Master in Philosophical Sciences at University of Milan
Two-year master in Milan whose Reasoning, Analysis and Modelling curriculum can be taken fully in English, covering logic, philosophy of mind, language and metaphysics in the analytical tradition, with a 21 ECTS thesis. Entry needs 42 philosophy credits.
Master
2 years
Milan
Multiple
University of Milan
Philosophical Sciences is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-78-R) taught in Italian and English at the University of Milan. Its Reasoning, Analysis and Modelling curriculum can be taken entirely in English. Entry needs a bachelor's in Philosophy or at least 42 credits in philosophy subjects, plus English at B1, with B2 needed for English-taught exams. Scholarship winners pay no second instalment, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Milan's Philosophical Sciences master asks for a bachelor's in Philosophy (class L-5) or another degree with at least 42 credits in philosophy subjects, plus English at B1 for admission and B2 for English-taught exams. Graduates with 95/110 or more are admitted directly, others have an interview, and holders of foreign degrees may also be interviewed. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit requirements
You need a bachelor's degree in Philosophy (class L-5) or in another class, or an equivalent foreign qualification. Either way, you must have: [1]
- At least 42 credits (CFU or ECTS) in philosophy, in one or more of sectors M-FIL/01 to M-FIL/08.
- English at level B1 or higher.
For foreign degrees, the admission board judges whether your earlier studies meet the philosophy rule from the knowledge of philosophy you gained in them, and may invite you to an interview in person or online. You must meet the curricular requirements before any interview, and no later than 31 December of the year you enrol. [1]
For 2026/27, applicants still finishing their bachelor's could apply if they graduated and met the entry requirements by 31 December 2026. [2]
What this means for your transcript
Credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit as Italian CFU, and the board looks at the philosophy content behind them. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a BA or BA (Hons) in Philosophy.
- Check carefully: a BA with philosophy as one of the main subjects, or a BA in Psychology, Political Science, English or History with several philosophy, logic or ethics courses. These reach 42 credits only if enough of your courses fall in the philosophy sectors.
- Often short: a B.Tech, B.E., BCA, B.Sc., B.Com or BBA, which rarely include 42 credits of philosophy.
Meeting the credit rule makes you eligible. Graduates below 95/110 then have an interview, and holders of foreign degrees may also be interviewed. [1]
English
English at CEFR level B1 or higher is required for admission. The University Language Centre (SLAM) checks it in one of three ways: a B1 or higher certificate on the university's recognised list, issued no more than three years before you apply and uploaded with the application; a level certified by SLAM during a University of Milan degree in the last four years; or the SLAM entry test. [1]
If you do not take or pass the entry test, you must send an accepted certificate by the programme's deadline, or you are not admitted. The programme description does not list specific test scores. [1]
To take English-taught exams and to graduate you need B2. You can show it with a B2 certificate, a B2 result in the entry test, or a SLAM placement test between October and January of year 1. Otherwise you attend a SLAM B2 course in the second semester. Because English-taught exams list B2 as a prerequisite, B2 is the level to plan for if you want an English-only plan. [1]
Selection and interview
Places are not capped, and any applicant who meets the requirements can be admitted. Graduates with a final mark of 95/110 or above are considered to have the right background. Those with a lower mark must pass an interview, online or in person. When you apply, you choose one of the four curricula. [1]
The programme description sets the threshold on the Italian 110-point scale and gives no conversion for foreign marks. The 2026/27 admission notice allowed the board to set an interview, a written test or both, in person or remotely. [1][2]
2026/27 deadlines
For 2026/27, non-EU citizens applying for a visa had to apply online between 22 January and 30 April 2026. EU candidates and equivalents could apply until 30 October 2026. The €30 application fee was due by the admission deadline, and missing it led to exclusion. [2]
Applicants still finishing their bachelor's had to graduate and meet the entry requirements by 31 December 2026. Enrolment ran from 5 May 2026 to 15 January 2027. The 2027/28 admission notice sets the next dates. [2]
Documents and non-EU steps
With a foreign degree you upload your bachelor's degree certificate (in Italian, English, French, German or Spanish), a Diploma Supplement or a transcript showing courses, marks, credits and the grading system, and a passport or other valid ID. [2]
Admitted non-EU visa applicants complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, which closed on 31 July 2026 for 2026/27. By 30 November 2026 they also had to provide the legalised degree certificate, their school-leaving diploma and a statement of comparability from an ENIC-NARIC centre such as CIMEA, or a declaration of value, with the other listed documents, or enrolment was cancelled. [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 Milan. Programme description (manifesto), Master's degree in Philosophical Sciences, class LM-78 R, students enrolling in 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan. Admission notice for the Master's degree programme in Philosophical Sciences, class LM-78 R, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan, Philosophical Sciences course page: language of instruction, access, 2026/27 admission dates and course teaching languages. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Milan. Fees for academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Philosophical Sciences is a two-year master's degree in class LM-78-R, worth 120 ECTS and run by the Department of Philosophy of the University of Milan in Milan. The degree is taught in Italian and English, in person, with open admission after a check of entry requirements. Of its four curricula, Reasoning, Analysis and Modelling is the one for students who want to study in English: the official study plan says some of its courses are held in Italian and others in English, and that students can include only English-taught courses in their plan. [1][3]
The curriculum gives an in-depth grounding in the concepts and methods of analytical philosophy, with specialised training on questions at the centre of current debate: the nature and limits of human knowledge, the relations between language, thought and reality, the structure of sound reasoning and the fundamental categories of reality. It suits graduates in philosophy, or with a solid philosophy component in their degree, who enjoy logic and rigorous argument.
What you will study
The Reasoning, Analysis and Modelling curriculum has 18 ECTS of compulsory units, Logical Methods and Philosophical Analysis, plus elective groups in logic, mind, language and metaphysics, the history of philosophy, rules and norms or the anthropology of AI, logic and the sciences, and wider humanities and social science options. All curricula share a 3 ECTS English B2 proficiency requirement, 9 ECTS of free electives and a 21 ECTS thesis. [1]
In the first semester you must pass three exams, Logical Methods, Philosophical Analysis and one of Rules, Reason and Norms or Anthropology of AI, plus the English B2 assessment, before you can take other exams. [1]
English-taught units in the 2026/27 plan include: [1][3]
- Logical Methods (9 ECTS, compulsory)
- Philosophical Analysis (9 ECTS, compulsory)
- Rules, Reason and Norms
- Language and Metaphysics, Logic of Computation and Information, and Probabilistic Logic
- Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Cognitive Neuroscience, and Mind and Brain
- Early Modern, Late Modern and Medieval Philosophy
- Artificial Intelligence
Other units in the same groups are taught in Italian, so an English-only plan means choosing carefully from each group. [1]
How the programme is taught
Lecture attendance is recommended but not required, while workshop attendance is mandatory. If you write your thesis in English, you can ask to present and discuss it in English. The programme has run Erasmus exchanges with other European universities for more than ten years, across the history of philosophy, theoretical and moral philosophy, aesthetics and the philosophy of science. The degree's other curricula are Critique of the Contemporary World, Philosophies, Cultures and Societies, and Philosophy and History of Philosophy. [1]
Career paths
The university describes graduates able to think critically and independently and to read cultural needs in changing contexts. The outlets it names include: [1]
- Editors and cultural communicators in publishing
- Coordination and strategic roles in public and private organisations
- Human resources management
- Business-to-business and public relations
- Philosophical counselling
- Cultural mediation, communication agencies and event planning
Fees and scholarships
The University of Milan charges fees in two instalments. The first, €146 in 2026/27, covers the regional tax and stamp duty. The second depends on family income (ISEE) and on the programme's fee area. [4]
For students whose family income and assets are abroad, the 2026/27 second instalment was fixed by country group and fee area: €200 or €256 in Group A, €910 or €1,164 in Group B and €3,204 or €4,101.12 in Group C. [4]
Winners of regional or University of Milan scholarships get a waiver on the second instalment, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. [4]
How to apply from outside the EU
Admission is open, with no cap on places. Graduates with a final mark of 95/110 or more who meet the curricular requirements are admitted directly, others have an interview, and holders of foreign degrees may be interviewed on their philosophy background. [1]
For 2026/27, non-EU citizens applying for a visa had to apply online between 22 January and 30 April 2026 and pay the €30 application fee by the same deadline. Other candidates had until 30 October 2026. The 2027/28 admission notice sets the next dates. [2]
Admitted visa applicants then complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, which closed on 31 July 2026 for 2026/27, and apply for a study visa. By 30 November 2026 they also had to provide a statement of comparability from an ENIC-NARIC centre such as CIMEA, or a declaration of value, with the other listed documents, or enrolment was cancelled. [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 Milan's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your online admission application, supporting documents and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your University of Milan 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
Can I take the Master in Philosophical Sciences at Milan entirely in English?
Yes, through the Reasoning, Analysis and Modelling curriculum. Some of its courses are in Italian and others in English, and the university states that students can include only English-taught courses in their plan. Its compulsory units, Logical Methods and Philosophical Analysis, are taught in English. [1][3]
What bachelor's degree do I need for Philosophical Sciences at Milan?
A bachelor's in Philosophy (class L-5), or another degree or equivalent foreign qualification with at least 42 credits in philosophy subjects, sectors M-FIL/01 to M-FIL/08. For foreign degrees, the board judges your philosophy background and may interview you. [1]
Is there an entrance exam or interview?
The programme rules set no entrance test. Graduates with 95/110 or more who meet the requirements are admitted directly, others have an interview, and holders of foreign degrees may also be interviewed, online or in person. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B1 for admission, shown by a recognised certificate issued in the last three years or the university's entry test. English-taught exams and graduation need B2. The programme description does not list specific scores, so we check which proof your file can use. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU citizens applying for a visa had to apply between 22 January and 30 April 2026 and complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by 31 July 2026. The 2027/28 admission notice sets the next dates. [2]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. For 2026/27, applicants still finishing their bachelor's could apply if they graduated and met the entry requirements by 31 December 2026. Visa applicants still had to submit the application by 30 April 2026. [2]
I have a BA in Psychology or Political Science, not Philosophy. Can I apply?
Possibly. A degree in any class can qualify if it includes at least 42 credits in philosophy sectors M-FIL/01 to M-FIL/08. A BA with only a few philosophy, logic or ethics courses is often short, while one with philosophy as a main subject can reach it. [1]
How much are the fees?
For 2026/27, students whose family income and assets are abroad paid €146 at enrolment plus a second instalment set by country group and fee area, from €200 to €4,101.12. Winners of regional or University of Milan scholarships get a waiver on the second instalment. [4]
Can someone handle my whole application to Philosophical Sciences at Milan?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Milan's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the University of Milan 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 Philosophical Sciences?
A recognised Indian BA or BA (Hons) in Philosophy can meet the rule. Other degrees need at least 42 credits in philosophy subjects. You need English at B1 to be admitted, and B2 for English-taught exams. The steps are the online application, a possible interview, admission 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 Philosophical Sciences are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online admission application, a possible interview, admission 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 Philosophical Sciences are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online admission application, a possible interview, admission and Universitaly pre-enrolment. Read our guides for Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.
I'm applying from the UK, US, Canada, Singapore or Malaysia. Is anything different?
The academic rules are identical. Non-EU applicants who live abroad, including citizens of these countries, follow the same route: online admission application, a possible interview, admission and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa. Read our guides for London, New York, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
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