Master in Engineering for Historic Building Rehabilitation at University of Bologna

Detailed entry requirements

Bologna's Historic Building Rehabilitation master asks for a three-year degree in civil engineering, architecture or building sciences, or set credits in building, structural, maths and physics subjects, plus English at B2. Access is open, but an Admission Board checks your grades and preparation. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]

Degree and credit requirement

You need a three-year first-cycle degree or a foreign qualification recognised as suitable, which must give access to a similar master's degree in the country where it was awarded. [1]

You must also meet at least one of three curricular conditions: [2]

• Degree class: an Italian first-cycle degree in L-7 Civil and Environmental Engineering, L-17 Architecture or L-23 Building Sciences, or the older class 04.
• Credits, for other degrees: at least 18 credits in building technology, building production, architectural design, restoration and urban planning (ICAR/10, 11, 12, 14, 19 and 20); at least 24 credits in hydraulics, surveying, geotechnics, structural mechanics and engineering, valuation, building physics, administrative law and economics (ICAR/01, 02, 06, 07, 08, 09 and 22, ING-IND/11, IUS/10, SECS-P/02 and SECS-P/06); and at least 20 credits in mathematics and physics.
• Foreign qualification: a committee appointed by the degree board assesses your background individually when there is no matching Italian class or credit mapping.

What this means for your transcript

Credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit as Italian credits, and the committee looks at the subjects you passed, not just your total. As a guide, based on the rule above:

• Usually a fit: a B.Tech or B.E. in Civil Engineering, which often covers structural mechanics, structural design, geotechnics, surveying, hydraulics and building technology, plus maths and physics.
• Check carefully: a B.Arch or B.Planning, which often covers design, building technology and planning but can fall short on the 20 maths and physics credits or the structural block, and a B.Tech in Environmental or Construction Engineering.
• Often short: a B.Tech or B.E. in Mechanical, Electrical or Computer Science Engineering, or a B.Sc., which rarely include the 18 credits in building and architecture subjects.

English and Italian

English at CEFR B2 or higher, proven when you apply. [1]

• An internationally recognised certificate from the programme's list of accepted English certificates, which sets the minimum scores.
• A B2 self-certification (idoneità) from the University of Bologna language centre or another Italian university.
• A previous bachelor's degree taught fully in English in an EU or EEA country, the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the West Indies, Guyana, Switzerland or another country on the university's list, with English as the medium of instruction on the transcript or certified by the university.

Medium-of-instruction letters from other countries are not accepted, so applicants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka need a certificate. Italian is not required to apply, but you need basic Italian to complete the degree, because one compulsory second-year activity is taught in Italian. [2]

Grade and preparation check

Access is open, with no cap on places, but you can enrol only if an Admission Board finds your personal competencies and skills adequate. [1]

• The usual threshold is a final degree grade of at least 77/110, or a weighted average of at least 21/30 for students still graduating with at least 165 ECTS.
• Below these thresholds, or with a foreign grade that has no conversion, the Board assesses you case by case, looking at individual course grades, subject knowledge and how long your studies took.
• The Board reviews your transcript, a CV and a statement of purpose.

The programme page does not mention an interview or a written test. [2]

2026/27 intakes

For 2026/27 the notice ran six intakes, and applicants not admitted in one intake could apply in a later one. [1]

• Intake 1, non-EU applicants only: 27 November 2025 to 21 January 2026, results from 17 February 2026.
• Intake 2: 22 January to 25 March 2026, results from 21 April 2026.
• Intake 3: 26 March to 6 May 2026, results from 4 June 2026.
• Intake 4: 7 May to 2 July 2026, results from 30 July 2026.
• Intakes 5 and 6, EU and EU-equivalent applicants only: closing on 27 August and 13 October 2026.

Each window closed at 1 pm Italian time. Non-EU applicants living abroad could use intakes 1 to 4. The 2027/28 notice sets the next dates. [1]

Applying before you graduate

You can apply before graduating if you already have at least 165 ECTS registered. Degrees from outside Europe do not use ECTS, so the Admission Board decides case by case whether such a file can be evaluated. If admitted, you must graduate by 31 December 2026 or your enrolment is cancelled. [1]

Documents and non-EU steps

• The application is made on Bologna's Studenti Online portal, with PDFs of your degree certificate translated into Italian or English, your transcript and Diploma Supplement where available (or the list of exams taken if you have not graduated), your passport, your English certificate, a Europass CV in English and a statement of purpose.
• Only documents uploaded by the intake deadline are assessed.
• Non-EU applicants living abroad also pre-enrol on Universitaly and apply for a study visa.
• After admission you enrol, pay the first instalment, upload your foreign qualification and visa on Studenti Online, and show the originals at the Ravenna international student office. Your foreign documents must be translated and verified where required, and your career must be activated by 26 February 2027.

These steps come from the 2026/27 notice. [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.

1. University of Bologna, Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering (DICAM). Admission notice for the second-cycle degree programmes in Offshore Engineering for Energy Transition and Engineering for Historic Building Rehabilitation (class LM-24, code 6710), academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
2. University of Bologna, Engineering for Historic Building Rehabilitation programme website. Programme enrolment: requirements, deadlines and methods, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.

What bachelor's degree do I need for Historic Building Rehabilitation at Bologna?

A three-year degree in civil and environmental engineering, architecture or building sciences, or another degree with at least 18 credits in building and architecture subjects, 24 in structural, geotechnical and related subjects, and 20 in maths and physics. Foreign degrees are assessed individually. [2]

Is there an entrance exam or a minimum grade?

No entrance exam is listed. Access is open, but the Admission Board checks your preparation: usually a final grade of at least 77/110, or a 21/30 average if you are still graduating. Below that, or with foreign grades, it assesses you case by case. [2]

What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?

English at CEFR B2, proven when you apply with a certificate from the programme's accepted list. A medium-of-instruction letter counts only for degrees from listed countries such as the UK, US or EU members, so applicants from South Asia need a certificate. [2]

When is the deadline for non-EU students?

For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad could apply in intakes 1 to 4: the first ran from 27 November 2025 to 21 January 2026 and the last closed on 2 July 2026. The 2027/28 notice sets the next dates. [1]

Can I apply before I graduate?

Yes, with at least 165 ECTS already registered, and you must graduate by 31 December 2026. Degrees from outside Europe do not use ECTS, so the Admission Board decides case by case whether your file can be evaluated. [1]

I have a B.Arch or a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering. Can I apply?

Possibly. A B.Arch often covers the building and design block but can fall short on the 20 maths and physics credits or the structural subjects. A mechanical degree usually lacks the 18 building and architecture credits. We check your transcript against each block. [2]

Where is it taught and are places limited?

On the University of Bologna's Ravenna campus, run by the Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering (DICAM) and taught in English. Access is open, so there is no cap on places, but you must pass the preparation check. [1]

Do I need to speak Italian?

Not to apply. You do need basic Italian to complete the degree, because one compulsory second-year activity is taught in Italian. [2]

Can someone handle my whole application to Historic Building Rehabilitation at Bologna?

Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Bologna'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 Historic Building Rehabilitation?

A B.Tech or B.E. in Civil Engineering is usually the closest fit, because the credit route asks for 18 credits in building and architecture subjects, 24 in structural and related subjects and 20 in maths and physics. You also need an English certificate at B2, and the Admission Board checks your grades. The steps are the online application, the Board's review and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [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 Historic Building Rehabilitation are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application, the Admission Board's review of your file 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 Historic Building Rehabilitation are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application, the Admission Board's review of your file 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 Historic Building Rehabilitation 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, the Admission Board's review of your file 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.