The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) is offering scholarships to foreign citizens and Italian citizens residing abroad (IRE) for the 2025/2026 academic year.

The programme aims to:

  • Promote international cooperation in cultural, scientific, and technological fields;
  • Support Italy’s global economic and cultural presence;
  • Foster the dissemination of the Italian language and culture.

Scholarships are exclusively intended for on-site attendance of academic courses in Italy.

In collaboration with the Aurora Foundation, selected MAECI grantees from Africa will be invited to participate in the WikiAfrica Higher Education Initiative. This programme, developed by the Moleskine Foundation in partnership with the Wikimedia Foundation and Aurora Foundation, encourages students to contribute knowledge on African topics to the global digital space.

More information on the grants can be found at: https://studyinitaly.esteri.it/ListaBandi

Degree Level

Degree Programmes:

  • Italian Language
  • Research
  • Bachelor’s
  • Master’s
  • PhD

Non-Degree Offers

  • Higher Education courses in Fine Arts, Music, and Dance (AFAM)
  • Research under academic supervision
  • Advanced Italian language and culture courses

Deadlines

All applications must be submitted online by 16 May 2025 at 14:00 (CET).

Fields of Study

A list of available courses is accessible via the Universitaly portal: https://www.universitaly.it/

In the Course Data section of the application form, applicants must:

  • Select the course type from the drop-down menu;
  • Enter the name of the Italian institution, the course name, and the city;
  • Indicate up to three course options, even at different institutions (all must be of the same course type).

Applicants awarded a grant must confirm one of their listed course options.

Who Can Apply?

General Eligibility:

  • Foreign students and Italian citizens living abroad (IRE);
  • Must hold the academic qualifications required for enrolment at the selected Italian institution.

Age Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following age requirements by the application deadline (16 May 2025):

Programme Type Maximum Age Born After
Bachelor’s / Single Cycle Degree 23 years 16 May 2002
Master’s / AFAM (Fine Arts, Music, Dance) / Italian Language 28 years 16 May 1996
PhD Programmes 30 years 16 May 1994
Research under Academic Supervision 40 years 16 May 1984
  • Age limits do not apply to those renewing a previously awarded MAECI grant.

Language Proficiency Requirements

Programme Type Minimum Language Requirement
Italian-taught Bachelor's/Master’s/AFAM Italian B2 (CEFR)
English-taught Bachelor's/Master’s/AFAM English B2 (CEFR)
Italian Language & Culture Courses Italian A2 (CEFR)
PhD & Research under supervision No language certificate required

What the Grants Offer

  • Duration:

    • Most grants are awarded for a period of nine (9) months.
    • Italian language and culture courses are awarded for three (3) months.

  • Tuition Fees:

    • Some universities may exempt grantees from the payment of enrollment and tuition fees in accordance with the autonomy regulations of academic institutions (Italian Legislative Decree of 29 March 2012, No. 68).
    • Grantees are responsible for contacting their chosen institution to confirm eligibility for exemption.
    • Regional fees are always payable and cannot be waived.
    • Exemptions do not apply to Italian language and culture advanced courses; tuition and enrollment fees are required for these programmes.
  • Health Insurance:
    • Grantees will be covered by collective health and accident insurance contracted by MAECI for the duration of the grant only.
    • The insurance does not cover expenses related to pre-existing medical conditions or dental care.
    • EU citizens are advised to bring their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for additional coverage.

  • Financial Support:

    • A total grant amount of €9,000 will be disbursed to grantees.

Note: Applicants will need to make provision for all expenses not covered by the scholarship.

Application Process

Applicants must complete and submit the online application form through the Study in Italy portal by 16 May 2025 at 14.00 (CET)

Applicants must be in possession of a valid passport or identity document and they must upload a legible copy of this document at the time of registration, under penalty of exclusion.

Contact

For inquiries, please contact the Italian Institute of Culture via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Documents and Links

Note

Please note that this opportunity is not offered by the Department of Higher Education and Training. Applicants are required to undertake their own research into programmes and institutions and are responsible for ensuring that the qualifications will be recognised in South Africa by contacting the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and the relevant professional bodies. If there are any discrepancies in the details provided, the information given by the sponsor supersedes the details provided above. No additional financial support will be provided by the Department of Higher Education and Training.