The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) offers scholarships in favour of foreign students and Italian citizens living abroad (IRE) for the 2026-2027 academic year in order to foster cooperation in the cultural, scientific and technological fields, to support Italy’s economic system in the world and to promote the Italian language and culture (according to the Italian law 288/55 and its subsequent amendments and additions). Scholarships are offered for study, training and/or research programmes at public or legally recognised private Italian institutions. Scholarships are awarded exclusively for the onsite attendance of academic courses on the Italian territory.

Aim and Benefits of Italian Government Undergraduate Scholarship

• TUITION FEES: Some universities exempt scholarship recipients from the payment of enrolment and tuition fees according to the regulations governing university autonomy (Italian legislative decree dated 29th March 2012, number 68). Scholarship recipients must inquire with their chosen institution regarding any obligation to pay tuition fees, which, if applicable, are not refundable by MAECI. Regional fees are due in any case, have to be paid by the student and are not refundable by MAECI. The exemption does not apply to intensive Italian language and culture courses. Enrolment and tuition fees must always be paid for this kind of courses.
• HEALTH INSURANCE: Scholarship recipients will be covered by a collective health insurance, contracted by MAECI, in case of expenses due to illness or accident, exclusively for the duration of the scholarship. Illness depending on pre-existing physical or pathological conditions as well as dental care is excluded from the insurance coverage. Scholarship recipients from EU countries are advised to bring their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) with them.
• The winner of a MAECI scholarship will receive a total amount of 10,800 (ten thousand eight hundred) euros, which will be disbursed to the Italian current account in their name in 3 (three) instalments.

Requirements for Italian Government Undergraduate Scholarship Qualification

• Applicants must have a valid passport or identity document and they must upload a legible copy of this document at the time of registration on the Study in Italy portal, under penalty of exclusion. Applicants who also have the Italian citizenship must declare it when applying for the scholarship and must upload a proof of the Italian citizenship (valid passport or ID card or a valid citizenship certificate) on the Study in Italy portal.
• Academic qualifications: Candidates applying for scholarships must possess the academic qualification required for enrolment at the chosen programme.
• Age requirements: Candidates applying for scholarships for study programmes (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and intensive Italian language and culture courses) must be of age and shall not exceed the age of 28 by the deadline of this Call (born starting from 27th March 1997), with the sole exception of renewals. Candidates applying for scholarships for study programmes (PhD Programmes) must be of age and shall not exceed the age of 30 by the deadline of this Call (born starting from 27th March 1995), with the sole exception of renewals. Candidates applying for scholarships for study programmes (Research projects) must be of age and shall not exceed the age of 40 by the deadline of this Call (born starting from 27th March 1985).
• Language proficiency 
  • Candidates applying for scholarships for Italian-taught study programmes must possess a certificate or a document stating their proficiency level in the Italian language. The minimum level required is B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
  • Proof of proficiency in Italian is not required for courses entirely taught in English.
  • In this case applicants must provide a language certificate of their proficiency in English Language. The minimum level required is B2 within the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
  • For Italian language and culture courses, applicants must provide a certificate of their proficiency in Italian language. The minimum level required is A2 within the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Interview date, Process and Venue for Italian Government Undergraduate Scholarship

Applications will be evaluated by a committee established by the relevant Italian diplomatic representation.

The awarding of scholarships consists of the following stages:

• Comparative evaluation of applications received through the Study in Italy portal based on the fulfilment of the requirements and on criteria related to the merit of the applicant’s educational background, for the purpose of potential admission to the interview;
• Interview with only those applicants who have successfully passed the comparative evaluation stage;
• Publication of the merit ranking;
• Potential uploading of supplementary documents by the applicant, if required.
• Acceptance/decline of the scholarship by the applicant;
• Receipt of the scholarship awarding letter and its acknowledgement and acceptance by the recipient.

Merit Ranking: The relevant Italian diplomatic representation will publish the ranking of winners and any reserves on its website. The ranking is unquestionable. Only winners will be notified via the Study in Italy portal. The absence of an applicant’s protocol number or name from the list of winners and reserves published by the Diplomatic representation implies that the applicant has not been awarded the scholarship. If the ranking cannot be published for privacy and/or security reasons, winners will be notified individually.

Application Deadline

March 26, 2026

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Government of Italy on studyinitaly.esteri.it to apply

• When registering on the portal, applicants are strongly advised to use an email address that they check regularly, as all subsequent communications will be sent to that address.
• Online applications must be received at the latest at 14:00 (Italian time) on March 26th 2026. Only applications and documents submitted through the Study in Italy portal will be considered valid.
• Applicants are strongly advised not to wait until the final days to submit their application.
• Any slowdowns of the portal due to a high volume of traffic will not be considered valid grounds for failure to submit the application.

Guidelines:

• Bando 26-27 ITA.pdf
• Bando 26-27 ENG.pdf
• Elenco_dei_paesi_List _of_countries.pdf

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