Fully funded scholarships in Italy for international students

There are many opportunities for international students who wish to study in Italy for free. Several public and private organizations offer fully funded scholarships for both undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

Moreover, Italian universities offer a wide range of English-taught courses, so knowledge of the Italian language is not necessarily required to study in Italy.

Types of scholarships available in Italy for international students

There are different types of scholarships in Italy that cover full tuition and living expenses. The main categories are:

• Italian government scholarships
  
• Regional scholarships
  
• Scholarships offered by individual universities
  

Additionally, if you are a citizen of a low-income or developing country, and your family income or assets are entirely based outside of Italy, you may be eligible to study at most public universities in Italy by paying a reduced fixed fee.

Italian government scholarships for international students

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) offers scholarships to international students and to Italian citizens residing abroad (IRE).

To apply for a MAECI scholarship, your country of origin must be included in the list of eligible countries, which can be found on the official “Study in Italy” website, along with all the information to submit your application.

These scholarships are exclusively for academic programs offered in Italy and are available for postgraduate degrees or research projects.

Italian local government scholarships for international students

These are referred to as regional scholarships because they are granted by the local government of each Italian region. They are awarded based on both merit and financial need and they are available to both Italian and international students.

If your family’s income is below a certain threshold, these scholarships can be fully funded, covering tuition, accommodation, and meals.

To apply, visit the official website and select the region where the university you’re interested in is located. For example, in the Veneto region, the relevant body is ESU Padova (Azienda Regionale per il Diritto allo Studio Universitario).

Merit-based fully funded scholarships in Italy

Several Italian universities offer fully funded scholarships based on academic merit. Here are two notable examples:

University of Bologna scholarships for international students

For the academic year 2025/26, the University of Bologna Alma Mater is offering 30 scholarships to outstanding international students. These scholarships cover the entire tuition fee.

Eligibility requirements:

• You must have obtained, or be in the process of obtaining, a qualification valid for access to a second-cycle degree program (master’s level);
  
• You must have taken the GRE test (Graduate Record Examination);
  
• You must provide documentation regarding your family’s financial situation (more details available on the university’s official website);
  
• You must be under the age of 30 at the time of application.
  

University of Padua international excellence scholarship

The University of Padua offers 62 fully funded scholarships to international students with excellent academic records.

These scholarships are available for both bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, but only for courses taught in English.

Eligibility criteria:

• You must not hold Italian citizenship (except in cases of dual citizenship);
  
• You must hold a non-Italian secondary school diploma (for bachelor’s applicants) or a non-Italian bachelor’s degree (for master’s applicants) that qualifies you for admission to the Italian university system;
  
• You must not reside in Italy;
  
• You must apply to one or more English-taught degree programs at the University of Padua.
  

Who can apply for a fully funded scholarship in Italy?

If the scholarship is need-based, you must prove that your family income is below a certain threshold. This is done by submitting an official document called ISEE Parificato, which certifies your economic situation according to Italian standards.

If the scholarship is merit-based, it often requires excellent academic results and/or high scores in tests like SAT, ACT, GRE, or a strong GPA.

What documents are required to apply?

Usually, when you apply to an Italian university, you can apply for scholarships at the same time. A separate application is often not needed.

Typical required documents include:

• Copy of your passport or ID
  
• Copies of academic transcripts and/or diplomas
  
• Proof of language proficiency
  
• Curriculum Vitae
  
• Motivation letter and/or letters of recommendation
  
• Scores from standardized tests (if required)
  
• ISEE Parificato or similar documentation proving financial status

If you need support with your application to study in Italy with a full scholarship, you can contact our team at Welcome Association Italy, we will help make the entire process smoother for you.