Luiss vs Bocconi Admission Tests: What Actually Differs

Many applicants apply to both Luiss and Bocconi. The two tests look alike on the surface: 50 multiple-choice questions, 75 minutes, online, SAT-inspired. Below the surface they differ in ways that change how you should prepare. Here is the comparison, from both universities' official pages.

At a glance

* Luiss has no school-record component, so your test performance is what ranks you. One exception to know about: Luiss publishes a bonus of +5 or +10 points for candidates who passed its Orientation Summer School test, depending on the score they got there. Check the Admission Notice for whether it applies to your route.

For what it is worth, applicants who have taken both describe them as similar in feel. One recent test-taker on a student forum called the Luiss Test "really similar to the Bocconi test".

The three differences that matter

1. Content: fixed subjects vs pure aptitude. Bocconi publishes an exact structure, and nearly half of it is Mathematics with a published syllabus. You can study topics. Luiss describes logical-reasoning and psycho-aptitude questions and has not published a per-section breakdown for 2027/28 (the October 2026 admission notice will). You prepare question families instead: deductions, problem solving, numerical and verbal reasoning, plus maths. In short: Bocconi rewards a study plan, Luiss rewards pattern fluency and speed.

2. Stakes per sitting. Bocconi allows up to four attempts per test type per year and blends your score with your school record. Luiss gives you one attempt per session, and the ranking is your test score only. This should change your approach: at Bocconi an early attempt is cheap information; at Luiss the first attempt is the only one, so realistic practice has to play that role beforehand.

3. The penalty math. Both tests penalise wrong answers, at different rates: Luiss at -0.25 flat, Bocconi at -0.2 (with -0.33 on its 3-option Critical Thinking items). The decision rule is the same shape in both (eliminate at least one option before answering), but if you sit both tests, practise each under its own scheme. The full Luiss numbers are in our scoring guide.

You can do both, in sequence

For 2027/28 the calendars barely overlap. Bocconi's Early session ends by late September 2026 and Winter by late January 2027. The Luiss first session tests 22 to 26 February 2027. You can prepare for Bocconi, sit it, and then move to Luiss-specific preparation with weeks to spare. The overlap in question families (numerical reasoning, logic, maths fundamentals) means the first preparation carries over.

If Bocconi is also on your list, our sister site covers that test the same way: bocconiprep.it.

Which to prioritise

Choose by program fit, not by test difficulty. But let the rules shape your effort: Bocconi's 55/45 weighting means a strong school record buys slack on the test; at Luiss there is no school record in the formula, so nothing does. The preparation that transfers between them, timed practice, elimination discipline and pacing, is the part worth starting first either way.