Admission

We strive for a brighter future that works for everyone.

We’re looking for empathetic innovators. Mindful trailblazers. Those who are equally driven by heart and intellect, curiosity and logic. People who are eager to enlarge their perspectives, energize progress, and spark meaningful change for the future. If that sounds like you, you’ll feel at home at TSD.

No two TSD students are alike. Every year, our Masters welcome recent university graduates seeking careers in development and professionals from the public sector—including the UN, EU, and NGOs—as well as private enterprises.

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We transform learning. You reshape the world.

At TSD, we promote a culture of results-based learning. That means you're encouraged to participate in class, apply your skills in research projects, and complete assignments through our online platform.

Our Masters are blended and intensive. You'll work online and in the classroom.

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Let's get started.

Here’s what we need from you:

  • Bachelor’s degree (of minimum 3 years’ duration) from a recognized university-level academic institution
  • Evidence of English proficiency

Recognition of foreign degrees

 

University of Turin

If you hold an academic qualification awarded outside Italy, you must provide the course secretary of each Master with the following documentation:

1. original/certified copy of your foreign degree (bachelor’s degree of minimum 3 years’ duration), accompanied by:

  • a certified translation into Italian (the translation into Italian is not required if the original document is issued in English, French or Spanish); 
  • one of the following verification systems/certificates: 
    • Statement of verification (“Attestato di verifica”) issued by the Italian ENIC-NARIC centre CIMEA; 
    • Apostille/legalization by the competent Italian diplomatic-consular mission abroad (if required depending on the foreign country where the document was issued); 
    • Direct verification: as an alternative you can ask your foreign Institution/University to send the required documents to the International Students Desk directly to mastertitoloestero@unito.it by means of an official email address or an official certificate verification system adopted by the foreign HEI/University, so that the office can verify their authenticity. Please make sure to ask your foreign HEI/Institution to include your “Master” in cc of the above email; 

2. original/certified copy of the transcripts of records (listing all the exams taken and grades – referring to the Bachelor’s degree), issued by the foreign Institution/University, accompanied by: 

  • a certified translation into Italian (the translation into Italian is not required if the original document is issued in English, French or Spanish) 
  • one of the following verification systems/certificates:
    • Apostille/legalization by the competent Italian diplomatic-consular mission abroad (if required depending on the foreign country where the document was issued); 
    • Direct verification: as an alternative you can ask your foreign Institution/University to send the required documents to the International Students Desk directly to mastertitoloestero@unito.it by means of an official email address or an official certificate verification system adopted by the foreign HEI/University, so that the office can verify their authenticity. Please make sure to ask your foreign HEI/Institution to include your “Master’s secretariat” in cc of the above email.

3. If you hold a Diploma Supplement in English, with Apostille/legalization by the competent Italian diplomatic-consular mission abroad (if required depending on the foreign country where the document was issued) or Direct verification, this document may be provided as an alternative to Bachelor’s degree and transcripts of records (only if the transcripts of records are included in the Diploma Supplement);

4. photocopy of your ID card/passport;

5. photocopy of your Italian fiscal code (“codice fiscale”, issued by the competent Italian Embassy/Consulate).

If you do not hold all required documents listed above at the time of application, you will be enrolled under a provisional status (“ammissione con riserva”) and you will have to submit all missing documents within one month from the end of your master’s programme.

 

Politecnico di Torino

If your degree was awarded by a non-Italian University, upon enrollment you must submit the original copy of the Dichiarazione di Valore / Statement of validity (related to your degree) issued by the Italian Diplomatic Mission in the country where the qualification was awarded or Attestato di Comparabilità /Statement of Comparability issued by the CIMEA Centre.

If your degree was awarded by a European university, you can submit your Diploma Supplement instead of the Dichiarazione di Valore / Statement of validity.



The Dichiarazione di Valore should be accompanied by:

  • A Certified copy of your Bachelor’s Degree;
  • A Certified copy of Transcripts including the final grade and the full list of the exams you have taken and the corresponding grades.

 All documents must be submitted in Italian or in English.

 A certified translation into English or Italian is required if the original document is issued in languages other than English or Italian.

 If you do not submit your Statement of validity, you can enrol in the programme with condition, but you must present this document within 6 months from the beginning of the programme.

 

Also required:

  1. photocopy of your ID card/passport;
  2. photocopy of your Italian fiscal code (“codice fiscale”, issued by the competent Italian Embassy/Consulate)

Selection procedure

 

Compulsory documents for application:

  1. copy of Bachelor’s degree (of minimum 3 years’ duration)*;
  2. copy of transcripts of records including the final grade and the full list of the exams taken and the corresponding grades (referring to the Bachelor’s degree)*;
  3. Curriculum Vitae
  4. Motivation letter
  5. Evidence of English proficiency

*For the University of Turin, the translation into Italian is not required if the original document is issued in English, French or Spanish.

For the Politecnico di Torino, the translation into Italian is not required if the original document is issued in English.

The selection procedure is jointly implemented by the Centre and the University of Turin or the Politecnico di Torino:

  1. Pre-selection of candidatures made by each Master’s Scientific Committee;
  2. Submission of pre-selected candidatures to either the University of Turin or the Politecnico di Torino, who will verify the accreditation of the foreign institution that issued the certificates. 
  3. Assessment by either the University of Turin or the Politecnico di Torino of the missing documents that students will have to submit in order to finalize their enrolment.

Masters’ secretariats are in charge of document collection from the students and submission to either the University of Turin or the Politecnico di Torino.

Payment

 

Sponsoring institutions and self-paying participants are strongly encouraged to pay participation fees early in order to secure enrollment and the timely issue of visas. The individual participation fees are payable in full and all bank charges (bank of origin, corresponding bank and recipient bank) will be entirely borne by the participant or the sponsoring institution(s).

 The payment schedule for the Masters’ Programme is as follows:

  1. a non-refundable enrollment fee of €1,500 to be invoiced at pre-enrolled status and payable prior to enrollment. The participant may not be enrolled and/or start the distance learning phase unless such payment is received in full;
  2. the remainder of the tuition fees to be invoiced after enrollment and payable at the latest 30 days prior to the start of the face-to-face learning phase;
  3. 100% of the accommodation fees payable 30 days prior to the start date of the face-to-face learning phase otherwise the room will be made available to other participants.

Any delay in the submission of the final thesis and/or project will be subject to an additional fee of €500 to be borne by the participant or the sponsoring institution(s).

Cancellation and refund policy

 

Cancellation of participation in Masters will result in the following penalties:

  • Tuition fees: 
    • €1,500, being non-refundable enrolment fee (cancellation at any time);
    • No refund of the remainder of the tuition fees if cancellation is made after the start of the face-to-face learning phase.
  • Accommodation fees (B&B): 
    • No penalty will be applied on accommodation fees if written notification of cancellation is made at least 14 days prior to the start date of the face-to-face learning phase;
    • Thereafter, a fixed penalty of €1,000 will apply on accommodation fees in addition to any accommodation costs already incurred. This will be calculated on a weekly basis (i.e. actual number of weeks and portions thereof);
    • In case of change of room type or occupancy option, a fixed penalty fee of €500 per person will apply.

Refunds, where and as applicable, will be processed with all bank charges to be borne by the participant or the sponsoring institution(s).

A participant for whom the University of Turin or the Politecnico di Torino refuses to recognize their national education certificates will receive a full reimbursement of the already paid fees less the non-refundable enrollment fee. This will also apply when a participant is refused a visa to travel to Italy in the course of a Master.

Force majeure

 

In case of an emergency situation or of force majeure, ITCILO, upon agreement with the other partner institutions, might decide to reconvert the residential phase of the Master into online lessons and exams.

Frequently Asked Questions
Application, selection, scholarships and cancellation
  1. Click on "Apply" on the main page of this Master and you will get to the online application form
  2. Fill in the requested information and attach the supporting documents requested in the form
  3. Once you have completed your application, click on "Submit"
  4. You should then receive an email acknowledging receipt of your application

Note: Before applying, please check the prerequisites for admission and the technical requirements for the distance learning component.

If you are unable to submit the application form online, please contact the school or the course secretariat.

You should attach the requested supporting documents in the Supporting Documents section of the on-line application form (An asterisk(*) indicates that a field is mandatory).

Official documents should be uploaded in one of the following formats (in pdf. jpeg. word.)

 The documents include a copy of:

  1. A recent curriculum vitae (CV);
  2. Motivation letter;
  3. Bachelor’s degree of minimum 3 years’ duration;
  4. Transcripts of records listing both exams taken and grades;
  5. Certificates or other proof of a good level of English (if it is not your mother tongue)
  6. If you are applying for a partial fellowship, kindly submit a request for a fellowship; 

Important: Only complete application forms will be accepted by the online application system.

NOTE:

Regarding Bachelor’s Degree and Transcripts of records:

  • For the University of Turin, the translation into Italian is not required if the original document is issued in English, French or Spanish.
  • For the Politecnico di Torino, the translation into Italian is not required if the original document is issued in English.
  • You should have successfully completed a first-level university degree (of at least 3 years).
  • English language fluency (evidence of English language fluency is required).

Note: Non-Italian degrees must be recognized under Italian law and regulations and by either the University of Turin or the Politecnico di Torino (see Recognition of foreign degrees). 

A first level Master does not give access to any PhD programmes unless students hold an academic qualification of a minimum of 5 years.

The selection criteria take into consideration your education and professional profile as well as your self-financial potential. On your application form, you are kindly requested to indicate the portion of the tuition fee and full board that you are able to finance.

Tuition fees are €9,400

A limited number of partial scholarships may become available through contributions by public and private sponsors in Italy on a competitive basis. These partial scholarships are intended to supplement the financial capability of deserving participants from developing and transition countries who would otherwise not be able to pursue their Master’s study without any external financial support.

The payment schedule for the Masters’ Programme is as follows:

  1. a non-refundable enrollment fee of €1,500 to be invoiced at pre-enrolled status and payable prior to enrollment. The participant may not be enrolled and/or start the distance learning phase unless such payment is received in full;
  2. the remainder of the tuition fees to be invoiced after enrollment and payable at the latest 30 days prior to the start of the face-to-face learning phase;
  3. 100% of the accommodation fees payable 30 days prior to the start date of the face-to-face learning phase otherwise the room will be made available to other participants.

If a full or partial balance is still outstanding by the last day of the Master, the Activity Manager will not provide the participant with the relevant degree from either the University of Turin or the Politecnico di Torino, until full payment has been received.

Any delay in the submission of the final thesis and/or project will be subject to an additional fee of €500 to be borne by the participant or the sponsoring institution(s).

Cancellation of participation in Masters will result in the following penalties:

  • Tuition fees: 
    • €1,500, being non-refundable enrolment fee (cancellation at any time);
    • No refund of the remainder of the tuition fees if cancellation is made after the start of the face-to-face learning phase.
  • Accommodation fees: 
    • No penalty will be applied on accommodation fees if written notification of cancellation is made at least 14 days prior to the start date of the face-to-face learning phase;
    • Thereafter, a fixed penalty of €1,000 will apply on accommodation fees in addition to any accommodation costs already incurred. This will be calculated on a weekly basis (i.e. actual number of weeks and portions thereof);
    • In case of change of room type or occupancy option, a fixed penalty fee of €500 per person will apply.

Refunds, where and as applicable, will be processed with all bank charges to be borne by the participant or the sponsoring institution(s).

A participant for whom the University of Turin or the Politecnico di Torino refuses to recognize their national education certificates will receive a full reimbursement of the already paid fees less the non-refundable enrollment fee. This will also apply when a participant is refused a visa to travel to Italy in the course of a Master.

About the Masters

Please refer to Recognition of foreign degrees either for the University of Turin or the Politecnico di Torino.

Upon completion of the Master, you will be awarded a First Level Master’s Degree.

A University Master is a high specialization for an academic improvement and enhancement in a specific content area, in order to provide graduate students with advanced education and training for highly qualified professions in specific sectors. It provides a minimum of 60 university training credits (the equivalent of 1500 hours of study).

For more information please visit: http://www.miur.it/guida/capitolo3.htm or https://education.ec.europa.eu/education-levels/higher-education/inclusive-and-connected-higher-education/european-credit-transfer-and-accumulation-system 

The Centre will have your diploma legalized by the competent Italian authority before document shipment.

  • university graduates from developing and developed countries who intend to work in the field of development;
  • professionals in the public and private sector, UN, EU and multilateral agencies, foundations and NGOs.

“Differentiation” is the invariable hallmark of the full range of Masters offered by the Turin School of Development.  Such differentiation starts with Master design and extends to the packaging of learning content and is finally carried out through Master delivery as illustrated below. Learning is experiential and results-based; methods are participatory, application-oriented, and make extensive use of information and communication technology.

All Masters are designed for blended delivery through a succession of Internet-based distance learning followed by face-to-face sessions and applied research work.

  • The e-learning period is typically 17 weeks, and is intended to provide participants with diverse entry profiles with the necessary preparatory learning needed to pursue a multi-disciplinary course. This arrangement allows smooth cruising through an intensive face-to-face period of approximately three months at the ITC campus designed to minimize participants’ leave of absence from their jobs as well as the financial burden of pursuing a Master in Europe.
  • The face-to-face period is a blend of interactive presentations that cover the entire learning content of the Master. These presentations make use of innovative participatory methods that enable exchanges of experience among participants. During the face-to-face period, participants embark on the conceptualization of their thesis or research work under the supervision of the Scientific Directors of these Masters and then proceed to complete their research work from home, of approximately 3-6 months supported by a designated online tutor/professor.

In case of an emergency situation or of force majeure, ITCILO, upon agreement with the other partner institutions, might decide to reconvert the residential phase of the Master into online lessons and exams.

The ability to use computers and the internet is an essential requirement for the distance learning component of the Master.

In order to be able to visualise the contents of the website and the distance learning platform properly, you need:

  • Access to the internet
  • An e-mail address
  • A browser: Chrome, Internet Explorer 8.0 or above or Mozilla Firefox 3.6

    You can download them by clicking here: Download Chrome, or download Internet Explorer, or download Mozilla Firefox
  • Screen size: not less than 800 x 600 pixels.
  • Colour: at least 64.536 colours (16-bit).
  • JavaScript: your browser must be JavaScript-enabled.
  • Microsoft Word 97 (or above) or Open Office Writer 

    You can download Open Office Writer from: download Open Office Writer
  • Acrobat Reader 7 or above. You can download it from: download Acrobat Reader

Note: If your system fails to meet any of the above criteria, we cannot guarantee that the content will be displayed correctly.

About the Campus

Comprising more than 280 private dormitories, the Turin Campus provides a broad range of services for course participants and partners. For further information, please contact the Master’s secretariat.

During the face-to-face learning phase, lectures will be held in classrooms equipped with all necessary training facilities and Wi-Fi.

Your room (on campus) also has an Internet connection via cable and Wi-Fi.

There is a computer room with Internet connections, open 24 hours a day in the campus reception area.

In compliance with the security arrangements of the Centre, only previously authorized visitors/guests can access the campus. A student who wishes to receive visitors/guests must request an authorization to the Security Unit through the course secretary at least one week in advance and upon the submission of a valid passport of the visitor/guest.

According to ITCILO rules, the bed and breakfast accommodation starts the day before (normally a Sunday) the beginning of the course and ends the day after the end of the course (normally a Saturday).