Politecnico di Milano (PoliMi), founded in 1863, is Italy’s largest technical university, with campuses in Milan and several other cities in Lombardy. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 87th in the world, its best-ever result, and the highest-ranked university in Italy for the twelfth year in a row. It’s known for engineering, architecture and design.
PoliMi offers bachelor’s programmes in English as well as Italian, and admission depends on an entrance test, so international students need to plan ahead. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on Politecnico di Milano’s own guidance and official Italian government information.
1. Choose a programme taught in English or Italian
PoliMi offers bachelor’s degrees (laurea) in engineering, architecture and design, some taught in English and others in Italian. For an Italian-taught programme you need Italian at B2 level before you enrol. For an English-taught programme you need to prove your English, and you’ll have to reach B2 in Italian before you graduate. The number of first-year places, including places reserved for international students, is set each year.
2. Take an accepted entrance test
For engineering, you need a valid score in one of PoliMi’s accepted tests: its own TOL (in Italian), the CISIA TOLC-I (in Italian), the CISIA CEnT-S (in English) or the SAT. The minimum TOL score is 30 out of 100, and you can convert other test scores to the TOL scale with PoliMi’s converter. You must understand the language the test is delivered in, so English speakers usually choose the CEnT-S or SAT. PoliMi admission to engineering bachelor’s programmes.
3. Start early, even in your penultimate year
PoliMi runs an early admission phase for students in their penultimate year of secondary school. For 2027-28 entry, details of the early enrolment phase are due to be announced by February 2027, and later admission rounds follow, so check the call for applications early and plan your test date around it.
4. Check you meet the requirements for foreign qualifications
If your school qualification is from outside Italy, your eligibility depends on the total years of schooling, your final grades or, in some countries, a national university entrance exam. When you register for the test, you upload your school reports from the last three years and your diploma, or a letter confirming you’re in your final year, and PoliMi’s International Students Office checks them. PoliMi: students with a foreign qualification.
5. Prove your English
For English-taught programmes, you can meet the requirement with a recognised English certificate, a school diploma taught in English, or citizenship of a country where English is an official language. Practise with our free IELTS, TOEFL and SAT practice tests.
6. Look for scholarships for international students
PoliMi offers scholarships for international students on some programmes, including the bachelor’s in Process Engineering at the Cremona campus and Industrial Engineering at the Piacenza campus. Students with limited family income can also apply for regional “Diritto allo Studio” (right to study) benefits, which can include a grant and reduced fees.
7. Understand the fees
PoliMi’s fees depend on your family’s financial situation. For 2026-27, a standard year costs from €157.04 for families with a low ISEE (Italy’s family income indicator) up to a maximum of €3,943.04. You pay a first instalment of €880.04 when you enrol, and if your family’s income and assets are abroad, you can request an “equalised” ISEE to reduce your fees. PoliMi fees.
8. Budget for life in Milan
Milan is the most expensive city in Italy, especially for rent, so your living costs are likely to be higher than your tuition. Apply for university or regional housing as early as you can, and include rent, food and transport in your budget.
9. Pre-enrol on Universitaly and get your study visa
EU citizens don’t need a visa to study in Italy. If you’re from outside the EU and live abroad, you must pre-enrol for your programme on the national Universitaly portal, and once Politecnico di Milano has validated your pre-enrolment you apply for a type D study visa at the Italian embassy or consulate in your country. You’ll need to show that you can support yourself, with a minimum amount set each year by the Ministry of University and Research (about €6,000 a year in recent years), as well as accommodation and health insurance. The national deadline for 2027-28 study visa applications is 31 October 2027, but universities set much earlier pre-enrolment deadlines, so follow Politecnico di Milano’s dates. Within eight working days of arriving in Italy, you must apply for a residence permit for study (permesso di soggiorno). Universitaly portal.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
With a residence permit for study, you can work up to 20 hours a week, up to a maximum of 1,040 hours a year. After you graduate, you can convert your study permit into a work permit if you find a job, or apply for a permit to look for work for up to 12 months, as long as you register with your local job centre (Centro per l’Impiego) before your study permit expires. Rules can change, so check the latest guidance with the Questura (police immigration office) or Politecnico di Milano’s international office.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at PoliMi?
Most of PoliMi’s master’s programmes (laurea magistrale) are taught in English, and admission is based on your bachelor’s degree, grades and subject background. International students in the non-EU reserved category who don’t hold a scholarship pay the maximum fee. For a PhD, PoliMi publishes calls for funded positions each year. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
PoliMi’s places are limited, so apply to other options too. Read our guides to Sapienza University of Rome, the University of Bologna, the University of Padua and Politecnico di Torino. Our guide to studying in Italy explains how the Italian system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from Politecnico di Milano’s official admissions and fee pages, Italian government sources and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on PoliMi’s website for prospective students before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with Politecnico di Milano.