Contents
Politecnico di Milano admission at a glance
A school-leaver from abroad enters a Polimi Laurea (the Italian bachelor's degree) by sitting the entrance test of the School that teaches the course: the TOL for Engineering, the ARCHED test for Architectural Design and the TOLD for Design. Polimi describes no separate international application. Every admissions page is labelled academic year 2026/2027, so the steps and figures below belong to that cycle, and the 2027/2028 cycle you would join is only partly published.
Which test for which School
- Engineering: the TOL, provided by Polimi and administered in Italian, and/or an alternative test: TOLC-I (Italian) or SAT (English). Test registration for the TOL runs through Polimi Online Services. Applicants also need language skills for the language of the course.
- Architecture: the ARCHED test is compulsory for the Bachelor of Science in Architectural Design.
- Design: the TOLD (Test del Design). Italian-language courses use the TOLD in Italian; the English-language Interaction Design course uses the TOLD in English on the Design pages. Polimi's ARCHED registration page says the same course needs the ARCHED in English, so confirm the test with Polimi before you register.
Programmes in English and in Italian
Polimi's list of Laurea programmes marks the programmes below as taught in English or with an English track. The same list marks every other Laurea programme as Italian.
What the Laurea costs
For the 2026/2027 academic year Polimi sets the fee for a standard study plan of between 46 and 74 ECTS credits by the ISEE income indicator. With an ISEE of up to €22,000 the amount is €157.04; above that it rises gradually to a maximum of €3,943.04. Students who enrolled for 2026/2027 paid a first instalment of €880.04. The costs chapter explains how income earned abroad enters this scale.
What is published for 2027/2028
Little. Under the heading "Early admissions a.y. 2027/2028 - courses held in Italian", Polimi says that a student who was in the penultimate year of high school in 2025/2026 and scored 75 or more on the Early TOL or an alternative test can enrol for Italian-taught Engineering courses in 2027/2028, in an early phase "to be defined by January 2027". The same section says there will be specific rankings for access to courses held in English. More information is due in January 2027.
Polimi has not published the standard 2027 calendars for the TOL, ARCHED and TOLD. Treat the 2026/2027 dates and prices as the pattern, not as the 2027 rule.
| Programme | Campus | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Science | Milano Leonardo, Milano Bovisa | English |
| Industrial Engineering | Piacenza | English |
| Process Engineering | Cremona | English |
| Interaction Design | Lecco | English |
| Civil Engineering | Milano Leonardo | Italian and English tracks |
| Architectural Design | Milano Leonardo, Piacenza, Mantova | Italian and English tracks |
| MEDTEC School | Milano Leonardo, with a partner university | English |
Politecnico di Milano rankings and reputation
Polimi states that QS by Subject 2026 puts it 6th for Architecture and Built Environment, 7th for Design and 20th for Engineering and Technology. These are Polimi's own claims about QS. This report does not list QS positions as its own data.
The subject tables show where Polimi's profile sits: one university that teaches engineering, architecture and design side by side. In the same QS by Subject 2026 press release, Polimi adds a 14th place in both Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering and Civil and Structural Engineering, and says it is ranked in 26 of the 55 subjects QS covers.
Rankings move every year, so check the current QS tables before you rely on a single number.
Other rankings
Polimi cites QS only. It states no Times Higher Education, ARWU or U.S. News position, so this report lists none of them.
Polimi in numbers
The university has existed since 1863.
Engineering, Architecture, Design, Urban Planning: four admission routes
Polimi admits first-year Laurea students through four routes, one per area: Engineering, Architecture, Design and Urban Planning. Each has its own entrance test, and Polimi describes no separate procedure for international applicants. They sit the same test as everyone else; what differs is the category you are placed in and the documents Polimi checks. Polimi labels these pages academic year 2026/2027.
| Area | Entrance test | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering | TOL (administered in Italian) or an alternative test | TOLC-I, CEnT-S or SAT; the tests chapter gives the detail |
| Architecture | ARCHED test | Compulsory for the Bachelor of Science in Architectural Design |
| Design | TOLD | In Italian for Italian-language courses; in English for the English-language Interaction Design course |
| Urban Planning | Entrance exam | Mandatory for Urban Planning: Cities, Environment & Landscapes; Polimi publishes no description of its content |
Polimi's own overview lists Design, Engineering, Architecture and Urban Planning as the areas of the Bachelor of Science programmes. Polimi's Design and Architecture pages disagree on which test the English-language Interaction Design course needs in English (TOLD or ARCHED), so confirm it with Polimi before you register.
Dual citizenship
If you hold two citizenships and one is Italian or EU, that citizenship prevails for admission and enrolment.
Foreign qualification and document checks
The International Students Office verifies admission requirements for students with a foreign qualification. The documents chapter lists what to upload.
Engineering applicants who need a student visa and are eligible for enrolment must file a study-visa application through the Universitaly portal. The visa chapter covers that step.
Applying to more than one School
Because each School has its own test, you can sit more than one. For Architecture, you must sit both tests if you want to compete for programmes in Italian and programmes in English. Engineering applicants who want to enrol in two Engineering Bachelor programmes at once must, in compliance with Law No. 33 of April 12, 2022, submit a specific request. A student already enrolled who wants another School can ask for a change of context.
Places available and how competitive Polimi is
The English-taught programmes keep a much larger share of places for extra-EU students than the Italian-taught ones: for 2026/2027, Architectural Design at Piacenza lists 50 places, 40 of them for extra UE students. Polimi publishes no applications, admits or admit rate, so we cannot tell you how many applicants compete for each place.
The table lists a selection of the programmes on Polimi's "Available places" page, labelled academic year 2026/2027. "Equivalent" means Italian students, EU nationals and foreign nationals treated as equivalent to them. The 2027/2028 figures are not published.
| Programme | Campus | Language | Total places | Italian, EU and equivalent | Extra UE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural Design | Piacenza | English | 50 | 10 | 40 |
| Civil Engineering | Milano Leonardo | English | 110 | 50 | 60 |
| Engineering Science | Milano Bovisa and Milano Leonardo | English | 180 | 145 | 35 |
| Industrial Engineering | Piacenza | English | 80 | 55 | 25 |
| Process Engineering | Cremona | English | 80 | 55 | 25 |
| Interaction Design | Lecco | English | 50 | 40 | 10 |
| Architectural Design | Milano Leonardo | Italian | 750 | 745 | 5 |
| Aerospace Engineering (Ingegneria Aerospaziale) | Milano Bovisa | Italian | 490 | 480 | 10 |
| Ingegneria Informatica | Milano Leonardo | Italian | 735 | 720 | 15 |
| Ingegneria Gestionale | Milano Bovisa | Italian | 695 | 680 | 15 |
| Mechanical Engineering (Ingegneria Meccanica) | Milano Bovisa | Italian | 645 | 630 | 15 |
| Product Design (Design del Prodotto Industriale) | Milano Bovisa | Italian | 300 | 280 | 20 |
| Fashion Design (Design della Moda) | Milano Bovisa | Italian | 150 | 145 | 5 |
Read the Extra UE column as the room that is set aside for applicants who need a visa. In the Italian-taught programmes it is small: Aerospace Engineering lists 10 of 490 places and Ingegneria Informatica 15 of 735. In the English-taught programmes it is a much larger share, such as 60 of 110 in Civil Engineering (English track).
How the rankings are formed
For Engineering, Polimi draws up the rankings on the basis of the best TOL score and alternative test score (converted into TOL score), taken to the second decimal place, and on the preferences each candidate expressed. A TOL score taken in 2026 had to reach at least 30/100 to be considered.
For Architecture, the maximum ARCHED score is 50. For Design, Polimi's call sets a minimum TOLD score. Italian, EU and equivalent students need at least 30.00/100 in Italian or 27.00/90 in English; students of the reserved contingent need at least 20.00/100 in Italian or 18.00/90 in English. These minimum scores belong to the 2026/2027 cycle and are gates to enter a ranking, not the scores of admitted students.
What Polimi does not publish
Polimi publishes no applications, admits or admit rate for the Laurea programmes, and no cut-off scores of admitted students. The only score thresholds it states are the minimum scores to enter a ranking, given above.
Polimi admission tests: TOL, ARCHED, TOLD and the SAT
Polimi runs three of its own entrance tests, one per School: the TOL for Engineering (remote, in Italian, 65 questions in 100 minutes), the ARCHED for Architecture and the TOLD for Design. Engineering also accepts the SAT, CEnT-S or TOLC-I in place of the TOL. Everything below describes the 2026/2027 cycle, whose tests have already taken place; Polimi has not yet published the 2027 calendars.
The TOL for Engineering
You book the TOL in Polimi Online Services, and registration costs €35. CISIA does not run the TOL; it runs TOLC-I and CEnT-S.
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning, mathematics and statistics | 25 | 65 minutes |
| Verbal comprehension | 5 | 10 minutes |
| Physics | 5 | 10 minutes |
| English (TENG) | 30 | 15 minutes |
Each correct answer earns 1 point, each wrong answer costs 0.25 points and an unanswered question earns 0 points. The maximum score is 100.00. A low TENG result leads to an extra English obligation, which the English chapter explains.
Alternative tests: SAT, CEnT-S and TOLC-I
- SAT (College Board, administered in English): Polimi lists the SAT as an alternative to the TOL. In the 2026/2027 early enrolment phase you could use the SAT instead of the TOL if you graduated in 2026 and scored at least 620 points in each of Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math. For the second to fourth standard phases the converted and rounded score had to be at least 30/100. For 2026/2027, Polimi's SAT code was 7364.
- CEnT-S (CISIA): the test has 55 questions in five sections. Polimi does not count Biology and Chemistry when it converts the result into a TOL score.
- TOLC-I (CISIA, administered in Italian) is the third alternative on the Engineering page.
An alternative test only counts if its score, converted to a TOL score by Polimi's own formulas, reaches the minimum score for enrolment. You register the result in Online Services by the deadline.
The ARCHED test for Architecture
The ARCHED is the compulsory test for the Bachelor of Science in Architectural Design. Its first section, reading comprehension, has 10 questions in 20 minutes, and Polimi lists the same size for each of its other four sections. In 2026/2027 the English-language ARCHED took place on 23 July 2026, and registration cost € 35.00. Polimi's page named that day both Thursday and Wednesday.
The TOLD for Design
The Italian-language TOLD has 90 questions in 85 minutes and includes the English TENG. The English-language TOLD has 60 questions in 70 minutes and no TENG section. The call for admission to the School of Design gave a single English TOLD window of 14 March 2026 to 14 May 2026. Polimi delivered the TOLD in person in its computer classrooms, so Design applicants sat it on site.
Urban Planning
Urban Planning: Cities, Environment & Landscapes has its own mandatory entrance exam. This report does not cover the content or dates of that exam; check the Urban Planning call on the Polimi site.
Early TOL and early entry for 2027/2028
Polimi lets a student who was in the penultimate year of high school in 2025/2026 secure Italian-taught Engineering entry for 2027/2028 early: a rounded score of 75 or more on the Early TOL or an alternative test gives early enrolment, and a score from 30 up to 75 goes into the 2027/2028 rankings. Those test windows closed in 2026; the next published step is January 2027.
What the early score gives
This route is described for Engineering courses held in Italian. Polimi's section is headed "Early admissions a.y. 2027/2028 - courses held in Italian". Polimi describes no early route for Architecture or Design.
- A score of 30 or more and under 75 enters the 2027/2028 admission rankings, and you may try to improve it by taking the test again in 2027. Polimi takes the best score obtained for the ranking list.
- The Early TOL was open to students in the penultimate year who graduate in 2026/2027. They could take it twice at most, once per session.
- English-taught courses are not part of the early enrolment: Polimi says there will be specific rankings for access to them.
Which dates belong to which year
The standard TOL slots on the same page, 1 February to 10 March 2026 and a second slot after it, are for students who graduated in 2025/2026 or were then in their final year. They belong to the 2026/2027 entry cycle, not to yours.
What to do now
If you sat an alternative test by 31 August 2026, check your score against the two bands above and register your preferences when Polimi opens the early phase. If you did not, Polimi has published no standard TOL date for 2027, so watch the Polimi admissions pages after January 2027 and treat the 2026 windows as a guide to the season, not as dates.
Polimi Laurea admissions step by step
You apply to a Polimi Laurea in five steps: register in Polimi Online Services, upload your documents, sit the School's test, follow the ranking lists and enrol by paying the first instalment. In the 2026/2027 cycle Engineering ran its first enrolment phase from 4 May to 11 June 2026 and its ranking lists until 7 September 2026. The 2027/2028 calendar is not published, so read the dates below as the 2026/2027 pattern.
The five steps
- Register. Open an account and go to Online Services > Register. The registration fee is €35 (Engineering TOL).
- Upload documents. If you hold a foreign qualification, you upload your documents when you register for the test (see below).
- Choose programmes. A standard TOL candidate could list up to a maximum of 5 course options, which are binding for enrolment and ranking purposes. An ARCHED candidate could list up to four choices in Italian and up to two in English.
- Sit the test and follow the rankings. Your best score and your preferences place you in a ranking list.
- Enrol. You must pay the first instalment to proceed with enrolment.
Engineering: the 2026/2027 calendar
The standard phases needed a STANDARD TOL taken in 2026, or an alternative test converted to a TOL score, of at least 30.00. Late phases for unfilled places followed through the summer.
Architecture and Design in 2026/2027
Architecture followed a later calendar. Registration for the ARCHED opened on 17 June 2026 and closed on 16 July 2026. The first ranking list came out on 3 August 2026, and ASSIGNED candidates had to enrol by 5 August 2026.
Design came earlier. Its first ranking list was published on 8 June 2026, with enrolment due by 10 June 2026. Polimi published five separate rankings for the Design programmes, split by whether you took the TOLD in Italian or in English.
Documents for a foreign qualification
At test registration you upload report cards from the last three years of secondary school, stamped and signed by the competent authority or office, and either your final secondary school diploma or a letter confirming enrolment in the final year. Enrolment will not be considered complete until the International Students Office has verified the documents.
After enrolment
In Engineering, if you do not yet know your diploma score you can enrol on conditions and enter it later (the 2026/2027 deadline was 10 September 2026). Polimi sends the next steps, including any extra English obligation, to the page Current students > After enrolment.
Polimi English and Italian language requirements
Polimi requires knowledge of the language in which the course is delivered. For an English-taught Engineering or Design Laurea you prove English before enrolling, for example with a TOEFL iBT total of 59 or more or an IELTS of 5 or more. In Italian-taught Engineering, English is not an entry requirement. These are the 2026/2027 rules.
English-taught programmes
| Test or certificate | Required score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT (ETS) | Internet Based Score ≥ 59 (total score) |
| IELTS Academic or General Training | ≥ 5 |
| Cambridge | ≥ B2 First - GRADE C |
| Trinity College | ISE II |
Polimi lists the Trinity ISE II and a British Institutes B2 certificate as well.
Italian-taught programmes
For programmes taught in Italian, you can show Italian proficiency with Italian, San Marino or Swiss Canton of Ticino citizenship, a secondary qualification obtained in Italian, or a CLIQ certificate at level B2.
Non-EU students living abroad who want Italian-taught Architecture had a further route in 2026/2027: upload a CLIQ certificate of at least level B2 no later than 5 July 2026, or take a language test organised through Cisia remotely on 14 July 2026.
English OFA in Italian-taught programmes
English is not an entry requirement for Italian-taught programmes, but you must reach it to finish the degree. In the TENG, a test of English of 30 multiple-choice questions, an OFA is assigned to students who do not answer at least 24 correctly. The TENG still has to be taken even if you hold a certificate. You can clear the obligation with a certificate such as a TOEFL iBT total of 45 or more or an IELTS of 4 or more, or with a test at an external institute.
Italian in English-taught programmes
Italian is not an entry requirement for English-taught programmes either, but you need level B2 before you complete the degree. A score of at least 30/100 on the TOL, TOLC-I or Italian TOLD counts as proof; otherwise Polimi enrols you with an Italian OFA that you must clear before the graduation exam.
Foreign diplomas: years of schooling and documents
To apply for a Polimi Laurea with a foreign qualification you need a secondary school qualification obtained after a minimum of 12/13 years of schooling overall, and you upload your grades and diploma in two stages. Polimi publishes eligibility rules by qualification but no minimum grades; admission itself runs through the test ranking. Polimi labels these pages academic year 2026/2027.
Years of schooling and the Ministry rules
Polimi accepts the successful passing of a foundation course of at least one academic year to fill gaps in the admission requirements, such as a short school career or missing APs. The detailed rules follow a document that the Ministry of University and Research issues each year. Polimi names four categories with specific rules: students with less than 12 years of schooling, a United States high school qualification, British qualifications, and missing documentation on academic competence exams.
Rules by qualification
| Qualification | What Polimi says |
|---|---|
| British (A-levels) | Three A-levels with passing grades are required, in any subject except Italian for Italian citizens. A maximum of one missing A-level can be compensated with a one-year foundation course. |
| United States high school | Three APs with a mandatory score between 3 and 5 are required, in any subject except Italian for Italian citizens. |
For the IB, Polimi quotes the Ministry's note that the diploma is valid for enrolment if the student entered the IB course after promotion or eligibility for the penultimate year of upper secondary school in the home school system. Polimi does not publish a minimum IB score, A-level grade or GPA, and its summary gives rules only for the qualifications listed above.
Documents to upload
At the test stage you upload detailed grades from the last three years of school, with the stamp and signature of the competent office, and a letter from the school confirming enrolment in the final year. Both documents need an official translation unless they are available in English, French or Spanish.
At enrolment the deadline to upload the final diploma was 10 September 2026. For students who enrol in the 2026/2027 cycle (starting autumn 2026), a Declaration of Value, a Certificate Supplement, a CIMEA Statement of Comparability or a CIMEA Statement of Correspondence is due by 31 October 2026. That date belongs to the 2026/2027 cycle and is not your deadline for 2027 entry: Polimi has not published the 2027/2028 deadlines. If Polimi cannot verify the documents, it may cancel the enrolment.
What to study at Polimi: Bachelor programmes
Polimi's Laurea (Bachelor of Science) list covers Engineering, Architecture and Design on campuses in Milano Leonardo, Milano Bovisa, Lecco, Cremona, Piacenza and Mantova, and each flagship programme below lasts 3 years. Most are taught in Italian; Engineering Science, Industrial Engineering, Process Engineering, Interaction Design and MEDTEC School are in English, and Civil Engineering and Architectural Design run in Italian and English.
Laurea programmes by campus and language
The table follows Polimi's own list of Bachelor of Science programmes. Polimi states that all the postgraduate and some undergraduate programmes are available in English, so the Laurea is the level where language choice matters most. Mind the difference between programmes taught in English and the English tracks of programmes that also run in Italian.
| Programme | Campus | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineering | Milano Bovisa | Italian |
| Architectural Design | Milano Leonardo, Piacenza, Mantova | Italian and English tracks |
| Automation Engineering | Milano Leonardo | Italian |
| Biomedical Engineering | Milano Leonardo | Italian |
| Building and Construction Engineering | Milano Leonardo | Italian |
| Building Engineering/Architecture | Lecco | Italian |
| Chemical Engineering | Milano Leonardo | Italian |
| Civil Engineering | Milano Leonardo | Italian and English tracks |
| Communication Design | Milano Bovisa | Italian |
| Electrical Engineering | Milano Leonardo | Italian |
| Electronic Engineering | Milano Leonardo | Italian |
| Energy Engineering | Milano Bovisa | Italian |
| Engineering of Computing Systems | Milano Leonardo, Cremona | Italian |
| Engineering Science | Milano Leonardo, Milano Bovisa | English |
| Environmental and Land Planning Engineering | Milano Leonardo | Italian |
| Fashion Design | Milano Bovisa | Italian |
| Industrial Engineering | Piacenza | English |
| Industrial Production Engineering | Lecco | Italian |
| Interaction Design | Lecco | English |
| Interior Design | Milano Bovisa | Italian |
| Management and Production Engineering | Cremona, Milano Bovisa | Italian |
| Materials and Nanotechnology Engineering | Milano Leonardo | Italian |
| Mathematical Engineering | Milano Leonardo | Italian |
| Mechanical Engineering | Piacenza, Milano Bovisa | Italian |
| MEDTEC School | Milano Leonardo (partner university) | English |
| Physics Engineering | Milano Leonardo | Italian |
| Process Engineering | Cremona | English |
| Product Design | Milano Bovisa | Italian |
| Urban Planning: Cities, Environment & Landscapes | Milano Leonardo | Italian |
English-taught Engineering campuses
The English-taught Engineering courses are taught on several campuses: Milano Leonardo, Milano Bovisa, Cremona and Piacenza.
Flagship programmes
- Aerospace Engineering: Bachelor of Science, 3 years, taught in Italian, Milano Bovisa.
- Architectural Design: 3 years, Italian or English, Milano Leonardo, Piacenza and Mantova, degree class L-17.
- Engineering of Computing Systems: 3 years, taught in Italian, Milano Leonardo and Cremona.
- Process Engineering: 3 years, taught in English, Cremona.
- Design: the Design programmes in the list are taught in Italian, apart from English-taught Interaction Design in Lecco.
What follows the Laurea
The Laurea lasts three years. Polimi says all its postgraduate programmes are available in English. Polimi's programme list gives no ECTS totals and does not describe the Laurea Magistrale route.
Career prospects after Polimi
Polimi publishes graduate outcomes for its Italian Master of Science graduates only: 99% of the class of 2024 were employed one year after graduating. It publishes no bachelor-level employment or salary figures, so these numbers describe the Master's level you could reach after a Laurea.
| Measure | Graduating class | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Employed one year after graduation | 2024 | 99% |
| Employed on permanent contracts, five years after | 2020 | 91% |
Read the table with its limits in mind. The cohorts are Italian Master's graduates, not bachelor graduates and not graduates who return abroad, and Polimi gives no salary data. In its QS by Subject 2026 press release, Polimi also says the QS Employer Reputation indicator shows how much Italian and international employers value its graduates; that is Polimi's reading of a QS score, not a salary or hiring statistic.
Career support at Polimi
Polimi offers internships and study programmes for professional experience. Students can meet hundreds of companies every semester at the university.
International mobility
Polimi gives no count of partner universities or Erasmus places for bachelor students. One concrete figure appears in the call for DSU scholarships, which adds money for an international mobility programme of at least two months (up to a maximum of ten months). The scholarships chapter covers that call.
Cost of study and living at Polimi
For the 2026/2027 academic year a Polimi Laurea costs between €157.04 and €3,943.04 a year for a standard study plan of between 46 and 74 ECTS, depending on the ISEE income indicator you submit. Polimi publishes no living-cost figures. The 2027/2028 fee scale is not yet published, so treat these as the 2026/2027 amounts.
How the tuition fee is set
The fees are divided into two instalments, and the amount varies with the study plan you submit and your financial status. The scale is written for Laurea, Laurea Magistrale and single-cycle programmes. The scale sets no separate flat fee for non-EU bachelor students.
The two instalments
Future students of 2026/2027 paid a first instalment of €880.04 on enrolment. For that cohort it could be reduced with an ISEE 2026 below €27,740. For that 2026/2027 cohort the second instalment is due in May, and it ranges from €0 to €3,003 for a study plan of 46 to 74 ECTS, depending on the ISEE 2027. In Engineering, there are no discounts or instalment reductions based on the high school diploma score.
If your family income is abroad
If you have income or assets abroad, you must request the ISEEU parificato from an affiliated CAF, which sends it directly to Polimi. The documents come from the authorities of the country where the income was earned and are legalized by Italian diplomatic and consular representations abroad.
One-off costs
Registering for the Engineering TOL costs €35; Polimi gives the same registration fee for the ARCHED (€35). The test chapter lists them.
Living costs
Polimi publishes no cost-of-living figures for Milan: no rent, food, transport or phone amounts. The housing chapter covers what Polimi says about residences.
Polimi scholarships and financial aid
For a bachelor applicant, Polimi offers the DSU benefits, whose call is published every June (the call cited here, Call DSU 2026/2027, is for students who start in autumn 2026; a call for your cohort would follow in June). The merit-based international scholarships are for Master of Science applicants only, and Polimi lists no Excellence Scholarship for bachelor applicants.
| Scheme | Who it is for | Status |
|---|---|---|
| DSU benefits | Students admitted to a Bachelor of Science programme | Call published each June; the call cited here is the 2026/2027 call |
| Merit-based international scholarships | International candidates admitted to a Master of Science programme | Not for bachelor applicants; the 2027/2028 call is for Master's |
DSU: the means-tested scholarship
DSU stands for Diritto allo Studio Universitario. If you live far from your course you can also apply for discounted accommodation in a Polimi residence. The scholarship amount depends on whether you are a local, commuter or away-from-home student.
Polimi weighs two requirements. For income, you obtain the ISEE "for university use", and its value must be at or below the limit set in the call. For merit, later years count the credits you earned. The income limit and the rules for families with income abroad are set in the call itself, so check the call when Polimi publishes it each June.
Cremona and Piacenza bachelor scholarships
The Cremona and Piacenza scholarships page shows the a.y. 2026/27 call as closed. Polimi shows no 2027/2028 call yet, so check the Polimi scholarships page for one.
Merit-based scholarships are Master's only
Polimi offers merit-based scholarships to the most talented international candidates admitted to a Master of Science programme. The call for academic year 2027/2028 asks for a valid English certificate by 4 March 2027. It does not cover a bachelor entrant.
Other options
Polimi points to the Invest your Talent in Italy programme for first-semester (September intake) applicants from a listed group of countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mexico, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Tunisia, Turkey and Vietnam. The page does not say which study level that programme covers.
Housing at Polimi
Polimi runs its own university halls of residence in Milan, Lecco, Como and Cremona, and they host both Italian and international students. You can get a room in two ways: apply for a reduced-rate place through the DSU call, or book a place at full rate through the residences portal. Polimi publishes rates and deadlines on that portal, so this report gives no rent figures.
How to get a room
| Route | How it works | When |
|---|---|---|
| Reduced rate | Apply for accommodation at a reduced rate through the DSU (Diritto allo Studio) calls. The DSU page describes this as discounted accommodation for students who live far from their study course, not as free housing. | The DSU call is published every June |
Polimi says availability, rates, deadlines and application procedures are updated regularly on the dedicated portal. Check it before you book travel or sign any private lease.
Where the residences are
The residences host both Italian and international students, with shared spaces and dedicated services. The locations named are Milan, Lecco, Como and Cremona; Piacenza and Mantova, where Industrial Engineering and some Architectural Design students study, are not named, so ask Polimi what housing exists on those campuses.
Private rooms
Polimi's page states no priority rule for scholarship recipients, and Polimi does not publish private rental prices; use current listings and compare with the residence rate once the portal shows it.
Student life at Polimi and in Milan, campus by campus
Your campus depends on your programme, so pick the programme first.
Campuses and programmes
| Campus | Programmes named by Polimi |
|---|---|
| Milano Leonardo | Architectural Design (also at Piacenza and Mantova) |
| Milano Bovisa | Aerospace Engineering and Interior Design |
| Lecco | Interaction Design |
| Cremona | Process Engineering |
| Piacenza | Industrial Engineering |
Leonardo and Bovisa are both in Milan. Como appears on Polimi's housing page as a place with residences, but the campus page does not list it as a campus.
The study year
A standard study plan envisages 60 ECTS per year. The first semester starts in September and ends in February, and the second starts at the end of February and runs until the beginning of June. Teaching may start at 8.30am at the earliest and end at 6.30pm at the latest. As a rule, attendance at lectures is highly recommended, whereas it is compulsory in workshops, and each programme's educational rules say which activities are compulsory.
Associations, sport and community
Polimi's site has sections called "Sport and leisure" and "Associations and cultural activities". This report gives no count of clubs and names none.
Visa, residence permit and arrival
All non-EU students residing abroad, without a valid residence permit for Italy, must obtain a valid student visa to enrol in a Polimi undergraduate course. You file the request on Universitaly after you win a place; in 2026/2027 that had to be done by August 31st, 2026. Polimi's own Universitaly date for 2027/2028 is not yet published.
The rule is written for non-EU citizens.
The visa steps, 2026/2027 cycle
Polimi says its confirmation does not guarantee a consulate appointment, and acceptance by the university does not confer any right to a visa, because only the diplomatic representatives issue study visas.
If the visa is refused
If the visa is denied or not issued by the consulate deadline, it is not possible to continue with the studies.
After you arrive
Classes will be held in presence, so plan to be in the city of your campus. The Polimi visa page does not describe the residence permit steps after arrival, so check Italian immigration rules and the International Students Office before you travel.
Who is Politecnico di Milano for? Summary
Polimi suits applicants who want engineering, architecture or design, who accept an admission route decided by an entrance test, and who either study in Italian or pick one of the few English-taught programmes. For 2026/2027 the yearly fee ran from €157.04 to a maximum of €3,943.04.
A strong fit if
- You want architecture, design or engineering. In its QS by Subject 2026 release, Polimi reports 6th in Architecture and Built Environment, 7th in Design and 20th in Engineering and Technology. These are Polimi's statements about QS, not our own ranking data.
- You can work with the fee scale. The 2026/2027 scale depends on an ISEE indicator, from €157.04 to €3,943.04 for a standard plan; Polimi publishes no living-cost figures.
- You are happy with a short list of English-taught programmes, such as Engineering Science, Civil Engineering and Architectural Design (English tracks), Industrial and Process Engineering, and Interaction Design. Aerospace Engineering is taught in Italian, and so are most other programmes.
- For 2026/2027, English-taught Engineering or Design programmes asked for TOEFL iBT 59 or more or IELTS 5 or more. Italian-taught programmes check English through the TENG instead: fewer than 24 correct answers out of 30 brings an English obligation.
Think twice if
- You want the decision to rest on grades, essays or an interview. Polimi builds its ranking on test scores and preferences.
- You need an admit rate or past cut-off scores to judge your chances. Polimi publishes none.
- You need confirmed 2027 dates. The standard 2027 calendars are not published, and the Design test is taken in person at the university.
- You need a visa-category place in a large Italian-taught programme. Those programmes set aside only a few such places; the places chapter has the 2026/2027 table.
Next steps for 2027/2028
Polimi: frequently asked questions
How much does Politecnico di Milano cost?
For 2026/2027 the yearly Laurea fee is €157.04 for an ISEE of up to €22,000 and rises gradually to a maximum of €3,943.04, for a standard study plan of between 46 and 74 ECTS. Polimi sets the fee by the ISEE family-income indicator and its fee scale shows no separate flat fee for non-EU bachelor students. The 2027/2028 fee scale is not yet published.
What is the TOL test and how should I prepare for it?
The TOL is Polimi's own entrance test for Engineering, held remotely in Italian: 65 questions in 100 minutes. A correct answer earns 1 point, a wrong answer costs 0.25 points, and the maximum score is 100.00. A TOL score taken in 2026 had to reach at least 30/100 to be considered, which is a gate to enter a ranking, not the score of admitted students.
What are the best programs at Politecnico di Milano?
Polimi states that QS by Subject 2026 places it 6th for Architecture and Built Environment, 7th for Design and 20th for Engineering and Technology; these are Polimi's own claims about QS, not our ranking data. Which programme suits you depends on the School and the language: Engineering Science, Industrial Engineering, Process Engineering and Interaction Design are taught in English, while Aerospace Engineering is taught in Italian.
Can international students study at PoliMi in English?
Yes, in a limited set of programmes: Polimi lists Engineering Science, Industrial Engineering in Piacenza, Process Engineering in Cremona and Interaction Design in Lecco as taught in English, and Civil Engineering and Architectural Design with English tracks. For the English-taught Engineering and Design programmes the 2026/2027 rules ask for a TOEFL iBT total of 59 or more or an IELTS of 5 or more. Most other Laurea programmes, including Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering, are taught in Italian.
What does the ARCHED test for architecture and design look like?
The ARCHED is the compulsory test for the Bachelor of Science in Architectural Design; Design applicants take the TOLD, although Polimi's ARCHED page says the English-taught Interaction Design course needs the ARCHED in English while its Design pages say the TOLD in English. Its first section, reading comprehension, has 10 questions in 20 minutes, and Polimi lists the same size for each of its other four sections. The maximum score is 50 and registration costs €35. In 2026/2027 the English-language ARCHED took place on 23 July 2026, a day Polimi's page names both Thursday and Wednesday.
What scholarships are available at PoliMi?
For a bachelor applicant, Polimi points to the DSU benefits, a means-tested scholarship whose call is published every June. The merit-based international scholarships are for Master of Science applicants only, and Polimi lists no Excellence Scholarship for bachelor entrants.
How much does student life in Milan cost?
Polimi publishes no cost-of-living figures for Milan: no rent, food, transport or phone amounts. What it does publish is the Laurea fee scale, from €157.04 to €3,943.04 a year in 2026/2027, and its halls of residence in Milan, Lecco, Como and Cremona. The DSU call offers discounted accommodation to students who live far from their course.
What are the career prospects after graduating from Politecnico di Milano?
Polimi publishes outcomes for its Italian Master of Science graduates only: 99% of the class of 2024 were employed one year after graduating. Five years after graduating, 91% of the class of 2020 were employed on permanent contracts. Polimi publishes no bachelor-level or salary figures. It offers internships.
What are my chances of getting into Polimi?
Polimi publishes no applications, admits or admit rate for the Laurea programmes, and no cut-off scores of admitted students. Admission is a ranking: for Engineering it is built on the best TOL score or converted alternative-test score and your preferences, and the 2026 minimum to enter a ranking was 30/100. That minimum is a gate, not the level of admitted students. English-taught programmes set aside a much larger share of their places for extra-EU applicants than Italian-taught ones, such as 60 of 110 in Civil Engineering (English track).
When do I apply to Polimi for 2027 entry?
Polimi has not published the standard 2027 calendars for the TOL, ARCHED and TOLD, and says more information on 2027/2028 early entry will come in January 2027. If you were in the penultimate year of high school in 2025/2026, an Early TOL or alternative-test score of 75 or more gives early enrolment in Italian-taught Engineering for 2027/2028, and the alternative-test window for this route closed on 31 August 2026. For the 2026/2027 cycle the standard Engineering TOL ran in slots starting 1 February to 10 March 2026; use that as the pattern of the season, not as your dates.
Does Polimi accept the SAT?
Yes, for Engineering: Polimi lists the SAT as an alternative to the TOL, together with the CEnT-S and the TOLC-I. In the 2026/2027 early enrolment phase you could use it if you graduated in 2026 and scored at least 620 points in each of Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math. In the standard phases the converted and rounded score had to be at least 30/100, and Polimi's SAT code for 2026/2027 was 7364.
Do I need a visa to study at Polimi?
Non-EU students living abroad without a valid residence permit for Italy must obtain a valid student visa to enrol in a Polimi undergraduate course. Non-EU citizens living abroad who are accepted to a Bachelor programme must create an account on Universitaly and submit their visa application. For 2026/2027, the Universitaly submission deadline was August 31st, 2026.
Where these numbers come from
Official pages of Politecnico di Milano (Polimi), UCAS, gov.uk and the ranking publishers. Applicant reports, where shown, are self-reported and labelled.
Politecnico di Milano - polimi · Engineering - polimi · How to register for the TOL - polimi · Laurea, Laurea Magistrale and Single-cycle programmes - polimi · Students of an English-Language Laurea Study Programme - polimi · SAT - polimi · Architecture - polimi · When and how to enrol - polimi · Language requirements: English and Italian - polimi · When to enroll in BSc programmes in Engineering - Students who take a test and are enrolled in the penultimate year of h · Laurea (equivalent to Bachelor of Science) - polimi · COMUNICATO STAMPA · Urban Planning - polimi · Admission to laurea programmes - polimi · Types of students - polimi · Students with a foreign degree - polimi · ATTENTION: the English translation of the “bando laurea ingegneria · Who can take the test ARCHED - polimi · How to register to BSc programmes in Engineering if you have a CEnTS test | Politecnico di Milano - polimi · Available places - polimi · Scores and rankings - polimi · Scores and rankings - polimi · Punteggi e graduatorie - polimi · What the TOL consists of and how to prepare - polimi · What the test consist of and how to prepare - polimi · How to register for the test ARCHED - polimi · In cosa consiste il TOLD e come prepararsi - polimi · Call for admission to degree courses of the School of Design 2026/2027 · When to register for the TOL - polimi · You have an alternative test - polimi · How to enrol - polimi · When to enroll in BSc programmes in Engineering - Students in the ultimate year of high-school who take a test | Politec · When and how to enrol - polimi · What to do after the enrolment - polimi · Students of an italian-language Laurea study programme - polimi · When to register for the test ARCHED - polimi · Requirements to participate in the admission test - polimi · SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF FOREIGN QUALIFICATIONS · Necessary documents for enrolment - polimi · Aerospace Engineering – Bachelor's Degree | Politecnico di Milano - polimi · Programmes - polimi · Architectural Design – Bachelor's Degree | Politecnico di Milano - polimi · Engineering of Computing Systems – Bachelor's Degree | Politecnico di Milano - polimi · Ingegneria: nuove Lauree in inglese – a partire da settembre 2026 - polimi · Process Engineering – Bachelor's Degree | Politecnico di Milano - polimi · Our figures - polimi · Toward the world of careers - polimi · University Financial Aid - Diritto allo Studio Universitario (DSU) - polimi · Students with income and property abroad - polimi · Scholarships - polimi · Cremona and Piacenza Scholarships - polimi · Student accommodation - polimi · Student life - polimi · How to apply for a student visa - polimi
Photos: Rectorate building of Politecnico di Milano, Leonardo campus: photo Marco Ausano Maria Introini, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons