Overview
VFI stands for Volontari in Ferma Iniziale. The Ministry of Defence's online competitions portal lists VFI competitions for the Italian Army (Esercito), with entries named VFI 2025 and, for 2026, three blocks (1st, 2nd and 3rd). The Navy and Air Force have their own VFI entries on the same portal.
The portal pages for the three Army 2026 blocks said "this competition has expired" when checked on 2 October 2026, so none was open to new applicants then. The pages do not show the bando text, so eligibility, test content and age limits are not described here.
How to apply
Applications are made through the portal's login area, in the entry for the competition. Each entry gives its own details, so read the bando of the current VFI block before applying.
Preparation tips
Check the portal for the next block to open, and read its bando for the age limit, education requirement and tests before you prepare.
What does VFI stand for?
Volontari in Ferma Iniziale.
Where are Army VFI competitions published?
On the Ministry of Defence's online competitions portal, under Esercito.