Scholarships for International Students in Italy: DSU, Government, and University Awards
Last updated: May 21, 2026
International students in Italy can access three main funding streams: regional DSU right-to-study grants tied to family income, MAECI Italian Government scholarships awarded through Italian embassies, and merit or need-based awards run by individual universities. Each has its own deadline, documentation, and compatibility rules, so the order in which you apply matters as much as whether you qualify.
Last updated: May 21, 2026
How the Italian Scholarship System Is Organized
Unlike countries where one national agency runs all student aid, Italy splits funding across multiple layers. Understanding which body controls which scholarship is the first step.
- DSU (Diritto allo Studio Universitario): Regional right-to-study grants, administered by a regional agency. EDISU covers Piedmont, LAzioDisco covers Lazio, ERGO covers Emilia-Romagna, Aliseo covers Liguria, ERSU covers Sicily, and the agency literally called DSU covers Tuscany. These are need-based and tied to your family's ISEE (income and asset indicator).
- MAECI: The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation runs the Italian Government Scholarship program for foreign citizens and Italians living abroad. Applications go through the Study in Italy portal and are coordinated by Italian embassies.
- University-specific scholarships: Each Italian university runs its own awards. Politecnico di Milano, the University of Turin, the University of Padua, Sapienza, Ca' Foscari, and the private design school IED all have separate calls, some merit-based, some need-based, some targeted at specific nationalities or refugee status.
- Invest Your Talent in Italy (IYT): A joint MAECI–Uni-Italia program for master's students from a defined list of partner countries, with a stipend plus tuition waiver.
Most serious applicants apply to several of these in parallel, because they have different deadlines and different criteria. Some are mutually exclusive once awarded, which is covered further below.
DSU Regional Right-to-Study Grants
The DSU is the workhorse of student aid in Italy and is open to foreign students enrolled or about to enroll at an Italian public university. It is need-based, not merit-based, although you must also meet academic credit milestones each year to keep it.
Who qualifies
Eligibility hinges on two indicators calculated from your family's financial situation:
- ISEE (Indicatore della Situazione Economica Equivalente): an income-and-asset score.
- ISPE (the asset-focused counterpart).
As a rough guide for 2026, the ISEE ceiling for any DSU benefit sits in the €25,000 to €30,000 per year range, while the full package (cash stipend, free dorm room, meal card, and tuition waiver) typically applies below an ISEE of about €13,560 to €14,000. Exact thresholds change yearly and by region, so always check the official call published by your regional agency.
For non-Italian families, you cannot use the regular ISEE form. Instead you request an ISEE Parificato (equivalent ISEE), calculated by an Italian CAF (tax assistance center) from your family's economic situation in a reference year. For the 2025/2026 academic year, that reference year is 2023.
What it pays
The DSU package can include any of the following, depending on your category:
- A cash stipend, estimated at €2,500 to €7,900 per year for 2025–2026 for non-resident students ("fuori sede"), paid in two tranches in December and May–June.
- A full tuition waiver at the host university.
- A subsidized or free room in university housing (subject to availability).
- A meal card for university canteens.
Residence category matters: "in sede" (living in the city of your university), "pendolare" (commuter), and "fuori sede" (living away from your hometown) each receive different stipend amounts, with fuori sede getting the most.
Documents you will need
- Family composition certificate (or equivalent from your home country, legalized and translated).
- Income and tax documents for each working family member for the reference year.
- Property and bank statements for the reference year.
- Passport and Italian tax code (codice fiscale).
- Enrollment confirmation or proof of application to an Italian university.
- Any documentation of grants, allowances, or property abroad.
Non-Italian documents generally need an Apostille (or consular legalization, depending on country) and an official Italian translation before a CAF can process them.
Deadlines and penalties
Deadlines are set by each university, not nationally. Two examples for 2025–2026:
University | ISEE deadline (regional scholarship) | Late submission penalty |
|---|---|---|
University of Padua | 30 September 2025 | €109 (Dec 1 to Feb 15), €218 (Feb 16 to May 15), €327 (May 16 to Sep 30, 2026) |
Ca' Foscari Venice | 30 September 2025 (fee reduction) | €50 (late, up to 18 December 2025) |
Missing the September deadline does not automatically disqualify you, but it costs money and may push you out of the dorm allocation round. Treat September 30 as the practical national deadline for DSU.
MAECI Italian Government Scholarships
MAECI scholarships are the most prestigious government-level option for foreign citizens. The 2026–2027 call closed at 2:00 p.m. CET on 26 March 2026, with applications submitted exclusively through the Study in Italy portal. The 2027–2028 call typically opens in early 2027 with a similar window, so future applicants should monitor the portal and their nearest Italian embassy from January onward.
Who is eligible
For the 2026–2027 cycle, age caps were:
- Master's degree, AFAM (arts/music conservatories), Italian language and culture courses: not over 28 years at the application deadline.
- PhD: not over 30 years.
- Research grants: under 41 years.
Language requirements:
- CEFR B2 in Italian for Italian-taught programs.
- CEFR B2 in English for English-taught programs.
Applicants must hold the appropriate prior degree and apply through the Italian diplomatic mission with jurisdiction over their country of residence.
What MAECI pays
Scholarship type | Amount | Duration |
|---|---|---|
Master's, AFAM, PhD, research | €10,800 total, paid in 3 installments | 9 months (1 Nov 2026 to 31 Jul 2027) |
Italian language and culture | €3,600, single installment after the course | 3 months (between 1 Jan 2027 and 30 Sep 2027) |
Grants are deposited to an Italian bank account opened after arrival. MAECI also contracts collective health and accident insurance for the scholarship duration; pre-existing conditions and dental care are not covered. Regional taxes (the right-to-study tax charged by your host region) are always due and are not refunded by MAECI.
A detail many applicants miss: if you arrive in Italy on or after the 16th day from your official scholarship start date, the grant is reduced proportionally. Book travel early and budget for an arrival within the first two weeks.
Invest Your Talent in Italy (IYT)
IYT is a master's-level program targeting students from specific partner countries. For 2026–2027, the application deadline was 11 May 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Italian time, and the scholarship covers a 9-month period starting 1 October 2026, with possible renewal for a second year.
What it covers
- €1,000 net monthly stipend.
- Tuition fee exemption at the host university.
- Possible internship placement with an Italian company through the program network.
IYT recipients still pay the regional right-to-study tax and stamp duty. At the University of Pisa for 2026–2027, that came to €140.00 (regional tax) plus €16.00 (stamp duty).
Eligible countries (2026–2027)
Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Mongolia, Paraguay, Peru, People's Republic of China, Tunisia, Turkey, Uruguay, and Vietnam.
IYT is incompatible with other Italian Government or Italian public-institution scholarships, including the DSU. If you receive IYT, you cannot also draw a DSU stipend, so weigh totals carefully before accepting.
University-Specific Scholarships
Individual universities run their own awards, sometimes worth more than DSU or MAECI for high-merit candidates. The major examples for recent cycles:
Politecnico di Milano Merit-Based International Scholarship
For the 2026–2027 cycle, Polimi offered the following tiers for international applicants admitted through the Early Bird round (admission application and fee paid between 1 October 2025 and 1 December 2025):
Tier | Stipend (gross/year) | Tuition |
|---|---|---|
Platinum | €10,000 | Full waiver |
Gold (Milan) | €8,000 | Full waiver |
Gold (Piacenza) | €5,000 | Partial |
Bronze (Piacenza) | €2,500 | Partial |
Accepting the scholarship requires paying an administrative fee of approximately €170.
University of Turin
Turin has built one of the more diverse international scholarship portfolios in Italy:
- Talents 4 UniTo: 38 two-year scholarships of €20,000 gross for postgraduate English-taught degrees (a.y. 2025–2026).
- UNICORE 8.0: 3 two-year scholarships of €7,000 per year for refugee students from Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Application deadline was 29 January 2026.
- UniTo for Students at Risk: 10 annual scholarships of €11,000 gross for refugees holding special protection residence permits.
IED (Istituto Europeo di Design)
IED runs its own DSU-style award for design and applied arts programs. For 2025–2026, awards ranged from €2,114 to €8,134 depending on income bracket and student residence category, with an ISPE ceiling of €57,645.03 and an application deadline of 7 November 2025.
Other public universities
Most public universities, including Sapienza, Bologna, Pavia, Bocconi, and Ca' Foscari, publish their own annual call. Search the English-language admissions site for "scholarships" or "borse di studio" once you have shortlisted a program. If you are considering the capital, you can read more in Studying at Sapienza University of Rome.
Common Pitfalls
- Treating DSU and MAECI as one application. They are entirely separate. You apply to DSU through your university and regional agency after admission; you apply to MAECI through the Study in Italy portal before admission.
- Skipping the ISEE Parificato. Without it, you cannot be evaluated for DSU at all. Start gathering family income documents at least three months before the September deadline.
- Ignoring incompatibility clauses. IYT cannot be combined with DSU. Some university merit scholarships forbid stacking with MAECI. Read the call ("bando") in full before accepting an award.
- Late arrival. MAECI cuts the grant proportionally if you arrive after day 15 of the scholarship period. Book flights as soon as the visa is issued.
- Forgetting the regional tax. Even "full" scholarships leave you owing the regional right-to-study tax (around €140) and stamp duty (€16). Budget for it.
- Not maintaining credit thresholds. DSU renewals require you to accumulate a minimum number of ECTS credits each year. Failing the threshold means losing the grant in year two.
- Translating documents incorrectly. Italian universities require sworn translations and Apostille or consular legalization. DIY translations get rejected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for DSU if I am a non-EU citizen?
Yes. DSU is open to all enrolled students regardless of nationality, subject to ISEE/ISPE thresholds. Non-EU students typically use the ISEE Parificato.
Do MAECI scholarships cover tuition?
MAECI grants do not pay tuition directly, but most Italian public universities waive tuition for MAECI scholarship holders. You will still owe the regional right-to-study tax.
Can I work part-time while holding a scholarship?
Non-EU students on a study visa can work up to 20 hours per week. Scholarship rules vary: DSU is generally compatible with limited part-time work, while MAECI grant holders should check the specific call wording before taking on paid work.
What if I miss the ISEE deadline?
Universities like Padua accept late ISEE submissions with escalating penalty fees (€109, €218, then €327). You will likely lose access to dorm allocation but may still receive partial fee reductions.
Do I need to speak Italian?
For MAECI Italian-taught programs, yes (B2). For English-taught master's, B2 English is enough on paper. In practice, daily life with the university bursar's office, the questura (immigration), and the regional DSU agency runs in Italian, so even basic conversational Italian saves enormous time.
Can I appeal a rejected scholarship decision?
DSU agencies publish provisional rankings before the final list and accept appeals within a defined window (usually 10 to 15 days). MAECI decisions made by the embassy selection committee are generally final.
Are PhD scholarships separate?
Yes. Most Italian PhD programs are themselves funded with a stipend (currently around €16,000 gross per year for many public PhDs), separate from DSU and MAECI. Check each doctoral school's call.
After the Scholarship: Practical Next Steps
Once you have an award letter, the rest of the move requires its own checklist: a long-stay study visa from the Italian consulate in your country, a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) application within 8 working days of arrival, the codice fiscale, an Italian bank account for stipend deposits, and health insurance enrollment. If you plan to stay long term or eventually work in Italy, useful follow-up reading includes How to Get Italian Citizenship by Descent and Italian CV Format and Hiring Norms.
If you are heading to Italy on any of these scholarships, learning Italian through native shows, news, and books will make every interaction (from the questura to the canteen) far less stressful: you can try Migaku to study from the same Italian content you will be living inside of.