Master in Telecommunication Engineering: Smart Sensing, Computing and Networking at University of Calabria
Two-year English-taught LM-27 master's at the University of Calabria in IoT, wireless and mobile networks, antennas, electromagnetic sensing and programmable networks, with an 18-credit thesis in English. Entry needs an information-engineering background and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Rende
English
University of Calabria
Telecommunication Engineering: Smart Sensing, Computing and Networking is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-27) taught in English at the University of Calabria in Rende. Entry needs an information-engineering bachelor's or credits in maths, electromagnetic fields, telecommunications and computing, plus English at B2 and a remote oral exam. For 2026/27, 9 of the 20 non-EU places came with a scholarship, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
UniCal's Telecommunication Engineering master has limited places. Non-EU applicants living abroad need a foreign bachelor's that gives access to master's study and matches the entry rules in maths, physics or chemistry, electromagnetic fields, telecommunications and computing, plus English at B2, a positive CV review and a remote oral exam. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree requirement
You meet the subject rules with: [2]
- An Italian bachelor's in information engineering (class L-8, or L-9 under the 1999 rules).
- A bachelor's in any subject with at least 12 CFU in mathematics (sectors MAT/02 to MAT/09), 6 CFU in physics or chemistry (FIS/01 and CHIM/07), 12 CFU in electromagnetic fields and telecommunications (ING-INF/02 and ING-INF/03), and 6 CFU in electronics or computer science (ING-INF/01, INF/01 and ING-INF/05).
- A degree obtained abroad that gives access to second-cycle study in the country where it was awarded. The admission committee judges whether it is suitable from your study record, and its learning objectives and outcomes must be equivalent to the entry requirements.
You also need sound knowledge of electromagnetic fields, telecommunications, computer science and mathematics (geometry and analysis) at the level of an Italian information-engineering bachelor's. [2]
What this means for your transcript
Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit: one CFU stands for 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 Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunication, or Telecommunication Engineering, with courses in electromagnetic fields, communication systems, maths and programming.
- Check carefully: a B.Tech or B.E. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Computer Science or IT, or a B.Sc. in Electronics. These often cover the maths and computing blocks but may fall short of 12 credits in electromagnetic fields and telecommunications.
- Often short: a BCA, B.Com, BBA or BA, which rarely include electromagnetic fields, telecommunications or university physics.
The application lets you upload the syllabus of all your courses, so the committee can see what each course covered. [1]
English
English at CEFR level B2 or higher. The programme regulations ask you to attach a certificate or other suitable proof of B2 to your application; if you have none, the committee checks your English in an interview. The 2026/27 call assesses language proficiency through an online interview. Neither document lists a specific test or score. [1][2]
Selection
Admission depends on a committee assessment of your record, and places are limited.
- Committee review: a committee of three lecturers checks your university record and English proof and decides who meets the subject rules. Italian information-engineering graduates with a final mark of at least 92/110, 12 credits in electromagnetic fields and telecommunications and B2 English are admitted without an interview; other eligible candidates take an interview on electromagnetic fields, telecommunications, computer science and maths. [2]
- Remote oral exam: in the 2026/27 call for non-EU applicants living abroad, at least twice as many candidates as places were invited to a remote oral exam in English, which was mandatory for admission. It checks your subject knowledge, cultural background and English. [1]
- Rankings: two merit rankings are drawn up, one for scholarship places and one for places without a scholarship. In a tie, the younger candidate ranks higher. [1]
Places and scholarships in 2026/27
The 2026/27 call offered 20 places to non-EU applicants living abroad: 9 with a scholarship and 11 without. [1]
- Scholarship places: for applicants whose household income is below €26,500 if independent or €41,500 for a two-person family. For a family of three or more, the income limit is €54,000. Winners show this with an ISEE parificato by 30 October 2026. Students from particularly poor countries use a certificate from the Italian mission instead.
- Places without a scholarship: for applicants whose household income is above those limits.
- What the scholarship covers: the enrolment fee, free accommodation, campus canteen meals and pocket money of about €3,600.
- Keeping it: winners who earn fewer than 20 ECTS by 30 November 2027 must repay what they received, and renewal for 2027/28 needs at least 30 ECTS by 10 August 2027.
2026/27 deadlines
Applications closed at 11:59 pm Italian time on 30 March 2026. The deadline for conditional enrolment was 10 June 2026, later extended to 17 June 2026, and places left vacant were reallocated by 16 July 2026, with enrolment by 31 July 2026. Enrolment is finalised in person at UniCal's Welcome Office, by 30 October 2026 for this intake. [1][3]
UniCal expects to publish the 2027/28 call around January 2027. [4]
Documents and non-EU steps
You apply on UniCal's Esse3 portal, choosing the call for extra-EU students, for one master's degree only. You can upload the first page of your passport, your CV, your bachelor's degree, your transcript of records, the syllabus of all your courses and any English certificate. [1]
Scholarship winners receive UniCal's acceptance letter through the Universitaly portal. After enrolment you hand in your foreign degree with an official Italian translation, legalised or with an Apostille, plus a declaration of value or CIMEA certificates of comparability and verification, by 28 February 2027 for the 2026/27 intake. [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 Calabria, Internationalisation Area. Unicaladmission call for applications for non-EU students residing abroad, two-year master's degree programmes, academic year 2026/27, with the How to apply guide. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Calabria, Department of Computer Engineering, Modelling, Electronics and Systems (DIMES). Teaching regulations of the Master's degree in Telecommunication Engineering: Smart Sensing, Computing and Networking (LM-27), in force from the 2026/27 cohort, with the 2026/27 study plan (in Italian). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Calabria. Rector's decree reallocating scholarship places for non-EU master's applicants, academic year 2026/27 (in Italian). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Calabria, Unicaladmission page for international students, academic years 2026/27 and 2027/28. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Telecommunication Engineering: Smart Sensing, Computing and Networking is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-27, 120 CFU) taught in English by the Department of Computer Engineering, Modelling, Electronics and Systems (DIMES) of the University of Calabria (UniCal) in Rende. The regulations describe it as the only course of its kind in Calabria. [2]
The course spans radio waves, computing, networks and telecommunication systems, with seminars and placements in research centres and ICT companies. It trains engineers to design, build and run telecommunication networks and systems, radar for mobility and smart localisation, and ICT services for smart health, smart cities, smart homes, environmental monitoring and telemedicine. [2]
What you will study
The 2026/27 study plan has a single path with 108 CFU of compulsory units and 12 CFU of electives. Units include: [2]
- First year: Antennas and Propagation (9 CFU), IoT Device Programming (12 CFU, with sensor and mobile device modules), Wireless Devices and Networks, Networking Aspects of the Internet of Things, Distributed Systems and Cloud/Edge Computing, Measurements for Telecommunication Systems, and Simulation and Performance Optimization (6 CFU each)
- Second year: Smart and Programmable Networks (12 CFU, with a laboratory), Electromagnetic Sensors and Image Diagnostics (9 CFU, with a laboratory), Mobile Radio Networks, IoT Security and Digital Economics (6 CFU each)
- Recommended electives: Business Game, IoT Systems for Environmental Monitoring and Network Security
How the programme is taught
Lectures are combined with exercise classes, laboratory and project work, plus seminars by researchers and professionals and visits to ICT companies. Attendance is compulsory. From the second year, students with at least 45 credits can add an internship as an elective. The course ends with an 18 CFU thesis, theoretical, design-based or experimental, which can be done with companies, universities or research centres in Italy or abroad and is written in English. [2]
Career paths
Graduates design telecommunication systems and networks, develop IoT applications, and work on antennas, radar, electromagnetic sensors and the latest mobile networks. The regulations list employers such as: [2]
- Manufacturers of telecommunication equipment and devices
- Telecommunication network and system operators
- ICT service companies in smart health, smart cities, automotive, telemedicine and environmental monitoring
- System integrators and consultancies
- Public administration and research and development centres
- Regulatory bodies and air, land and sea traffic control authorities
Fees and scholarships
For 2026/27, nine of this course's 20 places for non-EU applicants living abroad came with a UniCal scholarship, open to applicants whose household income was below the call's limits, shown with an ISEE parificato. The scholarship covers the enrolment fee and adds free accommodation, campus canteen meals and about €3,600 in pocket money, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. [1]
How to apply from outside the EU
Non-EU applicants living abroad apply through UniCal's Unicaladmission call on the Esse3 portal, for one master's degree only. A departmental committee reviews your CV and qualifications, then holds a remote oral exam in English for a shortlist of at least twice as many candidates as places. [1]
For 2026/27, applications closed at 11:59 pm Italian time on 30 March 2026. UniCal expects to publish the 2027/28 call around January 2027. [1][4]
Scholarship winners receive UniCal's acceptance letter through the Universitaly portal. After enrolment you hand in your degree with an official Italian translation, plus a declaration of value or CIMEA certificates of comparability and verification; for the 2026/27 intake the deadline is 28 February 2027. [1]
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 UniCal's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your Esse3 application with your CV, transcript and course syllabus, 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 UniCal's Telecommunication Engineering master?
An Italian information-engineering degree, or any degree with at least 12 credits in maths, 6 in physics or chemistry, 12 in electromagnetic fields and telecommunications, and 6 in electronics or computing. A foreign degree must give access to master's study and match these learning outcomes. [2]
Is there an entrance exam?
No written test. A committee reviews your CV and qualifications. In the 2026/27 call for non-EU applicants, at least twice as many candidates as places were invited to a remote oral exam in English, which was mandatory for admission. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2. The regulations ask you to attach proof of B2 to your application, and the committee checks English in an interview if you have none. No specific test or score is listed, so we check which proof your file should include. [1][2]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad had until 11:59 pm Italian time on 30 March 2026. UniCal expects to publish the 2027/28 call around January 2027. [1][4]
How many places and scholarships are there?
For 2026/27, 20 places for non-EU applicants living abroad: 9 with a scholarship covering the enrolment fee, free accommodation, canteen meals and about €3,600 pocket money, and 11 without a scholarship. [1]
I have a B.Tech in Computer Science or a BCA. Can I apply?
Possibly. Computing degrees usually meet the maths and computing blocks, but the rule also asks for 12 credits in electromagnetic fields and telecommunications and 6 in physics or chemistry, which a BCA rarely includes. We check your transcript against each block first. [2]
What will I study?
One study plan covering antennas and propagation, IoT device programming, wireless and mobile radio networks, cloud and edge computing, IoT security, smart and programmable networks, electromagnetic sensors and image diagnostics, and digital economics, ending with an 18-credit thesis written in English. [2]
Can someone handle my whole application to Telecommunication Engineering at UniCal?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against UniCal'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 Telecommunication Engineering?
A recognised Indian B.Tech or B.E. in Electronics and Communication or Telecommunication Engineering can fit if it covers maths, electromagnetic fields, telecommunications and computing, and you also need English at B2. The steps are the Esse3 application, the CV review, the remote oral exam 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 Telecommunication Engineering are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: the Esse3 application, the CV and qualifications review, the remote oral exam 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 Telecommunication Engineering are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: the Esse3 application, the CV and qualifications review, the remote oral exam 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 Telecommunication 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: the Esse3 application, the CV and qualifications review, the remote oral exam 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.
More English-taught programmes at this university
Other public universities in this city
They began right where you are
