STUDENT GUIDE
(2025 - 2026)
Master's degree programme in
SYSTEMIC DESIGN (change programme)
Location: Torino
Class: DESIGN
Forfeiture
What is forfeiture
Forfeiture is when you lose the status of active student. As a result of forfeiture you will no longer be able to continue your studies on your current academic path (e.g., you cannot attend courses nor take exams for the entire academic year, etc).
When do you incur in forfeiture?
In compliance with art.15 of the Student Regulations, issued by Rector’s Decree No. 724 of 27/06/2025, you incur in forfeiture if you do not pass at least one exam in a period of ten academic years since the last academic year with a passed exam.
 
Those who have passed all the exams required to obtain the degree and are only required to take the final exam or submit their thesis are not subject to forfeiture. 
How can you calculate your years of enrolment?
For the purpose of calculating the number of academic years, there is no difference between if you are a part-time or full-time student. Both enrolment workloads count as 1 academic year. Each year in which you were not enrolled at Politecnico also counts as 1 academic year. Years of voluntary suspension from studies do not count towards forfeiture (art. 14 – Student Regulations).Academic years 2019/20 and 2020/21 (COVID-19 health emergency) do not count towards the total number of academic years for the purpose of forfeiture. Regardless of the year of your first enrolment, the calculation begins from the academic year when you passed your last exam.
Those with “ACTIVE - ABOUT TO INCUR FORFEITURE” status:
  • will not be able to enroll for the 2025/26 academic year;
  • will not be able to apply for internal transfer to another course of study.
If at least one exam is passed by the September 2025 exam session, the ACTIVE-ABOUT TO INCUR FORFEITURE status will be automatically updated to “ACTIVE.”
How can you enrol again after forfeiture?
If your student status is “forfeited” or if you are going to incur in forfeiture on 01/10/2025 (university system pre-dating DM 509/99) and you wish to enrol again at Politecnico, please read the Student Guide of any Bachelor’s degree programme – “Forfeiture” chapter.
If your student status is “forfeited” or if you are going to incur in forfeiture on 01/10/2025 (university system pre-dating DM 509/99) and you wish to enrol again in a Polito Master’s degree programme, please check the admission requirements, rules and deadlines for admission at this page  Master's Degree 2025/26 . You will have to submit a new application on the Apply@polito platform.
Please note that:  
  • you must check our admission requirements (including our language requirements), deadlines and application process.
  • in order to submit your application you must have settled all your outstanding debts with Politecnico;
  • you are allowed to request the recognition of the credits that you earned in your previous forfeited academic path. You do not need to submit any specific request. The evaluation of your previous academic records is automatic when you  send your application on the Apply@polito platform.
Non-EU students requiring VISA 
When you incur in forfeiture, you lose the status of student enrolled in a degree programme at Politecnico di Torino. Your student status is the ground on which your visa had been issued and the reason for your permit to stay in the Italian territory.  
However, if deemed eligible, you may re-enrol in a degree programme only if you have a valid residence permit or a renewal receipt. In the latter case, you will be required to submit the electronic residence permit after it has been issued. Politecnico periodically checks the validity of the residence permit even after enrolment.
If you have interrupted your studies and you have returned to your home country, you have lost the right to renew your residence permit for study purposes in Italy. In such case, if you wish to re-enrol at Politecnico di Torino, you must apply for a new student visa at the Italian Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence.
We strongly recommend checking the updated requirements and the visa timeline in advance to ensure that enrolment is completed correctly within the deadlines of Politecnico.Check this page for more information "Immigrazione".
Useful information 
An appeal to the Rector for deferment of the terms of forfeiture is permitted only in the event of serious and certifiable reasons that took place during the course of your studies and had an impact on your academic progress. The appeal must be submitted within two months of the date of forfeiture, i.e. by 1st December  2025.        
As a general rule, appeals for forfeiture which took place in previous academic years are not accepted. In order to request an appeal to the Rector for deferment of the terms of forfeiture, you must send a ticket, selecting the topic “ACADEMIC PROGRESS, RULES AND OTHER INFORMATION/ACADEMIC CAREER” and providing the reasons for your appeal. Following a preliminary evaluation, you may be requested to provide further supporting documents (in the event of health issues, you must present a medical certificate produced by a doctor/ health facility based in Italy; the documents need to specify the period during which the problem occurred). Serious problems which took place before your enrolment at Politecnico will not be taken into account for the evaluation of the appeal.
If your appeal is accepted, the waiver will be valid for a.y. 2025/26. Therefore, in order to  avoid incurring in forfeiture, you must take and pass at least one exam by the end of the 2026 Autumn Examination Session (September 2026).


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