Master in Communication Engineering at University of Parma

Detailed entry requirements

Parma's Communication Engineering master asks for a three-year degree with set credits in maths and physics, information engineering and electrical or industrial subjects (or an Italian information engineering degree), a final mark of at least 88/110 or a committee review of your grades, and English at B2. There is no entrance test. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]

Degree and credit requirements

You need a three-year university degree or diploma, or another recognised qualification, including one obtained abroad. An Italian degree in information engineering (class L-8) meets the curricular requirements automatically. Any other degree must include at least: [1]

• 30 CFU in maths and basic sciences: chemistry, physics, algebra, geometry, mathematical analysis, probability and statistics, mathematical physics, numerical analysis, operations research or statistics.
• 36 CFU across at least three information engineering areas: electronics, electromagnetic fields, telecommunications, automation, information processing systems, bioengineering, electronic measurements or computer science.
• 12 CFU in industrial engineering or economics areas: such as electrotechnics, electrical machines and drives, applied mechanics, industrial technical physics, industrial plants, management engineering or business economics.

For foreign degrees not organised in credits, an admission committee checks suitable equivalences between the courses you passed and these tables. [1]

Parma's admissions portal for visa applicants adds that the course needs a bachelor's in engineering, physics or mathematics, or an equivalent degree, with an ICT background the ideal fit. The committee looks for certified knowledge, with good, higher than average grades, in probability, random variables and stochastic processes; signals, systems and Fourier transform methods; fundamentals of communication systems; and fundamentals of electromagnetism. [3]

These rules come from the course regulations approved in November 2023, and the programme's 2026/27 admission page states the same requirements. [1][2]

What this means for your transcript

Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit, and the committee looks at your subjects and grades, not just your total. As a guide, based on the rules above:

• Usually a fit: a B.Tech or B.E. in Electronics and Communication, Electronics and Telecommunication, or Electrical and Electronics Engineering, which usually covers maths, signals and systems, communication systems, electromagnetics and some electrical engineering.
• Check carefully: a B.Tech or B.E. in Computer Science or IT, which covers the maths block but can lack communication systems, electromagnetism and the 12 electrical or industrial credits, or a B.Sc. in Physics or Mathematics, which often lacks the 36 information engineering credits.
• Often short: a BCA, a B.Sc. in Computer Science, or a B.Com, BBA or BA, which usually lack the engineering and signals subjects.

English

English at CEFR level B2 or higher, shown in one of three ways: an English exam at B2 or higher passed in your bachelor's or later certified university study, an official certificate at B2 or higher, or a first degree officially taught in English. If you meet none of these, you must obtain a B2 certificate before you can sit the exams after the first year. [1]

Parma's admissions portal lists FCE or CAE, IELTS 5.5 or higher and TOEFL 69 or higher as accepted proof, and exempts native English speakers and students with official proof that their bachelor's was taught in English. [3]

Italian is not required for admission, but students on English-taught degrees must assess their Italian level before graduating, with a test provided within the course. [3]

Preparation check

There is no entrance test, and access is open, with a check of the admission requirements. [2] Your personal preparation is always checked separately from the credit rule. It counts as adequate if your first degree has a final mark of at least 88/110 or equivalent. With a lower mark, or with a foreign degree, the admission committee checks your final mark, your average or your individual grades, and it can also hold individual interviews. [1]

Applicants on the visa portal also add a motivation letter to the application. [3]

2026/27 deadlines

For 2026/27, non-EU applicants needing a study visa applied on Parma's admissions portal from 15 January to 6 April 2026, and a second intake for Communication Engineering ran from 4 to 26 June 2026. [3] For applicants who apply through the programme's own procedure rather than the visa portal, the 2026/27 admission check runs from 3 June to 11 December 2026. [2] The 2027/28 call sets the new dates for visa applicants.

Documents and non-EU steps

On the admissions portal you can apply for up to three programmes with one application fee, and you upload: [3]

• your CV
• your language certificate
• your bachelor's diploma, issued in English or officially translated into Italian
• your transcript of records
• a motivation letter

The portal accepts students who hold, or are going to hold, a bachelor's degree of at least three years, and you can add documents such as your final diploma before the deadline. Admitted students receive an acceptance letter, then register on Universitaly and apply for the visa, which the Italian mission decides. Enrolment is completed in person at the student office once you have your visa, delivering your original documents and paying the administration fee. [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.

1. University of Parma, Department of Engineering and Architecture. Regulations of the Master's degree in Communication Engineering (class LM-27), approved November 2023, with the 2024/25 study plan. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
2. University of Parma, Communication Engineering programme website: course page, course presentation and admission procedures, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
3. University of Parma, international admissions portal for students requiring a visa: Communication Engineering course page and call notices, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
4. University of Parma, Department of Engineering and Architecture. Study manifesto of the engineering degree courses, academic year 2025/26. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
5. University of Parma. Fees, scholarships and benefits for international students, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.

What bachelor's degree do I need for Communication Engineering at Parma?

A three-year degree or recognised foreign equivalent. An Italian information engineering degree (L-8) meets the rule. Other degrees need at least 30 CFU in maths and sciences, 36 across three information engineering areas and 12 in electrical, industrial or economics areas. [1]

Is there an entrance test?

No. Access is open and an admission committee checks your requirements. A final mark of at least 88/110 or equivalent counts as adequate preparation; otherwise, and for foreign degrees, the committee reviews your grades and may hold an individual interview. [1][2]

What English level do I need? Do I need IELTS?

English at CEFR B2. Parma's admissions portal accepts FCE or CAE, IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL 69, and exempts native speakers and holders of a bachelor's officially taught in English. The regulations also accept a B2 English exam passed during your bachelor's. [1][3]

When is the deadline for non-EU students?

For 2026/27, non-EU applicants needing a visa applied on Parma's admissions portal from 15 January to 6 April 2026, with a second intake for this course from 4 to 26 June 2026. The 2027/28 call sets the new dates. [3]

Can I apply before I graduate?

Yes. Parma's admissions portal for visa applicants accepts students who hold, or are going to hold, a bachelor's degree of at least three years, and you can add your final diploma to the application before the deadline. [3]

I have a B.Tech in Computer Science or a B.Sc. in Physics. Can I apply?

Possibly. Both usually cover the maths block. A Computer Science B.Tech can lack communication systems, electromagnetism and the 12 electrical or industrial credits, and a Physics B.Sc. often lacks the 36 information engineering credits. The committee reviews your curriculum, and we check it first. [1][3]

What will I study?

Core units include communication fundamentals, detection and estimation, information theory, network performance, antennas, digital, wireless and optical communications, and photonic devices. You add 24 elective credits from options such as machine learning, network security, satellite networks and the Internet of Things. [3][4]

What jobs do graduates get?

The course presentation reports employment rates close to 100%. Graduates work in wireless and optical communications, networking, signal processing, vehicular communications, network security and the Internet of Things, at companies, as freelance professionals or in public administration. [2][3]

Can someone handle my whole application to Communication Engineering at Parma?

Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Parma's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ER.GO Emilia-Romagna 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 Communication Engineering?

A recognised Indian B.Tech or B.E. in Electronics and Communication or a related field can meet the rule if it covers the maths, information engineering and electrical credit blocks, with good grades in probability, signals and systems, communication systems and electromagnetism. You need English at B2. The steps are the admissions portal application, the acceptance letter and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1][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 Communication Engineering are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: admissions portal application, acceptance letter 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 Communication Engineering are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: admissions portal application, acceptance letter 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 Communication 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: admissions portal application, acceptance letter 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.