Master in Transport Systems Engineering at Sapienza University of Rome
Two-year English-taught LM-23 master's at Sapienza University of Rome in transport planning, traffic engineering and ITS, transport modelling and railway engineering. Entry needs an engineering bachelor's with maths, physics and civil credits, and English at B2.
Master
2 years
Rome
English
Sapienza University of Rome
Transport Systems Engineering is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-23) taught in English at Sapienza University of Rome. Entry needs a three-year engineering bachelor's with at least 18 credits in maths, 12 in physics or chemistry and 18 in civil engineering, plus English at B2. There is no admission test. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Sapienza's Transport Systems Engineering master asks for a three-year bachelor's degree in engineering or a recognised equivalent, with at least 48 credits across maths, physics or chemistry and civil engineering subjects, English at B2, and a positive eligibility check and personal knowledge assessment. International candidates also need an average of at least 72/100 or equivalent. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit requirements
You need a three-year bachelor's degree in engineering, or another qualification recognised as equivalent. Before enrolment you must show at least: [1]
- 18 CFU in mathematics: geometry, mathematical analysis, probability, mathematical physics, numerical analysis and operations research (MAT/03, 05, 06, 07, 08 and 09).
- 12 CFU in chemistry, physics or related subjects: CHIM/03, CHIM/07, FIS/01, FIS/07, ING-IND/11 and ING-IND/21.
- 18 CFU in civil engineering subjects: such as hydraulics, environmental engineering, transport, roads and railways, surveying, geotechnics, structures, building and town planning (ICAR/01 to 11, ICAR/17 and ICAR/20).
If you hold a bachelor's degree but do not meet these requirements, the teaching board reviews your academic record and sets the subject gaps you must fill before enrolment. Missing credits can be made up by passing single examinations. [1]
For international candidates, the programme website asks for an engineering bachelor's degree or equivalent, good knowledge of maths and physics, and a cumulative average of at least 72/100 or the equivalent on your grading scale. Candidates short on maths or physics can be given study material to prepare before the year starts. [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 about 25 hours of student work, and Sapienza 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 Civil Engineering with maths, physics or chemistry, and civil subjects such as hydraulics, surveying, structures, geotechnics and transportation engineering.
- Check carefully: a B.Tech or B.E. in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics or Computer Science Engineering usually covers the maths and physics blocks but may lack the 18 credits in civil engineering subjects.
- Often short: a B.Sc. in Mathematics, Physics or Computer Science, a BCA, B.Com, BBA or BA, because the call asks for an engineering bachelor's or a recognised equivalent with civil engineering credits.
Missing credits can be made up through single examinations before enrolment. [1]
English
English at CEFR level B2 or higher, shown by a certificate or by holding a bachelor's or master's degree completed in English. [1] The programme website lists TOEFL and IELTS among accepted certificates but gives no minimum scores, and no Italian certificate is needed. [2]
Eligibility check and personal knowledge assessment
The eligibility check is requested on Sapienza's Infostud system (code 34180) through PagoPA, and the outcome arrives by email. The personal knowledge assessment follows once the entry requirements are met. [1]
The programme website states that there is no admission test: applications are assessed in a pre-selection process. [2]
2026/27 deadlines
Eligibility checks opened on 2 July 2026. Non-EU applicants living abroad who need a student visa had one date: 15 September 2026. Other applicants can choose 15 October, 17 November or 17 December 2026, and 14 January 2027 is reserved for Sapienza graduates and students about to graduate there. [1]
Where the course regulations allow it, applicants still finishing a degree can apply if they graduate by 19 December 2026 (other Italian or international universities) or 23 January 2027 (Sapienza). [1]
Non-EU applicants living abroad
Applicants from non-EU countries who live abroad and need a student visa must hold a pre-acceptance letter before they can enrol. After a positive eligibility check, or once the pre-acceptance letter arrives, holders of a foreign qualification complete Sapienza's enrolment procedure for international students. [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.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Civil and Industrial Engineering. Admission procedure for the Master's degree programme in Transport Systems Engineering (LM-23), academic year 2026-2027, Infostud code 34180. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Transport Systems Engineering master's programme website: entry requirements for Italian and international candidates and programme overview, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- Sapienza University of Rome, Transport Systems Engineering programme pages: overview, study plan for the 2026-2027 cohort and professional opportunities. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Transport Systems Engineering is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-23) taught in English at Sapienza University of Rome. It belongs to the Faculty of Civil and Industrial Engineering and is run with the Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering (DICEA). It is a full-time degree, and each intake starts in September. [1][2][3]
The degree trains engineers to plan, design and manage transport systems. You learn to model mobility demand and transport supply, assess projects on technical, economic and environmental grounds, and run and maintain transport systems, from mobility plans to the operating plans of transport companies. [3]
What you will study
The 2026/27 study plan has a single curriculum. Core units include: [3]
- Sustainable Transport Planning (12 CFU)
- Traffic Engineering and ITS (12 CFU)
- Transport Modelling and Planning (12 CFU)
- Railway Engineering (12 CFU)
You choose 24 CFU from a group of transport options: Geolocation and Navigation, Programming for Transport Systems, Air Transport, Maritime Transport, Road Safety, Transport Infrastructures, Freight Transport and Logistics, Maritime Constructions, Public Transport Management, Transport System Design and Maritime Hydraulics. A further 12 CFU come from Optimization and Decision Science, Safety Management for Territorial Resilience, and Urban and Regional Policies and Planning. [3]
How the programme is taught
Teaching runs full-time over two years in Rome, in English, and no Italian certificate is needed for admission. The degree ends with a final exam worth 21 CFU. [2][3]
Careers
Graduates are trained to take on responsibility and coordinate interdisciplinary teams. Possible employers include European, national and local public administrations, bodies that design, build and manage transport infrastructure and services, vehicle and equipment manufacturers and their service suppliers, freight and logistics companies, engineering and consulting firms, professional practices, insurers and banks. Graduates can also found start-ups and run innovative companies in mobility. [3]
Fees and scholarships
Sapienza sets tuition by family income (ISEE). The regional scholarship body for Rome is DiSCo Lazio, and its scholarship winners also get a tuition waiver, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. The region decides scholarship awards.
How to apply from outside the EU
Non-EU applicants living abroad who need a student visa must hold a pre-acceptance letter from Sapienza's international admissions process. For 2026/27, the eligibility check for this group had a single deadline: 15 September 2026. The check is requested through Sapienza's Infostud system using code 34180. [1]
After a positive eligibility check and personal knowledge assessment, enrolment follows payment of the first fee instalment. Visa applicants also complete Universitaly pre-enrolment and apply for a type D study visa. The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published. [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 Sapienza's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your eligibility check, pre-acceptance request and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your DiSCo Lazio 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 Sapienza's Transport Systems Engineering master?
A three-year bachelor's in engineering or a recognised equivalent, with at least 18 CFU in maths, 12 in chemistry or physics and 18 in civil engineering subjects. For international candidates the programme also asks for an average of at least 72/100 or equivalent. [1][2]
Is there an entrance exam?
No. The programme website states there is no admission test. Sapienza runs an eligibility check of your credits, then a personal knowledge assessment, and international applications go through a pre-selection review. [1][2]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at CEFR B2, shown by a certificate or a bachelor's or master's degree completed in English. TOEFL and IELTS are accepted, but no minimum scores are published, so we check which proof of B2 your file can use. [1][2]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad who need a student visa had one eligibility-check date: 15 September 2026, and they also need a pre-acceptance letter. The 2027/28 calendar is not yet published. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes, where the course regulations allow it. For 2026/27, applicants finishing a degree at another Italian or international university had to graduate by 19 December 2026. [1]
I have a B.Tech in Mechanical or Computer Science Engineering. Can I apply?
Possibly. These degrees usually meet the maths and physics blocks but often lack the 18 credits in civil engineering subjects such as hydraulics, roads, surveying or structures. Missing credits can be made up through single examinations before enrolment. [1]
What will I study?
Core units are Sustainable Transport Planning, Traffic Engineering and ITS, Transport Modelling and Planning, and Railway Engineering, plus options such as Air Transport, Maritime Transport, Road Safety, Freight Transport and Logistics, and Public Transport Management. [3]
What jobs do graduates get?
Graduates work for public administrations, transport infrastructure and service operators, vehicle manufacturers, freight and logistics companies, engineering and consulting firms, insurers and banks, or start their own mobility companies. [3]
Can someone handle my whole application to Transport Systems Engineering at Sapienza?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Sapienza's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the DiSCo Lazio 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 Transport Systems Engineering?
A recognised Indian B.Tech or B.E., especially in Civil Engineering, can meet the rule if it includes at least 18 credits in maths, 12 in physics or chemistry and 18 in civil engineering subjects, with an average of at least 72/100 or equivalent, and you also need English at B2. The steps are the eligibility check, a pre-acceptance letter 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 Transport Systems Engineering are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: eligibility check, pre-acceptance letter 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 Transport Systems Engineering are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: eligibility check, pre-acceptance letter 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 Transport Systems 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: eligibility check, pre-acceptance letter 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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