Grants and scholarshipsFunding a degree in Italy What you can really get
Which programmes actually exist, who can apply and where people most often go wrong.
- Main programme
- MAECI and regional DSU
Send your transcript or degree, your average grade and your language level. We'll tell you which programmes suit you and which don't.
Photo: Benoit Soubeyran · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
"Free tuition in Italy" is a half-truth
Italian public universities genuinely charge on a progressive scale tied to family income. Ministry of Universities and Research Decree no. 1014 of 03/08/2021 established the "no tax area" — full exemption below an ISEE of €22,000 — and many universities extend partial relief up to €30,000.
That is also where the trap sits. To obtain relief, an international student must correctly file an ISEE parificato — an Italian income assessment built from foreign documents, legalised and submitted by hard deadlines. If no ISEE is filed, the university automatically places the student in the top fee bracket.
Rules also differ by university: Politecnico di Milano states plainly that the ISEEU parificato sets your fee bracket but is not valid for applying for full or partial exemption, while Sapienza permits an ISEE declaration only for students with Italian income. This must be checked per university, not from general articles.
Scholarships: two layers
At national level, MAECI scholarships from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are worth €10,800, paid in three instalments, and applied for exclusively through the studyinitaly.esteri.it portal. An important caveat: we could not confirm whether Russia and CIS states appear on the eligible-country list for the current call — this must be checked against the official announcement.
At regional level, DSU (the right to study) is in practice the larger opportunity. Run by regional agencies, it includes a cash grant, student canteen access, subsidised accommodation and fee exemption, and international students are eligible. There is no single national deadline — each region sets its own, and missing it forfeits the largest part of the support.
How we help you win a scholarship
- 01
Your profile
We look at your grades, languages and goals, and tell you plainly which scholarships you qualify for.
- 02
Universities and scholarships
We pick up to five scholarships and universities with the best odds and put the deadlines in a calendar.
- 03
Documents and letters
Study plan, statement, recommendations, translations. We check every field of the form.
- 04
Applying and moving
We file the applications, follow the universities' replies and help with the visa and the move.
Applying to a university
We prepare and file the application for a place and a scholarship. The university's own fee is paid separately, on its invoice.
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