Frequently asked questions (TSD)

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 e-mail 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 for your course.

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).

Officials 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. Your university degree (undergraduate or previous postgraduate certificate), specifying the results of the examinations (official academic transcripts)
  3. Certificates or other proof of a good level of English (if it is not your mother tongue)
  4. If you are applying for a full or partial fellowship, kindly submit: 
    i) a request for a fellowship; 
    ii) a copy of your personal /family income statement or your salary slip.
  5. If your organization is ready to sponsor your participation in the Master’s programme, you will be asked to submit an official letter confirming your organization’s: 
    i) readiness to cover the cost of your participation in the Master’s programme (tuition/accommodation costs); 
    ii) permission to take leave from your job duties for the period of your stay in Turin during the face-to-face learning component of the Master.

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

  • 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 the University of Turin (see recognition of foreign degrees). 
A first level Master’s degree 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 vary, depending on the Master’s programme, from 7,000 to 8,000 euros.

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.

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

  • Tuition fees: No reimbursement of tuition fees will be made after the beginning of the face-to-face learning phase.
  • Accommodation fees: No penalty will be applied on accommodation fees in case of written notification of cancellation up to 14 days prior to the start date of the face-to-face phase. Thereafter, a fixed penalty of €1,000 will apply on accommodation fees in addition to the accommodation costs already incurred and 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).

About the Masters

In order to register at the University of Turin, you need to bring the following documents with you to Turin:

  • The original of your university degree (it will be given back to you after registration)
  • A certified copy of your university degree and academic transcripts (legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Education) translated into Italian (you have to ask for this at the Italian Embassy/Consulate of the country in which your degree was awarded. Please note than the translation should be done by an official translator from the Embassy. The Embassy should provide you with the list of official translators.)
  • A Declaration of Value (“dichiarazione di valore in loco”) of your university degree. You have to ask for this at the Italian Embassy/Consulate of the country in which your degree was awarded. Providing a “Dichiarazione di Valore in Loco” is a normal consular procedure.

Important: Obtaining these documents can be a lengthy process; once you receive the acceptance letter, you should apply for them immediately.

Upon completion of the Master, you will be awarded a First Level Master of Arts (MA) degree by the University of Turin.

A University Master is a course of 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).

If you intend to proceed with a PhD after this Master, check with the universities of your interest if a one-year master is sufficient to apply for a PhD.

For more information please visit: http://www.miur.it/guida/capitolo3.htm or https://www.esteri.it/mae/en/politica_estera/cultura/universita/master_dottorati.html 

Holders of Italian Higher Education degrees who wish to have them recognized abroad:

  • If you are in Italy, you can turn to the embassy of the country you would like to recognize your degree in. Foreign embassies in Italy often provide information on the education system in their country. They may also offer such services as legalization of translations from Italian into their national languages.
  • If you are outside of Italy, turn to the national education authorities of the country you need it recognized in, to ask about how to obtain recognition. The procedure varies from country to country.

TSD graduates may apply to international organizations, UN agencies and the private sector. The Masters are designed to impart the full spectrum of skills required to deal effectively with the challenges facing today’s development professionals in their pursuit of social and economic progress, while preserving the living environment for future generations.

Students will have the chance to explore different academic, professional and cultural backgrounds and can usefully apply their interdisciplinary knowledge to the stimulating environment of the international job market.

  • 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 and Postgraduate Programmes offered by the Turin School of Development.  Such differentiation starts with programme design and extends to the packaging of learning content and is finally carried out through programme 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 postgraduate degree in Europe.
  • The face-to-face period is a blend of interactive presentations that cover the entire learning content of the programme. 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 programmes and then proceed to complete their research work from home, of approximately 3-6 months supported by a designated online tutor/professor.

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

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.

Living in Turin and Accommodation on Campus

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. 

Yes, but unfortunately no assistance with obtaining visas or accommodation is provided by the ITCILO for family members or friends that wish to stay in Italy during the participant’s period of study at the ITCILO campus.

If you want your family or friends to visit you while you are in Turin, you should arrange their visas, travel and accommodation yourself.

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).