Fully funded scholarships in Italy for international students 2027. Scholarships in Italy for International Students 2026-27: Complete Guide. Italy has quietly become one of Europe’s most rewarding places for international students to study on a budget. Between government-funded programmes, university-specific awards, and regional grants, there’s a genuine path to studying in Italy without draining your savings.

I want to be upfront about something most guides gloss over: timing matters enormously here. Most Italian government scholarship cycles for 2026-27 already opened and closed between February and May 2026. If you’re reading this in the middle of the year, several major doors have already shut — but new ones are opening, and the next big wave starts around December.

Types of Scholarships in Italy (Fully funded scholarships in italy for international students 2027)

Italy runs a layered funding system rather than one single scholarship programme. Understanding the layers helps you figure out which one actually fits your situation.

Merit-based scholarships reward strong academic records — think GRE or SAT scores, GPA, and standout transcripts. Need-based scholarships, sometimes bundled under the term ‘DSU scholarship’ (Diritto allo Studio Universitario), look at your family’s financial need instead. Then there’s the Italian government scholarship, funded through MAECI, which sits somewhat apart from both and works on its own eligibility rules.

Most Italian universities blend these categories. A university might offer a tuition fee waiver purely on merit, while a separate regional office hands out a borsa di studio based on income. It’s worth applying to more than one where you qualify — they’re often stackable.

The MAECI Italian Government Scholarship

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation offers what’s probably the best-known fully funded scholarship route into Italy: the MAECI scholarship. It’s open to foreign students and Italian citizens living abroad from over 140 eligible countries, covering master’s degrees, PhD programmes, AFAM courses in arts and music, and supervised research projects.

Here’s the honest picture for 2026-27: the deadline was 26 March 2026 at 2:00 PM Italian time, and it’s already closed. If you missed it, the next call for the 2027-28 academic year should open sometime in early 2027 — bookmark the Study in Italy portal and check back around December.

When it is open, the scholarship pays out 10,800 euros across three instalments, waives tuition and enrolment fees at most public universities, and includes health insurance for the full grant period. Applicants for master’s degree programmes need to be 28 or younger; PhD applicants get a bit more room at 30. English proficiency is generally accepted in place of Italian for English-taught courses, which opens the door wider than people expect.

University-Specific Scholarships Worth Knowing

Individual Italian universities run their own funding on top of anything the government offers, and some of these are genuinely generous.

Bocconi University offers full tuition remission worth roughly €12,000 for undergraduates and €13,000 for graduate students, plus housing support. The University of Bologna, Europe’s oldest university, runs the International Talents @Unibo programme — a tuition waiver paired with a study grant of around €11,000 a year, selected through GRE or SAT scores. Its 2026-27 window closed on 30 May 2026.

The University of Padua offers up to 99 scholarships worth €8,000 annually plus a full tuition waiver, split between the university-wide Padua International Excellence track and department-specific awards. That cycle’s final deadline was 2 May 2026.

Politecnico di Milano and Politecnico di Torino run their own merit awards, often paired with the Invest Your Talent in Italy programme, which bundles a scholarship with a guaranteed internship at an Italian company — a nice bridge into the local job market after graduation.

A few programmes remain genuinely active right now. The University of Salerno is currently accepting applications for 48 Master’s scholarships worth €8,000 a year plus accommodation and meals for non-EU students. The University of Macerata has an open 2026-27 call with merit grants and fee waivers. And the UNICORE 8.0 initiative—a partnership involving Turin, Palermo, Brescia, and others—funds master’s study for refugee students from a defined list of countries, with full tuition exemption.

Regional DSU Scholarships

Every Italian region runs its own DSU office (Diritto allo Studio Universitario), and this is genuinely one of the most underused funding sources for international students. Unlike the competitive merit awards, DSU grants aren’t a contest — anyone who meets the income threshold and academic requirements gets the money.

You’ll need an ISEE Parificato (the equivalent economic situation indicator for foreign income) generally under about €26,000, though the exact figure shifts slightly by region and year. Coverage typically includes tuition exemption, a housing contribution, and free or subsidised meals at university canteens. First-year students just need full-time enrolment; continuing students must clear a minimum number of credits, usually somewhere between 20 and 40 per year depending on the region.

DSU applications for the 2026-27 academic year typically open in August and September 2026 – right after most universities finish their admission rounds, since you generally need an acceptance letter before applying for the grant.

Eligibility Criteria and Required Documents

Requirements vary by scholarship, but most Italian university admissions ask for a fairly consistent document set: your curriculum vitae, official academic transcripts, a language proficiency certificate (IELTS, TOEFL, or an Italian-language equivalent depending on the course), recommendation letters, and a personal statement outlining your academic goals.

Fully Funded Scholarships in Finland for International Students 2026-2027

For English-taught programmes, IELTS or TOEFL usually satisfies the language requirement — Italian proficiency generally isn’t demanded unless the course itself is taught in Italian. Age limits differ by scholarship: MAECI caps Master’s applicants at 28 and PhD applicants at 30, while university-run awards often use a broader cutoff around 30 regardless of degree level.

One detail people miss: for GRE-based scholarships at places like Bologna, you need the official ETS score report sent directly to the university, not just an uploaded copy in your application.

How to Apply for a Scholarship in Italy

The process generally follows the same rhythm across programmes, even though the portals differ.

Start by creating an account on the relevant application platform — this could be Universitaly for national programmes, Studenti Online for the University of Bologna, or a university’s own portal. From there, you’ll select your degree programme (bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD), fill in your personal and academic details, and upload your documents in the requested format, almost always PDF.

Most scholarships work as automatic consideration once you apply for the degree programme itself – Padua’s excellence scholarship is a good example, where there’s no separate scholarship form at all. Others, like MAECI, require a distinct scholarship application that’s entirely separate from your university admission. Submit both if the programme requires it; missing one doesn’t disqualify the other, but you won’t get funded without both pieces in place.

After the deadline, universities publish a ranking list, and only winners get individually notified. If you don’t see your name on a published list, it typically means the application wasn’t successful this round — some universities do maintain a reserve list in case funded candidates decline.

Role of Scholarships in Your Study Visa Process

A confirmed scholarship does real work for your Italy study visa application. Consulates view it as evidence of financial stability, which is one of the core requirements for visa approval, alongside your university acceptance letter and proof of accommodation.

Once you’ve secured funding and enrolment, you’ll book a visa interview at the nearest Italian consulate. Bring your admission letter, scholarship confirmation, passport, and any financial documentation requested. Processing times vary by country and season, so build in a buffer — applying for your visa the moment you’re accepted, rather than waiting until closer to the semester start, avoids a lot of unnecessary stress.

---

H3: Conclusion

Studying in Italy on a scholarship is absolutely achievable, but the timing window is unforgiving — most major calls run February through May for the following autumn. If you’ve missed this year’s MAECI or university deadlines, use the gap to strengthen your GRE, IELTS, or academic file, and start watching official pages again from December for the next cycle. Between merit awards, DSU grants, and the government scholarship, there’s usually a path that fits.

---

Frequently Asked Questions (Latest Google People Also Ask)

How much does it cost to study in Italy as an international student without a scholarship?

Public university tuition in Italy typically runs between €900 and €4,000 a year, considerably lower than in the UK, US, or Australia. Regional taxes and administrative fees add a modest amount on top, but even without any scholarship, Italy remains one of the more affordable Western European study destinations.

Is it hard to get a scholarship in Italy?

Competition varies sharply by programme. University merit scholarships tied to GRE or SAT scores, like Bologna’s International Talents award, are genuinely competitive since they’re capped at a set number of places. DSU regional grants, by contrast, aren’t competitive at all — if you meet the income and merit thresholds, you receive the grant automatically.

Can I study in Italy for free with a scholarship?

Yes. Combining a tuition fee waiver from your university with a DSU regional grant or the MAECI government scholarship can cover tuition entirely, plus contribute toward housing, meals, and a living stipend. Full funding is realistic, particularly for Master’s and PhD applicants.

What GPA or CGPA do I need for an Italian scholarship?

Most programmes don’t publish a strict minimum, but a CGPA in the range of 2.5 to 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) is often treated as a practical baseline for merit-based awards. Highly competitive university scholarships, like Bologna’s or Padua’s, tend to favour stronger academic records given limited scholarship slots.

Do I need to know Italian to study in Italy on a scholarship?

Not for English-taught programmes, which are increasingly common at Italian universities — Bologna alone offers dozens of English-taught degrees. IELTS or TOEFL satisfies the language requirement for these courses. Italian proficiency only becomes necessary if your specific programme is taught in Italian.

When should I start applying for Italian scholarships for the next academic year?

Most Italian scholarship and admission cycles open in the winter and close by spring for an autumn start – commonly December through May, depending on the university. DSU regional grants open later, generally August or September, once you already have an admission letter in hand. Starting your document preparation at least six months before your target deadline gives you a comfortable buffer.

Official Scholarship & University Resources

Important transparency note: Most major Italy-wide scholarship calls for the 2026–2027 academic year — including the MAECI Italian Government Scholarship, University of Bologna, University of Padua, and University of Palermo awards — had application windows between February and May 2026. As of today (July 2026), those specific cycles are closed. They are listed below for reference with their closing dates clearly marked, alongside the scholarships and portals that remain genuinely open or have deadlines still ahead.

Closed for the current cycle (listed for transparency, not for active application):

• MAECI Italian Government Scholarship 2026/27 — closed 26 March 2026
• University of Bologna International Talents Scholarship 2026/27 — closed 30 May 2026
• University of Padua International Excellence Scholarship 2026/27 — closed 2 May 2026
• University of Palermo Scholarship Call (D.R. 4834/2026) — closed 20 May 2026
• University of Milan (Statale) MAECI-linked awards — closed 26 March 2026

Because Italian university admission cycles largely follow a February–May application window for the following autumn intake, students planning for the 2027/28 academic year should begin monitoring official pages from December 2026 onwards, when most new calls are typically published.