Master in Communications Engineering at University of Pisa
Two-year English-taught LM-27 master's at the University of Pisa in digital communications, signal processing and antennas, with curricula in internet and wireless communications or radar, remote sensing and RF. Entry needs five core exams and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Pisa
English
University of Pisa
Communications Engineering is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-27) taught in English at the University of Pisa. Entry needs a bachelor's of at least three years with exams in signals and systems, random processes, digital communications, networks and electromagnetic propagation, plus strong maths and English at B2. DSU Toscana scholarship winners are exempt from tuition, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Pisa's Communications Engineering master asks for a bachelor's of at least three years with exams in signals and systems, random variables and processes, digital communications, networks and electromagnetic propagation, strong maths and English at B2. Applicants with a foreign degree are selected on grades, exam fit and CV, with online tests or interviews if needed. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and required exams
You need a Bachelor of Science or equivalent first-cycle degree of at least three years, with courses in signal processing and the fundamentals of telecommunications comparable to those of a communications engineering graduate. [1]
- Five required exams: signals and systems, random variables and processes, digital communications, networks, and fundamentals of electromagnetic propagation. Missing any one of them makes the application ineligible.
- Maths: a strong background in mathematics is required.
- Related subjects: electronics, computer engineering or management count in your favour.
For Italian degrees, the programme's curricular requirement is at least 34 CFU in mathematics and physics and at least 60 CFU in information engineering, electrical engineering, management engineering or computer science subjects. For foreign degrees, the committee reviews the length of the course and the content of the exams. [2]
The committee judges only whether your degree suits this programme. Qualifications from non-EU countries are verified and recognised by the Italian diplomatic authorities at a later stage. [1]
What this means for your transcript
As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Tech or B.E. in Electronics and Communication Engineering or Telecommunications Engineering, when the transcript shows all five exams and solid maths.
- Check carefully: a B.Tech or B.E. in Electrical, Electronics and Instrumentation, or Computer Science Engineering. These often cover signals or networks but can lack digital communications, random processes or electromagnetic propagation.
- Often short: a B.Sc. in Physics, Electronics or Computer Science, a BCA, and a B.Com, BBA or BA, which usually lack one or more of the five exams.
The committee reads your transcript exam by exam, so course titles and content matter more than credit totals. [1]
English
English at CEFR level B2. In the application you declare your English, stating the length of study and the certificate you hold. If your bachelor's was taught in English, a document certified by your university stating the teaching language can replace the language certificate. The call does not list accepted tests or minimum scores. [1]
Selection
Selection runs in two steps. [1]
- Eligibility: the committee checks the admission requirements and rejects invalid applications.
- Merit review: applicants are assessed on their bachelor's results, read in the context of their country, how closely their exams match the programme, and any further education or work in their CV. The committee can ask for online tests or interviews, and applicants are told about them by email.
No information on outcomes is available before the end of the selection. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
For 2026/27, applications opened on 1 December 2025 and closed on 5 February 2026 (23:59 GMT), a strict deadline for both non-EU and EU applicants. Online tests and interviews, if needed, were planned by 27 February 2026, and decisions by 13 March 2026. [1][3]
You can apply before you graduate if you expect to finish your bachelor's before the Universitaly pre-enrolment deadline set by the Italian embassy or consulate for your country. Admission then depends on graduating by that deadline. The next call sets the 2027/28 dates. [1]
Documents and non-EU steps
Applications go through the University of Pisa's portal for English-taught master's degrees. You can file at most two applications there, and each one is finalised on the portal straight after you complete it. You upload: [1]
- Your English declaration, or the university document confirming English-medium teaching.
- Your degree certificate and transcripts, translated into English or Italian, with the legal length of the course.
- A valid passport.
- A full CV covering your studies and any relevant cultural or professional experience.
All files must be PDFs, and an incomplete application cannot be completed after the deadline. Admitted students receive a formal admission letter, pre-enrol on Universitaly, apply for the study visa and then enrol in Pisa. The call notes that the visa can take several weeks or months. [1]
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 Pisa, Department of Information Engineering. Call for applications, Master's degree programme in Communications Engineering, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Pisa, Communications Engineering programme page (degree class, teaching language, curricular requirements and study plan), academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Pisa, application portal for English-taught master's degrees: active calls and deadlines, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Communications Engineering is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-27, telecommunications engineering) worth 120 ECTS, taught in English by the Department of Information Engineering of the University of Pisa. Teaching is in Pisa, and applicants with a foreign degree go through a selective call. [1]
The course trains specialists who design and manage innovative communication systems: people who can architect telecommunications systems and run networks, services and remote sensing applications. It suits graduates in telecommunications, electronic or information engineering with a solid grounding in maths and signals.
What you will study
The degree has two curricula, Internet and Wireless Communications, and Radar, Remote Sensing and RF Technologies. They share four compulsory units worth 42 credits and add three curriculum units in the first year. In the second year you pick four exams from your curriculum, plus 12 credits of free choice. Units in the 2026/27 plan include:
- Digital Communications (12 ECTS)
- Radar and Statistical Signal Processing (12 ECTS)
- Communication Systems and Cybersecurity (12 ECTS)
- Antenna Engineering (6 ECTS)
- Network Metrology, Advanced Programming and a Photonics Laboratory (Internet and Wireless track)
- Microwave and mm-wave Devices, Microelectronics for Telecommunications, and Image Analysis and Computer Vision (Radar track)
- Electives such as 5G and Beyond Communications, Satellite Communications, Industrial Internet of Things, Radar Systems and Environmental Remote Sensing
- A final thesis worth 24 ECTS
How the programme is taught
Exams taken from the other curriculum's group count automatically as free-choice credits, so you can combine wireless and radar topics. Laboratory units cover photonics, network programming and radiofrequency and microwave work. The course website posts thesis and graduate opportunities with companies, including recent calls from Nokia and Telespazio.
Career paths
The university lists roles as designers of telecommunications systems and equipment, engineering project managers, research and development specialists, and developers of communications and remote sensing solutions in public and private organisations.
Fees and scholarships
The department's call says yearly fees depend on your country of origin. [1] Fee reductions can be requested. The regional body DSU Toscana awards scholarships that include exemption from tuition fees, so this master's can be tuition-free for eligible students. The programme also takes part in MAECI and Invest Your Talent in Italy scholarships. [1] See the fees page.
How to apply from outside the EU
Applicants with a foreign degree use the English-taught master's portal. For 2026/27, Communications Engineering accepted applications from 1 December 2025 to 5 February 2026, and the portal allows no more than two applications per person. The evaluation committee checks your transcript and may ask for online tests or interviews. Decisions were due by 13 March 2026, and the next call sets the 2027/28 dates. [1]
Admitted students then pre-enrol on Universitaly, apply for a type D study visa and, to enrol, provide a declaration of value or a CIMEA statement of comparability.
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 Pisa's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your application on Pisa's English-taught master's portal and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your DSU Toscana 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 Pisa's Communications Engineering master?
A bachelor's of at least three years with exams in signals and systems, random variables and processes, digital communications, networks and electromagnetic propagation, plus a strong maths background. Missing any one of these five exams makes the application ineligible. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
There is no fixed written exam. The committee checks eligibility, then assesses your grades, how well your exams match the programme and your CV. It can ask for online tests or interviews, which for 2026/27 were planned by 27 February 2026. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2. You declare your certificate in the application, and if your bachelor's was taught in English, a certified document from your university can replace it. The call does not set minimum test scores, so we check which proof of B2 your file can use. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, applications ran from 1 December 2025 to 5 February 2026 at 23:59 GMT, for non-EU and EU applicants alike, with decisions by 13 March 2026. The next call sets the 2027/28 dates. [1][3]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes, if you expect to graduate before the Universitaly pre-enrolment deadline set by the Italian embassy or consulate for your country. Your admission then depends on graduating by that deadline. [1]
I have a B.Tech in Computer Science or a BCA. Can I apply?
Possibly. Computing degrees usually cover networks but can lack digital communications, random processes or electromagnetic propagation, and the call needs all five exams. We check your transcript exam by exam before you apply. [1]
Which curricula are offered?
Two: Internet and Wireless Communications, and Radar, Remote Sensing and RF Technologies. Both share digital communications, radar and statistical signal processing, communication systems and cybersecurity, and antenna engineering in the first year. [2]
What jobs do graduates do?
The university lists designing telecommunications systems and devices, project management in engineering, and research and development roles in companies and public or private organisations that build communications and remote sensing solutions. [2]
Can someone handle my whole application to Communications Engineering at Pisa?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Pisa's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the DSU Toscana 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 Communications Engineering?
A B.Tech or B.E. of at least three years, such as Electronics and Communication Engineering, can meet the degree rule if it includes exams in signals and systems, random processes, digital communications, networks and electromagnetic propagation, with strong maths. You also need English at B2. The steps are the portal application, any online test or interview, the admission letter and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1] 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 Communications Engineering are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: portal application, admission 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 Communications Engineering are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: portal application, admission 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 Communications 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: portal application, admission 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.
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