Bocconi Test 2027: Dates, Format and How It Is Scored

The two rounds for 2027 entry

Bocconi runs the selection in sessions. You apply in one session, and you need a test score before you apply. For the 2027-28 academic year the official dates for international applicants are:

• Early Session (closed). Applications ran from 2 to 29 September 2026. The last day to sit the Bocconi online test for this round was 24 September 2026. Results come out in mid November 2026.
• Winter Session. Applications open on 25 November 2026 and close on 26 January 2027 at 3:00pm Italian time. The last day to sit the test is 21 January 2027. Results come out in mid March 2027.

These rounds are for international applicants. Bocconi counts you as international if you attend a secondary school abroad, or an international school in Italy or abroad. If you attend an Italian secondary school in Italy, you are an Italian applicant and your rounds are different. Check your category on Bocconi’s page on categories of applicants.

For international applicants the test booking platform is open from 13 July 2026 to 19 January 2027. You must book a test at least 48 hours before you want to sit it, and slots fill up in the last week before each deadline. Do not leave it to the final days.

The platform is closed on some days: until 13 October 2026, on 7 and 8 December 2026, and from 17 December 2026 to 1 January 2027. So you cannot sit the test over Christmas.

Each test attempt costs €60. Each application costs €100. Neither is refunded.

Dates can change. Always check the official Bocconi admissions page before you book anything.

Which round should you go for?

The Early Session has closed. If you applied in it, your results come out in mid November. If it does not go well, you still have the Winter Session as a second chance.

If you have not applied yet, the Winter Session is your round. You have until 21 January 2027 to sit the test. Do not sit it before you are ready, because a weak score does not help you. Do not leave it to the last week either. The platform is closed from 17 December to 1 January, so the real choice is early December or the first three weeks of January.

What is in the test

The Bocconi online test is 50 multiple choice questions in 75 minutes. That is 90 seconds per question. The questions are mixed by topic and difficulty, so you do not get all the maths together.

• Mathematics: 24 questions. Almost half the test.
• Reading comprehension: 11 questions.
• Critical thinking: 9 questions.
• Numerical reasoning: 6 questions.

You can take it in English or Italian. Nothing else changes between the two versions.

How it is scored

This is the part that decides how you should play the test.

• Correct answer: +1 point
• Blank answer: 0 points
• Wrong answer: −0.2 points (−0.33 on critical thinking questions with three options)

The maximum is 50. If your total score, after penalties, is below 17 you are not considered at all. For the Bachelor in Mathematical and Computing Sciences for AI you also need at least 11 points in the maths section.

A wrong answer costs you 0.2. That is small. Even a blind guess gains a little on average: about +0.04 with five options and +0.10 with four. If you can rule out one option, it gains more. So answer every question you have time to read. Leave a blank only when the time is better spent on another question. The SAT has no penalty at all, so the rule is the same on both tests: do not leave blanks.

How many times can you sit it?

Up to four attempts per year. You choose which attempt to use in your application. So a first attempt early on is not a risk. It is information. Many students sit once in July or August to see where they stand, then prepare properly and sit again before the deadline.

What the maths section covers

The syllabus is Italian high school maths up to the fourth year, or the IB Maths SL level. The official list is:

• Algebra: equations, inequalities, systems, powers and roots
• Functions and their graphs
• Logarithms and exponentials
• Trigonometry
• Plane geometry and analytical geometry
• Sets, logic and discrete mathematics
• Numbers, percentages and proportions
• Probability and basic statistics
• Problem solving

None of it is hard on its own. The difficulty is speed. Ninety seconds is not enough time to work things out from scratch. You need the methods to be automatic. That only comes from doing a lot of timed questions.

We put together 50 Bocconi style maths questions with worked solutions. Sit them under time. If you score under 17 out of 24, the maths section needs work before you book a test.

Can you use the SAT instead?

Yes. Bocconi accepts the SAT and the ACT in place of its own test. If you already have a strong SAT score, you may not need the Bocconi test at all. If you are strong in maths but slow under pressure, the SAT gives you more time per question and no penalty for wrong answers, so it may suit you better. Sit both if you can and submit the stronger one.

A simple preparation plan

• Twelve weeks out. Sit one full practice test under time. Find your weak topics in the maths section. Do not skip this step.
• Weeks one to six. Fix the weak topics one at a time. Logarithms, trigonometry and probability are the usual ones.
• Weeks seven to ten. Timed sets every day. Twenty questions in 30 minutes. Track your score.
• Last two weeks. Full tests only. Practise your timing until it is automatic.
• Book your test at least a week before the deadline of your session. Not the day before.

If you want help with the maths section, one to one Bocconi test preparation starts with a diagnostic and a plan for the weeks you have left.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Bocconi test for 2027 entry?

For international applicants there are two rounds. The Early Session closed on 29 September 2026. For the Winter Session the last test date is 21 January 2027 and applications close on 26 January 2027. Tests can be booked on the platform from 13 July 2026 to 19 January 2027.

How many questions are on the Bocconi test?

50 multiple choice questions in 75 minutes. 24 are mathematics, 11 reading comprehension, 9 critical thinking and 6 numerical reasoning.

Is there a penalty for wrong answers on the Bocconi test?

Yes. A wrong answer costs 0.2 points. A blank costs nothing. A correct answer is worth 1 point. On critical thinking questions with three options the penalty is 0.33.

What is the minimum score for the Bocconi test?

17 points out of 50, after penalties. Below that you are not considered. For the Mathematical and Computing Sciences for AI degree you also need at least 11 points in the maths section.

How many times can I take the Bocconi test?

Up to four times per year. You choose which attempt to use in your application. Each attempt costs €60.

Can I use the SAT instead of the Bocconi test?

Yes. Bocconi accepts SAT and ACT scores in place of its own test. You still need to submit an application in one of the sessions.

What maths is on the Bocconi test?

Algebra, functions, logarithms and exponentials, trigonometry, plane and analytical geometry, sets and logic, numbers and percentages, probability and basic statistics, and problem solving. It matches Italian high school maths up to the fourth year, or IB Maths SL.