Bachelor in Computer Engineering at University of Genoa
Three-year English-taught L-8-R bachelor's in computer engineering at the University of Genoa's Imperia campus, with open access and a non-selective ATHENA test. Entry needs a school diploma after 12 years of schooling, with B2 English recommended.
Bachelor
3 years
Genoa
English
University of Genoa
Computer Engineering is a three-year, 180 ECTS bachelor's degree (class L-8-R) taught in English at the University of Genoa's Imperia campus. Entry needs a school diploma after at least 12 years of schooling, and a non-selective ATHENA test checks maths, logic and computer literacy. B2 English is recommended. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Genoa's English-taught Computer Engineering bachelor at Imperia asks for a school diploma after at least 12 years of schooling, recognised as suitable for university entry. Access is open: a non-selective ATHENA test checks maths, logic and computer literacy, and B2 English is recommended. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
School-leaving requirement
You need an upper secondary school diploma, or a qualification obtained abroad that the university recognises as suitable for entry. [1]
- Length of schooling: at least 12 years in total. If your system has fewer years, you need proof of a foundation year or of passing all first-year or second-year university examinations, depending on the years missing. [2]
- Grades: no minimum grade is set. You enter your final grade and grading scale on UniGeApply. [2]
- Still at school: for 2026/27 the diploma had to be obtained by 15 August 2026. [2]
What this means for your school results
As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: Indian Class 12 from CBSE, ISC or a state board, Pakistani HSSC (FSc or ICS), Bangladeshi HSC and A levels, where they complete 12 years of schooling.
- Check carefully: modest maths marks. There is no minimum grade, but the ATHENA test covers algebra, logarithms, geometry and trigonometry, and a low score adds extra first-year work.
- Often short: Class 10, Matric, SSC or O levels on their own, which come before 12 years of schooling. These need a foundation year or university examinations first.
English
The expected level is B2. When you apply, a B2 certificate or a certificate showing English was your medium of instruction is optional but recommended. [2]
If you do not hold a valid B2 certificate when you enrol, you also sit the English section of the ATHENA test, and a score below the minimum adds an OFA. Lectures, examinations and the final paper are in English. [1]
Initial preparation test (ATHENA)
ATHENA (Aptitude Test for Higher Education in Numeracy and Analysis) is not selective and sets no limit on places. You can take it only once. [1]
- Format: 90 minutes, 50 multiple-choice questions in English: 20 on computer literacy, 20 on logic and mathematics, and 10 on English for students without a B2 certificate.
- 2026/27 sessions at the Imperia campus: 18 September, 9 October, 30 October and 20 November 2026, and 22 January 2027 for non-EU students who arrive in Italy from December.
- Below the minimum score: you receive an OFA, cleared by passing General Physics 1, Linear Algebra and Geometry or Mathematical Analysis Mod. 1 in the first semester. If it is still open at the second-year study plan deadline, you re-enrol in the first year.
- Exemptions: holders of a degree from Italy or abroad. The exemption for high Italian school marks does not apply to foreign diplomas.
A CEnT, TOLC, SAT or ACT result from the last three years is recommended in your UniGeApply file, with no minimum score. [2]
2026/27 deadlines
For 2026/27, visa applicants could submit UniGeApply requests from 26 November 2025 to 20 March 2026, with outcomes due by 22 May 2026. Universitaly visa applications were expected to run from March or April to June 2026. [3]
The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published, and it will set the new dates.
Documents and non-EU steps
Non-EU applicants living abroad with a foreign diploma first request an evaluation on UniGeApply, for up to two programmes. [3] The file includes: [2]
- Your passport
- A CV
- Your school diploma, or your final-year transcript and, if possible, a school statement with your expected graduation date
- Transcripts for the last three years
- A motivation letter and a recommendation letter
Documents not in Italian, English, French, Spanish or Portuguese need a translation. The evaluation can take from a few weeks to two months. [2]
After an accepted or conditionally accepted outcome comes the Universitaly visa application, for one university and one programme only, and then pre-enrolment for the same programme on UniGe online services. [3]
Sources and verification
Checked by the ApplyAZ admissions team against the university's official documents listed below. Entry rules can change with each new call, and we re-check them before every application.
- University of Genoa, Polytechnic School, Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and Systems Engineering. Degree regulations, general part, Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering (L-8 R), cohort 2026 to 2029. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Genoa. Admission to English-taught bachelor's degrees for non-EU students living abroad with a foreign diploma, 2026/27 intake. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Genoa. UniGeApply: application windows, fees and next steps for international applicants, 2026/27 cycle. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Genoa, Computer Engineering programme page, course 12133 (class, language, campus, duration and access), 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Computer Engineering (Ingegneria Informatica) is a three-year bachelor's degree at the University of Genoa in class L-8-R, worth 180 ECTS and run by the DIBRIS department within the Polytechnic School. Access is open, without a limited number of places. The programme follows a learning by doing approach, combining lectures with practical exercises, and ends with a project-based activity.
The degree runs on two sites. At the Imperia campus, on the Ligurian coast west of Genoa, it is taught in English; the route in Genoa is taught in Italian. For 2026/27 the university lists the English route as its own course (code 12133), with English as the teaching language and Imperia as the campus. If you are looking for an English-taught degree, this is the route to apply for.
What you will study
First-year courses taught in English at Imperia include Introduction to Computer Science and Programming, Mathematical Analysis, Linear Algebra and Geometry, and General Physics 1. Other courses taught in English in the degree include Computer Architecture and Digital Systems Design. The university publishes the full list of courses for each year in its study manifesto. Lectures, examinations and the final paper are all in English, and students whose diploma is not Italian include an Italian as a Foreign Language unit in their study plan. [1]
At Imperia, your initial preparation is checked with ATHENA (Aptitude Test for Higher Education in Numeracy and Analysis), a 90-minute test in English on computer culture, logic and mathematics, with extra English questions if you have no B2 certificate. It is not selective. Students below the minimum score in the test or its English section receive additional learning requirements (OFA), cleared by passing General Physics 1, Linear Algebra and Geometry or Mathematical Analysis Mod. 1 in the first semester of the first year. [1]
Career paths
The university prepares graduates to work in the IT sector and in other engineering fields, in companies or as freelance professionals, and to support companies and users in developing digital solutions in every economic sector. Graduates can also continue to master's degrees in computer engineering, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence or the control of complex systems.
Fees and scholarships
Tuition at the University of Genoa depends on family income, declared through an ISEE-U. If your family lives abroad, you obtain an ISEE-U parificato, free of charge, from a CAF affiliated with the university. The first instalment covers stamp duty and the regional tax, and fees are paid only after you arrive in Italy. Eligible students can apply for a regional scholarship from ALiSEO, which decides awards each year; scholarship winners pay only stamp duty, so the degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
With a foreign school qualification, we first request an evaluation on UniGeApply, the university's international admissions portal, for up to two programmes. For 2026/27, applicants who needed a visa could apply from 26 November 2025 to 20 March 2026. The 2027/28 dates are not yet published.
You need a school qualification after at least 12 years of schooling. B2 English, or a certificate showing that English was your medium of instruction, is optional but recommended. [2] We upload your CV, diploma, transcripts for the last three years, a motivation letter and a recommendation letter. CEnT, TOLC, SAT or ACT results are recommended but not required, and no minimum score is set. The evaluation can take from a few weeks to two months.
If you live outside the EU and need a study visa, the university first evaluates your application. After a positive outcome we complete pre-enrolment on Universitaly, and you apply for a type D study visa at the Italian consulate or visa centre.
How ApplyAZ helps
ApplyAZ is an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities. We can include this programme in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes that fit your profile, so your plan never rests on a single application.
For eligible students who start with us, a named person owns each stage, from A to Z:
- We check your school results against Genoa's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your UniGeApply evaluation request, Universitaly visa application and UniGe pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ALiSEO Liguria scholarship application at the right time and in the right format.
- We prepare your visa file.
With operations in all 20 Italian regions, we follow each region's scholarship rules and deadlines as they change. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa, so no one can promise an outcome. You pay in milestones, and every service you pay for is either delivered or its fee is refunded (terms apply).
Programmes at Italian public universities can be tuition-free for eligible students. Check if you are eligible and book a one-to-one consultation session with one of our Italy experts, or see how ApplyAZ works.
Questions and answers
What school results do I need for Computer Engineering at Genoa?
A school diploma recognised for university entry after at least 12 years of schooling. No minimum grade is set, and you enter your final grade and grading scale in your UniGeApply file. [1][2]
Is there an entrance test?
Access is open. At Imperia you sit ATHENA, a non-selective 90-minute test of 50 questions on computer literacy, logic and maths. A low score adds an OFA, cleared by passing one of three first-semester examinations. [1]
What English level do I need? Do I need IELTS?
B2 is the expected level, but no certificate is required to apply. A B2 certificate or proof of English-medium schooling is recommended. Without a valid B2 certificate when you enrol, you also sit the ATHENA English section. [1][2]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, visa applicants applied on UniGeApply from 26 November 2025 to 20 March 2026, with outcomes due by 22 May 2026. The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. [3]
Can I apply before I finish Class 12?
Yes. You upload your final-year transcript and, if possible, a school statement with your expected graduation date. For 2026/27 the diploma had to be obtained by 15 August 2026. [2]
Do I need SAT, TOLC or CEnT scores?
They are not required. A CEnT, TOLC, SAT or ACT result from the last three years is recommended in your UniGeApply file, and no minimum score is set. [2]
Is the course taught in English, and where?
Yes. Course 12133 is taught entirely in English at the University of Genoa's Imperia campus, with lectures, examinations and the final paper in English. Students whose diploma is not Italian also take an Italian as a Foreign Language unit. [1][4]
What do I need to move into the second year?
At least 27 credits by the deadline for enrolment in later years. Any OFA from the ATHENA test must also be cleared by the second-year study plan deadline, or you re-enrol in the first year. [1]
Can someone handle my whole application to Computer Engineering at Genoa?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your school results against Genoa's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ALiSEO Liguria scholarship application at the right time and in the right format, and prepares your visa file, for eligible students. Start by checking your eligibility.
I'm applying from India. What is the route into Computer Engineering?
Indian Class 12 results from CBSE, ISC or a state board come after 12 years of schooling, which matches the school-length rule, and no minimum grade is set. B2 English or proof of English-medium schooling is recommended. The steps are the UniGeApply evaluation, Universitaly and UniGe pre-enrolment, then the non-selective ATHENA test at Imperia. [1][2] Indian students apply for the type D study visa at the Italian embassy or consulate that covers their state, such as New Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru.
Is the route different from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
No. The academic rules for Computer Engineering are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: UniGeApply evaluation, Universitaly application and UniGe pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for their country of residence. Read our guide for students in Dhaka.
I live in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman or Bahrain. Where do I apply for the visa?
At the Italian embassy or consulate responsible for the country where you legally live, after Universitaly pre-enrolment. The academic rules for Computer Engineering are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: UniGeApply evaluation, Universitaly application and UniGe pre-enrolment. Read our guides for Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.
I studied or live in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. What is the route?
The academic rules for Computer Engineering are the same whatever your nationality, and your school results are assessed like any other foreign qualification. Non-EU applicants who live abroad follow the same route: UniGeApply evaluation, Universitaly application and UniGe pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for where they live. Read our guides for students in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
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