Top 10 Scholarships in Italy for International Students

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In Italy, all international students are entitled to the same financial assistance services as Italian students based on same requisites of financial means and/or merit. There are government scholarships at the national and regional level to which international students can apply for. Moreover, some Italian Universities offer Italian scholarship programs for international students.

Italian Government Scholarships for Foreign Students
The Italian Government awards scholarships for studying in Italy both to foreign citizens and Italian citizens resident abroad (IRE). The scholarships are offered for the following type of courses: Master’s Degree (Laurea Magistrale 2° ciclo), Courses of Higher Education in Arts, Music, and Dance (AFAM), PhD program, Research under academic supervision (Progetti in co-tutela), and Italian Language and Culture Courses. The scholarship includes tuition fees, health insurance and a monthly allowance. It is only possible to apply for three, six, or nine month scholarships.

The “Invest your Talent in Italy” programme, supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the Italian Ministry for Economic Development, offers students from Azerbaijan, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Turkey, Tunisia, and Vietnam the opportunity to develop their skills and specialise through a range of Master’s and postgraduate degree courses in English, in the fields of Engineering, Advanced Technologies, Architecture, Design, Economics and Management at prestigious Italian universities. The best students will be offered scholarships, sponsored by partners and main corporate sponsors.

University of Milan Excellence Scholarships
For academic year 2024/2025, 155 incentives are available to the best international students admitted to a Master’s degree programme, of which: 55 scholarships worth € 8,000 each (with the right to exemption from the all-inclusive tuition fee) and 100 total exemptions from the all-inclusive tuition fee.

EDISU Piemonte Scholarships
Students including non-EU international students enrolled in a full-time Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, Single Cycle Master’s degree, or PhD Degree courses at one of the Universities of Piedmont (i.e. The Politecnico of Torino, the University of Torino, the University of Eastern Piedmont) can apply for EDISU scholarships if they meet the merit and economic requirements of the competition. Part-time students can apply if enrolled in a bachelor’s degree. The scholarship amount varies depending on many conditions. Accommodation service can also be granted to non-resident students.

Padua International Excellence Scholarship Programme
The University of Padua also offers the which provides full scholarships to highly talented prospective students wishing to pursue a first-cycle or second-cycle degree taught in English at Padova. The scholarship includes a subsistence allowance of €8,000 and a tuition fee waiver.

Tuition Fee Waivers at University of Pavia for International Students
In order to strengthen the presence of international students and foster the creation of an ever more global community, the University of Pavia is awarding 120 tuition fee waivers providing exemption from the payment of University tuition fees to all foreign students enrolling in selected degree programs in the 2024/2025 academic year. The fee waiver will be effective for the first year only and cannot be extended or renewed.

See also CICOPS Scholarships for researchers from Developing Countries who wish to carry out research in collaboration with a professor at the University of Pavia.

Bocconi Merit and International Awards
Bocconi University offers merit-based scholarships to international students enrolling in any eligible Bachelor’s Program or Master of Science Program at Bocconi. The scholarship includes half to full tuition waiver worth up to €13,000 per year for Bachelor’s Program and up to €14,000 per year for Master’s of Science Program.

Politecnico de Milano Merit-Based Scholarships for International Students
Every year, Politecnico di Milano offers a number of merit based scholarships to the most talented international candidates admitted to a Master of Science programme. All Merit Based International Scholarships offer exemption from tuition fees payment for the entire academic year which they are assigned for. Scholarships of €5.000 to €10.000 per year may also be awarded on top of the tuition fee waiver.

Politecnico di Torino International Scholarships
The Politecnico di Torino offers scholarships to international students to attend academic programs in certain fields such as Engineering and Architecture.

Università Cattolica International Scholarships
The UCSC International Scholarship is an annual tuition fee reduction promoted by Università Cattolica in order to foster the access of international student to the degree programs. The discount covers about 25% of the total cost.