Master in Industrial Automation Engineering at University of Pavia
Two-year English-taught LM-25 master's at the University of Pavia with Robotics and Mechatronics or Industrial Technologies and Management tracks, covering control, robotics, power electronics and drives, and a 24 ECTS thesis. Entry needs 81 subject credits and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Pavia
English
University of Pavia
Industrial Automation Engineering is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-25) taught in English at the University of Pavia. Entry needs a bachelor's with at least 81 credits in maths, basic sciences and listed engineering subjects, plus English at B2. Fees can follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Pavia's Industrial Automation Engineering master asks for a bachelor's degree or recognised foreign equivalent with at least 81 CFU in set subject areas, English at B2 and a positive check of your personal preparation by a committee. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
The 81-credit rule
You need a first-cycle (bachelor's) degree or a foreign academic qualification recognised under Italian law. Across your previous university studies you must have at least 81 CFU in two groups. [1]
- At least 36 CFU in general subjects: mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry and computer science (sectors MATH-02/A to MATH-06/A, STAT-01/B, PHYS-01/A, PHYS-03/A, CHEM-03/A, CHEM-06/A, INFO-01/A and IINF-05/A).
- At least 45 CFU in specific engineering sectors: industrial engineering (mechanical, aerospace, energy, electrical, materials and chemical engineering), measurement, bioengineering, management engineering and automation (IINF-04/A), among the sectors listed in the regulations.
For graduates of foreign universities, a committee appointed by the degree board assesses whether your studies meet these requirements. [1]
What this means for your transcript
Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit: one CFU stands for about 25 hours of student work, 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 Mechanical, Electrical, Electrical and Electronics, Instrumentation and Control, Mechatronics or Production Engineering, where maths and physics cover the general block and machines, drives, control and measurement cover the specific block.
- Check carefully: a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication. Control systems, electrical machines and measurement subjects count towards the specific block, but core electronics and telecommunications subjects are not on the list.
- Often short: a B.Tech in Computer Science or IT, a BCA or a B.Sc. in Computer Science, Physics or Maths. These usually cover the 36 general credits but have few subjects in the 45-credit engineering list.
If your record does not fully match but you have a strong academic background, the committee can still admit you and add up to 12 CFU of courses to your study plan, or set single examinations to pass before you enrol. [1]
English
English at CEFR level B2 or higher. Certificates accepted automatically include: [1]
- IELTS: 5.5
- TOEFL iBT: 77
- PTE Academic: 59
- Cambridge English First or Business Vantage: 160
- Oxford Test of English B2: 111
- TOEIC: 785 in Listening and Reading plus 310 in Speaking and Writing
You need no certificate if you passed a 3 CFU English examination or an examination taught in English during your degree, or if your degree comes from an institution where teaching is in English, with documents to prove it. Partial certificates, such as speaking and listening only, are not valid. [1]
Personal preparation check
The committee checks that you have a solid grounding in engineering basics and good knowledge of advanced engineering subjects. There is no national entrance test. [1]
- Italian degrees: a final mark of 90/110 or above exempts you. Others sit an assessment in September to October or January to February.
- Foreign degrees: the committee assesses you case by case from the documents you submit and may hold an interview.
2026/27 application windows
For 2026/27, applications for master's programmes without restricted access ran in five windows. Non-EU applicants living abroad could use: [2]
- 12 to 20 November 2025
- 12 to 20 January 2026
- 10 to 18 March 2026, only if places were still available
- 5 to 11 June 2026, only if places were still available
The window from 1 to 8 September 2026 was only for EU citizens and non-EU applicants living in Italy. The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published, and it will set the new dates. [2]
Documents and non-EU steps
The online application needs an identity document and your bachelor's diploma, issued in English, Spanish or French or officially translated into Italian. The Admission Office evaluates your foreign qualification and sends an official response. [2]
Students still finishing a degree can request the committee's review if they have an approved study plan, and can sit the preparation assessment once they hold at least 150 CFU. Conditional enrolment lets you attend first-semester lessons, but you sit examinations only after you graduate, within the university's deadline. [1]
Students with a non-Italian qualification must include a 3 CFU Italian Language for Foreign Students course in their study plan, unless they show Italian at B1 or above. [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 Pavia, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering. Course regulations, Second-cycle degree in Industrial Automation Engineering (LM-25), academic year 2026/2027, with study plans. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Pavia. How to apply to master's degree programmes: application windows, fee and documents, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Pavia, Industrial Automation Engineering programme page (degree class, language, duration, tracks and department). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Industrial Automation Engineering is a two-year master's degree in class LM-25 (automation engineering), taught entirely in English by the Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering in Pavia.
It is worth 120 ECTS and has open access, with a capped number of seats for non-EU students who need a visa.
The degree trains engineers who can design, plan, develop and manage complex automated systems, processes and services, run complex experiments and work across different industrial settings, with an understanding of business organisation and professional ethics.
It suits engineering graduates who want to work on robotics, industrial control or the running of production systems.
What you will study
All students share a core of control, robotics, electronics and electric drives, then follow one of two curricula: Robotics and Mechatronics, or Industrial Technologies and Management.
The robotics curriculum adds Algorithms and Systems for Robotics, Industrial Control and Human Computer Interaction; the management curriculum adds Logistics Management, Organization Theory and Design, Strategic Management and Business Planning, and Lean Production. Shared units include:
- Process Control and Robotics
- Automated Mechanical System Design
- Electronics for Industrial Measurements
- Power Electronics
- Applied Robotics Technologies
- Electrical Drives for Industrial Applications
- Nonlinear Control and Optimization
How the programme is taught
There are 12 ECTS of electives, and the recommended list includes Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Numerical Methods in Engineering Sciences and Applied Project Management and Agile Methods.
The degree ends with a 24 ECTS master thesis: original work defended in public before a degree committee. [1]
Students with a non-Italian qualification also take a 3 ECTS Italian Language for Foreign Students course, unless they show Italian at B1 or above. [1]
The regulations do not include internships or double degree programmes, but students can study abroad through Erasmus+ and other university mobility schemes.
Career paths
The university lists these professional areas for graduates:
- Design of automation systems for industry and services
- Design, supervision and control of robotic systems
- Design of automatic machines and mechatronic systems
- Process automation and modelling of complex systems
- Logistics and customer service management
- Operations in the telecommunications and energy sectors
Employers named include the electronics, electromechanical, aerospace and chemical industries, manufacturing and service companies, and public administration.
Fees and scholarships
Engineering falls in the university's science fee area.
Non-EU students with a study visa can opt for the 2026/27 flat rate by citizenship, with the lowest bracket covering countries like India, Egypt and Vietnam.
Or they can pay by equivalent ISEE: with an ISEE of €32,000 or less they are exempt from the all-inclusive fee, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. The regional tax and stamp duty are still due.
Only the ISEE route gives access to EDiSU Pavia scholarships.
How to apply from outside the EU
We apply on apply.unipv.eu with your passport, bachelor's transcript or degree certificate and English certificate, for up to three programmes.
A committee checks your credits in basic and engineering subjects. For a foreign degree it also assesses your preparation case by case from your documents, with an interview if it asks for one. [1]
For 2026/27 the calls ran from November 2025 to June 2026, with later calls open to non-EU applicants abroad only while seats remained.
Once you are admitted, we pre-enrol you on Universitaly, and you request a type D study visa, which the consulate decides. The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published, and it will set the new dates.
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 Pavia'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 transcript and English proof, and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your regional 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 Pavia's Industrial Automation Engineering master?
A bachelor's or recognised foreign equivalent with at least 81 CFU: 36 in maths, statistics, physics, chemistry or computer science, and 45 in listed engineering sectors such as mechanical, electrical, energy, measurement and automation. A committee reviews foreign degrees. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
No national test. A committee checks your preparation. Italian graduates with 90/110 or above are exempt and others sit an assessment. For a foreign degree, the committee assesses you case by case from your documents and may hold an interview. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2. Accepted certificates include IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 77, PTE Academic 59 and Cambridge First 160. You need no certificate if your degree was taught in English or included an English examination, with documents to prove it. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad could apply from 12 to 20 November 2025 and 12 to 20 January 2026, then in March and June only if places remained. The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published. [2]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. You can request the credit review with an approved study plan and sit the preparation assessment once you hold 150 CFU. Conditional enrolment lets you attend first-semester lessons, and you sit examinations after you graduate within the university's deadline. [1]
I have a B.Tech in Electronics or Computer Science. Can I apply?
Possibly. Maths, physics and computing usually cover the 36 general credits, but core electronics, telecommunications and computer science subjects are not on the 45-credit engineering list. Control, electrical machines and measurement subjects do count. The committee can add up to 12 CFU to your plan. [1]
Which curricula can I choose?
Two: Robotics and Mechatronics, or Industrial Technologies and Management. Both share process control and robotics, power electronics, electrical drives, nonlinear control and optimisation. The management track adds logistics, organisation theory, strategic management and lean production. [1][3]
Do I need to speak Italian?
No, teaching is entirely in English. Students with a non-Italian qualification take a 3 CFU Italian Language for Foreign Students course as part of the degree, unless they show Italian at B1 or above. [1][3]
Can someone handle my whole application to Industrial Automation Engineering at Pavia?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Pavia's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the regional 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 Industrial Automation Engineering?
A recognised Indian bachelor's of at least three years, such as a B.Tech or B.E. in Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation or Mechatronics Engineering, can meet the rule if it has 36 credits in maths and basic sciences and 45 in the listed engineering areas. You also need English at B2. The steps are the online application, the committee's review of your credits and preparation, and Universitaly pre-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 Industrial Automation Engineering are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application, the committee's review of your credits and preparation, 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 Industrial Automation Engineering are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application, the committee's review of your credits and preparation, 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 Industrial Automation 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, the committee's review of your credits and preparation, 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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