Master in Mechanical Engineering at Polytechnic University of Bari
Two-year English-taught LM-33 master's at the Politecnico di Bari in machine design, manufacturing, energy systems and industrial plants, with Mechanics or Mechatronics and Robotics curricula. Entry needs a mechanical degree or 36 plus 48 subject credits, and B2 English.
Master
2 years
Bari
English
Polytechnic University of Bari
Mechanical Engineering is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-33) taught in English at the Politecnico di Bari, with Mechanics and Mechatronics and Robotics curricula. Entry needs a mechanical engineering bachelor's, or 36 basic-science and 48 engineering credits, plus certified English at B2. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Poliba's Mechanical Engineering master asks for a bachelor's in mechanical engineering, or another degree with at least 36 credits in basic sciences and 48 in mechanical or industrial engineering subjects, plus certified English at B2 and a bachelor's grade of 85/110 or a successful interview. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit requirements
These rules come from the 2025/26 teaching regulations. An Italian first-level degree in mechanical engineering gives direct access once you prove English at B2. Graduates in other subjects ask for a check of their previous studies and need at least: [1]
- 36 CFU in basic sciences: mathematics, numerical analysis and operations research, physics, chemistry and computing (sectors MAT/03, MAT/05, MAT/07, MAT/08, MAT/09, FIS/01, FIS/03, CHIM/07 and ING-INF/05).
- 48 CFU in engineering subjects: aerospace, fluid dynamics, fluid machines, energy systems, applied thermodynamics, measurements, applied mechanics, machine design, industrial drawing, manufacturing, industrial plants, materials, electrical engineering and drives, automation, industrial bioengineering and structural mechanics (sectors ING-IND/03 to ING-IND/17, ING-IND/22, ING-IND/31, ING-IND/32, ING-IND/34, ING-INF/04, ING-INF/07 and ICAR/08).
If credits are missing, the department can set single courses that you must pass before you enrol. You cannot enrol with outstanding obligations. [1]
What this means for your transcript
Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit, and the department 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 Engineering, which normally covers the maths and physics block and the machine design, thermal, manufacturing and plant subjects.
- Check carefully: a B.Tech in Aeronautical, Automobile, Production, Industrial, Mechatronics, Electrical or Civil Engineering. These usually meet the 36 basic credits, but the share of mechanical and industrial subjects decides whether you reach 48.
- Often short: a B.Sc. in Physics or Mathematics, a BCA or a B.Sc. in Computer Science, which cover basic sciences but rarely the 48 engineering credits.
The 85/110 grade rule is set on the Italian scale, and the regulations do not say how foreign grades convert. For foreign applicants whose documents are unclear, the department may set verification tests. [1]
English
Certified English at CEFR level B2 or higher, shown with a certificate from a body Poliba recognises or by passing an exam at the university language centre. The regulations do not list specific tests or scores. [1]
The same regulations also mention Italian at B2 for foreign students, with a 3-credit Italian course at the language centre for those who lack it. Poliba's guidance for non-EU applicants asks for Italian only on Italian-taught programmes, so we check how this applies to your file. [1][2]
Grade threshold and interview
There is no written admission test. A bachelor's grade of 85/110 or higher counts automatically as adequate preparation. Below that, a department committee interviews you on core mechanical engineering subjects: fluid machines, energy systems, applied thermodynamics, mechanical and thermal measurements, applied mechanics, machine design, industrial drawing, manufacturing and industrial plants. You need a positive result to enrol, and a failed interview can be repeated once. [1]
Dates
For 2025/26, master's admissions opened on Esse3 in July 2025, and Poliba asked non-EU applicants to file visa applications by 30 November 2025 in principle. The next admission notice sets the 2027/28 dates. [2]
Documents and non-EU steps
Non-EU applicants who need a study visa pre-enrol on Universitaly, which they can do before Poliba opens its procedure, and also send the evaluation request on Esse3. In 2025/26 Poliba set 35 places on this programme for them. [2][3]
- For the evaluation: passport, bachelor's degree certificate and transcript are required, plus a B2 English certificate. A CV, Diploma Supplement, syllabus and recommendation letter are suggested. English translations are accepted for English-taught programmes, and legalised translations are not needed at this stage.
- Authenticity: a CIMEA verification certificate, an ENIC-NARIC certificate, or legalisation or an Apostille.
- At enrolment: passport, study visa and residence permit, your degree certificate and transcript with legalised translations, and a CIMEA attestation, Diploma Supplement or declaration of value, depending on where your degree was awarded.
These steps come from Poliba's 2025/26 guidance for non-EU candidates. [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 Bari, Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management. Teaching regulations of the Master's degree programme in Mechanical Engineering (class LM-33), academic year 2025/26. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Bari. General overview for non-EU candidates applying to bachelor's and master's programmes, academic year 2025/26. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Bari. Places reserved for non-EU students needing a study visa, academic year 2025/26. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Politecnico di Bari, Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management. Double Degree call for applications, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Mechanical Engineering is a two-year laurea magistrale in class LM-33, run by the Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management of the Politecnico di Bari. It is worth 120 ECTS, and all teaching is delivered in English in Bari. It is a separate degree from Poliba's Italian-taught mechanical engineering master.
The course trains engineers with a strong interdisciplinary base in science and mechanics, able to work in international companies, public bodies and consultancy. It suits graduates in mechanical or industrial engineering who want to specialise in machine design, energy, production or robotics.
What you will study
The first year covers the classic core of mechanics; the second year adds related subjects and a wide choice of electives. The 2025/26 teaching regulations set two curricula: Mechanics, which deepens advanced maths, physics and complex flows, with options in thermal and fluid systems, digital production and sustainability; and Mechatronics and Robotics. Units include:
- Clean Energy Systems and Fluid Machinery
- Mechanical Systems Dynamics and Advanced Machine Design
- Advanced Manufacturing Processes and Virtual Prototyping
- Design and Management of Industrial Systems
- Analytical Dynamics and Statistical Mechanics, and Advanced Mathematical Methods (Mechanics curriculum)
- System Theory and Feedback Control, Introduction to Robot Mechanics, Mechatronics and Advanced Mechatronics (Mechatronics and Robotics curriculum)
- Introduction to Smart Materials and Structures, and Simulation Tools and Software for Mechatronics and Robotics
How the programme is taught
Many units include design, experimental and analysis work in teaching and research laboratories. Visiting professors and professionals from multinational companies also teach on the course. The degree ends with a 6 ECTS internship, mostly with national and international companies, and an 18 ECTS final thesis. For 2026/27 the department offered double degrees with New York University (Mechatronics and Robotics curriculum only), the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the New York Institute of Technology, Cranfield University, Arts et Métiers ParisTech and SUPSI in Switzerland, with places selected among enrolled students. [4]
Career paths
Graduates work in research and development, product design, tooling, automation, production systems and machine design. They can join manufacturing, mechanical and mechatronic companies, energy production and conversion, automation and robotics firms, or the civil service, or work as consultants. Poliba notes that:
- The degree gives access to the Italian state exam for senior engineers in the industrial sector
- Graduates can go on to a PhD or a second-level university master
Fees and scholarships
Poliba's 2026/27 fee regulation links the yearly contribution to ISEE family income. New students with an ISEE of €26,000 or less are exempt from fees. Non-EU applicants whose family income is abroad declare it with translated, legalised consular documents. The ADISU Puglia scholarship brings a full fee exemption, so the degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
If your bachelor's is not in mechanical engineering, we first ask Poliba to check your previous studies against the credit requirements. There is no admission test; with a grade below 85/110 you take an interview with a department committee. Applications go through the Esse3 portal, where the evaluation request is the admission procedure itself. In 2025/26 Poliba set 35 places on this programme for non-EU applicants who need a study visa, and the next admission notice sets the 2027/28 dates. [2][3]
If you need a visa, we also complete your Universitaly pre-enrolment, which can be done before Poliba opens its own procedure, and then you apply for a type D study visa. [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 Poliba's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your Universitaly pre-enrolment and evaluation request on Esse3.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ADISU Puglia 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 Poliba's Mechanical Engineering master?
A mechanical engineering bachelor's gives direct access once you show B2 English. Other graduates need a check of their studies, with at least 36 credits in maths, physics, chemistry or computing and 48 in mechanical or industrial engineering subjects, under the 2025/26 regulations. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
No written test. A bachelor's grade of 85/110 or higher counts as adequate preparation. Below that, a department committee interviews you on core mechanical engineering subjects, and a failed interview can be repeated once. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
Certified English at CEFR B2, from a body Poliba recognises or through an exam at the university language centre. The regulations do not name specific tests or scores, so we check which certificate your file can use. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
The 2027/28 dates are not published yet. For 2025/26, admissions opened on Esse3 in July 2025 and visa applications were due in principle by 30 November 2025. Universitaly pre-enrolment can start before Poliba opens its procedure. [2]
How many places are there for non-EU students?
For 2025/26 Poliba set 35 places on the English-taught Mechanical Engineering master for non-EU students who need a study visa. The next quota table sets the 2027/28 number. [3]
I have a B.Tech in Civil or Electrical Engineering. Can I apply?
Possibly. Both usually meet the 36 basic-science credits, and electrical engineering, automation and structural mechanics count towards the 48 engineering credits, but many lack enough mechanical subjects. Missing credits are made up through single courses before enrolment. [1]
Which curricula can I choose?
The 2025/26 regulations list two: Mechanics, and Mechatronics and Robotics. Both share core units in machine design, manufacturing, energy systems and industrial plants, and all teaching is in English. [1]
Does the programme offer double degrees?
Yes. For 2026/27 enrolled students could apply for double degrees with New York University (Mechatronics and Robotics curriculum), the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the New York Institute of Technology, Cranfield University, Arts et Métiers ParisTech and SUPSI. [4]
Can someone handle my whole application to Mechanical Engineering at Poliba?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Poliba's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ADISU Puglia 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 Mechanical Engineering?
A recognised Indian B.Tech or B.E. in Mechanical Engineering is the closest fit, and other engineering degrees need a check of at least 36 basic-science credits and 48 engineering credits. You also need certified English at B2, plus an interview if your grade is below the threshold. The steps are Universitaly pre-enrolment, the evaluation request on Esse3 and enrolment after the visa. [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 Mechanical Engineering are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: Universitaly pre-enrolment, an evaluation request on Esse3 and a positive admission outcome, 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 Mechanical Engineering are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: Universitaly pre-enrolment, an evaluation request on Esse3 and a positive admission outcome. 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 Mechanical 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: Universitaly pre-enrolment, an evaluation request on Esse3 and a positive admission outcome, 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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