Politecnico di Torino (PoliTo), founded in 1859, is one of Italy’s leading technical universities, with close links to the car and aerospace industries in Turin. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 206th in the world, its best result to date, and the fifth-highest-ranked university in Italy. It’s known for engineering, architecture and design.
PoliTo teaches many bachelor’s programmes in English, and its admission tests are changing for 2027-28, so international students need to check the new rules. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on Politecnico di Torino’s own guidance and official Italian government information.
1. Choose an English- or Italian-taught programme
PoliTo offers bachelor’s degrees in engineering, architecture and design, with several engineering programmes taught in English. For each programme you need to meet its English or Italian language requirement before you enrol, and for English-taught programmes you can be exempted if, for example, you have an IB diploma taught entirely in English or a school diploma from an English-medium school in the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand.
2. Get ready for the new CISIA tests
From 2027-28, PoliTo is joining the CISIA consortium and replacing its own TIL test with CISIA’s tests. Only tests taken in person will count, either the TOLC@UNI or the English-language CEnT@UNI, and tests taken at home (TOLC@CASA and CEnT@CASA) won’t be accepted. Until 2026-27, PoliTo also accepted the SAT for engineering, so check the 2027-28 call to see whether it’s still accepted. PoliTo admission test 2027-28.
3. Watch for the 2027-28 call for applications
The full rules, test dates and deadlines appear in PoliTo’s annual call for applications, and the Italian version is the legally binding one. For 2026-27, non-EU applicants living abroad who needed a visa had to take their last test by 22 May 2026, meet the language requirements by the same date and pre-enrol on Universitaly by 30 June 2026, so expect a similar timetable.
4. Apply online with your foreign qualification
If you have a non-Italian qualification, you apply online and upload your secondary school diploma or, if you haven’t finished school yet, an official provisional document such as your latest school records. Documents in languages other than Italian, English, French or Spanish need an official translation, and US, UK and Scottish diplomas need extra certificates listed in the call. PoliTo: applicants with a non-Italian qualification.
5. Check your years of schooling and entrance exams
If your school diploma took only 10 or 11 years, you’ll need to complete a recognised foundation course first. If your country requires a national university entrance exam, such as the YKS in Turkey, the Vestibular in Brazil or the Gaokao in China, you must upload proof that you passed it.
6. Meet the language requirement
Make sure you have an accepted English (or Italian) certificate in time, and if you share TOEFL scores, use PoliTo’s institution code, C285. If you need a visa, also check the language rules in the pre-enrolment section of the call. Practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests.
7. Understand the fees
For non-EU students who don’t live in Italy, PoliTo’s fees are based on a range set for each country of origin, with a minimum and maximum that you can find in its tuition fee regulations and fee simulator. Students from countries not listed pay a fixed fee, which the 2026 regulations set at €921 a year. Fees are low compared with most technical universities in Europe. PoliTo tuition fees.
8. Look for funding and housing early
The regional right-to-study agency, EDISU Piemonte, offers grants and housing based on family income, and international students can apply with documents on their family’s income abroad. Turin is cheaper than Milan, but start looking for accommodation as soon as you’re admitted.
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 Torino 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 Torino’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 Torino’s international office.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at PoliTo?
Many of PoliTo’s master’s programmes in engineering are taught in English, and admission is based on your bachelor’s degree, grades and subject background. For a PhD, PoliTo 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
Apply to more than one university to give yourself options. Read our guides to Politecnico di Milano, Sapienza University of Rome, the University of Bologna and the University of Padua. 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 Torino’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 PoliTo’s admissions website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with Politecnico di Torino.