Politecnico di Milano (Polimi) is a public technical university in Milan with 49,395 enrolled students in 2025/26, of whom 9,940 are international.[1] It is ranked 87th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and is first among Italian universities in that ranking.[2]
Tuition for 2026/27 depends on household income (ISEE): from €157.04 a year up to a maximum of €3,943.04 for a standard study plan of 46 to 74 ECTS credits.[3] Non-EU students admitted to a master’s programme with a foreign bachelor’s degree, and without a scholarship, pay the maximum amount.[3] Master’s applicants must prove their English level; bachelor’s applicants take an admission test and prove the language of the programme.[4][5]
Key facts
| Official name | Politecnico di Milano (Polytechnic University of Milan, short form Polimi) |
| Location | Milan, Italy; the Leonardo campus in the Città Studi district hosts the central offices[6] |
| Type | Public technical university[6] |
| Founded | 29 November 1863 by Francesco Brioschi, as the Istituto Tecnico Superiore[6] |
| Students | 49,395 enrolled in 2025/26, of whom 9,940 international (2,632 bachelor’s, 6,608 master’s, 700 PhD)[1] |
| Fields | Architecture (7,375 students), design (4,793), engineering (37,227); the page lists 2,240 PhD students separately[1] |
| Campuses | Milano Leonardo, Milano Bovisa, Cremona, Lecco, Mantova, Piacenza and the joint school with Xi’an Jiaotong University in Xi’an, China[1] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | 87th in the world, 1st in Italy (98th in the 2026 edition)[2] |
| Tuition 2026/27 | €157.04 to €3,943.04 a year for a standard plan of 46–74 ECTS, depending on ISEE[3] |
| Tuition 2026/27, non-EU master’s students | Maximum amount (in proportion to the ECTS in the study plan) unless they hold a scholarship[3] |
| Admission, bachelor’s (Engineering) | Admission test: Polimi’s own TOL, or TOLC-I, CEnT-S or SAT; ranking lists[7] |
| Admission, master’s | Bachelor’s degree at EQF level 7 in a related field; proof of English; limited places per programme with a quota for non-EU applicants[8] |
| English for master’s | For example IELTS 6, TOEFL iBT 78, PTE Academic 59[4] |
| Official website | polimi.it |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About Politecnico di Milano
Politecnico di Milano was founded on 29 November 1863 by Francesco Brioschi as the Istituto Tecnico Superiore. Architecture was added in 1865, and in 1927 the university moved to its present Leonardo site in Piazza Leonardo da Vinci. The page also records Giulio Natta’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963 and the creation of a Faculty of Design in 2000.[6]
Beyond the two Milan campuses (Leonardo and Bovisa) the university has sites in Cremona, Lecco, Mantova and Piacenza, and a joint school with Xi’an Jiaotong University in China.[1] Wikipedia counts 12 departments, among them Architecture and Urban Studies, Design, Electronics, Information Technology and Bioengineering, Energy, and Mechanical Engineering.[6]
How is Politecnico di Milano ranked?
In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, Politecnico di Milano is 87th in the world and first among Italian universities. It rose 11 places from 98th in the 2026 edition; the university notes it stood 187th in 2016.[2]
QS indicator scores quoted by the university include 93.6 for Employer Reputation, 84.5 for Academic Reputation and 54.2 for Citations per Faculty (out of 100). QS counts 9,117 international students out of 36,352 students, about 25 percent; this is a different base from the 9,940 international students in the university’s own count of 49,395 enrolled students.[2][1] By subject (QS 2026), Polimi lists 20th in Engineering & Technology, 6th in Architecture and the Built Environment and 7th in Art & Design.[1]
Wikipedia’s article gives the 87th place under the 2026 edition, which disagrees with the university’s own news item (98th in 2026, 87th in 2027).[6] We follow the university. Rankings differ by publisher and year. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at Politecnico di Milano?
Polimi teaches architecture, design and engineering, in bachelor’s (laurea), master’s (laurea magistrale) and doctoral programmes.[1] The master’s places page for 2026/27 groups the programmes in four schools: Design; Architecture, Urban Planning and Construction Engineering; Civil, Environmental and Land Management Engineering; and Industrial and Information Engineering.[9] Each programme has a fixed number of places, with a separate quota for non-EU (“extra UE”) applicants. A selection from that page:
| Master’s programme (2026/27) | Campus | Total places | Italian, EU and equivalent | Non-EU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science and Engineering | Milano Leonardo | 580 | 505 | 75 |
| Management Engineering | Milano Bovisa | 900 | 750 | 150 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Milano Bovisa | 680 | 545 | 135 |
| Civil Engineering | Milano Leonardo | 150 | 90 | 60 |
| Architettura, English track | Milano Leonardo | 480 | 240 | 240 |
| Digital and Interaction Design | Milano Bovisa | 100 | 50 | 50 |
Foreign nationals treated as equivalent to EU nationals (for example certain residents in Italy, and nationals of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and San Marino) compete in the first group.[9] The Architecture programme has separate Italian and English tracks; the page lists all programmes.[9]
How much does Politecnico di Milano cost in 2026/27?
Polimi charges one annual “all-inclusive” contribution that depends on the ISEE, the Italian indicator of household income and assets, and on the ECTS credits in your study plan. The amounts below are for a standard plan of 46 to 74 ECTS in 2026/27; the page applies a percentage of these amounts for plans with fewer or more credits.[3]
| Item | Amount 2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Minimum a year (ISEE up to €22,000) | €157.04 |
| Maximum a year (higher ISEE, no ISEE, or non-EU master’s without scholarship) | €3,943.04 |
| First instalment, paid at enrolment | €880.04 |
| Second instalment, paid in May | €0 to €3,003, only if due |
For an ISEE between €22,001 and €30,000 the amount follows a formula; above €30,000 it follows fee bands. Neither is printed on the page we read.[3] Without an ISEE, the maximum is charged automatically.[3]
Who pays the maximum?
International students in the reserved non-EU category, meaning not equivalent to Italian students, who are admitted to a master’s programme with a first-level qualification from abroad and hold no scholarship from Polimi or another body, pay the maximum amount in proportion to their ECTS. This applies even if they submit an ISEE or an equalised ISEE for foreign income (“ISEE parificato”).[3] The page does not say what non-EU bachelor’s students pay beyond the general ISEE rules.
ISEE reduction of the first instalment
An ISEE 2026 below €27,740 reduces the first instalment. It must be registered in Polimi’s Online Services at least 10 working days before enrolment, and it must be confirmed with an ISEE 2027 from January 2027, which sets the second instalment.[3] See the Study in Italy guide for living costs.
How do you apply to Politecnico di Milano?
Deadlines change each year and are on the programme pages; we do not repeat them here.
Bachelor’s (laurea)
- Check eligibility first. The Italian Ministry sets yearly requirements: total years of schooling (12 or 13), final grade and, for some applicants, an academic suitability test. Polimi points foreign applicants to the Ministry circular and to universitaly.it.[5]
- Take the admission test. For Engineering you choose Polimi’s own TOL or an alternative test: TOLC-I (online, in Italian), CEnT-S (online, in English) or SAT. Ranking lists are published for each intake, and enrolment follows in phases.[7] You must understand the language of the test.[5]
- Upload documents when you register for the test and when you enrol; enrolment is confirmed only after they are checked. Non-EU students living abroad need a study visa.[5]
Master’s (laurea magistrale)
- Eligibility: a bachelor’s degree, or one you are completing (it must be awarded before enrolment), that gives access to EQF level 7, issued by a university in the country’s official system, with subjects closely related to the master’s. Degrees from franchising agreements are not accepted.[8]
- Minimum grades: for some countries the page sets strict minimum GPAs, for example India 70/100, China 80 percent, Pakistan 3.3/4, Turkey 3/4 and Nigeria 3/5. Honours degrees are required from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK.[8]
- Apply online: create an account in Polimi’s Online Services, fill in the application, upload your transcript and degree or attendance certificate, and pay the mandatory, non-refundable application fee. You may apply for up to two programmes per semester; Design and Architecture accept the first semester only.[10]
- At enrolment you need a Diploma Supplement, a declaration of value or a CIMEA statement of comparability.[8]
The master’s pages we read do not mention Universitaly pre-enrolment; ask the International Students Office whether it applies to your case before you apply for a visa.
Which language level do you need?
Master’s. All applicants need proof of English, whether the programme is taught in English or Italian. A bachelor’s degree taught in English can be proven with a university document stating the teaching language.[8] Accepted tests and minimum scores for 2026/27:[4]
| Test | Minimum for master’s |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic or General Training) | 6 |
| TOEFL iBT | 78 |
| Cambridge | B2 First (grade B) or C1 Advanced (grade C) |
| PTE Academic | 59 overall |
| TOEIC (registered from 1 March 2026) | 785 Listening & Reading and 310 Speaking & Writing |
| Trinity College London | ISE II |
| LanguageCert | B2 Communicator (four skills) |
Certificates that the issuing body considers expired are not accepted, and Polimi does not certify your level; you must keep your own certificate.[4]
Bachelor’s in English. For English-taught programmes of the Engineering and Design schools the minimums are lower: IELTS 5, TOEFL iBT 59, Cambridge B2 First (grade C or higher), Oxford Test of English 111 or Trinity ISE II. You need no certificate if you are a citizen of a listed English-speaking country or finished secondary school in English.[11] For Italian-taught bachelor’s programmes you upload an accepted Italian certificate.[5]
Italian. The requirements page for foreign-qualification master’s applicants says Italian proof is needed for programmes taught entirely or partly in Italian.[8] The overview page of the same procedure says Italian is required to graduate but not to enter: you can upload a B2 certificate at enrolment or take Polimi’s free Italian course and exit test.[12] Read both pages for your programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Politecnico di Milano cost for international students?
For 2026/27 the annual contribution runs from €157.04 to €3,943.04 for a standard study plan, depending on ISEE. Non-EU students on a master’s programme with a foreign bachelor’s degree and no scholarship pay the maximum.[3]
How is Politecnico di Milano ranked?
It is 87th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and the highest-ranked Italian university in that list.[2]
Which English test do I need for a Polimi master’s?
Is there an admission test for the bachelor’s?
Yes. For Engineering you take Polimi’s TOL or an alternative test (TOLC-I, CEnT-S or SAT) and are ranked.[7]
Do non-EU students have reserved master’s places?
Yes. The 2026/27 places page lists a separate “extra UE” quota for each programme, for example 75 of 580 places in Computer Science and Engineering.[9]
More about studying in Italy
- Italy: best universities
- Study in Italy: complete guide
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Italy
- Bocconi University
- LUISS Guido Carli
- Politecnico di Torino
- Sapienza University of Rome
- Scuola Normale Superiore
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
- University of Bologna
- University of Florence
- University of Genoa
- University of Milan
- University of Milano-Bicocca
- University of Naples Federico II
- University of Padua
- University of Pavia
- University of Pisa
- University of Rome Tor Vergata
- University of Siena
- University of Trento
- University of Turin
Sources
[1] Politecnico di Milano: Our figures (student numbers updated March 2026 (academic year 2025/26); the page has no date of its own)
[2] Politecnico di Milano: QS World University Rankings 2027, Polimi ranked 87th in the world and first in Italy (news item of 18 Jun 2026)
[3] Politecnico di Milano: University fees for Laurea, Laurea Magistrale and single-cycle programmes (page without a date; states academic year 2026/2027)
[4] Politecnico di Milano: Language requirements for master’s programmes (page without a date; academic year 2026/2027)
[5] Politecnico di Milano: Admission to bachelor’s programmes with a non-Italian qualification (page without a date)
[6] Wikipedia: Polytechnic University of Milan (history, departments and campuses (secondary source))
[7] Politecnico di Milano: Admission to Engineering bachelor’s programmes (page without a date; ranking lists for 2026/2027)
[8] Politecnico di Milano: Master’s with a foreign qualification, requirements (page without a date)
[9] Politecnico di Milano: Places available, master’s with a foreign qualification (page without a date; academic year 2026/2027)
[10] Politecnico di Milano: Master’s with a foreign qualification, application (page without a date)
[11] Politecnico di Milano: Language requirements for English-taught bachelor’s programmes (page without a date; academic year 2026/2027)
[12] Politecnico di Milano: Admission to master’s programmes, foreign qualification (page without a date)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.