Master in Computational Social and Political Science at University of Milan
Two-year English-taught interclass master's (LM-62 R/LM-88 R) at the University of Milan applying statistics, R and Python, text analytics, machine learning and network analysis to social and political questions. Entry needs 30 relevant credits and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Milan
English
University of Milan
Computational Social and Political Science is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (classes LM-62 R and LM-88 R) taught in English at the University of Milan in Milan. Entry needs a bachelor's with at least 30 ECTS in quantitative or social science subjects, including 12 in political science or sociology and 9 in statistics, plus English at B2. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Milan's Computational Social and Political Science master asks for a bachelor's degree with at least 30 ECTS in quantitative or social science subjects, including at least 12 in political science or sociology and 9 in statistics, plus English at B2. Non-EU visa applicants compete for 10 reserved places on their CV and an online video interview. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
The 30-credit rule
Your bachelor's can be in any field, but it must include at least 30 ECTS across these areas: computer science, mathematics, applied physics, statistics or econometrics, and political science and sociology. Within that total there are two minimums. [1]
- At least 12 ECTS in political science or sociology (sectors SPS/04 and SPS/07 to SPS/12).
- At least 9 ECTS in statistics or econometrics (sectors SECS-S/01 to SECS-S/06 and SECS-P/05).
- The rest of the 30 ECTS can come from computer science, mathematics or applied physics (MAT/01 to MAT/09, INF/01 and ING-INF/05), or from more statistics, political science or sociology.
A degree from abroad must be recognised by the university as equivalent, and your record must meet requirements equivalent to those asked of Italian graduates. [1]
What this means for your transcript
Credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit as Italian ECTS, and the admission board looks at the subjects behind them. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a BA in Political Science, Sociology or Economics that combines political science or sociology papers with a statistics, econometrics or quantitative methods course.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. in Statistics, Mathematics or Data Science, a BCA, B.Com or BBA. These usually cover the 9 statistics credits but need 12 credits of political science or sociology, which only some include as electives or general courses.
- Often short: a B.Tech or B.E. with no social science courses, or a BA in History, English or another humanities subject with no statistics course.
Both minimums apply to every applicant, whatever the title of the degree. [1]
English
You need English at CEFR B2 or higher. You can show it with a recognised certificate at B2 or above issued no more than three years before you apply, uploaded with the application, or with an English level certified by the University of Milan's language centre (SLAM) in the last four years. Otherwise you are asked to sit the SLAM entry test, held on 29 July 2026 for this intake. If you do not take or pass it, you must send a recognised certificate by the programme deadline, or you cannot be admitted. [1]
On the university's list, B2 corresponds to IELTS 5.5 to 6.5, TOEFL iBT 72 to 94, PTE Academic 59 to 75 or Cambridge B2 First. Certificates must cover reading, writing, listening and speaking, and TOEFL scores count for two years. [5]
Selection
Entry is limited, and selection differs by applicant group. [1]
- Non-EU applicants living abroad who need a visa: no written test. The admission board assesses your academic and personal CV and holds an online video interview on your skills and fit with the programme. The programme publishes a list of possible interview topics. There are 10 reserved places.
- Italian, EU and equivalent applicants: a remote written test in English on basic statistics, sociology and political science, with 1 point for each correct answer and 0 for wrong or blank answers. You must reach the minimum score set by the admission board, which the call does not state, and the test can be taken only once. There are 35 places.
The programme rules describe selection on the test result, academic record, coherence of your choice and, when required, an interview. [2]
2026/27 deadlines
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants who needed a visa applied from 24 March to 29 May 2026. Results were sent by email by 11 June 2026, and admitted students enrolled from 11 June to 18 June 2026 (noon). Places left free were reassigned in updates from 19 June 2026. [1]
Italian, EU and equivalent applicants applied from 24 March to 12 June 2026 and sat the test on 26 June 2026. The 2027/28 call sets the next dates. [1]
Final-year students could apply if they graduated by 31 December 2026, and were admitted on condition. They uploaded a transcript, a list of exams still to take and their expected graduation date. [1]
Documents and non-EU steps
With a degree from abroad you apply on the university's international platform by the deadline. You upload your bachelor's degree or degree certificate, your Diploma Supplement or a transcript showing courses, marks, ECTS and subject area, a statement of your university's grading system, your passport and, as a visa applicant, your CV. Documents are accepted in Italian, English, French, German or Spanish, and the application cannot be changed once submitted. [1]
Admitted visa applicants had to submit Universitaly pre-enrolment by 31 July 2026, or be excluded. To complete enrolment you add your degree, legalised or apostilled where required, your school-leaving diploma, an official Italian translation where needed, a statement of comparability from an ENIC-NARIC centre such as CIMEA or a declaration of value from the Italian embassy, an Italian tax code and your residence permit receipt. For 2026/27 these were due by 30 November 2026. [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 Milan. Call for applications for admission to the Master's degree programme in Computational Social and Political Science (classes LM-62 R and LM-88 R), academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan. Programme description (manifesto), Master's degree in Computational Social and Political Science (LM-62/88 R), students enrolling in 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan. Computational Social and Political Science course page and programme enrolment page: degree class, language, access, places and 2026/27 admission dates. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan. Regulations on tuition and fees, waivers and scholarships, academic year 2026/27, with the annexes on tuition areas and country groups. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan. Accepted English language certificates, list updated June 2025. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Computational Social and Political Science is a two-year interclass master's degree in classes LM-62-R (political science) and LM-88-R (sociology and social research), taught entirely in English by the Department of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Milan. Teaching is in person in Milan, with lectures, exercises and lab sessions. [2][3]
The degree teaches you to explain political and social phenomena with evidence, joining hypothesis-driven social science with the inductive methods of data science. You learn statistical modelling, programming in R and Python, text analysis, machine learning and network science, and apply them to elections, public opinion, policy and social behaviour. It suits graduates in political science, sociology, economics, statistics or computer science who enjoy both theory and data. [2]
What you will study
Compulsory units total 84 ECTS, and you add one 6 ECTS elective in each year, which can be a lab-based course. [2] The first year of the 2026/27 study plan includes:
- Foundations of Statistical Modelling for Social and Political Sciences (9 ECTS)
- Programming for Social Data Science (6 ECTS)
- Research Design and Experimental Methods in the Social Sciences (12 ECTS)
- Survey Methods for Public Opinion Research (9 ECTS)
- Advanced Multivariate Analysis (6 ECTS)
- Policy Design (6 ECTS)
- Data Governance: Ethical and Legal Issues (6 ECTS)
The second year, from 2027/28, covers Text Analytics, Machine Learning and Large Language Models (12 ECTS), plus Social Network Analysis, Causal Inference in Social and Political Science and Agent-Based Modelling (6 ECTS each). [2]
How the programme is taught
Attendance is not required but strongly recommended. The second year includes a 9 ECTS internship with a company, public body, government organisation or research centre; students without Italian at A2 level do a 6 ECTS internship plus 3 ECTS of Italian. The degree ends with a 15 ECTS thesis, an original piece of research defended in public. Erasmus+ offers three to twelve months of study or traineeship abroad, and the university's 4EU+ alliance adds further options. [2]
Career paths
The programme trains two profiles. A computational social scientist designs data collection, analyses social data and presents trends and causal findings. A computational analyst for public policy studies elections, political movements and public opinion and builds predictive models. Outlets named by the university include: [2]
- Social media, HR and consulting firms
- Market research and polling companies
- Government agencies and public administration
- Think tanks, political consulting and political parties
- Research centres, NGOs and international agencies
Fees and scholarships
The degree sits in fee Area B of the 2026/27 regulation. New students in 2026/27 whose family income and assets are abroad paid a fixed second instalment by country group, and India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ghana are in Group A, the lowest fee group. [4] Winners of a full DSU scholarship, which the university runs under Lombardy's rules, are exempt from university tuition, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. [4]
How to apply from outside the EU
Entry is limited: for 2026/27 there were 35 places plus 10 for non-EU students living abroad. [1] Visa applicants do not sit the written test. They applied on apply.unimi.it from 24 March to 29 May 2026, and the board assessed their CV and held an online video interview, sending results by 11 June 2026 and asking admitted students to enrol by 18 June 2026. The 2027/28 call sets the next dates. [1]
Visa applicants also had to submit Universitaly pre-enrolment, which we handle for you, by 31 July 2026, or they were excluded. You then apply for a type D study visa, and your enrolment file needs a statement of comparability, for example from CIMEA, or a declaration of value (by 30 November 2026 for that year). [1]
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 Milan's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your application on apply.unimi.it, enrolment and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your University of Milan 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 Milan's Computational Social and Political Science master?
Any bachelor's can qualify if it has at least 30 ECTS in computer science, maths, applied physics, statistics, econometrics, political science or sociology, with at least 12 in political science or sociology and 9 in statistics. A foreign degree must be recognised as equivalent. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
Not for non-EU applicants who need a visa. The admission board assesses your academic and personal CV and holds an online video interview. Italian, EU and equivalent applicants sit a remote written test in English on statistics, sociology and political science, which can be taken only once. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2 or higher. A recognised certificate from the last three years works, and on the university's list B2 means IELTS 5.5 to 6.5, TOEFL iBT 72 to 94 or PTE Academic 59 to 75. Without one, you are asked to sit the university's English entry test. [1][5]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants who needed a visa applied from 24 March to 29 May 2026, received results by 11 June and enrolled by 18 June. Universitaly pre-enrolment was due by 31 July 2026. The 2027/28 call sets the next dates. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. For 2026/27, final-year students could apply if they graduated by 31 December 2026. They were admitted on condition and uploaded a transcript, a list of exams still to take and their expected graduation date. [1]
I have a B.Tech or a BCA. Can I apply?
Possibly, if your transcript has 12 credits in political science or sociology. Computing and engineering degrees often cover the 9 statistics credits but many have no social science courses, and both minimums apply to every applicant. We check your transcript against the rule before you apply. [1]
How are the fees set?
For 2026/27, new students with family income and assets abroad paid a fixed second instalment by country group, and India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are in Group A, the lowest fee group. Winners of a full DSU scholarship are exempt from university tuition. [4]
What jobs does it lead to?
The programme trains computational social scientists and computational analysts for public policy. Outlets named by the university include social media, HR and consulting firms, market research and polling, public administration, think tanks, political consulting, political parties, research centres, NGOs and international agencies. [2]
Can someone handle my whole application to Computational Social and Political Science at Milan?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Milan's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the University of Milan 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 Computational Social and Political Science?
A recognised Indian bachelor's can meet the rule if it has at least 30 credits in quantitative or social science subjects, including 12 in political science or sociology and 9 in statistics, and you need English at B2. Visa applicants sit no written test. The steps are the online application with your CV, an online video interview, enrolment 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 Computational Social and Political Science are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application with your CV, an online video interview, enrolment 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 Computational Social and Political Science are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application with your CV, an online video interview, enrolment 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 Computational Social and Political Science 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 your CV, an online video interview, enrolment 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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