TOLC-I Minimum Scores by University

The minimum TOLC-I score is not universal: each university sets its own thresholds. Politecnico di Milano requires at least 16/50 total and 10/20 in mathematics to avoid OFAs; Politecnico di Torino indicates a guideline threshold of 17/50; Bologna starts at 15/50; La Sapienza sits around 18/50. The TOLC-I score range goes from -12.5 to 50, and the result is valid for 18 months. You can retake the test once a month and use the best score.

"What is the minimum score to get into Engineering?" is the question I receive most often. The answer is uncomfortable: it depends. It depends on the university, the degree programme, the academic year and whether the programme has limited enrolment or open admission with OFAs.

This guide collects the real thresholds of major Italian universities, explains how the TOLC-I score works and what happens if you don't reach the threshold. If you are looking for a complete overview of preparation, start with the complete TOLC-I guide. If you want to understand the test structure in detail, read TOLC-I: Structure, Scoring and Sections.

How the TOLC-I score works

The TOLC-I awards +1 point for a correct answer, 0 for unanswered, -0.25 for incorrect. Maximum score is 50, theoretical minimum is -12.5, national average is approximately 20-22. The total score is composed of four sub-scores by section — some universities set specific thresholds for mathematics alone.

The TOLC-I has 50 multiple-choice questions with 5 options each. The scoring system is:

• Correct answer: +1 point
• No answer: 0 points
• Wrong answer: -0.25 points

This means the maximum theoretical score is 50 (all correct) and the minimum theoretical score is -12.5 (all wrong). The national average sits around 20-22 points out of 50. You can verify all details on the official CISIA structure and scoring page.

A detail many overlook: the total score is composed of four sub-scores by section (mathematics, logic, sciences, verbal comprehension). Some universities don't just look at the total — they set specific thresholds for mathematics. If you score 25/50 total but only 3/20 in mathematics, at certain universities you end up with an OFA even though your overall score is above the threshold.

To understand in detail how to read your result, see the guide on how to read your TOLC result.

Thresholds by university: the real numbers

OFA thresholds vary by university: Politecnico di Milano requires 16/50 total + 10/20 in mathematics, Politecnico di Torino indicates 17/50, Bologna 15/50, Sapienza ~18/50. The variability is wide (from 12/50 to 18/50) and thresholds can change every year — always check the updated call for your university.

The thresholds below are indicative and based on calls from recent academic years. Always check the updated call for your university — thresholds can change every year.

Politecnico di Milano

Politecnico di Milano is the most complex case. The TOLC-I score is converted to a 100-point scale according to specific tables published in the call, and the admission process involves multiple time windows.

Reference numbers:

• Minimum threshold to avoid OFA: 16/50 total + 10/20 in mathematics
• Average admitted for Computer Engineering: 28-32/50
• Early admission (from fourth year of high school): high scores required, typically above 75/100 in the Politecnico conversion

The Politecnico does not think in terms of "minimum score to get in" — it thinks in rankings. The score you need depends on how many candidates there are and what they score. For Computer Engineering and Management Engineering, the most popular programmes, competition is intense. For less crowded programmes, the margin is wider.

Updated details are on the Politecnico di Milano admission requirements page.

Politecnico di Torino

• Guideline threshold to avoid OFA: 17/50
• Politecnico di Torino uses the TOLC-I as an orientation test for most Engineering programmes. Below the threshold you are not denied access, but you receive an OFA in mathematics.

University of Bologna — Engineering

• No-OFA threshold: 15/50
• Bologna uses an open-admission system with OFA for most Engineering programmes. With a score below 15 you still enrol, but you must pass an additional mathematics course during the first year.

Sapienza — University of Rome

• Guideline threshold: ~18/50
• Sapienza also uses the TOLC-I as an orientation tool. The threshold is slightly higher than Bologna, but the mechanism is the same: below the threshold you receive an OFA.

Other universities — general overview

The variability is wide: from 12/50 (Genoa) to 18/50 (Brescia, Sapienza). The trend in recent years is towards a slight increase in thresholds, but changes are gradual.

OFA: what happens below the threshold

The OFA (Additional Educational Requirement) does not prevent enrolment — it imposes an additional mathematics course to pass within the first year. You enrol anyway, but start with an extra requirement. Students with OFAs have a significantly higher dropout rate in the first year than those who enter without one — better to fill gaps before enrolment.

OFA stands for Additional Educational Requirement (Obbligo Formativo Aggiuntivo). It is not a failure — it is an additional course (usually in mathematics) that you must pass during the first academic year.

In practice:

• You enrol anyway (if the programme is open admission with OFA, not limited enrolment)
• You must pass a remedial exam — usually a basic mathematics test — by a specific deadline (typically within the first year)
• If you don't pass, you cannot take certain exams or, in some cases, must repeat the year

The OFA is not the end of the world, but it is a concrete complication. It means attending an extra course, preparing for an additional exam, and starting the first year already uphill. During the first semester you will already have enough demanding subjects — Calculus 1, Geometry, Physics 1 — without having to add a basic mathematics remedial course.

A data point we see often: students with OFAs have a noticeably higher dropout rate in the first year than those who enter without one. Not because the OFA is insurmountable, but because it signals gaps that then reappear in Calculus and Linear Algebra. Better to fill those gaps before enrolment.

For those with significant math gaps that risk leading to an OFA, a course of targeted math tutoring can make the difference in a few weeks. The pre-TOLC-I time investment is much smaller than the time you would lose clearing an OFA during the first year.

Score validity and repeatability

The TOLC-I score is valid for 18 months from the test date and can be retaken once per month (just needs to be a different calendar month). The best score among all attempts counts. This allows you to take the test even when not at 100% and improve in subsequent attempts — a huge advantage.

Two fundamental rules that change the preparation strategy:

The TOLC-I score is valid for 18 months from the test date. This means a test taken in March 2026 is valid for enrolment through September 2027. You can use it for multiple admission sessions and multiple universities.

You can retake the TOLC once a month. You don't have to wait exactly 30 days — you just need the next test to fall in a different calendar month. If you take the TOLC-I on March 15, you can retake it from April 1.

The best score counts. If on the first attempt you score 18 and on the second 26, most universities consider the 26. This is a huge advantage — it allows you to take the test even when not at 100% and improve in subsequent attempts.

The cost is approximately EUR 30 per attempt. For a complete overview of preparation costs, check our pricing page.

What score to realistically aim for

Don't prepare "for the threshold" — prepare for the score that gives you margin. The national average is 20-22; to be competitive at Politecnico di Milano in the most popular programmes you need at least 28-30. A realistic approach: take a diagnostic simulation, look at the score and add 8-10 points as your target — margins achievable with 2-3 months of structured preparation.

OFA thresholds are the bare minimum — the "no penalties" level. But if your goal is to get into a competitive programme or have the freedom to choose among multiple universities, you need to aim higher.

Here are the ranges:

The national average is 20-22. To be competitive at Politecnico di Milano in the most popular programmes, you need at least 28-30 — and often more. For less selective universities, 22-25 are sufficient to be comfortable.

The key point: don't prepare "for the threshold" — prepare for the score that gives you margin. The OFA threshold is the floor, not the finish line. If you aim for 16 and score 14, you have an OFA. If you aim for 25 and score 22, you are still above the threshold with room to spare.

A realistic approach: take a diagnostic simulation, look at the score and add 8-10 points as your target. If you start at 15, aim for 23-25. If you start at 22, aim for 30. These improvement margins are realistic with 2-3 months of structured preparation — they are not numbers thrown out for motivation.

Mathematics is almost always the main lever: improving by 5 points in mathematics (from 8/20 to 13/20) is more realistic and has more impact than improving by 5 points distributed across logic, sciences and verbal comprehension. To understand how much time you need to reach your target score, read How Long Does It Take to Prepare for the TOLC-I?. If mathematics is your weak point — and for most students it is — the deep dive on TOLC-I mathematics topics and strategies is the next step.

FAQ

Is the minimum score the same for all Engineering programmes at the same university? Not always. Some universities differentiate thresholds by degree programme or faculty. At Politecnico di Milano, ranking competitiveness varies significantly between Computer Engineering (very high) and less popular programmes. Always check the specific call for the programme you are interested in.

If I don't meet the OFA threshold, can I still enrol? Yes, in open-admission programmes with OFA. The OFA does not prevent enrolment — it imposes an additional requirement to fulfil during the first year. In limited-enrolment programmes, however, the score determines your ranking position and you may not get in.

Is it worth retaking the TOLC-I to improve the score? Yes, but only if between attempts you work concretely on weak areas. Retaking the test hoping it "goes better" without changing anything in preparation produces similar results. Use the month between attempts to study the topics where you lost the most points and do targeted simulations.

Can I use the same TOLC-I score for multiple universities? Yes, the score is valid for all universities that accept the TOLC-I. You do not need to retake the test for each university. You can apply to Milan, Bologna, Turin and Rome with the same result — just respect each university's deadlines. The score remains valid for 18 months.

How long is the TOLC-I score valid? The score is valid for 18 months from the test date. A TOLC-I taken in March 2026 is valid for enrolment through September 2027. You can use it for multiple admission sessions and plan the test well in advance of the application deadline.

What does having an OFA mean in practice? The OFA (Additional Educational Requirement) is a basic mathematics course you must pass within the first year. You enrol anyway, but you have an extra exam to pass — usually by December or June. If you do not pass it, you cannot take some second-year exams. It is not insurmountable, but it complicates an already demanding first year.

Aim for the score you want, not the minimum

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Continue your preparation:

• Complete TOLC-I Preparation Guide
• TOLC-I: Structure, Scoring and Sections
• TOLC-I Mathematics: Topics and Strategies
• How Long to Prepare for the TOLC-I?
• 5 Common TOLC-I Mistakes
• Adaptive Simulations: Why They Work
• Math Tutoring