What is the ARCHED test?
ARCHED is an admission test used for architecture programmes in Italy. For the 2026/27 academic year, the Politecnico di Milano test follows the national ministerial framework and covers reading, prior knowledge and history, logic, drawing and representation, mathematics, and physics.
The five ARCHED sections
Each section contains 10 questions and has a separate 20-minute limit. Candidates complete the sections under the timing defined by the current university instructions.
- Reading comprehension: understanding Italian-language scientific, narrative, and current-affairs texts
- Prior knowledge and history: history, art and architecture, institutions, economics, citizenship, and current affairs
- Logical reasoning: verbal, symbolic, and abstract problems based on stated premises
- Drawing and representation: plans, elevations, axonometric views, graphs, drawings, and visual correspondence
- Mathematics and physics: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, probability, trigonometry, mechanics, thermodynamics, and electricity
English and Italian test routes
Politecnico di Milano explains that candidates taking ARCHED in Italian also complete the 30-question, 15-minute TENG English assessment. The TENG result does not change the architecture ranking score, but it can lead to an English additional educational obligation. Programme language requirements still apply separately.
Common questions
Questions students ask before they start
How many questions are in the ARCHED test?
The 2026/27 structure published by Politecnico di Milano contains 50 questions: 10 questions in each of five sections.
How long is the ARCHED test?
The five sections are each limited to 20 minutes, for a total of 100 minutes.
Does unused time carry over between ARCHED sections?
Polimi publishes each of the five sections with its own 20-minute limit. Follow the current technical instructions and do not assume unused time can be transferred to another section.
Are 2027 ARCHED dates available?
Not yet on the sources checked on 26 July 2026. Use the 2026/27 structure only as background and wait for the official university call before making travel or registration plans for the next intake.
Primary sources
Check the official call for your intake
Exam dates, delivery format, registration windows, seat quotas, and ranking rules can change. These official university pages are the source of record.