Master in Architectural Design and History at Polytechnic University of Milan

Detailed entry requirements

Architectural Design and History admission requires a suitable prior degree, the programme’s curricular and preparation checks, and the applicable language evidence. The course-specific details below come from its 2026/27 regulation; central foreign-degree instructions and the newer 2027/28 language table are labelled separately.

Architecture qualification and curricular preparation

• Applicants need an L-17 first-cycle architecture qualification, the specified former class 4 qualification or a foreign qualification recognised as suitable. They must have completed the core L-17 educational activities specified in the admission requirements.
• The regulation also refers to the nationally required entry assessment associated with the prior architect-training qualification. It is not the ARCHED procedure for new bachelor’s applicants, and not a new ARCHED test for every master’s applicant.
• Expected preparation covers architectural/urban design, architectural history and representation, structural/technological subjects and the related fields of the course. The academic career, portfolio and relevant documented preparation support the comparative assessment.

Selection, places and final-language obligation

• The 2026/27 regulation publishes 100 places for Architectural Design and History: 40 Italian/EU and 60 non-EU. A positive academic assessment alone does not secure a place; ranking and availability apply.
• All applicants must submit the required career-evaluation application. English certification follows the programme’s annual deadline. Pending first-cycle students must obtain the degree by their applicable enrolment deadline.
• For international students without the permitted Italian evidence/exemption, this English programme specifies a 40-hour Italian course with at least 75% attendance and a successful final assessment. At least B1 Italian is required before registering for the degree’s final examination.
• Second-semester entry is only available where the applicable procedures expressly allow it. Two teaching semesters do not by themselves mean a second-semester intake.

Foreign-degree qualification, grades and recognition

• The foreign-qualification route requires a recognised university-level bachelor’s degree giving access to second-cycle study, with subjects closely related to this master. Pending students may be evaluated, but the qualification must be obtained before final enrolment under the applicable procedure.
• The International Admissions Office applies strict country-specific qualification and CGPA requirements. Examples on the current page include India 70/100, China 80%, Bangladesh and Pakistan 3.3/4, and Iran 15.5/20. These are country-specific application thresholds, not a single score applicable to every applicant. We check the complete requirements for the country awarding your degree.
• Final recognition evidence is separate from a positive academic evaluation. The university may request a Declaration of Value or CIMEA evidence, and the applicable final-enrolment qualification checks still have to be satisfied.

English evidence and applicable academic year

• English evidence is required on the foreign-degree master’s route. The currently published certificate table is explicitly updated for 2027/28, while the course regulation cited here is for 2026/27. We match the certificate rule and deadline to the intake you are applying for.
• The current table includes IELTS Academic or General Training 6, PTE Academic 59 and LanguageCert ESOL B2 Communicator with four skills. TOEFL iBT/Home Edition requires 78 for tests through 20 January 2026 or 4.5 on the new scale for tests from 21 January 2026. Certificates expired under the issuer’s rules are not accepted.
• The stated English-medium exemption requires a bachelor’s of at least three years and university-certified evidence that at least 75% of its courses were taught in English. A general claim of fluency does not satisfy this documentary route.
• The course regulation requires English certification with the admission application. Central international guidance allows language evidence after initial evaluation but before specified post-admission stages. We follow the deadline expressly assigned to your applicant route and programme, and do not assume a later deadline applies to a School of Design or AUIC application.
• An Italian-taught or mixed Italian/English route also requires the stated B2 Italian evidence under central foreign-degree guidance, with the specified Italian-citizenship exemption. We match this condition to the programme language or track you choose.

Documents to prepare for the foreign-degree application

• Supply the bachelor’s qualification or permitted final-year/provisional document, official transcript, official CGPA/grading-scale evidence and a CV of no more than two pages. The transcript or diploma can serve as the GPA statement if it contains all required information.
• Academic documents are accepted in Italian, English, French or Spanish. Other languages require the specified official translation. Use legible scans of original documents with the required stamps/signatures or accepted official verification evidence.
• Architecture and design applicants must supply the required portfolio, maximum 20 MB. The international design guidance permits a thesis abstract or relevant internship report instead for specified non-design backgrounds; programme-specific requirements must still be met.
• We complete the dossier before the application fee is paid: the admissions instructions say uploaded documents cannot be changed or supplemented after payment. Incomplete or unpaid applications are not processed. A successful evaluation still needs the subsequent enrolment and recognition steps.

Sources and verification

1. Politecnico di Milano. Architectural Design and History: official teaching regulation, academic year 2026/27, sections 6.1-6.3 (admission, curricular preparation and places); reviewed 6 October 2026.
2. Politecnico di Milano. Master of Science admission with a foreign qualification: Requirements, degree eligibility, recognition and country-specific qualifications/CGPA; current guidance reviewed 6 October 2026.
3. Politecnico di Milano. List of documents required by the International Admissions Office, mandatory documents and language evidence; certificate table explicitly updated for 2027/28; reviewed 6 October 2026.

Which first-cycle architecture class is listed?

L-17, the specified former class 4, or a suitable foreign equivalent with the required core preparation.

Is the bachelor’s ARCHED test automatically the master’s procedure?

No. The regulation’s prior architect-training entry-test condition and the master’s comparative assessment must be distinguished.

Is a portfolio relevant?

Yes. Architecture assessment uses the required portfolio and academic-career evidence.

Does a positive academic evaluation secure a place?

No. Ranking, applicant category and available places remain relevant.

Is Italian study required for international students?

The programme regulation includes an Italian obligation before the final degree examination, with specified evidence/exemptions.

Can I assume second-semester transfer is available?

Only where the applicable procedures expressly permit it.

Can someone handle my whole application to Architectural Design and History at PoliMi?

Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against PoliMi's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the Politecnico di Milano DSU 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 Architectural Design and History?

You need a bachelor's in architecture that PoliMi recognises as suitable, with the core L-17 preparation completed [1]. PoliMi's country rules list a minimum of 70 out of 100 for India [2]. You also need a portfolio of up to 20 MB, a CV of no more than two pages and English proof such as IELTS 6 [3]. The steps are the online application, PoliMi's evaluation and Universitaly pre-enrolment. 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 Architectural Design and History are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application with a portfolio, PoliMi's evaluation and Universitaly 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 Architectural Design and History are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application with a portfolio, PoliMi's evaluation and Universitaly 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 Architectural Design and History are the same whatever your nationality, and your degree is assessed like any other foreign qualification. Non-EU applicants who live abroad follow the same route: online application with a portfolio, PoliMi's evaluation and Universitaly 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.