Master in Automation and Control Engineering at Polytechnic University of Milan
Two-year English-taught LM-25 master at Politecnico di Milano in control and automation, with a first-year core in predictive control, identification and machine dynamics and electives in robotics, vehicles and energy systems. Entry needs a related bachelor's and a recognised English certificate.
Master
2 years
Milan
English
Polytechnic University of Milan
Automation and Control Engineering is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-25) taught in English at Politecnico di Milano's Milano Leonardo campus. Entry needs a bachelor's with a solid base in maths, physics, computing, control, mechanics and electrical machines, a commission review of your record and a recognised English certificate, such as IELTS 6. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
PoliMi's Automation and Control Engineering master asks for a first-cycle degree with a solid base in maths, computer science and physics and adequate skills in automatic control, applied mechanics and electrical machines, a review of your academic record by an Evaluation Commission, and a recognised English certificate. There is no entrance test. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and background requirements
You need a first-cycle degree (EQF level 6) or a comparable qualification. The commission checks three things: [1]
- Your average mark against the admission threshold. For graduates of non-Italian universities, the commission decides case by case from your academic curriculum. Graduates of other Italian universities need at least 23/30.
- English proficiency, through a recognised certificate.
- A solid background in the fundamentals of engineering (mathematics, computer science and physics) and adequate skills in the programme's core subjects: automatic control, applied mechanics, and electrical machines and drives. Some background in computer science, electronics or telecommunications is also advisable.
If your average is below the threshold, you are not admitted. If English or background is missing, you can be admitted but enrol only after you prove your English and complete the prerequisites the commission sets. [1]
For foreign graduates, PoliMi also requires a degree that gives access to EQF level 7, from a university in the official system of its country, with subjects closely related to the programme. Franchised degrees are not accepted. [2]
Country rules and minimum grades
PoliMi sets strict country rules for some degrees, with no exceptions: [2]
- India: a bachelor's of at least four years, such as a B.Tech, B.E., B.Des. or B.Arch. A three-year B.Sc. may be considered only if it is an Honours programme. Minimum average 70 out of 100.
- Pakistan: a four-year continuous bachelor's, as 2+2 degrees are not accepted. Minimum GPA 3.3 out of 4.
- Bangladesh: minimum GPA 3.3 out of 4.
- Sri Lanka: an Honours degree (SLQF level 6). SLQF level 5 qualifications are not evaluated.
- UK: an Honours degree or equivalent, from a recognised institution.
What this means for your transcript
As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a four-year B.Tech or B.E. in Electrical, Electrical and Electronics, Instrumentation and Control or Mechatronics Engineering, with control systems, maths and physics on the transcript and an average that meets your country's minimum.
- Check carefully: a four-year B.Tech or B.E. in Mechanical, Electronics and Communication or Computer Science Engineering, or a three-year B.Sc. Honours in Physics or Electronics, which may lack automatic control, applied mechanics or electrical machines.
- Often short: a three-year B.Sc. without Honours from India, a 2+2 degree from Pakistan, or a degree without an engineering base, such as a BCA, B.Com or BBA.
Gaps found at admission are filled with alignment courses, usually Italian-taught bachelor's units, which the commission assigns. Up to 20 credits of them fit inside the 120-credit plan in place of electives. Larger gaps must be closed before enrolment by passing integration courses as single courses. [1]
English
You need a recognised English certificate at PoliMi's minimum score. For 2026/27, accepted results include: [3]
- IELTS Academic or General Training 6
- TOEFL iBT 78, or 4.5 for tests taken from 21 January 2026
- Cambridge B2 First at grade B, or C1 Advanced at grade C
- PTE Academic 59
- Trinity ISE II, or LanguageCert B2 Communicator
If English was the medium of instruction of your bachelor's for at least three years, a document certified by your university confirming that at least 75% of your courses were taught in English can replace the certificate. [5]
The programme rules ask for English certified when you apply. PoliMi's admissions office lets you upload it after the application deadline, but you need it to receive your admission letter, apply for a visa and enrol. [1][5]
Italian is not an entry requirement. International students enrol with an Italian learning requirement (OFA) and must certify Italian before the graduation exam. [3]
Selection
There is no entrance test. An Evaluation Commission set up by the Board of Studies decides admission from your academic career, and any compulsory extra subjects are communicated with the admission decision, before enrolment. The commission can consider documented exceptional circumstances attached to the application. [1]
The 2026/27 regulations note that a new admission model for PoliMi master's programmes starts from 2028/29. [1]
Deadlines for the September 2027 intake
Engineering master's programmes have two calls open to applicants living outside Italy: [4]
- First call: 1 October to 1 December 2026.
- Second call: 12 January to 25 February 2027.
Outcomes are due by the end of May 2027. A third call from 1 to 18 March 2027 is only for EEA students and non-EEA students living in Italy with certain permits. You can apply once per semester, to at most two programmes. [4]
You can apply in the final year of your bachelor's, using an enrolment document from your university, as long as you obtain the degree before enrolment. [2][5]
Documents for non-EU applicants
The application needs a scanned original transcript, your degree certificate or an enrolment document for your final year, a cumulative GPA statement showing your average and the grading scale, and a CV of up to two pages. A motivation letter, a recommendation letter, GRE scores and detailed course descriptions are optional but can strengthen your application. [5]
Indian applicants upload scanned originals of the transcript or consolidated grade sheet, and screenshots are not accepted. Pakistani applicants also need a university letter stating their weighted average. [2]
To enrol you need a Diploma Supplement where your country issues one, a declaration of value or a CIMEA statement. Without one of these, a positive evaluation does not lead to enrolment, and PoliMi can ask for them at any stage. [2]
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.
- Politecnico di Milano, School of Industrial and Information Engineering. Academic regulations, Master's degree in Automation and Control Engineering (class LM-25), academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Milano. Admission to Master of Science programmes with a foreign qualification: requirements and country-specific rules, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Milano. English language requirements for Laurea Magistrale programmes, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Milano. Application deadlines for Master of Science programmes with a foreign qualification, September 2027 intake. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Milano. List of documents required by the Admissions Office for Master of Science applicants with a foreign qualification, accepted certificates updated for 2027/28. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Milano, Automation and Control Engineering programme page and 2026/27 course list. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Automation and Control Engineering is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale) in class LM-25, Automation Engineering, worth 120 ECTS. It is taught in English by the School of Industrial and Information Engineering at the Milano Leonardo campus in Milan.
The degree board describes its aim as using technology to design, develop and manage machines, plants and networked systems in an efficient, sustainable and inclusive way, giving them autonomy and the ability to learn.
It suits engineering graduates who want to work on control systems for robots, vehicles, energy networks and industrial processes.
What you will study
The first year builds a common core of five 10-credit units in predictive control, system identification, computer aided manufacturing and the dynamics of mechanical and electrical machines, plus 10 credits of electives.
The second year adds Software Engineering (for Automation) and the Automation and Control Laboratory and leaves most of its credits to electives, so you can shape a profile in robotics, vehicles, energy or industrial automation before the thesis. Units in the 2026/27 course list include:
- Advanced and Model Predictive Control
- Model Identification and Data Analysis
- Dynamics of Mechanical Systems
- Dynamics of Electrical Machines and Drives
- Software Engineering (for Automation)
- Control of Robotic Manipulators (elective)
- Automation and Control in Electric and Hybrid Vehicles (elective)
- Automation of Energy Systems (elective)
How the programme is taught
Besides lectures, the plan includes laboratory and project units such as the Automation and Control Laboratory, the Robotics Laboratory and Project Work, a small-group project run with a company. Through the ENHANCE guided path, you can also take courses at partner European universities.
Electives also reach beyond engineering, with units on ethics for technology, high-tech entrepreneurship and patents and intellectual property. Teaching is in English, with a few complementary and optional courses taught in Italian.
The degree ends with a thesis worth 20 of the 120 credits. Students can also study abroad through Erasmus, double degree programmes or a thesis written abroad.
Career paths
The programme trains control engineers who design and manage automated machines, plants and networked systems. Its elective areas show the fields these skills serve:
- Industrial, collaborative and mobile robotics
- Electric, hybrid and autonomous vehicles
- Energy systems and electrical grid management
- Process control and production systems
- Aerial robots and mission planning for autonomous systems
Fees and scholarships
Tuition at Politecnico di Milano follows the university's own fee rules, published each year on its tuition fees page; we check the amounts for your intake year there before you plan your budget.
There is no separate regional agency: the Politecnico runs the DSU right-to-study scholarship itself, so students who meet its merit and financial-need conditions apply to the university, which decides the awards.
How to apply from outside the EU
Applicants with a foreign bachelor's apply through Politecnico di Milano's international admissions route. For the September 2027 intake, applicants living outside Italy can apply from 1 October to 1 December 2026 or from 12 January to 25 February 2027, with outcomes by the end of May 2027.
Following the university's requirements for foreign qualifications, your degree must give access to EQF level 7 studies, include subjects relevant to automation and control, and meet the minimum grade average PoliMi sets for some countries, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
You also need an English certificate, or proof that your bachelor's was taught in English.
Before enrolment you provide a Diploma Supplement, declaration of value or CIMEA statement. Once you are admitted, we complete the Universitaly pre-enrolment, and you apply for a type D study visa.
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 transcript against PoliMi's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your online application with your transcripts and English certificate, and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your Politecnico di Milano DSU 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 bachelor's degree do I need for Automation and Control Engineering at PoliMi?
A first-cycle degree with a solid base in maths, computer science and physics and adequate skills in automatic control, applied mechanics, and electrical machines and drives. Background in electronics or telecommunications also helps. For degrees from outside Italy, the commission decides case by case from your record. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
No. An Evaluation Commission reviews your academic record. If your background has gaps, it can assign up to 20 credits of alignment courses inside the degree, and set integration courses you must pass as single courses before enrolment. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
You need a recognised certificate at PoliMi's minimum, such as IELTS 6, TOEFL iBT 78 (4.5 for tests from 21 January 2026), Cambridge B2 First at grade B or PTE Academic 59. A bachelor's taught at least 75% in English for three years or more can replace it. [3][5]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For the September 2027 intake, applicants living outside Italy can apply in the first call, from 1 October to 1 December 2026, or in the second call, from 12 January to 25 February 2027. Outcomes are due by the end of May 2027. [4]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. You can apply in the final year of your bachelor's with an enrolment document from your university, as long as you obtain the degree before you enrol at PoliMi. [2][5]
I have a B.Tech in Mechanical or Computer Science. Can I apply?
Possibly. A four-year B.Tech meets PoliMi's rule for India if your average reaches 70 out of 100. The commission then checks your maths, physics and computing and your control, mechanics and electrical machines subjects, and may assign alignment courses where you have gaps. [1][2]
What grade average do I need?
PoliMi sets strict country minimums with no exceptions: 70 out of 100 for India, and a GPA of 3.3 out of 4 for Pakistan and Bangladesh. Graduates of other Italian universities need 23/30. For other foreign degrees, the commission decides case by case. [1][2]
Can I specialise in robotics?
Yes. Electives in the 2026/27 rules include Control of Robotic Manipulators, Control of Mobile Robots, Aerial Robotics, Medical Robotics, Collaborative, Intelligent and Humanoid Robotics and a Robotics Laboratory, alongside options in vehicles, energy and process control. [1]
Can someone handle my whole application to Automation and Control Engineering 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 Automation and Control Engineering?
PoliMi accepts Indian bachelor's degrees of at least four years, such as a B.Tech or B.E., and considers a three-year B.Sc. only if it is an Honours degree. You need an average of at least 70 out of 100, a base in maths, physics, computing, control, mechanics and electrical machines, and English proof such as IELTS 6. The steps are the online application, the commission's evaluation and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1][2][3] 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 Automation and Control Engineering are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application in the first or second call, the commission'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 Automation and Control Engineering are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application in the first or second call, the commission'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 Automation and Control Engineering 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 in the first or second call, the commission'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.
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