Politecnico di Milano
Milan, ITALY
University Info | Exchange Student Info
Fast Facts
- QS Ranking 2023 by Subject – ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY: 13th in the World, 7th in Europe, 1st in Italy
- QS Ranking 2023 by Subject - ARCHITECTURE : 10th in the world, 5th in Europe, 1st in Italy
- QS Ranking 2023 by Subject – ART AND DESIGN: 5th in the World, 3th in Europe, 1st in Italy
- 44 Programmes taught in English (a.y. 2022/2023): 42 Master of Science programmes (graduates) and 2 Bachelor of Science (undergraduates) programmes
Introduction
Politecnico di Milano is a scientific-technological university which trains engineers, architects and industrial designers.
Founded in 1863, it is the largest school of architecture, design and engineering in Italy, with three main campuses located in Milan, the heart of fashion and design industries, and 4 more premises around the Lombardy region. Many important scientists and architects studied and taught here, among them Achille Castiglioni, Gio Ponti, Renzo Piano and Aldo Rossi, both Pritzker Prize in 1990 and 1998 respectively, and Giulio Natta, Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963.
The Politecnico di Milano is organized into 12 departments, responsible for planning of the research strategies, and 4 schools, responsible for the organization of education. Among these, 2 schools cater for the different fields of engineering and 2 schools the fields of architecture and industrial design. Thanks to a strong internationalization policy, at present 43 programmes are taught entirely in English, attracting an ever-increasing number of talented foreign students, which now form a diverse community from more than 100 different countries.
Teaching is increasingly related to research, a key commitment that enables to achieve results of high international standards, while creating connections with the business world. Strategic research is carried out mainly in the fields of energy, transport, planning, management, design, mathematics and natural and applied sciences, ICT, built environment, cultural heritage, with more than 130 laboratories, among these also a Wind Tunnel and a Crash Test centre.
The University has always focused on the quality and innovation of its teaching and research, developing a fruitful relationship with business and productive world by means of experimental research and technological transfer.
Research has always been linked to didactics and it is a priority commitment which has allowed Politecnico Milano to achieve high quality results at an international level as to join the university to the business world. Research constitutes a parallel path to that formed by cooperation and alliances with the industrial system. Politecnico takes part in several research, sites and training projects collaborating with the most qualified European universities.
Politecnico's contribution is increasingly being extended to other countries: from North America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe. Today the drive to internationalization sees Politecnico Milano taking part into the European and world network of leading technical universities.
Terms of Exchange
Study Level
- Undergraduate students: Accepted
- Graduate students: Accepted
- Computer Science majors: Accepted
Eligibility Requirements
- Undergraduate students must be in their third or fourth year of study during the exchange period.
Language of Instruction
Italian, English
At the Master's level, all courses are taught in English. Politecnico di Milano offers 3-year undergraduate programs and 2-year Master's programs. Advanced undergraduates (3rd and 4th year students) may be able to take the Master's level courses provided they have the necessary pre-requisites.
Study Period
Fall, Spring, or Academic Year
Academic Calendar | Semester Dates (including exam period)
- Fall: mid September to mid February
- Spring: mid February to late July
At the end of the classes each semester, a period of examinations is scheduled, usually lasting about a month.
Academic Information
Disciplines Available
The following programs in Engineering are currently offered in English at the Master of Science level:
- Aeronautical Engineering
- Automation and Control Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Building and Architectural Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Civil Engineering for Risk Mitigation
- Computer Science and Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Electronics Engineering
- Energy Engineering
- Engineering Physics
- Environmental & Land Planning Engineering
- Food Engineering
- Geoinformatics Engineering
- Management Engineering
- Management of Built Environment
- Materials Engineering & Nanotechnology
- Mathematical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mobility Engineering
- Music & Acoustic Engineering
- Nuclear Engineering
- Safety and Prevention Engineering in the Process Industry
- Space Engineering
- Telecommunication Engineering
NOTE: Non degree seeking students can be admitted to attend our courses in English at the Master of Science (“Laurea Magistrale”) level, provided they can show they possess the necessary prerequisites.
Course Contents
Course Descriptions | Schedule of Classes
Workload per Semester
The European Credit Transfer System is used by Italian universities to evaluate and measure the workload teaching hours and the higher education effort of every single course. Credits also measure the student workload which is required to pass the examination and include class attendance, classwork, laboratory work and individual study. It is also possible to obtain credits for other training courses, or project works or theses, internships, foreign languages, basic computing skills, training in communication and public relations and group work.
One credit corresponds to a workload of about 25 hours and the yearly workload for an average study course corresponds to about 60 credits.
Additional Application Materials
Students nominated by IIE to PoliMi are invited to register on-line in order to get a username and password needed to get access to the Application Form. Registration will open twice a year.
Recommendation letter from a professor or academic staff:
A confirmation message of will be sent to all accepted exchange students.
An acceptance letter can be downloaded by home institution's International Offer for the exchange students applying for visa.
In some cases, the following documents could be required:
- A Transcript of Records of previous study results
- A Portfolio, Letter of motivation and/or CV to be written in English or Italian
Housing
Politecnico di Milano has recently introduced a new accommodation policy which fixes as main object providing beds to the largest number of students, without forgetting all the other aspects connected to their integration into university life and into the urban context of the town where they are studying. Accepting this challenge means that it is necessary to plan different activities in order to develop and diversify accommodation services, especially for those students who don’t reside in the town where they study.
Nonetheless, the Politecnico di Milano cannot guarantee all students a place in residences and in fact some students choose to live in privately rented housing.
Estimated Cost of Living
Estimated Living Expenses
Contact
Office Responsible for International Exchange Students
International Mobility Unit | Contacts: globale3@polimi.it; michela.gregori@polimi.it; rossella.magni@polimi.it
City Info
The Politecnico di Milano has seven campuses: the two main ones are in Milano and four are spread around the Lombardia region, while Piacenza campus is in Emilia Romagna.
Lombardia is one of the largest regions in northern Italy and, thanks to its geographical position, it is close to some of the most characteristic panoramic countryside for the tourist who wants to get to know our country better: the mountains of the Alps and the renown ski resorts, the beaches of Liguria or the Venetian coast, always full of life in the summer months.
Thanks to the public transportation available in Milano, cities of art like Venezia, Verona, Bologna and Firenze are easily within reach for those who want to admire a small piece of Italian history and architecture.
Lombardia offers mountain landscapes perfect for winter sports, beautiful natural parks and characteristic villages, mostly around the areas of Lake Maggiore, Lake Garda and Lake Como. One particularity of the area is the Oltrepo Pavese, a land of rolling hills and medieval hamlets, that gives its name to a famous type of wine.
The Lombardia Region brings you the opportunity to discover a treasure made of history and arts, nature, entertainment, and gastronomy, just enjoy it!
