Master in Telecommunications Engineering: Advanced Technologies and Services at University of L’Aquila
Two-year English-taught LM-27 master's at the University of L'Aquila in wireless, RF and optical communications, networks and ICT security, with two curricula and double degrees in France and Spain. Entry needs maths, physics and engineering credits and English at B2.
Master
2 years
L'Aquila
English
University of L’Aquila
Telecommunications Engineering: Advanced Technologies and Services is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-27) taught in English at the University of L'Aquila. Entry needs a three-year degree with at least 36 credits in maths and basic sciences and 45 in engineering, including electronics, computing and telecommunications, plus English at B2. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
L'Aquila's Telecommunications Engineering master asks for a three-year bachelor's or recognised foreign degree with at least 36 credits in basic sciences and 45 in engineering, English at B2, and a place in the committee's ranking based on your documents and a possible interview. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit requirements
You need a degree of at least three years, or a foreign qualification recognised as suitable, that gives access to this master's. [1][2]
The curricular rule comes from the 2025/26 course regulations, which express it as at least 120 CFU earned in specific subject areas. In particular, you need: [2]
- At least 36 CFU in basic subjects of the Italian information engineering bachelor's (class L-8): computer science and computer engineering (INF/01, ING-INF/05), mathematics (MAT/02, 03 and 05 to 09), statistics (SECS-S/02), chemistry (CHIM/07) and physics (FIS/01, FIS/03). At least 15 of these must be in mathematical analysis or geometry (MAT/05, MAT/03) and at least 9 in physics (FIS/01, FIS/03).
- At least 45 CFU in core engineering subjects of class L-8, including at least 6 CFU in electronics (ING-INF/01, 02), 6 CFU in computer engineering (ING-INF/04, 05) and 9 CFU in telecommunications (ING-INF/02, 03).
The programme council can still admit you if your credits do not fully match this breakdown, after assessing the equivalence of your courses and, if needed, checking what you know. It then gives you guidance on your study plan. Your individual preparation is judged on the results of your bachelor's degree. [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 L'Aquila looks at your subjects, not just your total. [2] As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a B.Tech or B.E. in Electronics and Communication or Telecommunications Engineering, which usually covers the maths, physics, electronics, computing and communications blocks.
- Check carefully: a B.Tech or B.E. in Computer Science, IT or Electrical Engineering, which often has the maths and computing but can fall short on the 9 telecommunications credits or the 6 electronics credits. A B.Sc. in Electronics or Physics can cover the basic block but may not reach 45 engineering credits.
- Often short: a BCA, a B.Sc. in Computer Science or IT, a B.Com, BBA or BA, which usually lack the physics, the engineering block or both.
English
English at CEFR B2 or higher is an admission requirement. [1][2] The 2026/27 call asks for proof at B2 or C1 level, uploaded with the application or sent through ETS (institution code 3676). Certificates issued more than four years ago are not accepted, and the call lists no minimum test scores. [1]
If you studied in English for one or more years, at university or high school, or English is your mother tongue, you can self-certify it in the application. [1]
Selection and interview
There is no written entrance test. After the deadline, the Rector appoints a committee of at least three members, which checks the admission requirements and sets its evaluation criteria. Selection is on titles only, or on titles and an interview. If there is an interview, you are told at least 5 days before. [1]
Each committee draws up a ranking of eligible candidates, which the university may also use to award financial help or grants. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
- Applications: the cohort 2026 call was published on 7 November 2025, and applications on the PICA portal closed on 25 February 2026 at 1:00 pm Italian time. [1]
- Final-year students: could apply if they graduated by 15 August 2026. Admission was conditional until they sent a copy of the degree certificate by that date, or within 10 days of graduating. [1]
- Universitaly pre-enrolment: by 31 July. [3]
The 2027/28 call is not yet published, and it will set the new dates. [1]
Documents and non-EU steps
One application covers at most two programme rankings. All documents must be in English: [1]
- A CV, preferably in Europass format.
- The degree certificate and transcript of the degree you apply with, plus those of any other higher education degrees.
- Official descriptions of your relevant courses, or the self-certification form attached to the call.
- A motivation letter, and up to two reference letters if you have them.
- Proof of English at B2 or C1, or the self-certification.
- An identity document valid in Italy.
Ranked applicants who need a visa register on Universitaly for this programme, and the university approves the pre-enrolment without a further academic review. You can enrol only with a valid study visa. [1]
To enrol you provide your final degree certificate, your transcript, a B2 language certificate, and CIMEA comparability and verification certificates, a declaration of value or an English Diploma Supplement. The consulate may still require a declaration of value for the visa. You then pay a first instalment after arriving in Italy. [3]
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 L'Aquila. Call for the selection of students with a foreign bachelor's degree for master's degrees taught in English, cohort 2026, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of L'Aquila. Teaching regulations of the Master's degree in Telecommunications Engineering: Advanced Technologies and Services (class LM-27), academic year 2025/26 (in Italian). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of L'Aquila. Enrolment of international students page, academic year 2026/27 (in Italian). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of L'Aquila, Telecommunications Engineering: Advanced Technologies and Services programme page, academic year 2026/27 (degree class, language, department and double degree). Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Telecommunications Engineering: Advanced Technologies and Services is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-27) worth 120 ECTS, run by the Department of Information Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics (DISIM) at the University of L'Aquila. [4]
The university lists it as an international course taught in English, with in-person teaching in L'Aquila and double degree agreements with schools in France and Spain. [4]
The course regulations aim to train engineers with solid information engineering skills and specific expertise in telecommunications: digital transmission, wireless systems, broadband network architectures and protocols, photonic networks, RFID and the Internet of Things, signal processing and network security. [2]
It suits graduates in telecommunications, electronic or computer engineering with a strong maths base.
What you will study
You choose one of two curricula. Technologies for Internet, Aerospace, and Digital Health focuses on transmission and signal processing chains for industrial, vehicle, aerospace and healthcare uses.
Networks for Reliable, Secure, and Intelligent Systems covers the design and management of modern networks and services that draw on artificial intelligence, cloud and cybersecurity. Units in the 2025/26 study plan include: [2]
- Digital Communications and Digital Electronic Systems (9 ECTS each, both curricula)
- Wireless Communications (9 ECTS) and Wireless Channels, MIMO and Beamforming (6 ECTS)
- Combinatorics and Cryptography, and Advanced ICT Security (6 ECTS each)
- Statistical Signal Processing and Multimedia (6 ECTS)
- Curriculum 1 units such as Antennas and RF Subsystems, RF Design for Internet of Things, Radars and Sensing, and Biomedicine Data Analysis and Processing for Digital Health
- Curriculum 2 units such as Advanced and Software Defined Networks, Network Algorithms, Machine Learning for Smart Cities Automation, Optical Communications, and Design of Access, Metro, and Core Networks
- Further training and internship (6 ECTS in each year) and a 12 ECTS final dissertation
How the programme is taught
Alongside lectures, the regulation points to internships in university laboratories and at partner companies, naming firms in Italy such as Leonardo, Thales Alenia Space, Telespazio, WindTre, TIM and Intel, and abroad such as ABB and Ericsson in Sweden. [2]
The thesis is theoretical or experimental work that can be carried out at a company, research centre or university lab, and it can be written and defended in English. It is worth 12 credits. [2]
Selected students can earn a double degree: through the Italy and France STIC&A agreement with schools including CentraleSupélec, ENSEA, ESIEE Paris, Université Paris-Saclay and Université Grenoble Alpes, or by spending the second year at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona for a double degree in Applied Telecommunications and Engineering Management. [2]
Career paths
The regulation prepares graduates to work as telecommunications engineers in research and development labs and in the design, planning and management of complex systems, with access to senior technical roles. Typical employers are:
- Companies that design or manufacture telecommunications systems and equipment
- Network operators running complex telecommunications systems
- Organisations that deliver services over telecommunications networks
- Fields such as mobile radio, optical technologies, remote sensing and applied electromagnetics, and internetworking
The degree also leads on to second-level university masters and PhD programmes. [2]
Fees and scholarships
Tuition at the University of L'Aquila is set by family income.
In the 2026/27 fee guide the lowest band (ISEE up to €24,000) pays no annual contribution, and non-EU students not resident in Italy are assigned to it by default, so this degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Keeping the exemption after the first year depends on earning minimum credits. Every student pays a first instalment at enrolment, after arriving in Italy with the study visa. [3] ADSU L'Aquila runs the regional scholarships.
How to apply from outside the EU
We check your credits first: the course regulations ask for at least 36 credits in basic subjects such as maths, physics, computing and chemistry, and 45 credits in engineering, with minimums in electronics, computer engineering and telecommunications. [2]
Applicants with a foreign degree then apply through the university's call for master's degrees taught in English on the PICA portal. For 2026/27 it closed on 25 February 2026 at 1:00 pm Italian time. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]
A committee reviews your CV, transcripts, course descriptions, motivation letter and proof of English, and may call you for an interview. It then publishes a ranking of eligible candidates. [1]
Once you are ranked, we complete your Universitaly pre-enrolment, which the university approves without a further academic review, and you apply for a type D study visa. You can enrol only with a valid study visa. [1] At enrolment you provide CIMEA comparability and verification certificates, a declaration of value or an English Diploma Supplement. [3]
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 L'Aquila's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your PICA application with CV, transcripts, course descriptions and motivation letter, 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 Telecommunications Engineering at L'Aquila?
A degree of at least three years or a recognised foreign equivalent, with at least 36 credits in basic subjects (15 in analysis or geometry, 9 in physics) and 45 in engineering, including 6 in electronics, 6 in computer engineering and 9 in telecommunications. You also need English at B2. [2]
Is there an entrance exam?
No written test. A committee checks your requirements and ranks you on your titles, such as CV, transcripts, course descriptions and motivation letter. It may add an interview, announced at least 5 days ahead. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at B2 or higher. The 2026/27 call accepts B2 or C1 proof issued in the last four years and lists no minimum scores. If you studied in English for at least one year, at university or high school, you can self-certify it. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, applications on the PICA portal closed on 25 February 2026 at 1:00 pm Italian time, after the call opened in November 2025. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes, if you graduate in time. The 2026/27 call accepted applicants due to graduate by 15 August 2026, with conditional admission until they sent the degree certificate. [1]
I have a B.Tech in Computer Science or a BCA. Can I apply?
Possibly. A B.Tech in Computer Science often covers maths and computing but can lack the 9 telecommunications or 6 electronics credits. A BCA is often short on physics and engineering. The programme council can admit students who do not fully match the credit breakdown after an equivalence review. [2]
Is the course fully taught in English?
Yes. The university lists English as the teaching language. Under the course regulations, a module can switch to Italian only if no foreign students attend and the class asks for it, and the thesis can be written and defended in English. [2][4]
Can I earn a double degree?
Yes, if selected. The STIC&A agreement links the course with French engineering schools such as CentraleSupélec and ESIEE Paris, and a second year at UPC Barcelona leads to a double degree in Applied Telecommunications and Engineering Management. [2]
Can someone handle my whole application to Telecommunications Engineering at L'Aquila?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against L'Aquila'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 Telecommunications Engineering?
A recognised three-year Indian engineering bachelor's, such as a B.Tech or B.E. in Electronics and Communication, can meet the rule if it covers 36 credits in maths and basic sciences and 45 in engineering, including electronics, computing and telecommunications. You also need English at B2. The steps are the PICA application, the committee ranking 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 Telecommunications Engineering are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: PICA application, committee ranking 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 Telecommunications Engineering are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: PICA application, committee ranking 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 Telecommunications 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: PICA application, committee ranking 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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