Master in Product Service System Design at Polytechnic University of Milan

Detailed entry requirements

PoliMi's Product Service System Design master asks for a bachelor's in design or relevant post-graduate design work experience, the minimum grade set for some countries, a project portfolio assessed with your CV and record, and English certified with a recognised test such as IELTS 6. There is no entrance test. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]

Degree and background

With a foreign degree, you can apply with a bachelor's in design or with relevant post-graduate work experience in design. [2] The regulations describe the programme as open to graduates from different design fields, such as product, interior, communication, fashion and furniture design. [1]

For Italian degrees, the 2026/27 regulations name classes L-4 (industrial design), L-17 (architecture), L-21 (planning) and L-3 (fine arts, music, performing arts and fashion). Other degrees, and foreign degrees judged suitable, qualify with at least 24 CFU in sector CEAR-08/D (formerly ICAR/13, industrial design). If you fall short, the Admissions Committee looks at other design-related study and work and may set extra credits, to be completed within one year, before your preparation is assessed. If your subject areas cannot be identified, the board evaluates your whole career. [1]

PoliMi also requires a degree that gives access to EQF level 7, issued by a university in the official system of its country, with subjects closely related to the programme. Franchised degrees are not accepted, and if you hold both a bachelor's and a master's, only the bachelor's is evaluated. [3]

Country rules and minimum grades

PoliMi sets strict country rules for some degrees, with no exceptions: [3]

• India: a bachelor's of at least four years, such as a B.Tech, B.E., B.Des. or B.Arch. A three-year B.Sc. may be considered only if it is an Honours programme. Minimum average 70 out of 100.
• Pakistan: a four-year continuous bachelor's, as 2+2 degrees are not accepted. Minimum GPA 3.3 out of 4.
• Bangladesh: minimum GPA 3.3 out of 4.
• Sri Lanka: an Honours degree at SLQF level 6 from a recognised institution. Level 5 qualifications are not evaluated.
• UK and Canada: an Honours degree or equivalent, with a university letter if the certificate does not say so.

If your average is below the minimum for your country, PoliMi does not evaluate the application. [4]

What this means for your transcript

The committee looks at the design content of your degree and at your portfolio, not just the title of your degree. As a guide, based on the rules above:

• Usually a fit: a four-year B.Des in product, interior, communication, fashion or another design field, with an average that meets your country's minimum.
• Check carefully: a B.Arch or a four-year planning degree, or a B.Tech, BBA or other degree backed by relevant design work experience. The committee checks your design credits and work, and may set extra units.
• Often short: a three-year BA, BBA, B.Com, BCA or B.Sc. from India, which does not meet PoliMi's four-year rule unless it is an Honours B.Sc., a 2+2 degree from Pakistan, or a degree with no design content and no design work experience.

English and Italian

Applicants with a foreign degree must show adequate English, certified with a test recognised by PoliMi at its minimum score. [1][2] Accepted results for 2027/28 include: [4]

• IELTS Academic or General Training 6
• TOEFL iBT 78 for tests taken until 20 January 2026, or 4.5 for tests taken from 21 January 2026
• Cambridge B2 First at grade B, or C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency at grade C
• PTE Academic 59
• Trinity ISE II, or LanguageCert B2 Communicator

If English was the medium of instruction for at least three years of your bachelor's, a university document confirming that at least 75% of your courses were taught in English replaces the certificate. [4]

The School of Design asks for the certificate within the application deadline, while PoliMi's admissions office lets foreign-qualification applicants add it later, before the admission letter, visa and enrolment. We make sure it is in your file when you apply. [1][4]

Italian is not needed to apply to this English-taught programme. International students admitted to English-taught master's programmes enrol with an Italian language obligation and must certify their Italian before the graduation exam. [4][10]

Selection and places

There is no entrance test. Admission depends on an assessment of your individual preparation and a qualifying position in the merit ranking. The assessment looks at your project portfolio, CV, motivation letter and extra-curricular study and work experience, plus your weighted average if you hold an Italian degree. [1]

The portfolio is mandatory for Design programmes and can be at most 20 MB. If you come from a non-design background, an abstract of your thesis or a report on internship experience can replace it. [4][9]

For 2026/27, PoliMi offered 100 places, 50 of them reserved for non-EU students. [1][6]

Deadlines for the September 2027 intake

Design programmes admit students only in the first semester, which starts in September. [5][9] For the September 2027 intake, non-EU applicants living abroad have one general call: [5]

• Application period: 1 October 2026 to 28 January 2027, 11.59pm CET.
• Early bird: apply by 1 December 2026 for the €50 fee. From 2 December the fee is €150.
• Outcomes: by the end of May 2027.

A further call from 1 to 18 March 2027 is only for EEA students and non-EEA students resident in Italy with certain permits. You can apply once per semester, to at most two programmes. [5]

Documents and non-EU steps

The online application needs your degree certificate (or, if you have not graduated yet, an enrolment document confirming you are in your final year), your academic transcript, a cumulative GPA statement with the grading scale, a CV of at most two pages and your portfolio. Documents cannot be changed after you pay the application fee. [4]

The regulations list a motivation letter among the documents for this programme, so we include one. A recommendation letter and course descriptions are optional extras that can strengthen the file. [1][4]

Your degree must be obtained before enrolment. To enrol you need a Diploma Supplement, a declaration of value or a CIMEA statement of comparability, and PoliMi may ask for one at any stage of the evaluation. [3][4]

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. Politecnico di Milano, School of Design. Academic regulations, Master's degree in Product Service System Design (class LM-12), academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
2. Politecnico di Milano. Product Service System Design programme page: eligibility for students with a non-Italian degree, information for 2025/26. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
3. Politecnico di Milano. Admission to Master of Science programmes with a foreign qualification: requirements and country-specific rules, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
4. Politecnico di Milano. List of documents required by the Admissions Office for Master of Science applicants with a foreign qualification, accepted certificates updated for 2027/28. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
5. Politecnico di Milano. Application deadlines for Master of Science programmes with a foreign qualification, September 2027 intake. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
6. Politecnico di Milano. Places available for Master of Science programmes with a foreign qualification, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
7. Politecnico di Milano. Tuition fees for Laurea, Laurea Magistrale and single-cycle programmes, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
8. Politecnico di Milano. Call for DSU financial aid benefits, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
9. Politecnico di Milano, School of Design. Admission to Master's degrees, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
10. Politecnico di Milano. English language requirements for Laurea Magistrale programmes, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
11. Politecnico di Milano, School of Design. Product Service System Design programme page and 2026 course list. Reviewed 8 October 2026.

What bachelor's degree do I need for Product Service System Design at PoliMi?

A bachelor's in design, or relevant post-graduate work experience in design. Italian degrees in industrial design, architecture, planning or fine arts qualify, and other degrees need at least 24 credits in industrial design. From India, the degree must last at least four years, with an average of at least 70 out of 100. [1][2][3]

Is there an entrance exam? Do I need a portfolio?

There is no written test. PoliMi assesses your preparation from a project portfolio, CV, motivation letter and academic record, then ranks applicants on merit. The portfolio is mandatory for Design programmes, but applicants from non-design degrees can replace it with a thesis abstract or an internship report. [1][4]

What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?

You need a PoliMi-recognised English certificate, such as IELTS 6, TOEFL iBT 78 (4.5 for tests from 21 January 2026), Cambridge B2 First at grade B or PTE Academic 59. A bachelor's taught at least 75% in English for three years can replace the certificate. [4]

When is the deadline for non-EU students?

For the September 2027 intake, Design programmes have one general call, from 1 October 2026 to 28 January 2027. Applying by 1 December 2026 costs €50 instead of €150. Outcomes are due by the end of May 2027, and admission is only in September. [5]

Can I apply before I graduate?

Yes. You can apply in your final year with an enrolment document from your university confirming that you are in your last year, as long as you hold the degree before you enrol at PoliMi. [3][4]

I have a B.Tech or a BBA. Can I apply?

Possibly, if you can show design training or relevant design work experience. PoliMi asks for a design bachelor's or post-graduate design work, and other degrees need at least 24 credits in industrial design. A three-year BBA from India also falls short of PoliMi's four-year rule. [1][2][3]

Is the programme taught in English?

Yes. The 2026/27 regulations describe the programme as taught in English, and both parallel sections share the same English-taught core. A few electives in the School of Design's shared list are taught in Italian, alongside many English options. [1][11]

How many places are there for non-EU students?

For 2026/27, PoliMi offered 100 places in Product Service System Design, 50 of them reserved for non-EU students. The 2027/28 figures were not yet published when we reviewed this page. [1][6]

Can someone handle my whole application to Product Service System Design at PoliMi?

Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against PoliMi's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the Politecnico di Milano 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 Product Service System Design?

PoliMi accepts Indian bachelor's degrees of at least four years, such as a B.Des, with an average of at least 70 out of 100, and considers a three-year B.Sc. only if it is Honours. You need a design degree or relevant design work experience, a portfolio and English proof such as IELTS 6. The steps are the online application, PoliMi's evaluation and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [2][3][4] 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 Product Service System Design are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application with a project portfolio, PoliMi's evaluation 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 Product Service System Design are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application with a project portfolio, PoliMi's evaluation 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 application with a project portfolio, PoliMi's evaluation and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa. Read our guides for London, New York, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.