Match the rule to the document
Polimi requires PDF uploads. Course descriptions have a 4 MB maximum. For two programme choices, combine two motivation letters into one PDF, with at most two pages per letter. Uploads must be complete and legible, with filenames free of accents and special characters. The page says documents cannot be changed or added after the application fee is paid.
Do not apply the course-description limit to every attachment. This guide does not determine admission eligibility or document authenticity. Follow the current official list and any instructions in your application profile.
Prepare the source before reducing its size
Keep the original and make a working copy. Export authored course descriptions directly to PDF from the application in which they were prepared; avoid printing the entire document to images. Review the exported pages before trying compression. PDFMinto cannot write or edit course descriptions.
If ordinary PDF sections need combining, use Merge PDF and set their order before downloading. For JPG/PNG scans, use Images to PDF, correct the orientation and check that all text remains visible. Do not delete required content to reach a smaller size.
Try a target below 4 MB for course descriptions
For an oversized eligible PDF, try a custom target of 3.9 MB (3,900,000 bytes). This is a working margin, not a university requirement. Download the result and check its actual bytes. If it still exceeds the limit or text is unclear, return to the source export or contact admissions. A selected target alone proves nothing.
Compression runs on the server with temporary private Vercel Blob storage; input is limited to 30 MB and 200 pages. It cannot guarantee the target or acceptance. Encrypted, digitally signed and interactive-form PDFs are unsupported; keep those originals unchanged.
Combine the two motivation letters separately
Finish and check each letter before merging. Put the letters in a deliberate order in Merge PDF, download the combined file and verify where the second letter starts. Keep this file separate from course descriptions and other document categories. Merging is not a way to bypass each letter’s page limit.
Merge PDF and Images to PDF run locally in the browser, with up to 40 inputs, 30 MB total and 200 PDF pages; each image is limited to 24 megapixels. PDF inputs with annotations, attachments, signatures, forms or encryption are unsupported. Export an acceptable ordinary copy from your authoring software when appropriate; do not strip protections from official records.
Inspect the exact files you will upload
Compare every result page with its original. Check course names, numbers, small text, equations, page order and orientation. Count the pages in each motivation letter, not just the total. Check the filename and byte size of the actual saved attachment, rather than relying on the editor’s preview.
Upload and complete the application yourself through the official service. Review all attachments before payment and keep the submission evidence supplied by the portal. PDFMinto does not submit applications, verify qualifications or guarantee that an upload will be accepted.
Frequently asked questions
Does every Polimi PDF have a 4 MB limit? This verified limit belongs to course descriptions. Check the field instructions for other materials.
Does merging make files smaller? Not necessarily. Check the downloaded result; combine only the documents that belong together.
Can I compress a signed certificate? No. Preserve the signed original and ask the institution how to provide it.
What if the original already fits? Skip compression when it is complete, readable and meets the applicable requirements.