Study at Politecnico di Torino

The education system in Italy is highly ranked in comparison with other European nations. Study is basic right which is provided to every citizen and the costs are minimal. State grants the aid to make education cheap. As compare to last decade, Italian universities are attracting many international students and this number is increasing year by year. However costs are still much for a student from third world country who is studying here without any scholarship or mean of support.

My main topic here is to describe the studies in Politecnico di Torino, as I'm studying here too. So you may be find it boring, but for the students who are planning to pursue studies in Politecnico di Torino, this post could be helpful.

Politecnico di Torino is an engineering and research institute. Politecnico di Torino entertains international students in all three levels of study; Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral programs. There are also few specializing master courses of one year; 1st level and 2nd level of specializing masters. Politecnico di Torino have 5 campuses in Turin city, one in Alessandria, one in Mandovi, one in Biella and one in Verres. You can find out the the details of these campuses on the university website, which courses are offered, are these research centers only or courses are offered too.

Politecnico di Torino is one of the big universities in Italy, according to number of students enrolled. There are more than 30,000 students, and around 15% international students. International students are enrolled in every level. Large sum of students come from China and Pakistan.

Starting your first year at Polito within deadline is very important. You can't miss your classes. Education here at bachelors level is all theory, very few practical lessons. Like in Pakistan large portion of lessons are done in labs and workshops which give you practical experience. On the other hand if you are coming after last week of September, it will be impossible for you to apply for regional scholarship. So starting your first year of education at the right time is quite important.

First year lessons are done in big halls, where all the engineering students attends their classes. As first year of education for all the disciplines is same. Which gives you adequate knowledge to pursue any stream. So if you change your mind after a year to change your faculty or discipline, you can take any other major you like.

Regarding the exams you have 4 attempts to pass the single exam, 2 attempts are given in the *running semester, 1 in the *not-running semester and finally one in the fall term which lasts for fifteen days in the first half of September. You can attempt all or attempt just one to pass the exam.

All the students have university portals which have all your teaching material and a bridge between you and your teacher. You can use personal student email. WiFi coverage is provided in every corner of university premises. You can stay connected all the time to your studies.

To be continued....
 
*Running semester = The semester in which lessons of the concerning course are delivered
*Not-Running semester = The semester in which lessons of the concerning course are not delivered

Exam and Fun

I came across this picture when my brother send me this early in the morning. I was sleeping and didn't notice it. When I read it later, I found it very interesting and funny.

Exams are stressful, all of you will agree. You study a lot for months, and in just few hours you have sum up your knowledge for

evaluation. A few comments like these release your stress and cheer you up.

I really appreciate the efforts of the professor who prepared this. It make you laugh and realize the importance of exam. You should be prepared for it. Meanwhile it also appreciates your effort to make you less nervous and stressed. 

One in all these few lines sketch the scenario of exam hall, what happens there. How the students get nervous.

I hope you like it and will leave your comments.

Living in Turin

Turin was the first capital of Italy when Italy unified in year 1861.Turin is quite famous with attribution of Shroud of Turin. The city has a rich culture and history, and is known for its numerous art galleries, restaurants, churches, palaces, opera houses, squares, parks, gardens, theaters, libraries, museums and other venues.

Turin is one of most beautiful cities in my view. It's a business and cultural center in front of Susa valley and surrounded by Alpine arch.  Also capital city of region Piedmont.

Most of the city's historic structure was built in 16th to 18th century, like squares, gardens and castles. Turin is sometimes called "the cradle of Italian liberty", for having been the birthplace and home of notable politicians and people who contributed to the "Risorgimento", such as Cavour. The city used to be a major European political center, being Italy's first capital city in 1861 and being home to the House of Savoy, Italy's royal family.

The city currently hosts some of Italy's best universities, colleges, academies, lycea and gymnasia, such as the six-century-old University of Turin and the Turin Polytechnic. Also prestigious and important museums, such as the Museo Egizio and the Mole Antonelliana are also found in the city. Turin's several monuments and sights make it one of the world's top 200 tourist destinations, and the tenth most visited city in Italy in 2008.

It is often referred to as the Capital of the Alps. Also the home of the Shroud of Turin, the football teams Juventus F.C. and Torino F.C., the headquarters of automobile manufacturers FIAT, Lancia and Alfa Romeo, Iveco and as host of the 2006 Winter Olympics and, in the same year, the 37th Chess Olympiad. Several International Space Station modules, such as Harmony and Columbus, were also manufactured in Turin.

Turin is calm city, on one hand you'll see cheerful night life but you'll also see mildness. Turin provides a good atmosphere for studies. You can live and study easily. Living costs are low outside city center. Apartments are available for rent. You can search them in your university advertising board or search on internet.

There are many study rooms, where you can study after your university lessons. There are also public libraries.

Food expenses are low, you can have a good meal from 5 - 10 euro in restaurants. There are restaurants where you can buy food with discounts. These restaurants are run by regional body EDISU in Piedmont.

Living in Turin could be adventurous if you are fond of cycling or trekking. You can go to near by cities for a weekend. You can do camping, do cycling or trekking. Turin is surrounded by beautiful mountains.

In Turin rains a lot and you'll never know when it's going to rain so always take umbrella with you. Banks you find everywhere so don't bother to keep cash. Cards are expected everywhere more than 85% of stores and restaurants. There are also some few supermarkets which are open 24h. Transport in Turin is very smooth, available from 4 am till 1 am mostly. There is also a metro line underground and the other line is under construction.

Overall Turin is a good city to live in and study.

Admission Abroad

What should be considered for applying admission abroad, this is the question that no one can answer. In developing countries big bucks are paid to consultancy firms for admission. In this post I will like to layout some basic methodology to pursue so you could avoid the education consultants. And finally secure your admission abroad.

1- Set your goal

First thing is to set your goal, which course you want to study, and why it would be better for you to study that course abroad. What are your preferences regarding countries. The more you keep your options broad the more opportunities you will encounter. There could be lots of factors, so you should right them down, or keep in mind so in the next steps you could consult.

2- Attend education expo

Many education consulting firms held expos and seminars. Attend those seminars you might meet the international admission officers of few universities. Listen what they say, take notes and gather information about courses. Living expenses and practical information about the city where the university have the campus. But never signup with fees. Analise this information you collected with your motive.


3- Online search

Once you attend the expo, you will have some real facts and figures. Rather than attending seminars or expos, you can also meet the education consular at your institute. Now many schools and colleges provide this service to their students to get admission abroad. Check the websites of international universities and study their international admissions sections. You can check the information regarding:

• Study structure
• Available courses
• Admission requirements
• Deadlines
• Tuition fees
• Practical information
• Student life
• City facts

See that the course you are looking is available or not, how is the structure of university, its better to go in depth. Check out their grading system, what it will worth if you come back to your country after studies. What are the prospects when you enter the job market in that country or some other country. Talk to the international admission office of that university directly, ask them as many questions you want. They are there to help you out. Pay special attention to admission requirements and their deadlines. Deadlines vary for most of universities even they are in one country.

4- Join social media

After that your next resort should be social media from their you can communicate with other students, who are currently studying or got graduated. You can talk to them and gather information as much possible. Gather information regarding living expenses, staying in dorms or renting apartments, food costs, any taxes for students.

5- Evaluate your options

Now you are moving towards final steps, so you should evaluate all the data you collected earlier. Decide for yourself, which option is better for you. If you are still not sure go back on social media and ask some students, take their review about your decision.


6-Apply for admission

Once you decided your options (it's better to apply in more than one university) apply for the admission. Complete all the admission requirements, fill out the forms, attach necessary documents they ask and submit your application within the deadline. Its better to apply in early admission cycle, if possible.

Best of luck!!!

Any questions, I'm available to answer.

Study in Italy

"Study in Italy" is a valuable information tool for students wishing to attend higher education (H.Ed.) programmes in Italy, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level. 
This national website provides the following information: types of H.Ed. institutions (university and non-university sector), admission procedures, study programmes, university degrees, non-university H.Ed. qualifications (academic diplomas), tuition language, student life and welfare services, country information, etc.  

Italy has played an important role in European higher education: it is one of the four countries that first engaged to create the so-called "European Area of Higher Education" (Sorbonne Declaration, May 1998), thus starting that type of higher education reform which, known as "Bologna Process" (Bologna Declaration, June 1999) is being implemented all over Europe.

Today Italy ranks among the 8 most industrialized countries in the world. Alongside some big companies, both state-owned and private, it has developed a sound network of small and medium-sized undertakings, promoted a few scientific parks, and is incentivizing basic and applied research in a great variety of fields (biology, ICT, medicine, physics, etc.).

Typologies and Lists:

Italian higher education is structured in a binary system, consisting of two main articulations:
- the university sector
- the non-university sector.

At present, the university sector is made up of 89 university institutions which are classified in:
- 58 State universities
- 17 non-State universities (legally recognized by the State)
- 2 universities for foreigners
- 6 higher schools specialized in postgraduate university studies
- 6 telematic universities.

The non-university sector includes 4 education typologies with their institutions:
- higher schools of design: polytechnics for the arts, academies of fine arts, higher institutes for applied arts, music conservatories and recognized music institutes, higher institutes for musical and choreographic studies, national academies
- higher education in language mediation: higher schools for language mediators
- higher integrated education (FIS): programmes of higher technical education & training (IFTS)
- a few specific fields (e.g. archiving, diplomatic, restoration, military studies, etc.) which, along with their respective institutions, fall under the supervision of ministries other than that of Education.

Practical information:

Academic Calendar:

The academic year in Italy is made up of two semesters. The first semester starts in September/October and ends in January/February. The second semester starts in February and ends in July. The actual start and finish dates will vary in the different universities but each semester lasts around 20 weeks and is made up of a teaching period lasting around 14 weeks and an exam period lasting around 6 weeks. 

Teaching and learning:

Most teaching still takes place in large lecture halls but this will depend very much on the single course of study. Students are also expected to carry out a considerable amount of self study outside the classroom in order to prepare for exams.  

Assessment: 

Exams are held after the teaching period and are mainly oral exams although some courses will have written tests taking place during the semester or before the oral exam. Each exam will have a number of dates offered during the exam period and students can choose which date they wish to take the exam. They are also entitled to turn down a mark and take the exam again if they are not satisfied with the result. Rules apply as to how often a student can take an exam within an examination period.

Grading systems:

Examinations are graded according to a scale ranging from 0 to 30, with 18 as a pass mark.
A "cum laude" may be added to the highest grade (30; 30 e lode) as a mention of special distinction.
All examination results are used to calculate the overall degree mark on a scale of 0 – 110. The final result is based on exam results plus the presentation of a project or dissertation in front of a Board of Examiners. The pass mark is 66 and students who obtain full marks of 110 may also be awarded ‘summa cum laude’ (110 e lode).

Fees and Costs:

Universities and other Higher Education Institutes establish their own fees but in the case of university education there is a legal minimum fee for enrollment and maximum level for student contributions to costs and services, which cannot exceed 20% of state funding.

The average fees a student has to pay is somewhere between 850 euro and 1,000 euro per year since this varies from one university to another and also depends on the chosen course of study. Private universities are clearly much more expensive.

Admission to “master universitari” and other specialization courses also have much higher fees. Doctoral students who receive a grant from the university do not pay fees, but non- grant holders are required to pay the fees, which will vary again according to the university chosen.

Scholarships and financial aid:

All international students are entitled to the same student assistance services as Italian students, on basis of the same requisites of financial means and/or merit. This applies to scholarships, student loans, housing assistance, refectory meal tickets and fee waivers.

These services are managed by the DSU office (Diritto allo studio universitario). 
Alongside scholarship and financial aid information, DSU offices will also provide other services such as counselling and information on extra curricular activities, sport, transport and other practical matters. 
You should contact the office at the university where you plan to study to find out what services are available to you.