Architectural Design (BSc, English track)
Politecnico di Milano · Milan / Piacenza, Italy
Taught in EnglishNo CAO points neededNational architecture testDesign studiosInternship included
⚠ Language warning: The English track is taught in English, but Polimi requires Italian at B2 level before you can graduate. Free Italian courses are offered. The internship language is not stated.
Duration3 years
StartsSept 2027 (TBC)
EntryARCHED test (English)
Deadline (EU)2027 TBC (2026: 16 Jul)
EU fee 2026/27€157–3,943 / yr
About the course
A three-year architecture bachelor’s. Polimi runs an English track at its Piacenza campus, as well as in Milan (Leonardo). You study architectural and urban design, history of architecture, drawing and maths, sociology, urban planning, building physics, structures and materials, and conservation. Design studios are at the centre, linked to subject courses. There are seminars, workshops, study trips and an internship. You graduate with a Laurea in class L-17. Graduates can work in design and construction firms or, after Italy’s professional exam, register as a junior architect. Most go on to a Master of Science in Architecture.
Entry requirements for Irish students
- Polimi follows the Italian Ministry’s rules on foreign school qualifications (usually 12 years of schooling). Its pages do not mention the Leaving Cert or a Declaration of Value. You upload school documents in Online Services during test registration.
- No specific school subjects are required. The test covers logic, reading comprehension, drawing and representation, physics and maths, history and general knowledge.
- English-track students must prove English in one of the ways listed on Polimi’s language page. Polimi exempts citizens of English-speaking countries and holders of an English-taught school qualification.
- Everyone sits the national architecture test (ARCHED), set by the Italian Ministry and run online by CISIA. It is not the TOL. There is an English version for English-taught courses.
- Piacenza’s English track had 50 places in 2026/27, but only 10 were for Italian/EU students. Milan’s English track had 100.
How to apply
- Create a Polimi accountOpen a Polimi Online Services account and register for the ARCHED test. In 2026 registration ran 17 June – 16 July (fee €35).
- Sit the English testThe English ARCHED was on 23 July 2026, taken remotely through CISIA.
- Check the rankingPlaces go by score and your campus preferences. In 2026 rankings were published on 3 August, 24 August and 31 August.
- Enrol quicklyYou have about two days after each ranking to enrol and pay the first instalment.
The 2027/28 call is not yet published; in 2026 test registration closed on 16 July, and EU places on the Piacenza English track are very few.
Costs
- Tuition 2026/27: income-based, from €157.04 up to €3,943.04 a year.
- €35 ARCHED test fee.
- EU students with family income abroad use an ISEEU parificato. The first instalment at enrolment is €880.04 unless you have a low ISEE.
Limited places: meeting the requirements does not guarantee a place.
Checked against the official Politecnico di Milano website on 23 October 2026. The 2027/28 call, test date and fees are not yet published; dates shown are from 2026/27. Always confirm details with the university before applying.
