Master in Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence at University of Cagliari
Two-year English-taught engineering master in Cagliari covering cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, embedded and IoT systems and digital forensics, listed in the ENISA cybersecurity education database.
Master
2 years
Cagliari
English
University of Cagliari
Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-32) taught in English at the University of Cagliari. Entry needs a three-year degree with at least 12 credits in maths and physics and 36 in computing, a B2 English certificate and a check of personal preparation. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Cagliari's Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence master asks for a three-year degree or recognised foreign equivalent with at least 12 CFU in maths and physics and 36 CFU in computing and information engineering, a B2 English certificate and a check of personal preparation. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit rule
You need a bachelor's degree or three-year university diploma, or a foreign qualification judged suitable, with: [1]
- At least 12 CFU in maths and physics (the MAT and FIS sectors).
- At least 36 CFU in computer science and information engineering (INF/01 and the ING-INF sectors), including at least 18 in INF/01 or ING-INF/05, the computer science and computer engineering sectors.
A committee checks these rules for foreign degrees. Missing credits can be made up through single courses at the University of Cagliari. For 2026/27, applicants who passed the preparation check but lacked credits could enrol once they made them up, by 28 February 2027. [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, not just your total. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Tech or B.E. in Computer Science, IT or Electronics and Communication, which normally includes maths, physics and a large block of programming and computer engineering.
- Check carefully: a BCA or B.Sc. in Computer Science often covers the 36 computing credits but can fall short of the 12 credits in maths and physics. A B.Tech in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering usually covers maths and physics but may lack the 18 credits in computer science or computer engineering.
- Often short: a B.Com, BBA or BA, which rarely includes the maths, physics and computing credits.
English
You need a certificate of English at CEFR B2. You do not need one if your bachelor's was taught mainly in English. The regulations and the 2026/27 notice do not list specific tests or scores. [1][2]
Check of personal preparation
A committee checks your preparation in maths (multivariable calculus, vectors, matrices, linear systems, eigenvalues and eigenvectors), physics (kinematics, dynamics, energy, work and power, electricity and electromagnetism) and computing (programming and object-oriented programming, algorithms and data structures, computer architecture, databases, computer networks and operating systems). For 2026/27 the check was an interview. [1][2]
Graduates of a technical or scientific degree with a final mark of at least 92/110 or equivalent are considered adequately prepared, and the committee can exempt them from the check. [1]
For non-EU applicants living abroad without an Italian degree, the committee can decide on your documents: degree type and credits, average marks and class rank if available, your university's national or international ranking, your English and your CV. If the documents are not enough, it can hold an interview, also online. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
For 2026/27, registration for the admission check opened on 9 July 2026 and closed on 15 September 2026 at noon. Your degree certificate, exam list with marks and subject sectors, and English certificate were due by the same deadline. The interview was on 22 September 2026, and admitted students enrolled online by 30 September 2026 and paid the first instalment by 1 October 2026. The next notice sets the 2027/28 dates. [2]
Applicants not yet graduated could enrol conditionally if they had 160 CFU, excluding the final exam, or expected to reach them by 30 September 2026. Full-time conditional students had to graduate by November 2026. [2][3]
Non-EU applicants living abroad
For 2026/27 the university reserved 30 places on this degree for non-EU applicants living abroad and 10 for Chinese applicants. Non-EU applicants living abroad also complete Universitaly pre-enrolment. [2]
From 2026/27, enrolment at the University of Cagliari runs through its DreamApply portal. [5]
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 Cagliari, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture. Teaching regulations of the Master's degree in Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence (LM-32), academic year 2026/27, Article 9 (admission requirements). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Cagliari, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture Student Office. Notice on enrolment requirements and deadlines for the master's degrees in engineering, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Cagliari. Guide to master's degree programmes and services, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Cagliari. Enrolment fees at the University of Cagliari, 2026. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Cagliari, International. Enrolling from abroad web page. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Cagliari, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence programme page (degree class, language and 2026 study plan). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence is a two-year master's degree in class LM-32 (computer engineering) at the University of Cagliari, worth 120 ECTS. All units are taught in English and the thesis is written in English too. [1]
It belongs to the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture and is run with the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (DIEE) in Cagliari. Access is open, subject to curricular requirements and an assessment of personal preparation.
The aim is to train engineers who design, manage and maintain complex, secure IT systems in industrial settings, with advanced skills in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
The degree is listed in the Cybersecurity Higher Education Database of ENISA, the EU cybersecurity agency, and in the database of Italy's Cybersecurity National Lab.
It suits computer science and computer engineering graduates who want to specialise in security and AI.
What you will study
The programme rests on four axes: computer engineering (software methods and distributed, cloud, mobile and IoT architectures), systems engineering (supervisory control of industrial plants and critical infrastructure), the science of security (vulnerability analysis, risk assessment and incident management, with their legal and economic side) and artificial intelligence.
Compulsory units in the 2026/27 study plan include:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Machine Learning
- Cybersecurity Technologies and Risk Management
- Industrial Software Development
- Network Security and Web Security
- Computer Vision Technologies and Biometrics
- Supervisory Control and Monitoring
- Internet of Things and Digital Twins, and Advanced Embedded Systems
The second year adds Digital Forensics Techniques and Digital Forensics Law, plus one unit chosen from Machine Learning Security, Reverse Engineering and Malware Analysis, Control, Learning and Security in Network Systems, or Stochastic Models.
How the programme is taught
The second year leaves 10 ECTS for units of your own choice and 3 ECTS for other activities.
The 15 ECTS final exam is a report on individual work supervised by at least one faculty member: a literature analysis, a project, a new methodology or the transfer of one to a new field.
The DIEE also hosts the sAIfer Lab, a research group working on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
Career paths
The university sees graduates designing, developing, managing and testing IT systems where security and intelligence matter, designing cyber intelligence and cybersecurity services and building systems based on AI and machine learning. After the Italian state exam, they can register as engineers. Sectors listed include:
- Public and private operators of critical infrastructure
- IT systems, network and security companies
- Hardware and software producers
- Multimedia, e-commerce and internet service companies
- Public administration and healthcare IT
- Automation, robotics, transport and logistics
- Universities and research centres
Fees and scholarships
The university charges an all-inclusive annual contribution based on the ISEE.
For 2026/27, first-year students with an ISEE up to €24,335.11 (and an ISPE below €52,902.43) are exempt, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. Fees follow family income and vary slightly by faculty. [3][4]
Foreign students document family income and assets with translated, legalised papers from their home country, and the ISEE for university use can be requested through a CAF. Students from countries on Italy's list of very poor countries, such as Bangladesh and Nepal, can be fully exempt with a declaration from the Italian diplomatic mission. [4]
ERSU Cagliari scholarship winners and eligible students are exempt from the contribution. [3][4]
How to apply from outside the EU
Your application is checked against the curricular requirements, including the 36 credits in computing, and applicants need to pass the assessment of personal preparation. [1]
For 2026/27 the university reserved 30 places on this degree for non-EU applicants living abroad and 10 for Chinese applicants. From 2026/27, enrolment at the university runs through the UNICA DREAM APPLY portal. [2][5]
Non-EU applicants living abroad also complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, which the consulate uses for the type D study visa. For 2026/27, the admission check closed for registration on 15 September 2026 at noon, the interview was on 22 September 2026 and enrolment closed on 30 September 2026. The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published. [2]
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 Cagliari's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your admission check application, Universitaly pre-enrolment and enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ERSU Cagliari 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 Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity and AI at Cagliari?
A three-year degree or recognised foreign equivalent with at least 12 CFU in maths and physics and at least 36 CFU in computer science and information engineering, 18 of them in computer science or computer engineering. You also need a B2 English certificate. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
Access is open, but a committee checks your preparation in maths, physics and computing. For 2026/27 this was an interview on 22 September 2026. Graduates with at least 92/110 or equivalent in a technical or scientific degree can be exempted. [1][2]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
A certificate of English at CEFR B2. You are exempt if your bachelor's was taught mainly in English. The regulations do not name specific tests or scores, so we check which proof your file can use. [1][2]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, registration for the admission check and the documents were due by 15 September 2026 at noon, with enrolment by 30 September 2026. Non-EU applicants living abroad also needed Universitaly pre-enrolment. The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. [2]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. For 2026/27, applicants with 160 CFU excluding the final exam, or expecting them by 30 September 2026, could enrol conditionally, and full-time students had to graduate by November 2026. [2][3]
I have a BCA or a B.Sc. in Computer Science. Can I apply?
Often, but check carefully. These degrees usually cover the 36 computing credits but can fall short of the 12 credits in maths and physics. Missing credits can be made up through single courses at the University of Cagliari before enrolment. [1]
Is the programme taught entirely in English?
Yes. Every unit is taught in English, in person in Cagliari, and the final thesis must be written in English. Attendance is compulsory for each teaching activity. [1][3]
What jobs do graduates do?
They design and manage secure IT systems, cybersecurity and cyber intelligence services and AI-based systems for critical infrastructure operators, IT and security companies, public administration, automation firms and research centres. [6]
Can someone handle my whole application to Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity and AI at Cagliari?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Cagliari's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ERSU Cagliari 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 Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity and AI?
A recognised three-year Indian bachelor's can qualify if it includes at least 12 credits in maths and physics and 36 in computing, as a B.Tech or B.E. in Computer Science or IT usually does. You also need a B2 English certificate. The steps are the admission check application, Universitaly pre-enrolment and enrolment. [1][2] 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 Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity and AI are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: admission check application 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 Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity and AI are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: admission check application 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 Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity and AI 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: admission check application 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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