Enrolment procedures and deadlines

Access requirements

In order to be admitted to the degree course, the student must hold an Upper Secondary School Diploma or another recognised foreign qualification. Good knowledge of spoken and written Italian, reasoning skills, knowledge and aptitude for using the fundamentals of elementary mathematics and experimental science are required.

The knowledge specified above can be verified by a nationwide test conducted by CISIA (Inter-University Centre for Access to Engineering and Architecture Schools). Students who show significant gaps in this test relating to scientific and linguistic knowledge, which is considered a prerequisite for admission, and students who do not take the test will be assigned Additional Training Obligations (OFAs) to be completed in accordance with the procedures defined in the course regulations.

Admission procedures

Qualification required

In order to be admitted onto the degree course, the student must hold an Upper Secondary School Diploma or another recognised foreign qualification.

Entrance test

Although admission is not dependent on passing an entrance test (there are no fixed or scheduled numbers), participation in an orientation test, TOLC (Test On Line CISIA), organised nationwide by a certified external body is compulsory. The test is recommended for enrolment in all engineering degree courses at the University of Parma and is valid nationally, i.e. it is valid for access to engineering degree courses at all CISIA member universities (approximately 40).

The test consists of a series of multiple-choice questions on topics in mathematics, physical and chemical sciences, logic and verbal comprehension. The level of depth of each subject is that acquired in high school. The test is for orientation purposes; it is not selective but is compulsory for the purposes of identifying  training gaps; in fact, the purpose of the test, which is not binding for enrolment, is to check the students' initial preparation, make them aware of the skills they possess and identify any training gaps to be filled, in accordance with the procedures defined by each degree course.

The test is conducted at the University of Parma's Engineering Department, on an IT platform, and is held in several sessions between March and July. A remedial test session is also scheduled after the conclusion of the 'Maths Precourse', which takes place every year in September for a duration of approximately three weeks. The test may be retaken up to the remedial session of the year of enrolment, however, those who, at the end of all test sessions, have not exceeded the minimum thresholds will be assigned an Additional Training Obligation (OFA) to be completed as specified in the course regulations.

In 2020, following the COVID-19 virus pandemic, CISIA set up a new module for remote TOLC, called TOLC@CASA.
The experimental project involves delivering TOLCs directly to students' homes through the use of two devices connected to the Internet:
- a fixed or mobile PC (henceforth PC) on which the current CISIA client will be used to carry out the TOLC;
- a smartphone/tablet (henceforth mobile device) to be used as a control tool for virtual classroom commissions, through a special mobile app.