Industrial Design Schools and Programs in Italy

Industrial Design Studies in Italy

You can study industrial design in Italy at the Florence University of the Arts.

Industrial design, often called product design in Italy, is the design of objects that are made in series: furniture, lamps, appliances, vehicles and the services around them. In Italy it is taught in two parallel systems, universities and the AFAM institutions for art and design, plus private schools with their own courses for international students. Our directory lists three schools in Italy for this subject, two in Florence and one in Turin.

How the qualifications are organised

At universities, the first cycle is the laurea, a three-year bachelor's degree worth 180 CFU credits (1 CFU equals 1 ECTS credit), followed by the laurea magistrale, a two-year master's degree worth 120 credits. Design degrees belong to the classes L-4 (bachelor's) and LM-12 (master's). The School of Design of the Politecnico di Milano, for example, teaches its bachelor's in Product Design in Italian at the Milano Bovisa campus, and an Interaction Design bachelor's in English at Lecco.

The AFAM system (higher education in art, music and dance) awards first- and second-level academic diplomas of three and two years, which Universitaly, the Ministry of University and Research portal, describes as equivalent to degrees. AFAM institutions count credits in CFA rather than CFU. They include the Istituti Superiori per le Industrie Artistiche (ISIA), whose diplomas are equivalent to L-4 and LM-12 degrees, academies of fine arts with design courses, and legally recognised private institutes.

IAAD (Istituto d'Arte Applicata e Design) in Turin, which has worked in design education since 1978, is one example of a private institute in this system. It states that its qualifications conform to the AFAM-ISIA system. Its three-year Product Design course is taught in Italian, totals 180 credits and leads to the Diploma Accademico di I Livello in Design (DIPL02), at EQF level 6. In the final year students work with companies that act as both client and tutor.

Admission and language

According to Universitaly, most undergraduate programmes in Italy are taught in Italian and several graduate programmes in English. Design schools often add their own selection: IAAD requires an admission test for its three-year courses, and the Politecnico di Milano's School of Design asks master's applicants to include an English language certificate, with applications for 2026-27 submitted from 22 June to 7 July.

Students from outside the EU pre-enrol through the Universitaly portal, which is the only route to the letter needed for a study visa. The deadline applies to AFAM academic diplomas as well as university degrees: for the 2026-27 academic year, visa applications must reach the Italian embassy or consulate by 30 November 2026 at the latest. After arrival you have eight working days to apply for a residence permit. EU citizens do not need a visa.

Courses in Florence for international students

Florence University of the Arts (FUA) is a private institution with English-taught programmes, mainly for study abroad students. Its School of Interior Design, Environmental Architecture and Sustainability (IDEAS) lists an Associate of Arts in Communication and Interactive Digital Media with a Product Design concentration.

Accademia Riaci, in Florence since 1983, offers one-year, semester, summer and short courses in furniture design, with hands-on workshops in which students design, prototype and build their own pieces. Classes are held with an English interpreter. For 2026-27, a one-year course costs €16,200 for non-EU students and €14,200 for EU students; a semester costs €9,400 and €8,400. The school also runs a full-time Master in Furniture Design. These are the school's own courses, so ask which certificate you will receive.

Careers

Product designers work either freelance or inside companies. IAAD lists the profiles its graduates move into: designer in a technical office, art direction, marketing, concept design, product engineering and 3D modelling. A portfolio of projects counts as much as the qualification, which is why most courses include workshops, company projects and a final project.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study industrial design in Italy in English?

Yes, but the choice is narrower at bachelor's level, where most programmes are taught in Italian. Some degrees, such as the Politecnico di Milano's Interaction Design bachelor's in Lecco, and private and study abroad schools in Florence teach in English.

Is an AFAM design diploma equivalent to a university degree?

According to Universitaly, AFAM first- and second-level academic diplomas are equivalent to degrees, and ISIA diplomas are equivalent to L-4 and LM-12 degrees.

How long does an industrial design degree take in Italy?

A bachelor's degree or first-level academic diploma takes three years (180 credits), and a master's degree or second-level diploma two more years.

How much does a design course in Florence cost?

It depends on the school. At Accademia Riaci, a one-year furniture design course costs €16,200 for non-EU students in 2026-27, according to the school.