Master in Energy Engineering at Polytechnic University of Milan
Two-year English-taught LM-30 master at Politecnico di Milano in energy engineering, with tracks from green power systems and power generation to oil and gas, energy for development and, in Piacenza, renewables and environmental sustainability.
Master
2 years
Milan
English
Polytechnic University of Milan
Energy Engineering is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-30) taught in English at Politecnico di Milano, in Milan and, for the Renewables and Environmental Sustainability track, in Piacenza. Entry needs a bachelor's with a solid base in thermodynamics, thermal machinery and energy systems, a review of your career by an Evaluation Commission and an English test such as IELTS 6.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
PoliMi's Energy Engineering master asks for a bachelor's degree (EQF level 6) with a solid base in maths, physics and industrial engineering, especially thermodynamics, thermal machinery and energy systems, a positive review of your career by an Evaluation Commission, and English certified with a recognised test. There is no entrance test. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and background
You need a first-cycle degree (EQF level 6) or a comparable qualification. Admission depends on curricular requirements and an assessment of your preparation, and an Evaluation Commission set up by the Board of Studies decides from your academic career. [1]
The regulations define the expected knowledge with reference to PoliMi's own bachelor's in Energy Engineering (preparatory track): a solid background in basic and industrial engineering, in particular applied thermodynamics, thermal machinery and energy systems. Eligibility does not mean all your previous credits are recognised. [1]
If you are admitted, any compulsory additional subjects are communicated with the admission decision and before enrolment. For the Renewables and Environmental Sustainability track, students without enough thermofluid dynamics and machinery can be assigned a compulsory Fluids and Heat Engineering unit. [1]
PoliMi also requires a degree that gives access to EQF level 7, issued by a university in the official system of its country, with subjects closely related to the programme. Franchised degrees are not accepted. [2]
The credit table used for Italian degrees
For applicants with Italian degrees, the commission compares credits with a Table of Minimum Requisites (120 credits in total). The main blocks are: [1]
- Mathematics and statistics: 25 credits, plus 5 in numerical analysis.
- Physics and chemistry: 15 credits, with at least 5 in chemistry.
- Mechanics: 15 credits in fundamental, applied and solid mechanics.
- Thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics and chemical processes: 15 credits.
- Propulsion, machine design and energy systems: 15 credits.
- Structural mechanics, design, manufacturing, plants and materials: 15 credits.
- Electrical machines, computer science and control systems: 10 credits.
- Economics and project management: 5 credits.
The Renewables and Environmental Sustainability track has its own table, with 30 credits across thermodynamics, energy systems and environmental engineering and 15 in electrical machines, computer science and control. The regulations' grade thresholds apply to Italian degrees, and PoliMi uses country minimums for foreign degrees. [1][2]
Country rules and minimum grades
PoliMi sets strict country rules for some degrees, with no exceptions: [2]
- India: a bachelor's of at least four years, such as a B.Tech, B.E., B.Des. or B.Arch. A three-year B.Sc. may be considered only if it is an Honours programme. Minimum average 70 out of 100.
- Pakistan: a four-year continuous bachelor's, as 2+2 degrees are not accepted. Minimum GPA 3.3 out of 4.
- Bangladesh: minimum GPA 3.3 out of 4.
- Sri Lanka: an Honours degree (SLQF level 6). SLQF level 5 qualifications are not evaluated.
What this means for your transcript
Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit, and the commission looks at your subjects, not just your total. As a guide, based on the rules above:
- Usually a fit: a four-year B.Tech or B.E. in Mechanical, Energy or Thermal Engineering with solid thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer and machine design, and an average that meets your country's minimum.
- Check carefully: a four-year degree in Chemical, Aerospace or Electrical Engineering, which may cover only part of the thermal machinery and energy systems blocks. Environmental engineering degrees are worth checking against the Renewables and Environmental Sustainability table.
- Often short: a three-year B.Sc. without Honours from India, a 2+2 degree from Pakistan, or a degree without an industrial engineering base, such as a BCA, B.Com or BBA.
English
English proficiency is an entry requirement, shown with one of PoliMi's accepted certifications, and no further English assessment is needed during the programme. [1] For 2026/27, accepted results include: [3]
- IELTS Academic or General Training 6
- TOEFL iBT 78
- Cambridge B2 First at grade B, or C1 Advanced at grade C
- PTE Academic 59
- Trinity ISE II, or LanguageCert B2 Communicator
If your bachelor's was taught in English, a document certified by your university stating the teaching language can replace the certificate. [2]
Italian is not an entry requirement. International students enrol with an Italian learning requirement (OFA) and must meet it before graduation. [1][3]
Selection and places
There is no entrance test. The Evaluation Commission decides from your academic career, and it can take into account documented exceptional conditions attached to your application. [1]
For 2026/27, PoliMi offered 320 places in Energy Engineering at Milano Bovisa, 50 of them for non-EU students, and 40 places in the Renewables and Environmental Sustainability track at Piacenza, 20 of them for non-EU students. [5]
The 2026/27 regulations note that a new admission model for PoliMi master's programmes starts from 2028/29. [1]
Deadlines for the September 2027 intake
Engineering master's programmes have two calls open to applicants living outside Italy: [4]
- First call: 1 October to 1 December 2026.
- Second call: 12 January to 25 February 2027.
Outcomes are due by the end of May 2027. A further call from 1 to 18 March 2027 is only for EEA students and non-EEA students living in Italy with certain permits. You can apply once per semester, to at most two programmes. [4]
You can apply before you graduate, using an attendance certificate, as long as you obtain the degree before enrolment. [2]
Documents for non-EU applicants
Your transcript must show your average or GPA and the grading system, as original or certified documents. Indian applicants upload scanned originals of the transcript or consolidated grade sheet, and screenshots are not accepted. Pakistani applicants also need a university letter stating their weighted average. [2]
To enrol you need a Diploma Supplement where your country issues one, a declaration of value or a CIMEA statement. Without one of these, a positive evaluation does not lead to enrolment, and PoliMi can ask for them at any stage. [2]
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.
- Politecnico di Milano, School of Industrial and Information Engineering. Academic regulations, Master's degree in Energy Engineering (class LM-30), academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Milano. Admission to Master of Science programmes with a foreign qualification: requirements and country-specific rules, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Milano. English language requirements for Laurea Magistrale programmes, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Milano. Application deadlines for Master of Science programmes with a foreign qualification, September 2027 intake. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Milano. Places available for Master of Science programmes with a foreign qualification, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Milano. Tuition fees for Laurea, Laurea Magistrale and single-cycle programmes, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Milano. Call for DSU financial aid benefits, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Energy Engineering is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale) in class LM-30, worth 120 ECTS and run by the School of Industrial and Information Engineering. It is taught in English on the Milano Bovisa campus in Milan and the Piacenza campus.
According to the degree board, the course gives in-depth knowledge of the technological and operating problems and the components of energy conversion processes, together with the tools and methods for energy, environmental and economic analysis. It suits graduates in energy, mechanical or related industrial engineering.
What you will study
The 2026/27 regulations list six pre-approved tracks: Green Power Systems, Power Generation (which leads in the second year to Energy Systems for Transition or Propulsion and Power), Energy Use and Built Environment, Oil and Gas Production, Energy for Development, and Renewables and Environmental Sustainability, taught in English on the Piacenza campus only. The course tables also include a second-year Wind Energy track. Energy Use and Built Environment is offered in Italian, although nearly all its units can be replaced with English ones. [1] Units in the 2026/27 course list include:
- Energy Conversion A and Heat and Mass Transfer (shared first-year units)
- Renewable Energy and Low-Carbon Technologies (Renewables and Environmental Sustainability)
- Smart Grids and Regulation for Renewable Energy Sources
- Electric Conversion from Green Sources of Energy and Green Building Energy Systems (Green Power System)
- Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage and Electric Power Systems (Power Generation)
- Digital Twin for Energy Systems Management
- Fundamentals of Oil and Gas Engineering (Oil and Gas Production)
- Energy Economics and Energy and Climate Change Modeling and Scenarios
How the programme is taught
Several first-year units run in both an English and an Italian edition, such as Heat and Mass Transfer and Energy Conversion A. Teaching combines lectures, exercises, experimental and design labs, flipped classrooms and MOOCs. Attendance is not compulsory but is strongly recommended, and some labs require it. [1]
The degree ends with a graduation thesis, normally worth 20 credits, which can be theoretical, numerical or experimental and can be developed at the university, at a foreign university or in industry. [1]
Career paths
The tracks prepare engineers for the energy sector, from power plants to renewables and grids. Typical areas include:
- Design and operation of power generation plants
- Renewable energy and low-carbon technologies
- Electric power systems, smart grids and energy storage
- Oil and gas production and processing
- Energy economics, modelling and scenario analysis
- Energy systems for buildings
Fees and scholarships
There is no separate fee for Energy Engineering. PoliMi sets fees by family income (ISEE), but for 2026/27, international students in the non-EU reserved category admitted with a bachelor's from abroad pay the maximum fee unless they hold a PoliMi, DSU or other scholarship. With such a scholarship, the programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. The details are on PoliMi's tuition fees page. [6]
Politecnico di Milano runs the DSU right-to-study scholarship itself, based on income and, after the first year, on credits earned. If a first-year scholarship is confirmed, both fee instalments are refunded apart from the administrative fee, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. The university decides the awards. [7]
How to apply from outside the EU
Choose your track with the campus in mind. Renewables and Environmental Sustainability is taught in English on the Piacenza campus only, and PoliMi lists it as a separate option with its own places. The other tracks are based in Milan. [1][5] An Evaluation Commission reviews your academic career against the background the programme expects, centred on thermodynamics, thermal machinery and energy systems. [1]
Foreign graduates apply through the international admissions route. Under the foreign-qualification requirements, you need a degree giving access to EQF level 7, the minimum grade average for your country and English proof. For the September 2027 intake, applicants living outside Italy can apply from 1 October to 1 December 2026 or from 12 January to 25 February 2027, with outcomes by the end of May 2027. [4] If you are admitted, we complete the Universitaly pre-enrolment, and you request a type D visa and hand in a Diploma Supplement, declaration of value or CIMEA statement before enrolment.
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 PoliMi's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your online application with your transcripts and English certificate, and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your Politecnico di Milano 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 Energy Engineering at PoliMi?
A bachelor's at EQF level 6 with a solid base in basic and industrial engineering, especially applied thermodynamics, thermal machinery and energy systems, close to PoliMi's own Energy Engineering bachelor's. From India, the degree must last at least four years, such as a B.Tech or B.E., with an average of at least 70 out of 100. [1][2]
Is there an entrance exam?
No. An Evaluation Commission set up by the Board of Studies reviews your academic career and decides on admission. If you are admitted, any compulsory additional subjects are communicated with the decision and before enrolment. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
You need one of PoliMi's accepted English certifications. For 2026/27, accepted scores include IELTS 6, TOEFL iBT 78, Cambridge B2 First at grade B and PTE Academic 59. A university-certified document showing your bachelor's was taught in English can replace the certificate. [1][2][3]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For the September 2027 intake, applicants living outside Italy can apply from 1 October to 1 December 2026, or from 12 January to 25 February 2027. Outcomes are due by the end of May 2027. [4]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. You can apply while finishing your bachelor's, using an attendance certificate, as long as you obtain the degree before enrolment. Applications are allowed once per semester, for up to two programmes, so choose your Energy Engineering track with care. [2][4]
I have a B.Tech in Electrical or Chemical Engineering. Can I apply?
Possibly. A four-year B.Tech meets PoliMi's length rule for India, but the commission checks your subjects against the programme's thermal and energy base. Electrical and chemical degrees may cover only part of the thermodynamics, thermal machinery and energy systems blocks, so a shortfall can lead to additional subjects. [1][2]
Which tracks are taught in English, and where?
For 2026/27, the programme is offered in English. Renewables and Environmental Sustainability is taught in English on the Piacenza campus only, and the other tracks are based in Milan. Energy Use and Built Environment is offered in Italian, although nearly all its units can be replaced with English ones. [1][5]
How many places are there for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, PoliMi reserved 50 of 320 places in Energy Engineering at Milano Bovisa for non-EU students, and 20 of 40 places in the Renewables and Environmental Sustainability track at Piacenza. [5]
Can someone handle my whole application to Energy Engineering at PoliMi?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against PoliMi's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the Politecnico di Milano 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 Energy Engineering?
PoliMi asks Indian applicants for a bachelor's of at least four years, such as a B.Tech or B.E., with an average of at least 70 out of 100, and considers a three-year B.Sc. only if it is Honours. Your subjects should cover thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and energy systems, and you need English proof such as IELTS 6. The steps are the online application, the commission's review and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1][2][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 Energy Engineering are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application in the first or second call, the Evaluation Commission's review 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 Energy Engineering are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application in the first or second call, the Evaluation Commission's review 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 Energy 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: online application in the first or second call, the Evaluation Commission's review 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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