Italian Government Scholarship 2026–2027 – Fully Funded Study in Italy for International Students

By Sara Iqbal, Scholarships & Study Abroad Writer — March 15, 2026

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has opened applications for its government scholarship programme for the 2026–2027 academic year. This is one of the few fully government-funded scholarship systems in Europe that covers international students at the Master's, PhD, research, and arts education levels — with a financial grant of up to €10,800 and a collective health insurance policy included.

The application deadline is March 26, 2026. That is 11 days from today.

This guide covers everything — who qualifies, what it covers, how to apply, and the eligibility traps that eliminate most applicants before selection even begins.

[Link: suggested anchor "easiest study visa countries for Pakistanis 2026" → Easiest Study Visa Countries Pakistan 2026]

What Is the Italian Government Scholarship (MAECI)?

The scholarship is administered by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation — known by its Italian acronym MAECI. It runs annually and supports two distinct groups:

Group 1 — Foreign Students: International students from eligible countries who want to pursue graduate study, research, or language training in Italy.

Group 2 — Italians Living Abroad (IRE): Italian citizens residing outside Italy in specific countries who wish to return to Italy for academic study.

The programme's stated goals are to strengthen Italy's international academic relationships, promote the Italian language and culture globally, and bring talented international graduates into Italy's higher education system.

Quick Facts at a Glance

Who Can Apply: Eligibility by Category

Foreign Students

Applications are open to citizens of eligible countries. Each applicant may apply through one country only — your country of citizenship. If you hold dual nationality, you must apply through your foreign (non-Italian) citizenship country.

Italians Living Abroad (IRE)

The IRE category is specifically for applicants who hold Italian citizenship only and are resident in one of the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Kenya, Lebanon, Morocco, Peru, United Kingdom, Senegal, Spain, South Africa, Tunisia, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Holders of dual citizenship — Italian plus any other — must apply through the foreign citizenship country route, not the IRE route.

The 6 Scholarship Types: Which One Applies to You

1. Master's Degree Scholarship

For students wishing to enrol in a second-cycle (Laurea Magistrale) Master's degree programme at an Italian public or legally recognised private university.

Some programmes may require an admission test or pre-enrolment procedure. Confirm with your chosen university before applying.

2. AFAM Scholarship (Fine Arts, Music, Dance)

For students pursuing Higher Education in Fine Arts, Music, or Dance (AFAM) at first or second cycle level at recognised Italian institutions.

3. PhD Scholarship

For applicants who have already been admitted to a PhD programme at an Italian university and need financial support to complete their doctoral research in Italy.

The PhD scholarship does not require a language proficiency certificate for the application itself — but your chosen institution may still have language requirements for enrolment.

4. Research Project Scholarship

For applicants who wish to conduct a supervised research project in Italy, including co-tutorship arrangements.

This is the most flexible scholarship type — the 40-year age limit opens it to mid-career researchers and professionals. The requirement for an existing supervisor relationship means you must establish contact with an Italian researcher or institution before applying.

5. Italofonia — Italian Language and Culture Scholarship

For students wishing to attend an intensive Italian language and culture programme at a recognised Italian institution.

Unlike the 9-month scholarships, this programme runs in quarterly blocks — it must start on the first day of a quarter and end on the last.

6. "Costruiamo il Futuro" Scholarship Renewal

This category is exclusively for students who received the Costruiamo il Futuro scholarship in the 2025–2026 cycle and are continuing the same programme at the same Italian institution.

Financial Benefits: What You Actually Receive

9-Month Scholarship (Categories 1–4 and 6)

The total grant is €10,800, paid in three instalments directly to an Italian bank account in the recipient's name:

3-Month Language Scholarship (Category 5)

The total grant is €3,600, paid in a single instalment.

Health Insurance

All scholarship recipients are covered by a collective health insurance policy arranged by MAECI. This covers illness and accidents during the scholarship period — removing one of the most significant costs international students face in Italy.

Tuition Fees

Some Italian universities waive tuition fees for scholarship recipients, but this is at each institution's discretion — it is not guaranteed by MAECI. Regional fees are always payable by the student regardless of scholarship status. Italian language and culture courses are also not exempt from tuition.

Always contact your target institution directly to confirm their fee policy for MAECI scholarship holders.

Language Requirements: The Detail Most Applicants Miss

For English-taught programmes, proof of B2 English can be provided through: a recognised language certificate, proof that your previous degree was taught entirely in English, or — for applicants from English-speaking countries — a self-declaration.

The B2 requirement for Italian-taught programmes is the most common reason strong candidates are screened out. If you are targeting a Master's in Italy taught in Italian and your Italian is currently A2 or B1, this cycle's deadline does not give you time to certify at B2. Plan for the 2027–2028 cycle with adequate preparation time.

Who Is NOT Eligible: Read This Before Applying

This section is more useful than the eligibility section for most applicants because it eliminates disqualifying situations that are easy to overlook.

You cannot apply if you:

• Are currently enrolled in, or have already obtained, a secondary school diploma from an Italian institution in Italy
• Are currently enrolled in, or have already obtained, a degree from an Italian higher education institution in Italy
• Have a degree from a foreign institution located within Italy
• Have received a MAECI research scholarship in any of the last 5 academic years
• Are applying to enrol in any year other than the first year of your chosen programme
• Are an employee of the Italian Public Administration or a first-degree descendant of one
• Are enrolled part-time or beyond the legal duration of your programme

The scholarship is also not available for: most Bachelor's degree programmes, single-cycle degree programmes, first and second-level university Master's programmes (as distinct from Laurea Magistrale), specialisation courses, one-year university courses, and individual single courses.

Special Attanasio Scholarships: 3 Additional Awards

For the 2026–2027 academic year, MAECI is offering three dedicated 9-month scholarships in memory of Ambassador Luca Attanasio, Vittorio Iacovacci, and Mustapha Milambo — three individuals who died in service in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2021.

These three scholarships are reserved for applicants from Morocco, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, for study in fields including international relations, development cooperation, international humanitarian law, and human rights law.

WikiAfrica Higher Education Initiative

African scholarship recipients who speak African languages may be invited to participate in the WikiAfrica Higher Education Initiative — a collaboration between the Aurora Foundation, Moleskine Foundation, and Wikimedia Foundation. The initiative supports the creation and online publication of specialised academic knowledge about Africa. Participation is voluntary and separate from the main scholarship programme.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply

All applications are submitted exclusively through the Study in Italy portal. There is no paper application option.

Application Steps

Documents to Prepare

Some additional documents may be requested later — only from applicants who appear in the merit ranking. If requested, these must be uploaded by July 1, 2026 at 14:00 Italian time.

The Selection Process: What Happens After You Apply

After selection, scholarship recipients must complete pre-enrolment and enrolment at their Italian institution, obtain a tax identification number (codice fiscale) in Italy, and apply for a study visa where required by their nationality.

Scholarship Compatibility: What It Can and Cannot Be Combined With

This scholarship cannot be combined with any other Italian Government scholarship or grant from an Italian public institution.

It can be combined with Erasmus, Erasmus+, international internships, and programmes funded by international institutions — with one important caveat: the MAECI scholarship grant will not be paid for periods during which the recipient is physically outside Italy for study, research, or internship purposes. The scholarship funds your time in Italy specifically.

Why This Scholarship Matters for Pakistani and South Asian Students

Italy is one of the most accessible European study destinations for international students in terms of visa approval and tuition costs. Combined with the MAECI scholarship's €10,800 grant and health insurance, a Master's programme at an Italian public university becomes genuinely affordable for students from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and the broader South Asian region.

The key barrier is language — specifically B2 Italian for Italian-taught programmes. English-taught programmes at Italian universities remove this barrier entirely and are growing in number, particularly at postgraduate level. Students who target English-medium Master's programmes and meet the academic equivalency requirements have a legitimate path through this scholarship to a funded European graduate degree.

For research applicants, the 40-year age limit is unusually generous by international scholarship standards — making this one of the few fully-funded European research opportunities accessible to mid-career academics and professionals.

The Bottom Line

Deadline: March 26, 2026 at 14:00 Italian time — 11 days from today.

Apply online only at studyinitaly.esteri.it. Do not wait until the last day.

For Master's applicants: Confirm your target university, verify your language certificate meets B2, and confirm your previous degree is considered equivalent to an Italian Bachelor's by Italian standards. Use the CIMEA tool (ardi.cimea.it) to check equivalency.

For PhD applicants: You must have your admission letter from the Italian PhD programme already in hand before applying. The scholarship supports existing PhD placements — it does not help you secure one.

For research applicants: Establish contact with an Italian supervisor first. Their invitation letter is a mandatory document and cannot be obtained after the deadline.

For language course applicants: Verify you have at least A2 Italian. The course runs January–September 2027 — the €3,600 grant is modest but makes the programme accessible.

This is a legitimate, fully government-backed scholarship with a transparent selection process. For any international student with an Italian academic goal and the right academic profile, the effort to apply in the next 11 days is one of the highest-return decisions available right now.

Apply Here: studyinitaly.esteri.it

Official Call for Applications (English PDF): Available at the Italian Embassy in your country or via the Study in Italy portal

Useful References:

• Study in Italy Portal: studyinitaly.esteri.it
• Degree Equivalency Check: ardi.cimea.it
• CEFR Language Framework: europa.eu/europass
• Italian MUR Recognised Universities: mur.gov.it

[Link: suggested anchor "HEC scholarships for Pakistani students 2026" → HEC Scholarships Pakistan 2026] [Link: suggested anchor "Germany student visa Pakistan 2026" → Germany Student Visa Pakistan 2026]

Author Bio — Sara Iqbal: Sara Iqbal is an immigration and scholarships writer who has covered international study opportunities, visa policy, and overseas education pathways for Dawn, ARY News Digital, and TravelPakistani.com for five years. She specialises in making international scholarship and visa processes legible for students navigating them without expensive consultants. Connect: linkedin.com/in/saraiqbal-visawriter.