Study in Italy with a scholarship.
A complete guide to scholarships in Italy for 2027/28, covering regional (DSU) and merit awards at public universities: where to apply, when calls are expected, and how students from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh prepare their documents.
Which scholarship fits you?
Most international students in Italy are funded by the regional DSU scholarship. Merit and government scholarships are fewer and more competitive. You can apply for several, but usually keep only one.
Regional DSU
Based on family income. €2,890–€7,171+ a year, tuition waiver, meals and housing priority. Calls Jun–Sep 2027.
University excellence
Based on grades and CV. Often €5,000–€10,000 a year plus tuition waiver. Nov 2026–Mar 2027, with admission.
MAECI · Invest Your Talent
For eligible countries. Monthly allowance or €10,800 a year (IYT). Feb–May 2027.
The DSU scholarship, explained
DSU means Diritto allo Studio Universitario, the right to university study. Each region runs it through its own agency (or the university itself), so you apply where your university is, not where you will live.
📘 Step-by-step guide: DSU scholarship Italy 2027–28: amount, eligibility and how to apply · ISEE parificato documents
National minimums for 2026/27. The 2027/28 amounts and income limits are set by ministerial decree, usually in February–March 2027, and normally rise slightly with inflation.
Who can get it
- Income: family ISEE up to €28,339.88 and ISPE up to €61,608.48 (2026/27 national maximums). Many regions set lower limits, e.g. Veneto €26,306.25, Abruzzo €24,335.11.
- First-year students: no grades needed to win. You keep it by passing exams.
- Family abroad: your documents are turned into an ISEE parificato by a CAF (tax assistance centre) in Italy.
What you get
- Cash in instalments, usually the first by December.
- Full tuition waiver; you pay only the regional tax and stamp duty.
- Free or discounted canteen meals.
- A chance at a student residence room (some agencies deduct its cost).
- Extra amounts in some regions, e.g. very low incomes or women in STEM.
Where to apply for DSU in 2027/28
Find the agency or university that pays the scholarship in your city. Calls for 2027/28 are not published yet; windows below are expected, based on each agency’s previous call. We update them as soon as calls come out.
No match. Message us and we’ll tell you which agency covers your university.
Two deadlines, not one. Most agencies have a deadline for the online application and a later one for your ISEE parificato or documents (for example, DiSCo Lazio gave students living abroad until December). Missing either one means you are excluded.
Upcoming merit scholarships for 2027/28
These depend on your profile, not family income. They are usually not compatible with DSU or each other, so check the rules before accepting.
Padua International Excellence Scholarship
€8,000 a year plus a full tuition waiver for international students on English-taught bachelor’s and master’s courses (up to 76 awards in 2026/27). No separate form: applying for an eligible course enters you automatically.
Politecnico di Milano Merit-Based International Scholarships
For international students applying to PoliMi master’s programmes. You are considered through your admission application, so apply in an early round.
International Talents @Unibo (University of Bologna)
Scholarships for international students enrolling in Bologna’s master’s programmes. The call has been published in January in recent years.
Italian Government (MAECI) Scholarships
Ministry of Foreign Affairs scholarships for courses in Italy, applied for only through the Study in Italy portal. Eligible countries are listed in each call. The 2026/27 call closed on 26 Mar 2026.
Invest Your Talent in Italy
€10,800 for the year plus a tuition waiver and an internship, for English-taught master’s in engineering, architecture and design, or economics and management. The 2026/27 list included India and Bangladesh, not Pakistan.
Preparing your family documents
Agencies accept only documents issued by your country’s authorities, legalised for Italy and translated into Italian. Tick items off as you collect them. For the full admission and visa route, read our guides for Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
Pakistani students
Since 18 Nov 2024, the Embassy of Italy in Islamabad accepts documents apostilled by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Embassy legalisation is no longer needed.
Documents to collect
Legalisation path
- Originals + notary
- MOFA apostille ↗
- Italian translation
- CAF in Italy → ISEE parificato
Some CAFs accept English documents. Ask yours before paying for translations.
Indian students
India is part of the Hague Apostille Convention, so documents need an MEA apostille, not embassy legalisation.
Documents to collect
Legalisation path
- Certificates + notary
- State attestation (if needed)
- MEA apostille
- Italian translation
- CAF → ISEE parificato
Bangladeshi students
Bangladesh is on Italy’s list of “particularly poor countries” for 2026/27 (Ministerial Decree 176/2026). The 2027/28 list is published in early 2027.
What this means
If documents must be legalised
- Notary
- MOFA attestation (+ Law Ministry for property)
- Italian Embassy Dhaka via VFS
- Italian translation
Start now. Collecting, apostilling and translating usually takes 4 to 8 weeks. For 2027/28, aim to have everything ready by May 2027.
From choosing a course to getting paid
The full route for 2027/28, in order.
- AOct–Dec 2026
Choose your course and university
Shortlist courses with our course finder. The DSU agency depends on your university’s city, so note which one covers it in the finder above.
- BNov 2026–May 2027
Apply for admission and merit scholarships
Apply to the university. Merit awards like Padua’s are decided through the same application. Apply for MAECI and Invest Your Talent if your country is eligible.
- CJan–Apr 2027
Collect your family documents
Family certificate, income for every adult, property in square metres and 31 December bank balances. Use the country guide above.
- DFeb–May 2027
Legalise and translate
Apostille (Pakistan, India) or MOFA attestation and embassy legalisation (Bangladesh, if needed), then Italian translation.
- EMar–Jun 2027
Get your codice fiscale
Italy’s tax code, needed for the DSU portal and the CAF. Get it through the Italian embassy, or your university may generate one.
- FJun–Jul 2027
Read your agency’s call
When the 2027/28 call is published, note every deadline: application, ISEE or documents, housing and corrections.
- GJul–Sep 2027
Submit the online application
Register on the portal and submit before the deadline. You can usually apply before you have your visa or final enrolment.
- HJul–Dec 2027
Get your ISEE parificato at a CAF
Book a CAF your university or agency recommends and send your legalised documents. Many work online by email.
- IBy the deadline
Confirm and finalise
Upload documents and press the final confirm button. A saved draft is not an application. Download your receipt.
- JSep–Nov 2027
Check the rankings
Check the provisional ranking (“graduatoria”) and fix mistakes in the correction window, then check the final ranking.
- KSep–Oct 2027
Enrol, arrive and sign a rental contract
Pay the regional tax. For the higher “away from home” amount you usually need a registered rental contract in your name near campus, for at least 10 months.
- LDec 2027 onward
Get paid and keep it
Open an Italian bank account and add your IBAN. Earn the credits you need (often 20 ECTS) by the deadline to receive the rest and keep it.
Your 2027/28 scholarship calendar
Expected timing based on recent years. Exact dates are set in each call.
Shortlist courses. Request family documents.
Padua Excellence call. University admissions and PoliMi rounds open.
Collect income, property and bank papers. International Talents @Unibo usually opens.
MAECI call expected. 2027/28 DSU amounts and poor-countries list published.
Apostille or attest documents. Start translations.
Invest Your Talent deadline expected. Documents ready.
Regional calls published. Lazio, Liguria, Palermo usually close first (late July).
Most DSU deadlines. Book your CAF.
Provisional and final rankings. Enrol and sign your lease.
Late ISEE deadlines (some agencies). First instalment for many winners.
Many agencies check credits for the second instalment.
Final credit deadline for first-years. Miss it and you repay.
Scroll sideways to see the full year →
Don’t lose your scholarship
Most students who lose a DSU scholarship do so because of a document or deadline mistake, not because they weren’t eligible.
Common questions
Can I apply for DSU before I get my visa?
Yes. Most agencies let you apply once you have applied or been pre-admitted. You confirm enrolment later.
Do I need good grades to win DSU?
Not in the first year. It is based on family income and assets. From the second year you need a minimum number of credits.
What is ISEE parificato?
An Italian calculation of your family’s finances based on foreign documents, prepared by a CAF in Italy for free or a small fee.
Does DSU cover tuition?
Yes. Winners pay only the regional tax and stamp duty, usually under €200.
When will the 2027/28 dates be confirmed?
Most agencies publish their calls in June–July 2027. We update this page as each call comes out.
Can Pakistani students apply for Invest Your Talent?
Pakistan was not on the 2026/27 list; India and Bangladesh were. The list changes yearly, so check the 2027/28 call.
Can I keep DSU and a merit scholarship together?
Usually not. Most calls say scholarships are incompatible, so you may have to choose one.
Do I apply again every year?
Yes, with updated family documents, and you must meet the credit requirements.
Want us to check your scholarship file?
Tell us your course and family situation. We’ll tell you which agency to apply to and exactly what your documents need.