Guide to the Best Scholarships for Indian Students in Italy for 2026-27

The best scholarships for Indian students in Italy can reduce tuition significantly and, in some cases, provide financial support for living expenses. Major 2026 options include the Italian Government’s MAECI Scholarship, Invest Your Talent in Italy, regional right-to-study scholarships, Padua International Excellence Scholarships and university merit-based tuition waivers.

Some awards provide approximately €8,000–€10,800 in financial support together with tuition benefits, while others focus mainly on full or partial fee exemptions. However, the eligibility rules differ sharply. Some scholarships are designed mainly for master’s students, while regional and university schemes can also support bachelor’s students.

Students should therefore compare the scholarship with their study level, university, financial circumstances and course rather than searching only for the largest award.

This guide explains the leading 2026 scholarship options, eligibility, benefits, deadlines and application strategy for Indian students.

Why Scholarships in Italy Matter for Indian Students

Italy is already comparatively affordable at many public universities.

Current European Education Area guidance estimates public-university tuition at approximately €900–€4,000 per year, while private institutions can charge approximately €6,000–€20,000 or more annually. Typical student living expenses are approximately €700–€1,100 per month.

Scholarships can reduce this cost further through:

• • full tuition waivers;

• • partial tuition reductions;

• • annual financial grants;

• • accommodation support;

• • subsidised meals;

• • health insurance;

• • regional student services.
    
    

The important point is that not every scholarship described as fully funded covers every expense.

A tuition waiver may remove university fees but leave rent, food and travel entirely to the student. Another scholarship may provide a cash grant but not automatically exempt the recipient from every university charge.

Always check the exact benefit before calculating your budget.

Best Scholarships for Indian Students in Italy in 2026

MAECI Italian Government Scholarship

The MAECI Scholarship is offered by Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Indian applicants were eligible for the 2026/27 scholarship cycle, with the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi publishing the call and later the final results for Indian applicants.

For 2026/27, the scholarship covered study categories including:

• • Laurea Magistrale or second-cycle master’s degrees;

• • AFAM higher education programmes;

• • PhD programmes;

• • academic research projects;

• • selected Italian language and culture courses.
    
    

For master’s programmes, the scholarship is normally awarded for nine months and may be renewable under the applicable conditions.

The standard nine-month MAECI award for eligible study categories is approximately €10,800, paid in three instalments. Scholarship recipients also receive health-insurance coverage for qualifying illness or accident expenses during the scholarship period.

However, MAECI does not automatically guarantee free tuition at every university. Individual universities decide whether scholarship holders receive a tuition exemption, while regional fees remain payable by the student.

For English-taught master’s or AFAM programmes, the 2026/27 MAECI call required at least B2 English. Students who had completed a bachelor’s degree entirely in English could submit suitable university documentation confirming the language of instruction.

The 2026/27 application deadline was 26 March 2026 at 14:00 Italian time.

Best suited for: Indian students applying for master’s, PhD, research or eligible advanced programmes.

Invest Your Talent in Italy Scholarship

Invest Your Talent in Italy, or IYT, is one of the most relevant scholarships specifically available to Indian postgraduate students.

India is explicitly listed among the eligible countries for the 2026/27 programme.

IYT focuses on selected master’s and postgraduate courses across three main areas:

• • Engineering and Advanced Technologies;

• • Economics and Management;

• • Architecture and Design.
    
    

The programme also includes a compulsory internship with an Italian company, trade association or professional organisation, making it particularly interesting for students who want an academic programme with industry exposure.

For 2026/27, recipients receive approximately €10,800 for nine months. Scholarship winners are also exempt from standard enrolment fees and university contributions. Students still need to cover items such as regional tax, stamp duty, health insurance and certain other administrative expenses.

IYT does not cover international travel or accommodation.

Applicants must already hold a qualification suitable for admission to the relevant master’s or postgraduate course. Students still completing their bachelor’s degree were not eligible for the 2026/27 call.

Applicants also needed at least B2-level English and were expected to study Italian.

For 2026/27:

• • applications opened on 20 April 2026;

• • applications closed on 11 May 2026 at 18:00 Italian time.
    
    

The 2026 programme also reserved specific Architecture and Design scholarships for talented applicants from selected countries, including India.

Best suited for: Indian master’s applicants in engineering, technology, management, economics, architecture and design.

Padua International Excellence Scholarship

The University of Padua International Excellence Scholarship is one of the strongest university-funded options.

For 2026/27, the University announced up to 69 scholarships for highly qualified international students admitted to English-taught programmes.

Each scholarship provides approximately:

• • €8,000 per year;

• • a university tuition-fee waiver.
    
    

The scholarship is available for eligible English-taught bachelor’s and master’s programmes.

For master’s students, the scholarship can generally continue for up to two years. Bachelor’s students may receive support for a longer period according to the scholarship rules and academic progress requirements.

Recipients still need to pay the applicable regional fee and revenue stamp.

Selection is highly competitive and focuses on candidates with very strong academic records.

Best suited for: High-achieving bachelor’s and master’s applicants seeking English-taught programmes at the University of Padua.

Politecnico di Milano Merit-Based Scholarships

Students applying to engineering, architecture, design or technology programmes should also consider Politecnico di Milano’s merit-based international scholarships.

For 2026/27, these scholarships were available to international applicants entering an English-taught Master of Science programme.

Every merit scholarship includes a full tuition-fee waiver. Some awards also provide an additional allowance of up to approximately €10,000 per year. Scholarship recipients pay only an administrative charge of approximately €170.

Selection considers:

• • previous academic performance;

• • compatibility of previous studies with the master’s programme;

• • submitted application documents;

• • scholarship application;

• • portfolio where required.
    
    

For the 2026/27 competition, applicants first had to submit their admission application during Politecnico di Milano’s Early Bird period, which ran from 1 October to 1 December 2025. The required English certificate had to be submitted by 21 February 2026 for scholarship consideration.

Indian applicants were also among those who could access additional IYT opportunities at Politecnico di Milano.

Best suited for: High-achieving Indian students applying for English-taught engineering, architecture, design or technology master’s degrees.

Regional Right-to-Study Scholarships

Italy’s regional scholarships can be among the most valuable funding options for students from families with limited financial resources.

These are frequently described online as DSU scholarships, although different Italian regions operate through different agencies.

Benefits may include:

• • cash scholarships;

• • tuition exemption;

• • university residence;

• • meal services;

• • regional fee reimbursement.
    
    

A good example is ER.GO, which supports students studying in Emilia-Romagna, including students at universities such as Bologna.

For 2026/27, the standard ER.GO non-resident scholarship could reach approximately €7,171, while applicants in the lowest ISEE bracket could receive approximately €8,247. The amount varies according to family finances and whether the student is classified as resident, commuter or non-resident.

For the 2026/27 ER.GO scholarship, the economic thresholds were approximately:

• • ISEE: up to €25,000;

• • ISPE: up to €50,000.
    
    

For Indian students whose household income and assets are located abroad, ER.GO calculates the financial condition using official documentation issued in the student’s home country. The documents must be translated and legalised or apostilled as required.

The ER.GO scholarship application period for 2026/27 ran from 23 June to 24 August 2026.

Other Italian regions operate similar right-to-study systems, so students should identify the regional authority linked to their chosen university.

Best suited for: Bachelor’s and master’s students with qualifying family income and assets.

University of Padua Full Tuition Fee Waivers

Students who do not receive the Padua International Excellence Scholarship may still have another funding route.

For 2026/27, the University of Padua offered 100 full tuition-fee waivers to outstanding international students enrolling in degree programmes taught completely in English.

Eligible applicants must generally:

• • hold a foreign qualification;

• • not hold Italian citizenship, except qualifying dual-citizenship cases;

• • not already reside in Italy;

• • apply to an eligible English-taught programme.
    
    

No separate scholarship application is required for qualifying candidates. Applying to the degree programme automatically places eligible students into the selection procedure.

Recipients remain responsible for the regional tax and stamp duty.

Unlike the Excellence Scholarship, this option mainly removes tuition rather than providing the same approximately €8,000 annual cash grant.

Best suited for: Strong international applicants who want to reduce tuition without relying on a living-cost scholarship.

Quick Comparison of Italy Scholarships for Indian Students

Scholarship	Study Level	Approximate Benefit	Tuition Support	Main Selection Basis
MAECI Scholarship	Master’s, PhD, research, AFAM	approximately €10,800 for many 9-month awards	Depends on university	Merit, eligibility and country allocation
Invest Your Talent in Italy	Master’s / postgraduate	approximately €10,800	Full tuition contribution exemption	Merit, programme eligibility and country quota
Padua International Excellence	Bachelor’s / Master’s	approximately €8,000 per year	Full tuition waiver	Academic excellence
Politecnico di Milano Merit Scholarship	Master’s	up to approximately €10,000 additional allowance on some awards	Full tuition waiver	Academic merit
ER.GO Regional Scholarship	Bachelor’s / Master’s and other eligible study	up to approximately €8,247 in a standard low-income non-resident case	Can include tuition exemption	Income, assets and academic requirements
Padua Full Fee Waiver	Bachelor’s / Master’s	Tuition reduction rather than cash grant	Full tuition waiver	Academic profile

Scholarship amounts and conditions can change annually. Students should always use the official call for their academic year.

Which Scholarships Are Available for Bachelor’s Students?

Some major national scholarships are primarily designed for postgraduate study.

For example, the 2026/27 MAECI call did not generally offer new scholarships for normal first-cycle bachelor’s degrees. Its bachelor’s/single-cycle category was limited to specific scholarship renewals.

Similarly, Invest Your Talent in Italy focuses on master’s and postgraduate study.

Bachelor’s applicants should therefore pay particular attention to:

• • regional right-to-study scholarships;

• • Padua International Excellence Scholarships;

• • Padua full tuition waivers;

• • university-specific merit scholarships;

• • need-based tuition exemptions.
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Regional support can be especially important because these schemes often cover both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Which Scholarships Are Best for Master’s Students?

Master’s students have the widest selection of major scholarships.

Strong options include:

MAECI: approximately €10,800 for a nine-month scholarship period, subject to its conditions.

Invest Your Talent in Italy: approximately €10,800, tuition exemption and an industry internship for eligible programmes.

Padua International Excellence: approximately €8,000 annually plus tuition waiver.

Politecnico di Milano Merit Scholarships: full tuition waiver with additional allowances on selected awards.

Regional scholarships: income-based support that can include cash, accommodation, meals and tuition exemption.

Students should apply to several suitable schemes where rules allow rather than relying entirely on one competitive scholarship.

Eligibility for Scholarships in Italy

There is no universal eligibility standard.

Scholarships can assess different combinations of:

• • nationality;

• • country of residence;

• • academic performance;

• • study level;

• • university admission;

• • age;

• • English or Italian proficiency;

• • family income;

• • family assets;

• • course selection.
    
    

For example, IYT applicants for 2026/27 had to be born on or after 1 January 2000, apart from renewal applicants. They also needed a completed degree suitable for master’s admission.

For a MAECI master’s scholarship, the 2026/27 age limit was generally 28 by the application deadline, except for eligible renewal cases.

Regional scholarships work differently. Age may be less important than household income, assets and continued academic progress.

Check each scholarship separately.

Documents Indian Students May Need

Typical scholarship documents include:

• • valid passport;

• • bachelor’s or school certificates;

• • academic transcripts;

• • CV;

• • university admission or pre-admission documentation;

• • English-language certificate;

• • motivation letter;

• • recommendation letters where required;

• • financial documents;

• • family composition certificate;

• • family income documents;

• • property and asset documentation;

• • translated or apostilled documents where required.
    
    

For regional funding, financial paperwork can be particularly demanding.

ER.GO requires students whose families hold income or assets abroad to provide documentation issued by the relevant authorities in their country of origin. Documents must be translated into Italian and appropriately legalised or apostilled.

Start this process early. Missing financial documentation can make an otherwise strong application ineligible.

Scholarship Deadlines for the 2026/27 Academic Year

Several major 2026/27 application windows have already passed.

Scholarship	2026/27 Application Timing
MAECI	Deadline was 26 March 2026
Invest Your Talent in Italy	20 April–11 May 2026
ER.GO Scholarship	23 June–24 August 2026
Politecnico di Milano Merit Scholarships	Admission Early Bird application required by 1 December 2025; English certificate by 21 February 2026
Padua Scholarships	Followed the 2026/27 degree-admission and scholarship selection timetable

Students targeting 2027/28 should not reuse these dates. Instead, use them to estimate when preparation may need to begin and monitor the next official call.

One of the biggest lessons from the 2026 cycle is that scholarship preparation often begins before the academic year itself.

How to Apply for Scholarships in Italy

A practical application strategy is:

• Choose your course and university.
• Confirm that the institution and programme are eligible for the scholarship.
• Check scholarship eligibility before applying.
• Pay attention to nationality, study level, age, academic requirements and financial conditions.
• Apply for university admission early.
• Some scholarships require admission or pre-admission before the scholarship application.
• Prepare financial documents.
• This is especially important for regional scholarships.
• Prepare language evidence.
• Several postgraduate awards require approximately B2 English.
• Submit the scholarship application separately where required.
• Do not assume the university application automatically applies you for every scholarship.
• Track results and acceptance deadlines.
• Some awards require formal acceptance within a short period.
• Complete Universitaly and visa procedures where applicable.
  Scholarship selection does not replace the Italian study-visa process.

1.  

University admission, scholarship selection and visa approval remain separate decisions.

Can You Combine Two Scholarships in Italy?

Not always.

Students need to check incompatibility rules before accepting multiple awards.

For example, the MAECI 2026/27 scholarship is incompatible with another scholarship offered by the Italian Government or another Italian public institution, including regional right-to-study scholarships.

Invest Your Talent in Italy has a similar restriction. It cannot normally be combined with another scholarship or financial benefit provided by the Italian Government or an Italian public institution, including regional education scholarships.

Do not assume that winning two scholarships means you can receive both.

How Much Money Will You Still Need?

Even a strong scholarship may not cover every expense.

Typical student living costs in Italy are approximately €700–€1,100 per month, depending on the city and lifestyle.

Students may still need money for:

• • international flights;

• • rental deposit;

• • accommodation;

• • groceries;

• • local transport;

• • residence permit expenses;

• • health insurance;

• • regional university fees;

• • books;

• • personal expenses.

For example, IYT specifically states that accommodation and travel are not covered despite the approximately €10,800 grant and tuition exemption.

A scholarship should therefore be included in a wider financial plan rather than treated as a guarantee that studying abroad will cost nothing.

How to Improve Your Chances of Winning a Scholarship

Start with scholarships that genuinely match your profile.

A student applying randomly to ten scholarships may have a weaker strategy than someone applying carefully to four suitable ones.

Focus on:

Strong academic results. Merit awards such as Padua International Excellence and Politecnico di Milano scholarships place considerable weight on previous academic performance.

A clear course match. Your previous studies should make sense for the programme you are applying to.

Early preparation. Major scholarship deadlines can occur months before classes begin.

Good language scores. B2 English is a common threshold in national postgraduate scholarship programmes.

A focused motivation statement. Explain why the course matters to your academic and career direction instead of writing generic praise about Italy.

Complete financial paperwork. For regional scholarships, correct financial documentation can be just as important as academic merit.

Multiple funding strategies. Consider merit scholarships, regional support and university fee waivers rather than depending on one programme.

Common Scholarship Mistakes to Avoid

Indian students commonly make mistakes such as:

• • assuming all scholarships are fully funded;

• • applying without first checking course eligibility;

• • missing an early scholarship deadline;

• • confusing a tuition waiver with a living-cost scholarship;

• • waiting too long to legalise financial documents;

• • assuming IELTS is required for every scholarship;

• • assuming IELTS can always be replaced by an MOI letter;

• • applying for IYT without first applying to an eligible course;

• • assuming a MAECI award automatically removes all tuition;

• • trying to combine incompatible Italian public scholarships;

• • relying on scholarship money before receiving an official award;

• • assuming a scholarship guarantees the student visa.
    
    

A strong funding plan should also include an alternative budget in case the scholarship application is unsuccessful.

Key Takeaways

The strongest scholarships for Indian students in Italy in 2026 include MAECI, Invest Your Talent in Italy, Padua International Excellence Scholarships, Politecnico di Milano merit awards and regional right-to-study scholarships.

MAECI and IYT can provide approximately €10,800 in support for eligible nine-month awards, while Padua International Excellence provides approximately €8,000 per year plus a tuition waiver.

Regional scholarships can be particularly valuable for students with qualifying household income because they may combine financial assistance, tuition benefits, accommodation and meal support.

Bachelor’s students should focus more heavily on regional scholarships and university awards, while master’s applicants can also access major national programmes such as MAECI and IYT.

The best strategy is to start early, verify eligibility from the official call and prepare both academic and financial documentation well before the deadline

FAQs

Which is the best scholarship in Italy for Indian students?

There is no single best scholarship for everyone.

For master’s students, MAECI and Invest Your Talent in Italy are among the strongest national options. For high-achieving students, Padua International Excellence and Politecnico di Milano merit scholarships can also be valuable.

Students from lower-income families should pay particular attention to regional right-to-study scholarships.

Can Indian students get a fully funded scholarship in Italy?

Indian students can receive scholarships that combine substantial financial support with tuition exemptions.

For example, IYT provides approximately €10,800 together with exemption from university contributions for eligible recipients. However, travel and accommodation are not included, so it should not be described as covering every possible study-abroad expense.

How much is the MAECI scholarship in 2026?

For many nine-month 2026/27 scholarship categories, the MAECI award totals approximately €10,800, paid in three instalments.

Is India eligible for Invest Your Talent in Italy?

Yes. India is explicitly listed among the eligible countries for the 2026/27 IYT programme.

Can bachelor’s students get scholarships in Italy?

Yes. Bachelor’s students can explore regional scholarships, university merit awards, tuition waivers and schemes such as Padua International Excellence.

However, major national programmes such as IYT focus on postgraduate study.

Is the DSU scholarship available to Indian students?

International students can apply for regional right-to-study benefits when they meet the relevant financial and academic requirements.

The term DSU is commonly used broadly, but each Italian region has its own responsible authority and application rules.

Do I need IELTS for scholarships in Italy?

Not always.

Some scholarships require proof of approximately B2 English, but accepted certificates differ. Certain programmes may accept proof that previous education was conducted entirely in English.

Always check both the scholarship requirements and the university admission rules.

Inference

The best scholarships for Indian students in Italy can reduce tuition substantially and provide valuable support for living expenses, but each programme serves a different type of student.

MAECI and IYT are particularly strong for postgraduate applicants, while Padua and Politecnico di Milano provide attractive merit-based opportunities. Regional scholarships can be extremely valuable for students who meet financial eligibility requirements.

Start your scholarship research at the same time as your university search. Compare funding, eligibility, deadlines and remaining costs together before deciding where to apply.

This article is for educational and informational purposes. University admission requirements, tuition fees, visa rules, scholarships, immigration policies and post-study opportunities may change. Students should verify the latest information with the relevant university, government authority, immigration department, embassy or official source before making a decision.

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