 52/2000 - (operating note ex INPDAP no. 10 of 1 February 2006 (in Italian));
• periods of leave for serious family reasons prior to 31 December 1996 – Article 1, paragraphs 789 and 790, Law no. 296 of 27 December 2006 – Decree of the Minister of Labour of 31 August 2007 (Circular ex INPDAP no. 6 of 8 April 2008 (in Italian));
• periods of work carried out abroad in countries not members of the European Union, pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 1, Legislative Decree no. 184/1997 (Circular ex INPDAP no. 12 of 24 February 1999);
• periods of leave to follow the spouse serving abroad (Law no. 26/1980, as supplemented by Law no. 333/1985); the right of redemption provided for in Article 3, paragraph 2, of Legislative Decree no. 184/1997 is allowed for those enrolled under the funds if they can claim services rendered under the State and to those enrolled under the CPUG and employees of public institutions identified by Law no. 70/1975 - (Circular ex INPDAP no. 12 of 24 February 1999);
• periods corresponding to civil service on a voluntary basis, not covered by any contribution, after 1 January 2009 (operating note ex INPDAP no. 24 of 7 May 2009);
• universal civil service, on a voluntary basis – Legislative Decree no. 40 of 6 March 2017 (INPS Circular no. 108 of 6 July 2017 (in Italian));
• periods of leave for training pursuant to Article 5 of Law no. 53/2000, not exceeding 11 months, continuous or divided over the entire working life; at least five years' service with the administration is required;
• courses necessary for the admission to service of Public Administration personnel (operating note ex INPDAP no. 11 of 18 March 2010);
• service provided as temporary deputy magistrate for periods of not less than six months – Ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 11 of 2018 – Hermes message no. 1886 of 4 May 2018 (in Italian);
• services at optionally registered entities, provided prior to the date of optional registration;
• services provided at private companies exercising a public service;
• services provided to institutions governed by public law and credit institutions governed by public law;
• the periods of military service as a retained soldier and those as a recalled soldier if prior to enrolment;
• the periods of registration in the professional registers, exclusively for the number of years required for admission to the position (Article 8, paragraph 3, Law no. 274 of 8 August 1991);
• special purpose university courses (Article 8, paragraph 1, letter a, Law no. 274/1991);
• the periods corresponding to the legal duration of the special advanced courses, in addition to the diploma, or the degree (Article 8, paragraph 5, Law no. 274/1991);
• post-graduate/specialisation courses for staff graduated in medicine (Article 23 of Law no. 409 of 11 June 1954);
• practical training periods for doctors and pharmacists (Article 8, paragraph 6, Law no. 274/1991);
• courses of at least one year of vocational training, carried out after obtaining the qualification of upper secondary education and recognised by the State, the Regions or the Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano (Article 8, paragraph 1, letter b, Law no. 274/1991 - (operating note ex INPDAP no. 21 of 13 March 2006 (in Italian)). Vocational training qualifications must be prescribed for the position held and the applicant must hold a previous upper secondary education diploma regardless of its duration, which may be two-year, three-year, four-year or five-year;
• periods of service performed as a volunteer assistant in universities;
• periods of service performed as a voluntary hospital assistant by those enrolled under CPS (limited to two years);
• periods of time spent as scholarship recipients if they did not receive a contribution. The inclusion of the period is based on the condition that the relationship between the institution that provides the training and the holder of the scholarship has been conducted in such a manner as to constitute the performance of an activity attributable to a non-tenured employment relationship (service note of the Ministry of the Treasury no. 265 of 10/5/1993);
• the periods served as grant recipients hired pursuant to Article 26 of Law no. 285 of 1 June 1977 by the National Research Council (operating note ex  INPDAP no. 20 of 19 April 2007);
• diploma of professional nurse (Article 24, Law no. 1646 of 22 November 1962 - information note ex INPDAP no. 2 of 17 June 1998);
• specialization courses for which the diploma has been requested in addition to the initial professional diploma of professional nurse and paediatric nurse (ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 163/1989);
• diploma of physiotherapist and rehabilitation technician (ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 133/1991);
• diploma in midwifery (ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 178/1993 - information note ex INPDAP no. 2/1998);
• diploma of social worker (ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 426/1990);
• diploma of speech therapy technician (ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 209/1993);
• diploma in paediatric nursing (ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 765/198 - information note ex INPDAP no. 2/1998);
• diploma of professional educator (ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 280/1991);
• periods not covered by contributions pursuant to Article 20, paragraphs 1 to 5, of the Decree-law no. 4 of 28 January 2019, converted into Law no. 26 of 28 March 2019 – for claims submitted by 31 December 2021 – and Article 1, paragraphs 126 - 130, of the Law no. 213 of 30 December 2023 – for claims submitted between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025;
• additional redemption periods provided for by specific legal provisions.

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Alternatively, you can contact:

• The contact centre at 803 164 (free from a landline) or +39 06 164164 from a mobile phone;
• Patronage institutes and intermediaries of the Institute, through the telematic services they offer.

For further information, please refer to INPS circular no. 46 of 22 March 2021 (in Italian).

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The table (in Italian) attached to the Regulations lists both the terms for defining the measures established by the Institute that exceed the standard 30 days and the relevant person responsible.

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