Politecnico di Torino
Italy's oldest technical university: capped engineering places filled by an entry test, in the city of Fiat.
- Students
- 38,222
- 21,905 undergraduates
- International
- 22%
- of students
- Tuition
- €761
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1859
About PoliTO
The Politecnico di Torino traces its roots to the Technical School for Engineers founded in 1859 and became a polytechnic in 1906. It is Italy's oldest public technical university and teaches only engineering, architecture, design and planning. Its main engineering campus on Corso Duca degli Abruzzi opened in 1958, architecture is taught in the 17th-century Castello del Valentino on the River Po, and design is based at the Mirafiori campus beside Fiat's historic factory.
In 2025/26 PoliTO had 38,222 students, including 21,905 in bachelor's and 16,138 in master's programmes, and 22.4% of students were international, with about 8,500 international students from 122 countries. Research and teaching are run by 11 departments. For 2026/27 it offers 26 bachelor's and 36 master's programmes, with 35 study paths taught entirely in English.
Every engineering bachelor's programme has a fixed number of places, filled in order of score on the TIL entry test (or SAT scores for international applicants). Fees are income-based and capped, and graduates do well in the job market: AlmaLaurea's 2026 survey found 96.1% of master's graduates employed one year after graduating. PoliTO suits students who already know they want engineering or architecture and are ready for a demanding, maths-heavy programme.
Why students choose PoliTO
English-taught bachelor's options include Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Electronic and Communications Engineering.
AlmaLaurea's 2026 survey found 96.1% of PoliTO master's graduates employed one year after graduating.
Fees are capped at 3,600 euros a year, first-year students with an ISEE up to 30,000 euros pay only 161 euros in regional tax and charges, and non-EU fees are scaled to your country's purchasing power.
Honours tracks such as the Early Research Honors School and Percorso Intraprendenti let strong bachelor's students add research or entrepreneurship to their degree.
Admissions
Academic year 2027/28 (entry autumn 2027)
Selectivity
PoliTO does not publish an overall admission rate. All engineering bachelor's programmes have a fixed number of places (for example 659 in Computer Engineering and 710 in Mechanical Engineering for 2026/27), filled in order of TIL test score until all places are taken.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign secondary school diploma | At least 12 years of schooling, plus the national university entrance exam where your country requires one (e.g. Selectividad, Gaokao), plus the TIL test or SAT |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | Accepted according to the subject specifications in the annexes to the call for applications |
| English language | English-taught programmes require English at B2 level or above (Italian-taught programmes require Italian at B2). PoliTO publishes a table of accepted certificates; TOEFL scores must be sent with institution code C285. IB Diplomas taught entirely in English and some English-medium diplomas are exempt. |
Deadlines
- TIL session 1 (2026/27 intake, for reference) Non-binding Passed19 February 2026 (test date)
Past cycle. EU applicants and non-EU applicants living abroad who need a visa; registration opened 22 January 2026.
- TIL session 4 (2026/27 intake, for reference) Non-binding Passed4, 5 and 22 May 2026 (test dates)
Past cycle. Last session open to non-EU applicants living abroad who need a visa.
- TIL session 5 (2026/27 intake, for reference) Non-binding Passed15, 17 and 20 July 2026 (test dates)
Past cycle. EU and equivalent applicants only.
The 2027/28 calls and TIL calendar were not yet published on 29 September 2026. For 2026/27, TIL sessions ran from February to July 2026: sessions 1 to 4 (February to May) were open to non-EU applicants living abroad, and session 5 in July only to EU and equivalent applicants. Expect a similar pattern for 2027 entry and check the calls for applications page.
How to apply
Register on the Apply@PoliTO platform, select your programme(s), register and pay for a TIL test session (or submit SAT scores by the SAT deadline), and upload your diploma, entrance-exam certificate if needed, passport and language certificate. Offers go to the highest scorers until places are full; non-EU applicants then complete visa pre-enrolment.
What admissions looks for
- A high score on the TIL test (or SAT), which is the basis for the ranking list for capped programmes.
- Solid mathematics and physics: 16 of the 42 TIL-I questions are maths and 10 are physics.
- An eligible school-leaving qualification with 12 years of schooling and any required national entrance exam.
- B2-level English for English-taught programmes (or B2 Italian for Italian-taught ones).
Tips for applying to PoliTO
- 1 Sit the TIL in an early session if you are a non-EU applicant: the July session is for EU and equivalent applicants only.
- 2 If you have a strong SAT score, you can use it instead of the TIL for engineering programmes, but not for Architecture.
- 3 Use the preparation materials on your Apply@PoliTO personal page and PoliTO's admission webinars before booking the test.
- 4 Send TOEFL results with code C285, and make sure document translations are merged with the originals into one file.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Students with an ISEE (or ISEE Parificato for international students) up to 30,000 euros are exempt from the university fee, with reductions up to an ISEE of 100,000 euros. Regional EDISU scholarships and housing are awarded on income and merit, and PoliTO offers part-time campus jobs, rent contributions and student loans.
- ISEE up to 30,000 euros
- No-tax area
- 3,600 euros (plus 161 euros of non-university charges)
- Maximum yearly university fee
- About 400 to 600 euros a month
- Single room rent in Turin (PoliTO estimate)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Computer Engineering (BSc)
PoliTO's largest bachelor's by places after Mechanical (659 for 2026/27), taught in Italian or English.
Mechanical Engineering (BSc)
710 places for 2026/27, the most of any PoliTO bachelor's, with Italian and English tracks.
Automotive Engineering (BSc)
Taught in Italian or English in Turin, the home of Fiat; 214 places for 2026/27.
Architecture (BSc)
Taught at the Castello del Valentino with 500 places, admitted via the national TIL-A test.
Cinema and Digital Media Engineering (BSc)
An unusual engineering degree focused on film and digital media technology (136 places, in Italian).
Food Tech for Ecological Transition (BSc)
An English-taught programme run between Turin and Pollenzo, with 110 places.
Research
- The Department of Energy is named after Galileo Ferraris, the pioneer of AC power and the induction motor, who taught at the Italian Industrial Museum later merged into the Politecnico.
- In 2012 e-st@r, a CubeSat built by PoliTO students, was launched into orbit on the European Space Agency's Vega rocket.
- PoliTO belongs to the Unite! European university alliance and CESAER, and has 120 double degree and mobility agreements.
Schools & faculties
- Department of Architecture and Design (DAD)
- Department of Control and Computer Engineering
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunications (DET)
- Department of Environment, Land and Infrastructure Engineering (DIATI)
- Department of Management and Production Engineering (DIGEP)
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS)
- Department of Structural, Geotechnical and Building Engineering (DISEG)
- Department of Mathematical Sciences G. L. Lagrange (DISMA)
- Department of Energy Galileo Ferraris (DENERG)
- Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST)
- Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT)
AlmaLaurea XXVIII survey (2026): 96.1% of PoliTO master's graduates employed one year after graduation (96.7% in industrial and information engineering; 93.1% in architecture, civil engineering and design). 89.1% of master's students were satisfied with their degree programme.
Student life
PoliTO is a big, busy engineering school spread across Turin: the Corso Duca degli Abruzzi campus and the adjoining Cittadella Politecnica for engineering, the Castello del Valentino by the Po for architecture, and Mirafiori for design. About a fifth of students are international, with large communities from Iran, Turkey and China. Housing is mostly private rooms in shared flats, with EDISU residences for students who qualify on income and merit. PoliTO students have even built a satellite that reached orbit, and Turin's museums, parks and cultural events offer student discounts.
- 22.4% of students are international, from 122 countries.
- 1,098 incoming and 1,368 outgoing exchange students in 2024/25.
- Student-built CubeSat e-st@r reached orbit in 2012.
- Monthly student public transport pass costs about 26 euros.
Housing. Most students rent privately (PoliTO estimates 400 to 600 euros a month for a single room in Turin); EDISU, the regional agency, runs residences allocated on income and merit, plus short-term rooms at the Borsellino residence.
Location
Turin is a large industrial and university city in north-west Italy, the historic home of Fiat, with PoliTO's campuses spread from the city centre and the River Po to Mirafiori. PoliTO estimates a single room at 400 to 600 euros a month, food at 200 to 300 euros and a student transport pass at about 26 euros a month.
Nearest airport: Turin Airport (TRN)
Notable alumni
- VP Vilfredo ParetoEconomist and sociologist behind the Pareto principle; engineering doctorate in 1869
- AO Adriano OlivettiIndustrialist who led Olivetti; chemical engineering graduate (1924)
- DG Dante GiacosaAutomobile designer and engineer at Fiat
- CD Corradino D'AscanioAeronautical engineer who designed the original Vespa scooter and the first production helicopter; mechanical engineering graduate (1914)
- JE John ElkannIndustrialist and head of the Agnelli family's holding company Exor; management engineering graduate (2000)
- CB Carlo De BenedettiIndustrialist and publisher; electrical engineering graduate
Frequently asked questions
How do I get into Politecnico di Torino?
Apply on Apply@PoliTO and take the TIL entry test (or submit SAT scores as an international applicant). Engineering bachelor's places are capped and filled in order of score.
Can I use the SAT instead of the TIL test?
Yes, for engineering programmes, following the procedures and deadlines in the call for applications. The SAT is not valid for Architecture, and a minimum score only puts you on the ranking list.
How much are Politecnico di Torino's fees for international students?
Non-EU students pay a fixed yearly amount set by country of citizenship, from 761 euros up to 3,761 euros (for example 1,075 euros for Brazil and 3,761 euros for Canada). EU students pay according to ISEE, up to 3,600 euros plus 161 euros of charges.
Does PoliTO teach bachelor's degrees in English?
Yes. Computer, Mechanical, Automotive, Civil and Environmental, and Electronic and Communications Engineering, Food Tech for Ecological Transition and Architecture have English-taught options, and B2 English is required.
When is the TIL test for 2027 entry?
The 2027/28 calendar was not yet published in September 2026. For 2026/27 the sessions ran from February to July 2026, with non-EU applicants living abroad limited to the February to May sessions.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
- QS World University Rankings 2027 (topuniversities.com)
- THE World University Rankings 2026
- ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026
- Politecnico di Torino: Applicants with a non-Italian qualification (bachelor's)
- Politecnico di Torino: Admission test (TIL)
- Politecnico di Torino: Calls for application, regulations and ranking lists
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