Best Consultancy for Masters in Italy for Indian Students: How to Choose for 2027/28

Updated 14 October 2026. Written by İrem Yılmaz and reviewed by Reeya Sharma. Programme, deadline and scholarship facts were checked against official university and ministry sources on 13 October 2026. INR figures use the ECB reference rate of 25 September 2026 (1 EUR = 109.2605 INR).

In short

• For most students from countries like India, the best consultancy for a master's in Italy is a student-paid, commission-free one such as ApplyAZ, which works only with public universities and writes a separate SOP for every programme you approve.
• Agents paid by partner institutions earn more when you choose those institutions, which are often private.
• A master's application to Italy is not one application. It is 20 to 30 programmes at public universities, each with its own call, entry rules and deadline, plus Universitaly pre-enrolment, DOV or CIMEA, a regional DSU scholarship and the visa.
• Our catalogue lists 694 English-taught two-year master's at 56 public universities for 2027/28. At most of them fees follow family income or a reduced fee set by country, so study can be tuition-free for eligible students.
• The first 2027/28 rounds are already open: the University of Padua's runs from 15 September to 15 November 2026. Many other universities open between October 2026 and February 2027.

Check your eligibility first. If you are eligible, you book a one-to-one consultation with one of our Italy experts, and from there we take care of everything.

Which is the best consultancy for masters in Italy for Indian students?

The best consultancy for a master's in Italy passes three tests. It is paid only by you, so no partner list shapes your shortlist. It builds a long, fitted list at public universities, where fees follow family income or a reduced fee by country and the DSU scholarship applies. And it does the Italian work properly: a separate SOP for each programme, the right document route, a DSU plan per region and a clean visa file. ApplyAZ is built on all three. We work only with public universities and take no commission from any university.

The test is the same one we explain in our guide to the best consultant to study in Italy from India. This page adds what is specific to a master's, and it applies equally to students from countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Gulf countries.

Why does a master's in Italy need a consultant at all?

A master's application to Italy needs a consultant because the work is wide, not deep. Each public university runs its own call, with its own entry rules for Indian degrees, its own English rule and its own deadline, and some programmes run several rounds. After an offer comes Universitaly pre-enrolment, then the DOV or CIMEA route for your degree, then a DSU scholarship call run by a different regional body for each university, then the visa. None of it is difficult on its own. Doing 20 to 30 of them on time, without a mistake, is the job.

That is also why a master's is where commission matters most. A short list of three or four partner schools is easy to manage and pays the agent well. A long list at public universities is more work for the consultant and better for the student.

What does a commission-free master's shortlist look like?

A commission-free master's shortlist is long, public and spread across regions. Here is the shape of one for a computer science graduate, built only from English-taught programmes at public universities in our catalogue. It is an illustration, not a recommendation for your profile: your real list depends on your degree, marks, English and goals. Notice what it does: it spreads across 10 regions and 11 scholarship bodies.

Why spread it? Because each region's DSU body sets its own income limit, amounts and dates within the national rules, and housing costs differ from city to city. Offers in several regions let you compare real options in summer and choose where to enrol with the numbers in front of you. A list of three private schools in one city gives you none of that.

A real ApplyAZ shortlist has 20 to 30 programmes and mixes highly selective programmes with ones that match your profile closely. You approve every programme before we apply.

Can I do a masters in Italy after a 3-year degree?

Students with a 3-year degree from India can often do a master's in Italy, but the rule is set programme by programme, and this is where weak advice costs students a year. The national baseline in the ministry's procedures is a first-cycle degree that gives access to a master's in your own country. Universities then add their own rules. Politecnico di Milano asks Indian applicants for a 4-year degree and considers a 3-year BSc only with Honours. The University of Padua accepts 3-year or 4-year Honours degrees and 4-year professional degrees, and a 3-year pass degree only with a postgraduate qualification on top.

A good consultancy checks your degree against each programme's rule before it goes on your list, and shows you where the rule is written. A consultancy that sends every 3-year graduate to private schools "because public universities need 4 years" is giving you a rule that is not true for many public universities.

Do I need IELTS for a masters in Italy?

You do not always need IELTS for a master's in Italy. English-taught master's usually ask for English at B2. Some universities accept a medium of instruction letter or an English-taught degree; others, including the University of Padua, require a certificate, with accepted scores such as IELTS 6.0. In our catalogue, Politecnico di Torino's Cybersecurity Engineering master exempts English-medium degrees from India with an official statement. The visa file also needs B2 proof or an equivalent declaration, according to the consulate's checklist. Your consultancy should give you the rule for every programme, not one answer for all of them. More in our guide to studying in Italy without IELTS.

What does the 2027/28 master's timeline look like?

The 2027/28 master's timeline starts in autumn 2026, almost a year before classes. These are the dates a consultancy should plan around for a September 2027 start.

The order is what trips students up: applications close months before the DSU calls open, and the visa depends on pre-enrolment being validated by the university. A consultancy should map these dates backwards from your intake. See the full masters in Italy guide.

Where do commission agents steer master's students, and why?

Commission agents often steer master's students towards private business, design and fashion schools, often with a "scholarship on admission" or fee waiver attached. A private school's fee is set by the school, not by your family income, so a discount on a high fixed fee can still cost far more than a public programme that can be tuition-free for eligible students. The steer is rarely stated. It shows up as a short list, a fast deadline and little talk about DSU.

None of this means private schools are bad. For a few students they are the right choice. It means the decision should be yours, made with the public options next to it. That is the only way ApplyAZ works.

What should I ask a masters in Italy consultancy before paying?

Before paying a masters in Italy consultancy, ask six questions that test who it works for and whether it knows the Italian rules for your degree. Ask for the answers in writing.

How does ApplyAZ handle a master's application?

ApplyAZ handles a master's application from the eligibility check to arrival in Italy. It starts with the two-minute eligibility check. If a public university is realistic for you, you book a one-to-one consultation with one of our Italy experts and receive your Italy roadmap. If you join, an Italy expert shortlists 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at public universities that fit your grades and goals. We write your CV and a tailored SOP for every programme, submit each application on time after you approve it, prepare your DSU scholarship application with you, and guide the visa and your arrival.

You pay step by step as results arrive: a starting fee, then our admission fee once you are admitted, our DSU fee when your scholarship application is submitted and our visa fee at the visa stage. If you get no admission, we refund your starting fee. Terms apply, and you see them in writing before you begin. Hear from students who took this route on our success stories page.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best consultancy for masters in Italy for Indian students?

The one that only you pay, that builds a 20 to 30 programme shortlist at public universities across several regions, writes a separate SOP for each programme and never promises admission. ApplyAZ works this way: an Italy-based consultancy for public universities only, with no commission from any university and fees paid step by step as results arrive.

How many universities should I apply to for a master's in Italy?

Most students should plan for 20 to 30 programmes at public universities, spread across several regions. Places for non-EU students are limited, each university reads files differently and each region runs its own DSU call, so a longer, well-chosen list gives you real choices in summer.

Can I do a masters in Italy after a 3-year degree from India?

Often yes, but it depends on the university. The national baseline is a first-cycle degree that gives access to a master's in your own country. Politecnico di Milano asks Indian applicants for a 4-year degree and considers a 3-year BSc only with Honours, while the University of Padua accepts 3-year Honours degrees. A good consultancy checks this for every programme on your list.

Do I need IELTS for a masters in Italy?

Not always. English-taught programmes usually ask for English at B2. Some accept a medium of instruction letter or an English-taught degree, others, including the University of Padua, require a certificate, and the visa file needs B2 proof or an equivalent declaration. Your consultancy should tell you which rule applies to each programme.

When should I start applying for a September 2027 master's in Italy?

Now. The University of Padua's first 2027/28 round runs from 15 September to 15 November 2026, and many other universities open their first calls between October 2026 and February 2027. DSU scholarship calls follow from June to September 2027.

Does ApplyAZ take commission from universities for master's applications?

No. No university pays ApplyAZ, public or private. Students and families pay our fees in stages as results arrive, so your shortlist is built only around your profile.

Does ApplyAZ apply to private universities for a master's?

ApplyAZ has no tie-ups with private universities and works with Italian public universities. If a private programme genuinely fits you better, we explain it openly as an exception, and we earn nothing from that university.

Sources

• MUR, procedures for international students, 2026/27 and 2027/28.
• Universitaly, international students.
• Politecnico di Milano, requirements for foreign qualifications (master's).
• University of Padua, entry requirements per country, 2027/28.
• University of Padua, admission of international students, 2027/28 first call.
• Politecnico di Torino, applicants with a non-Italian qualification.
• MUR, Directorial Decree 175 of 10 February 2026, minimum DSU grants for 2026/27.
• MUR, Directorial Decree 176 of 10 February 2026, ISEE and ISPE ceilings for 2026/27.
• Consulate General of Italy in Kolkata, study visa checklist 2026/27 and 2027/28.
• European Central Bank, euro reference rate for INR, 25 September 2026 (1 EUR = 109.2605 INR).
• ApplyAZ, How ApplyAZ gets paid.