Master in Automation Engineering and Control of Complex Systems at University of Catania
Two-year English-taught LM-25 master's at the University of Catania in control, robotics, sensors and industrial automation, with Automation and Automation for Biotechnology curricula and a double degree with ISEP Porto.
Master
2 years
Catania
English
University of Catania
Automation Engineering and Control of Complex Systems is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's (class LM-25) taught fully in English at the University of Catania, with curricula in Automation and in Automation for Biotechnology and a double degree option with ISEP in Porto. It can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
- A bachelor's degree or higher, preferably in automation, electronic, computer, telecommunication, electrical, mechanical or industrial engineering.
- Adequate knowledge of mathematical and numerical analysis, linear algebra and geometry, probability and statistics, physics and chemistry, plus informatics, control and systems theory, electronics and information processing.
- English at B2 level: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL 72, Cambridge FCE or higher, unless you are a native speaker or hold an English-taught degree.
- The board reviews the credits and marks in your transcript, your CV, a reference letter and a statement of purpose, and may hold an online interview or test.
- Final-year students can apply if they graduate by 31 July; a Declaration of Value or ENIC-NARIC Statement of Comparability is delivered after admission.
About the programme
Automation Engineering and Control of Complex Systems is a two-year master's degree in automation engineering (class LM-25), run by the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering (DIEEI) of the University of Catania. It carries 120 ECTS over four semesters, is fully taught in English and is based in Catania, with open admission.
The course gives a deep grounding in the technical and scientific core of automation, together with related subjects, so that graduates can design traditional automation systems and also tackle new problems in emerging fields. Unlike other information engineers, the automation engineer focuses on analysing, designing and building the control system of a process. It suits graduates in automation, electronic, computer, electrical or mechanical engineering.
What you will study
You choose between two curricula, Automation and Automation for Biotechnology, and add 9 ECTS of free electives and 3 ECTS of extra skills courses. Units in the 2026/27 plan include:
- Robust Control and Nonlinear Systems Control
- Modeling and Control of Electromechanical Systems
- Modeling and Simulation of Mechanical Systems
- Sensors and Advanced Measurement Strategies and a Laboratory of Sensors and Sensing Systems
- Robotics, Industrial Automation and Process Modeling and Control
- Complex Adaptive Systems and Biorobotics and Deep Learning
- Biotechnology units such as Bioengineering and Synthetic Biology, Bio-electricity in the Human Body, and Biotechnology and Lab-on-a-Chip
How the programme is taught
Classes and thesis work use DIEEI laboratories for robotics (including KUKA industrial manipulators, mobile robots and drones), industrial automation with Siemens and Schneider PLCs, sensors, microfluidics, biorobotics and complex systems. The thesis is worth 18 ECTS (450 hours) and can be carried out over up to six months at companies and research institutions. A double degree with the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP), running since 2023/24, offers four places a year through its own call.
Career paths
The university lists these main employers for automation engineers:
- Manufacturing companies with automated or robotic plants
- Service companies that model dynamic systems, signals and images or build decision support systems
- Electromechanical, electronic, microelectronic, aerospace, automotive, railway, naval, biomedical and agri-food companies with automatic control departments
- Engineering and consulting firms designing advanced control systems
- Home automation, medical, healthcare, security, transport and civil protection companies
- Research and development bodies, and technical training organisations
Fees and scholarships
Non-EU students admitted from abroad paid €306 for 2026/27, made of a €150 contribution, a €140 regional tax and €16 stamp duty. The top five candidates in each ranking were offered €2,000 a year for two years, and the ISEP double degree call names its own scholarships. ERSU Catania gives regional scholarships on merit and family income, so the degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
For this degree the board looks closely at the credits and marks in maths, systems theory, control, electronics and informatics in your transcript. Applications go through the Smartedu portal with a €10 fee, a CV, reference letter, statement of purpose and English certificate; 50 out of 100 points are needed. For 2026/27 the window ran from 10 February to 17 March 2026.
Once admitted, you pay €75 to confirm, pre-enrol on Universitaly and apply for a type D study visa.
How ApplyAZ helps
If this programme fits your goals, ApplyAZ can include it in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities. We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose, submit your applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your DSU scholarship application and prepare your visa file, with a named person on each stage. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa. See how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
Questions and answers
Is this automation master taught in English?
Yes. The department states the programme is fully held in English. Applicants need English at B2 level, such as IELTS 5.5, TOEFL 72 or Cambridge FCE, unless they are native speakers or hold an English-taught degree.
Which bachelor's degrees are accepted?
Mainly automation, electronic, computer, telecommunication, electrical, mechanical or industrial engineering, with solid maths, physics, informatics, control and systems theory, electronics and information processing.
Is there an entrance test?
No written test. The board assesses your transcript credits and marks, CV, reference letter and statement of purpose, and may invite you to an online interview or test.
Which curricula and double degree are offered?
Two curricula: Automation, and Automation for Biotechnology. A double degree with the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto offers four places a year through a call issued in October or November.
When can I apply for 2027/28?
The 2027/28 call is not published yet. As a guide, non-EU applicants living abroad applied for 2026/27 from 10 February to 17 March 2026 on the Smartedu portal, paying €10.
How much does it cost?
For 2026/27, non-EU students living abroad paid €306 for the year. The top five in each ranking were offered €2,000 a year for two years, and ERSU Catania runs regional scholarships for eligible students.
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