Admission, country by country and university by university
Pick a country, then a university, and you get its entry requirements, the exact procedure, the 2026/27 intake dates and when each step must start. Most applications fail on sequencing, not talent.
Intake at a glance
2026/27 intake — how much runway is left
Months of preparation each route still needs
From today to submitting a complete application
Chance of starting in 2026 if you begin this month
Higher bar = more realistic for the 2026/27 intake
Drill down
Country → university → admission procedure
Italy — round-based applications and a visa pre-application
Country rule: you apply in rounds, and the visa goes through the Universitaly pre-application after the offer.
- Portfolio and motivation letter carry the most weight for design master's
- IELTS Academic 6.5+ is the safe target; check whether your track is Italian or English
- Non-EU rounds usually run November to April for a September start
- Degree and transcripts may need translation and legalisation for enrolment
- Two-year MSc — plan documents, funding and housing for both years
Now drill into the university
Politecnico di Milano
MSc Interior and Spatial Design
Intake: September 2026 start (2026/27 academic year), two-year MSc
Deadline: Non-EU rounds run from roughly November to April with English certification required by 21 Feb 2026 for the scholarship-linked round.
Entry requirements
- Bachelor's in interior design, architecture or a closely related design subject
- Portfolio of 15–20 pages showing plans, sections, renders and process work
- English certificate — IELTS Academic 6.5 is the safe planning target
- Motivation letter, CV, transcripts and degree certificate
Admission procedure, step by step
- Create the Apply@polimi account and choose MSc Interior and Spatial Design
- Upload transcripts, degree, portfolio, CV and motivation letter
- Pay the evaluation fee and submit inside the round's window
- Wait for the evaluation result, then accept and pay the first instalment
- Complete the Universitaly visa pre-application with the acceptance letter
- Apply for the study visa, then enrol and register in Milan
When to get started
Start now — portfolio and IELTS must be finished before the round you target.
Official links
- University site:polimi.it
- Apply / application portal:polimi.it — Apply@polimi
- Scholarships & fees:polimi.it — fees and funding
- Study-visa pre-application:universitaly.it
Compare
Intake dates and deadlines side by side
| University | Intake | Apply between | Language / test | Start preparing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Politecnico di Milano | Sept 2026 (2 yrs) | Nov 2025 – Apr 2026 rounds | IELTS 6.5 + portfolio | Immediately |
| IUAV Venice | 2027/28 | Winter before intake | IELTS 6.5–7.0 | Over the next 12 months |
| Domus Academy | Autumn 2026 | Rolling | IELTS 6.0–6.5 | Anytime, budget permitting |
| Hochschule Düsseldorf | Winter 2026 (Sept/Oct) | Mar – 15 Jul 2026 | Aptitude test + portfolio | Immediately |
| Hochschule Kaiserslautern | Winter 2026 (3 sem) | Mar – mid-Jul 2026 | Portfolio + English proof | Immediately |
| Whitecliffe Berlin | Autumn 2026 | Rolling | B2 English + 10 works | Only as a backup |
| AUD Dubai | Fall 2026 (Aug/Sept) | Jan – Jun 2026 | IELTS 6.5 | Start attestation now |
| Abu Dhabi University | Fall 2026 (Sept) | Jan – Jul 2026 | IELTS 6.5 + CGPA 3.5 for waiver | Start CGPA conversion now |
| AUE Dubai | Fall 2026 (new) | Confirm directly | IELTS 6.5 | Verify before applying |
When to get started
Month-by-month plan from today
Week 1–2
Book IELTS Academic and email three international offices
Ask one question: does this programme accept an Indian Interior Design bachelor's? Save every reply.
Week 2–6
Finish the 15–20 page portfolio and start document attestation
Degree, transcripts, passport; translations and legalisation where required.
Week 6–10
Submit uni-assist pre-check and prepare the aptitude-test material
This is the long pole for Germany's winter 2026 intake.
Jan – Apr 2026
Submit applications: Italy rounds, UAE Fall 2026, Germany winter 2026
Send every scholarship and waiver request in the same weeks.
May – Jul 2026
Accept the offer, arrange visa funds and apply for housing
Housing is the biggest practical constraint — apply the day the offer arrives.
Aug – Oct 2026
Visa, travel, enrolment and first day of class
UAE starts late August, Germany and Italy September/October.
Universal sequence
The twelve steps, in the order they must happen
Confirm programme eligibility
Degree, transcript and course list against the prerequisites — confirm Interior Design is accepted, not architecture only.
Take IELTS Academic
Target 6.5+ with no weak band. Book now; results take about two weeks.
Build the portfolio
10–20 strongest projects: plans, sections, renders, sketches, process and outcomes.
Write the statement of purpose
Why a master's, which design questions interest her, career goal, why that university.
Prepare CV and references
Academic/professional CV plus one or two recommendation letters where required.
Assemble academic and legal documents
Degree certificate, transcripts, passport, translations and attestation.
Apply to universities
Official portals only. Record every application ID and deadline.
Apply for scholarships separately
Admission is not funding. Each call has its own timeline.
Receive and read the offer
Conditional vs unconditional, tuition, deposit and acceptance deadline.
Apply for visa / residence permit
Financial proof and health insurance; calculate the blocked-funds amount early.
Lock accommodation
Apply as early as possible — the largest practical constraint and cost variable.
Travel and enrol
Pay, register, collect residence documents and begin classes.
IELTS target
- Plan for IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no weak band
- AUD lists 6.5 for graduate admission; Berlin-based programmes ask for CEFR B2
- Politecnico requires an English certificate per its programme rules
- 7.0 gives breathing room — treat 6.5 as the minimum planning target
Germany's eligibility trap
- Not every architecture master's accepts an Interior Design bachelor's
- Frankfurt UAS's Advanced Architecture MSc, for example, targets architecture graduates
- Prioritise programmes that name Interior Design or Interior Architecture explicitly
- Get the confirmation by email before paying any application fee
Right now
2026 action checklist
| Priority | Action | Status |
|---|---|---|
| A | Confirm exact bachelor's degree name, university and graduation year | Pending |
| A | Confirm whether the bachelor's was taught in English | Pending |
| A | Book IELTS Academic; target 6.5–7.0 | Pending |
| A | Create the final 15–20 page portfolio | Pending |
| A | Prepare passport, transcripts and degree certificate | Pending |
| B | Shortlist 6–9 programmes from the university tables | Pending |
| B | Check the 2026 deadline on each official portal | Urgent |
| B | Submit scholarship and financial-aid applications separately | Urgent |
| C | Compare accommodation before accepting any offer | Pending |
| C | Calculate the visa financial-proof requirement | Pending |