Master in Innovation Management at University of Trento
Two-year English-taught innovation management master run jointly by the University of Trento and the Sant'Anna School of Pisa: first year in Trento, second in Pisa. Entry needs 40 credits in economics, business or IT and maths, and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Trento
English
University of Trento
Innovation Management (MAIN) is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-77) taught in English, run jointly by the University of Trento and the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, with year one in Trento and year two in Pisa. Entry needs a bachelor's with at least 40 credits in economics, business or IT and maths, plus English at B2. Fees fall with a high admission score, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Trento's Innovation Management master asks for a bachelor's degree or recognised equivalent with at least 40 credits in economics, business or IT and maths, English at B2, and a merit score of at least 50 out of 100. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and the 40-credit rule
You need a bachelor's degree or higher qualification, from Italy or abroad, recognised as equivalent. [1] The programme page specifies a bachelor's of at least three years. [2] Your degree must show at least 40 university credits (CFU) in economics, business, technical-production, computer science, statistics, mathematics and quantitative topics, including: [1]
- At least 8 CFU in economics: sectors SECS-P/01, SECS-P/02, SECS-P/04, SECS-P/05, SECS-P/06 and ING-IND/35.
- At least 12 CFU in business, technical-production and computer science: sectors SECS-P/07, SECS-P/08, SECS-P/09, ICAR/22, ING-IND/17, ING-INF/05 and ING-IND/35.
- At least 8 CFU in mathematics and quantitative methods: sectors SECS-S/01, SECS-S/06 and MAT/01 to MAT/05.
The selection committee checks whether a foreign study plan meets these rules, and UniTrento may ask for a CIMEA statement of verification or comparability through the DiploMe service. [1]
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 only your total. The three minimums add up to 28 credits, so the rest of the 40 can come from any of the listed areas. Computer engineering, industrial plants and engineering management courses count in the second block, so the rule is not only for business graduates. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a BBA, a B.Com, or a B.A. or B.Sc. in Economics with maths or statistics courses, or a B.Tech or B.E. in Computer Science or Industrial Engineering that includes economics or management courses.
- Check carefully: a BCA or B.Tech with no economics course, since 8 economics credits are needed, or a B.Com with little maths or statistics.
- Often short: a B.A. in humanities or social sciences without maths, economics or business courses.
English
English at CEFR B2 or higher, proved in one of these ways: [1]
- a certificate such as IELTS (overall 6), TOEFL (overall 72), Cambridge FCE, CAE or CPE, BULATS (60), BEC Vantage or Higher, Trinity ISE II to IV, Pearson Academic (42) or GMAT (580), among others listed in the call; IELTS Indicator and TOEFL Home Edition are accepted;
- a passed B2 or higher English exam in previous studies;
- a bachelor's or master's degree taught entirely in English, with certification;
- English as your mother tongue, with a self-certification that your full primary and secondary education was in English.
Certificates are valid for five years unless the issuer states otherwise, and the committee may interview you to check your English. [1] The programme page also lists a GMAT Focus score of 545 or more. [2]
Selection
There is no written test. The committee scores your file out of 100: [1]
- Academic record: up to 40 points.
- Certificates: up to 10 points for English and an optional GMAT or GRE.
- Statement of purpose, reference letters and the committee's overall view: up to 50 points, with at least 25 needed.
You need at least 50 out of 100 to be eligible, and the committee may interview you if your documents do not give enough information. Your score also sets your first-year fee and decides UniTrento scholarships. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
For 2026/27 the first call ran from 17 December 2025 to 4 March 2026 at noon CET and was the only call open to non-EU applicants living abroad. A second call, from 15 April to 29 May 2026, was for EU and equivalent applicants only. Rankings for the first call were due by 30 April 2026. [1]
Non-EU applicants finishing a bachelor's outside Italy had to graduate by 30 June 2026. Admitted non-EU students had to obtain their visa by 30 September 2026 and enrol by 31 October 2026. The next call sets the 2027/28 dates. [1]
Documents and non-EU steps
You apply online and upload: [1]
- your passport;
- your bachelor's diploma, if already awarded;
- a transcript with exams and marks, and your grade point average if available, in Italian or English;
- a CV in English and your proof of English;
- a statement of purpose, given as answers to questions in English;
- at least two reference letters, uploaded by you before the deadline, plus contacts for two referees;
- GMAT or GRE scores, if you have them (optional).
Admitted candidates confirm their place by the date in the admission notice, then complete Universitaly pre-enrolment within two weeks of confirming. Pre-enrolment is compulsory for the study visa. [1][2] Enrolment depends on a positive check of your degree, and classes are in person only, starting in Trento. [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.
- University of Trento, Department of Economics and Management, with the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa. Public selection for admission to the two-year Master's degree in Innovation Management (MAIN), academic year 2026/2027 (English translation). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Trento, Innovation Management master's programme pages: overview and admission for non-European applicants, academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Trento. Tuition fees for non-EU students on master's degrees taught in English, academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Innovation Management (MAIN) is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale) worth 120 ECTS and taught entirely in English. It is offered jointly by the Department of Economics and Management of the University of Trento and the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, and the degree is awarded by both institutions.
You spend the first year in Trento on core courses and the second year in Pisa, where core and elective courses complete the curriculum. The focus is entrepreneurship and innovation: spotting organisational problems, designing solutions and growing a firm's range of products and services. It suits graduates with some grounding in economics, business and quantitative methods who want management roles in innovative organisations.
What you will study
The first year builds the economics, data and legal toolkit for innovation, and the second year applies it to R&D, metrics and real cases. Required units in the official study plan include:
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship (16 ECTS)
- Innovation Geography and Policies (10 ECTS)
- Business Scaling: Performance, Markets, and Territories
- Data Analysis and Forecasting, and Data Science for Business
- Intellectual Property and Competition Law
- Advanced Topics in the Economics of Technical Change, and R&D management and impact
- Financial and Non-Financial Metrics (12 ECTS) and Case studies in Innovation management
- First-year electives such as International Marketing, Organizational Behavior or Risk management
How the programme is taught
Teaching mixes lectures with discussion groups, problem-solving exercises and case work. The second year includes an internship (2 ECTS) and a master dissertation worth 14 ECTS, so you finish with both applied experience and an independent research project.
Career paths
The university describes graduates working as consultants, business analysts, innovation developers and policy makers, in consulting firms, multinational companies and public bodies that shape innovation strategy. The mix of strategy, data and intellectual property law is aimed at people who want to steer how an organisation innovates.
Fees and scholarships
MAIN sits in UniTrento's fee group B, and the University of Trento's call sets the fee for both years, including the year in Pisa. [1][3] Under the 2026/27 call, the first-year fee for non-EU students living abroad follows the admission score, with a full waiver at 90 or more. In year two, the fee follows the credits you earn, and at least 42 credits by 10 August 2027 brings a full waiver. [1] Top-ranked non-EU applicants scoring at least 70 may get a UniTrento scholarship that waives fees, though it cannot be combined with other Italian public scholarships. [1] Eligible students can also apply to Opera Universitaria di Trento, so MAIN can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
MAIN runs its own selection, with 20 of its 35 places reserved for non-EU applicants living abroad in 2026/27. We apply online through UniTrento with your CV, statement of purpose and at least two reference letters. The committee scores the file out of 100, with at least 50 needed, and may interview you, including to check your English. For 2026/27 the call ran from 17 December 2025 to 4 March 2026 at noon CET, with rankings by 30 April 2026. [1]
Admitted students confirm their place, complete Universitaly pre-enrolment within two weeks and then apply for a type D study visa, which for 2026/27 had to be issued by 30 September 2026. [1][2] The 2027/28 call is not yet published and 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 Trento's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your online application with statement of purpose and reference letters, place confirmation 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 Innovation Management at Trento?
A bachelor's or recognised equivalent with at least 40 credits, including at least 8 in economics, 12 in business, technical-production or computer science, and 8 in maths or quantitative methods. [1]
Is there an entrance exam? Do I need the GMAT?
No written test, and the GMAT or GRE is optional. The committee scores your academic record (40 points), certificates (10) and statement of purpose, reference letters and overall view (50) out of 100. You need at least 50, and it may interview you. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at B2. Accepted proof includes IELTS 6 overall, TOEFL 72, Cambridge FCE or higher, Pearson Academic 42 or GMAT 580, a degree taught entirely in English with certification, or English as your mother tongue. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad had one call, from 17 December 2025 to 4 March 2026 at noon CET, with rankings by 30 April 2026. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. For 2026/27, non-EU applicants graduating outside Italy had to finish their bachelor's by 30 June 2026. Europeans, and non-EU students graduating from an Italian university with a valid study permit, had until 31 October 2026. [1]
I have a B.Tech in Computer Science or a BCA. Can I apply?
Possibly. Computer science courses count towards the 12-credit business and IT block, and maths towards the quantitative block, but you also need at least 8 credits in economics. We check your transcript against each block. [1]
Where will I study?
The first year is in Trento at the Department of Economics and Management. The second year is in Pisa at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, which offers the degree jointly with the University of Trento. [2]
How are the fees set?
For 2026/27, the first-year fee for non-EU students followed the admission score, with nothing to pay at 90 or more. Year-two fees follow the credits you earn, and applicants scoring at least 70 may receive a UniTrento scholarship that waives fees. [1]
Can someone handle my whole application to Innovation Management at Trento?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Trento'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 Innovation Management?
A recognised Indian bachelor's, such as a BBA, a B.Com, a B.A. in Economics or a B.Tech with economics or management courses, can meet the rule if it shows 40 credits with the set minimums in economics, business or IT, and maths, and you also need English at B2. The steps are the online application with statement of purpose and reference letters, place confirmation 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 Innovation Management are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application, merit ranking, place confirmation 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 Innovation Management are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application, merit ranking, place confirmation 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 Innovation Management 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, merit ranking, place confirmation 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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