Politecnico di Milano International Merit Scholarship
The Politecnico di Milano International Merit Scholarship is the university's targeted merit award for the strongest non-EU Master's applicants — distinct from the broader International Merit Award in that it pairs cash funding (€5,000-€11,000 per year) with a full tuition fee waiver, applied across the two-year Master's. Around 50 awards are issued each year across all programmes. Selection is automatic during admission review — no separate application required. Polimi is Italy's #1 university for engineering, design, and architecture, and consistently top-10 in Europe for these fields. Sri Lankan applicants in engineering (Moratuwa graduates particularly strong), design, or architecture are competitive — Polimi has admitted growing Sri Lankan cohorts in recent years.
Open for September 2027 entry — Call 1 closes 7 November 2026; Call 2 closes 26 February 2027. Dates follow the same annual pattern — confirm the current round before applying.
Politecnico di Milano
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Cash Award
€5,000-€11,000/year
Tuition
Full Fee Waiver (~€4,000 saved)
Awards/Year
Up to ~50 Across Programmes
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
Politecnico di Milano — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.
What it covers
€5,000-€11,000/year + Tuition Fee Waiver (Up to ~50 Awards). This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.
Where we come in
We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Strong Bachelor's Degree
Competitive applicants present an upper-second or first-class Bachelor's in a related field. The Polimi admission committee converts your Sri Lankan GPA to the Italian 110-point scale — typically 100/110 and above is competitive.
Non-EU Passport + Non-EU Bachelor's
Reserved for applicants holding a non-EU passport AND a Bachelor's degree obtained outside the European Union. Sri Lankan citizens with Sri Lankan undergraduate degrees qualify automatically.
Admitted to a Polimi Master's
You must apply for one of Polimi's 50+ English-taught (or Italian-taught) Master's programmes in engineering, design, or architecture. The Merit Scholarship is awarded to the top-ranked applicants in each programme.
English Proficiency
Most international Master's at Polimi are taught in English. IELTS 6.0+ or equivalent is the minimum; 6.5+ is competitive. Italian-taught programmes require B2 Italian.
account_tree Application Process
Apply via Polimi Apply portal
Submit your Master's application via apply.polimi.it. Upload transcripts, English certificate, CV, and a motivation letter. The €170 application fee is non-refundable but covers all your programme choices in that round.
Automatic merit ranking
No separate scholarship form — every eligible international applicant is ranked automatically. The admission committee uses your transcripts, CV, and academic profile to determine your merit tier.
Combined offer
Admission and scholarship outcomes are issued together within 6-10 weeks of the round deadline. Your offer letter specifies the cash award amount and confirms the tuition fee waiver.
Renewal in year 2
The scholarship is renewable for the second Master's year contingent on academic progression — typically you must earn at least 40 ECTS in year 1 with a 25/30 weighted average.
Why Politecnico di Milano?
Polimi is consistently ranked the #1 university in Italy for engineering, design, and architecture, and among Europe's top 10 in these fields. Milan is Italy's design and finance capital, with strong industry partnerships with Ferrari, Pirelli, Fendi, Alessi, and other Italian flagship brands. Polimi alumni dominate the European design and luxury-engineering sectors.
#111
QS World Ranking 2026
#7 EU
Engineering & Technology
50+
English-Taught Master's
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
Open the cost calculator arrow_forwardSort courses by lowest fee
The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
Browse lowest-fee courses arrow_forwardWhat Italy actually costs
Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for Italy, in LKR as well as local currency.
See the cost breakdown arrow_forwardCheck your proof of funds
Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
Check the requirement arrow_forwardSimilar Scholarships
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