Italian Government Scholarships
🇮🇹 Italy
Masters
- Monthly grant (€900)
- Tuition fee waiver at public universities
- Health insurance
Deadline: June (annual call)
🇮🇹
Europe
Scholarships in Italy for International Students
1 verified scholarships · 1 fully funded · Including Italian Government Scholarships
Italy is a top study destination renowned for its centuries-old academic traditions, affordable tuition programs, and rich cultural diversity. We've compiled 1 scholarship opportunities — including 1 fully funded programs — to help international students fund their education in Italy in 2026.
1
Total Scholarships
1
Fully Funded
1
Degree Levels
1
Open to All Nations
All Scholarships in Italy
Why Study in Italy?
Italy hosts roughly 100,000 international students and is home to the oldest university in continuous operation (Bologna, founded 1088). Italian public university tuition is modest (€900–€4,000/year for non-EU students, often based on family income), and the Italian Government Scholarship covers tuition, monthly stipend, and health insurance for international students from over 70 priority countries. English-taught programmes have grown substantially in business, design, engineering, and political science; Polimi, Politecnico di Torino, and Bocconi are global leaders in their fields.
Top Universities in Italy for International Students
These universities anchor the country's scholarship pipeline and are routinely the destination institutions for the funded programmes listed above.
Politecnico di Milano
Milan
Engineering, architecture, design
Bocconi University
Milan
Business, economics, finance (private, English-taught)
Sapienza University of Rome
Rome
Classics, medicine, engineering (Italy's largest university)
University of Bologna
Bologna
Law, humanities, medicine (oldest Western university)
Politecnico di Torino
Turin
Engineering, automotive, aerospace
Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa
Pisa
Mathematics, physics, philosophy (highly selective)
University of Padua
Padua
Medicine, psychology, agriculture
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Milan
Economics, communications, medicine
Tuition and Cost of Living in Italy
Fully funded scholarships normally cover both tuition and a monthly living allowance, but knowing the underlying costs helps you choose between full and partial funding offers.
Annual Tuition (Self-Funded Rate)
- Undergraduate
- €900–€4,000 per year (public, often income-based for non-EU)
- Master's
- €900–€5,000 per year (public); Bocconi MSc €15,000–€16,000
- PhD
- Salaried (~€16,000/year tax-free)
Tuition at public universities is income-tested via the ISEE form for many non-EU students, dramatically reducing costs for those from lower-income brackets.
Monthly Living Budget (€750–€1,300)
- Rent
- €350–€700 (shared apartments; Milan and Rome at upper end; Bologna, Padua, Pisa cheaper)
- Food
- €200–€280
- Transport
- €20–€40 (heavily subsidised student transit passes)
Milan and Rome are 30–40% more expensive than Bologna, Florence, Padua, or southern Italy. Italian Government Scholarship pays €900/month, sufficient outside metro Milan/Rome.
Student Visa, Work Rights, and Post-Study Pathway
Visa rules and post-graduation work rights vary dramatically between destinations — for many applicants they matter as much as the scholarship itself.
National D Visa for Studies
- Visa Fee
- €50–€116
- Processing Time
- 1–3 months
- Financial Proof Required
- €6,358/year minimum (€529/month)
- Health Insurance
- Mandatory; students can enrol in Italian National Health Service (SSN) for €150/year
- Work While Studying
- 20 hours/week during term, up to 1,040 hours/year total
Post-Study Work Rights
12-month job-seeking residence permit after graduation. Italy added a dedicated 'foreign graduate' work permit category in 2023, making the transition to skilled work permits easier than before. Permanent residence after 5 years of legal stay.
English Language Requirements
For English-taught programmes: IELTS 6.0–6.5 or TOEFL iBT 80. Bocconi and Polimi competitive programmes often want IELTS 6.5+. For Italian-taught programmes: CILS or CELI B2 minimum (C1 for many graduate programmes).
Application Timeline for Italy Scholarships
Most scholarship deadlines are 8–14 months before the programme start date. Backwards-plan from your target intake to avoid missing key dates.
- 1
10–12 months before
Check Universitaly.it for English-taught programme list and deadlines.
- 2
8–10 months before
Take IELTS/TOEFL; complete pre-evaluation through Italian Embassy (Domanda di Pre-iscrizione).
- 3
6–8 months before
Apply for Italian Government Scholarship via Study in Italy portal (deadlines May–June for following academic year).
- 4
4–6 months before
Submit university applications (Polimi rolling, Bocconi deadlines November–April, Sapienza mostly June).
- 5
2–4 months before
Receive admission, apply for D visa, request codice fiscale, book housing.
How to Win a Scholarship in Italy
Italian Government Scholarships are bilateral and country-specific — the eligible-country list changes yearly. Apply through the Study in Italy portal (studyinitaly.esteri.it), and note that for many countries you must also notify your local Italian Embassy in parallel. The application is centralised but selection happens by Italian universities and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs together. For Bocconi and Polimi, university-specific merit scholarships are often more accessible than government awards — apply via the university portal alongside your admission application. Income-based tuition reductions for public universities require submitting your family's ISEE-equivalent documentation; the savings can drop tuition by 70% or more for lower-income students.
Italy Scholarships at a Glance
- Public Italian universities apply income-based tuition for non-EU students — fees can drop below €1,000/year.
- Italian Government Scholarship pays €900/month for 6–9 months per academic year, plus tuition and insurance.
- Polimi and Politecnico di Torino are global leaders in design, engineering, and architecture.
- Italy's 'foreign graduate' work permit added in 2023 simplifies post-study employment transitions.
Scholarships in Italy by Student Nationality
Find scholarships in Italy tailored to students from your home country. Select your nationality to see specific opportunities and eligibility requirements.
🇵🇰 Pakistani Students 🇮🇳 Indian Students 🇳🇬 Nigerian Students 🇧🇩 Bangladeshi Students 🇰🇪 Kenyan Students 🇬🇭 Ghanaian Students 🇵🇭 Filipino Students 🇪🇬 Egyptian Students 🇪🇹 Ethiopian Students 🇳🇵 Nepali Students 🇻🇳 Vietnamese Students 🇮🇩 Indonesian Students 🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Students 🇹🇿 Tanzanian Students 🇺🇬 Ugandan Students
Explore Other Study Destinations
Considering other countries? Browse scholarships in these popular study destinations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Scholarships in Italy
Yes, Italy offers several fully funded scholarships that cover tuition fees, living expenses, health insurance, and sometimes even travel costs. Government-sponsored programs and university-specific awards provide comprehensive funding for international students at all degree levels.
Competition varies by program. Prestigious government scholarships tend to be highly competitive with acceptance rates under 5%, while university-specific funding and partial scholarships are more accessible. Starting your application early and maintaining strong academic credentials significantly improves your chances.
Most English-taught programs require IELTS (6.0–7.0) or TOEFL (80–100) scores. Many European universities also offer programs in the local language, with preparatory language courses included in some scholarship packages.
Start researching and preparing at least 12–18 months before your intended start date. Most scholarship deadlines fall between October and March for programs starting the following September. Early preparation gives you time to gather recommendation letters, write strong personal statements, and take standardized tests.
Most student visa categories in Italy allow part-time work during term time (typically 15–20 hours per week) and full-time work during holidays. However, many fully funded scholarships provide sufficient living allowances, allowing you to focus entirely on your studies.
TheScholarSphere currently lists 1 scholarship programs in Italy for the 2026 academic year, ranging from fully funded government scholarships to partial university grants. New opportunities are added regularly, so subscribe to our newsletter for updates.
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