Politecnico di Milano offers merit-based international scholarships to the most talented international candidates admitted to a Master of Science programme taught in English that starts in the first semester of academic year 2027/2028. Every scholarship includes a full tuition-fee waiver, and the top awards add a gross allowance of up to €10,000. The scholarship application closes on 15 December 2026 at 12:00 noon (Italian time). At Youth Works Hub, we read the official call and the university's scholarship page to bring the amounts, rules and steps together.
Five Scholarship Types and What Each One Pays
The call offers 64 scholarships in five categories. All of them include a tuition-fee waiver for the academic year for which they are assigned. Students who win pay only a non-refundable administrative fee.
🥇 Platinum Scholarships (Milan): 10 awards of €10,000 gross each, plus the tuition-fee waiver
🏅 Gold Scholarships (Milan): 18 awards of €8,000 gross each, plus the tuition-fee waiver
🏆 Gold Piacenza Campus Scholarships: 16 awards of €5,000 gross each, plus the tuition-fee waiver
🎖️ Bronze Piacenza Campus Scholarships: 10 awards of €2,500 gross each, plus the tuition-fee waiver
🥈 Silver Scholarships (Cremona, Lecco, Mantova and Piacenza Campuses): 10 awards that consist of a tuition-fee waiver for the whole academic year, with the exception of the administrative fee and insurance
Which Master's Programmes Qualify for Which Scholarship
🏙️ Platinum and Gold (Milan): all international students who apply to the first year of Master of Science programmes taught in English at the Milano Leonardo or Milano Bovisa campuses
🌱 Gold Piacenza: international students applying to the first year of the MSc in Sustainable Architecture and Landscape Design (SAL), Landscape Architecture – Land Landscape Heritage (LLH) or Energy Engineering (Renewables and Environmental Sustainability, RES) at the Piacenza Campus
⚙️ Bronze Piacenza: international students applying to the first year of the MSc in Mechanical Engineering (Mechatronics for Manufacturing) at the Piacenza Campus
🏫 Silver: international students applying to the first year of MSc programmes taught in English at the Cremona, Lecco, Mantova or Piacenza campuses
Who Can Apply
The scholarships target international students, and the page sets no country restriction. To take part in the call you must meet the conditions below:
📝 You have submitted your admission application to the first year of an MSc programme taught in English
💳 You paid the admission application fee between 1 October 2026 and 1 December 2026 (the early bird period)
🌐 You submit a valid English language certificate by 4 March 2027
📅 You apply for a programme that starts in the first semester of 2027/2028
Only students who have already applied for admission to the MSc programme can apply to this call.
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How Winners Are Selected
A specific Commission appointed by the Head of the Campus Life Area awards the scholarships. The Vice Rector for International Relations and the Heads of Schools or their delegates are members. The commission considers only applicants who have been admitted to the degree programme and who accept the results of the evaluation.
⚖️ Priority: candidates from countries that have been victims of military aggression or are affected by civil wars
📊 Criteria: merit, geographic origin, gender balance and the candidates' ages
🧒 Tie-break: in the event of a tie, priority goes to the younger candidate
🎓 Academic record: the university states that GPA and academic achievements, including the portfolio when requested, are of utmost importance
📚 Evaluation basis: your previous education and its match with the MSc requirements, the documents provided at application and the scholarship application form
For more guidance, read our tips on how to write a scholarship motivation letter.
Notification and Acceptance
📧 Results: sent to the email address you gave in the admission application, within three to four months after the application deadline
💶 Acceptance: recipients accept by paying only the administrative fee, which the call document puts at approximately €190, following the instructions of the Student Affairs Office (the university's scholarship page mentions about €170)
✅ Admission condition: "accept the results of the evaluation" means you accepted the outcome of your admission application and uploaded a valid language certificate, verified by the International Students Office, on the admission platform
⏰ Deadline to pay: if the administrative fee is not paid by the deadline in the award email, the scholarship is considered not accepted
🎒 Enrolment: recipients must enrol in the academic year for which the scholarship is assigned by the specified deadlines, otherwise the scholarship is lost even if it was accepted
How and When the Money Is Paid
To receive the amount, recipients upload their IBAN in Online Services under Data > Management of payment methods. The IBAN must be linked to:
🏦 An Italian bank account, or one in the SEPA area, held in the student's name
👪 An Italian or SEPA account held jointly with a family member or another person
💳 A prepaid card linked to an Italian or SEPA account, held only in the student's name, with a minimum credit limit equal to or higher than the scholarship amount
Instalments:
🥇 Platinum: €5,000 gross at the beginning of the semester, then €5,000 gross after verification that you took at least two exams in the first scholarship semester
🏅 Gold: €4,000 gross at the beginning of the semester, then €4,000 gross after at least one exam in the first scholarship semester
🏆 Gold Piacenza: €2,500 gross at the start of the semester, then €2,500 gross after at least one exam in the first semester (funded by Piacenza Campus)
🎖️ Bronze Piacenza: a single instalment of €2,500 gross at the beginning of the semester (funded by Piacenza Campus)
🥈 Silver: a tuition-fee exemption for the whole academic year, with a detailed payment schedule in the confirmation email
Merit-Based International Scholarships are treated as income equivalent to employment income under the scholarship tax rules. The taxes covered by the university correspond to the applicable IRAP rate for the fiscal year.
Renewal for the Second Year
The scholarships assigned for 2027/2028 can be renewed for 2028/2029. To renew, the sum of your exam grades multiplied by their ECTS credits must reach a minimum number of points by 10 August 2028:
🔢 Platinum: 1,000 points
🔁 Gold, Bronze and Silver: 700 points
Extra ECTS, internships and ECTS from a separate academic career, even when validated by the university (credits marked "C" on the study plan), do not count. The recipient must continue in the same MSc programme. A renewed scholarship lets you enrol in 2028/2029 by paying only the administrative fee. Without renewal you pay both the administrative fee and the tuition fees.
Rules to Know: Incompatibility, Withdrawal and Suspension
🚫 Incompatibility: the scholarship cannot be combined with other scholarships from Politecnico di Milano or any other public or private entity, Italian or foreign, except those issued for participation in international mobility programmes. If you receive another incompatible award, you have ten days from the latest award to email the university and state which scholarship you keep and which you decline, otherwise all benefits are suspended
🚪 Withdrawal: the scholarships last at least one academic year. If you withdraw before the end of that year, you lose the scholarship and must return the amount received up to the withdrawal date, and you must notify the Financial Aid Unit promptly
⏸️ Suspension: if you temporarily suspend your studies, you can ask to suspend the scholarship benefits and explain why, for no longer than one academic year
🔎 Verification: the university may verify the truthfulness of your statements even after awarding the scholarships, and false statements bring the sanctions set by Italian law
Other Scholarships at Politecnico di Milano
The university's page also lists related options for international students:
🎒 Bachelor of Science: students admitted to a BSc programme can apply for the Diritto allo Studio (DSU) scholarships, issued through a yearly call. The university also offers scholarships for international students applying to the BSc in Process Engineering at the Cremona Campus or the BSc in Industrial Engineering at the Piacenza Campus
🏛️ Master of Science, DSU: financial and merit-based scholarships through a yearly call
🇮🇹 Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation: a number of scholarships for international students every year
🌐 Invest Your Talent in Italy: additional scholarships for applicants to the first semester (September intake) from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mexico, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Tunisia, Türkiye and Vietnam
If you want to compare funding routes, see how government scholarships in Europe work.
How to Apply
🖥️ Submit the scholarship application form only through Politecnico di Milano Online Services, from 1 October 2026 until 12:00 noon (Italian time) on 15 December 2026
🧭 Follow this path: Benefits and Agreements > Economic benefits > Scholarships for International Master of Science Students a.y. 2027-2028
🚫 No other method of application is accepted, under penalty of disqualification
🗂️ Make sure your MSc admission application and its fee are already in place, and add your English certificate by 4 March 2027
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply for the Politecnico di Milano merit-based scholarships?
International students who submitted an admission application to the first year of an English-taught MSc programme and paid the application fee between 1 October and 1 December 2026. The page sets no country restriction.
How much is the scholarship worth?
Platinum awards pay €10,000 gross, Gold €8,000, Gold Piacenza €5,000 and Bronze Piacenza €2,500, all with a tuition-fee waiver. Silver awards are a tuition-fee waiver for the academic year.
What is the application deadline?
The scholarship application must be submitted by 12:00 noon Italian time on 15 December 2026, through Politecnico di Milano Online Services.
Do I need an English certificate?
Yes. A valid certificate of English language proficiency must be submitted by 4 March 2027 to be considered for a scholarship.
When will I hear the result?
The outcome is communicated within three to four months after the application deadline, to the email address you gave in your admission application.
Can I renew the scholarship for a second year?
Yes, for 2028/2029, if you reach 1,000 points (Platinum) or 700 points (Gold, Bronze, Silver) by 10 August 2028 and stay in the same MSc programme.
Can I keep another scholarship together with this one?
No. It is incompatible with other scholarships, except those issued for international mobility programmes. If you receive another one, you must choose within ten days.
Deadline
⏳ 15 December 2026
Links
🔗 Official scholarship page: https://www.polimi.it/en/prospective-students/how-much-does-it-cost/scholarships
📄 Call for applications (academic year 2027/2028, PDF): https://www.polimi.it/fileadmin/user_upload/futuri_studenti/borse-di-studio/Merit_Based_Call_For_Applications_a.y._2027-2028.pdf
📧 Financial Aid Unit contact: international-scholarships@polimi.it
