Scholarships to Study in Italy for International Students 2026

If you are interested in studying in Italian universities and are looking for some scholarship options, here's your guide. You can find the best possible scholarships to study in Italy as an international student. With scholarships, students will get further aid in cutting down their tuition costs.

Italy is a European country and is expensive too for studying, especially at its private universities. But international students planning to study in Italy should know that they can reduce their cost of studying in Italy through scholarships. There is a rich scholarship ecosystem in Italy that includes government-funded awards, university merit scholarships, regional aid, and EU-program funding. many of which Indian students are eligible for.

Along with the applications to Italian universities, scholarship applications can also be submitted. There are multiple benefits of studying at Italian universities with scholarships. The scholarships can greatly reduce the financial load and help Indian applicants pursue their education stress free. There are various scholarship options to choose from. These are available at both public and private universities. We have put together some of the most popular 10 scholarships in Italy for foreign applicants. They can shortlist and apply for them as and when they submit an application for admission. 

Scholarships in Italy for Indian Students 2026 Highlights 

How are Scholarships in Italy for Indian Students Beneficial?

Scholarships in Italy can be a huge advantage for Indian students. They reduce overall costs and help students focus on their quality education along with hands on experience. Here is how they help and why they are worth considering:

• Scholarships often cover significant expenses, including tuition (sometimes fully), living stipends, health insurance, and accommodation or meal support. For example, the Italian Government (MAECI) scholarship provides tuition waivers, a monthly living allowance of about €900 (₹95,000), and health coverage.  
• Italy’s public universities already have relatively low base fees compared with countries like the USA or UK, and scholarships can reduce those even further or eliminate them entirely and students can study for free in Italy. 
• Many regional scholarships provide housing, discounted or free on campus meals, at modest annual charges. This kind of support reduces costs and financial stress.  
• Italian universities collaborate with industry and the EU at large, enabling scholars to access internships and mobility programs (Erasmus). That kind of experience can strengthen resumes and broaden professional networks.

If Indian applicants get scholarships, it means that they can pursue Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD programs without an extreme financial burden. There is a chance of studying for free or at a great discounted tuition rate.

Top 10 Scholarships in Italy for Indian Students 2026

Indian applicants who plan to study in Italy soon, can shortlist universities that offer scholarships. There are various types of scholarships in Italy for Indian students. They may cover partial or full tuition fee along with living expenses in Italy. Apart from this, some scholarship providers in Italy also offer monthly stipends. Check out some of the most popular scholarships in Italy for Indian students planning for 2026 enrollment:

Italian Government Scholarships for Foreign Students

To encourage more and more international students to study in Italy, the Italian Government also offers some scholarships. Most of them are either fully funded or are merit or need based scholarships. Check out the top Italian Government offered scholarships for Indians in 2026:

1. MAECI Scholarship

MAECI Scholarships is a fully funded scholarship offered to international students (including Indians), by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Once applicants get their letter of enrollment from Italian university, they can apply for this scholarship through Study in Italy portal. Check out the details about MAECI Scholarship in Italy below: 

2. Invest Your Talent in Italy

The IYT programme offers the opportunity to develop your skills through Masters's and Postgraduate courses taught in English at prestigious Italian universities equipped with the expertise to improve your academic, technical and professional skills. The scholarships under this program are offered to applicants to the 1^st semester (September intake) coming from the following countries; Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mexico, China, South Korea, Tunisia, Turkey and Vietnam.

Under this programme, the beneficiary gets scholarships, partial or total tuition fee exemption, and student support services. It can be renewed for the second academic year as well. As a general rule, there is no maximum number of scholarships per course and a full tuition fee exemption is given to IYT students.

Regional Scholarship in Italy

Apart from government funded scholarships, there are also regional scholarships in Italy for Indian students. There are just two of them - DSU and EDISU which are comprehensive need-based support offering free dormitory beds and meal vouchers, which are important in high-rent cities like Milan or Rome.

3. DSU Regional Scholarship

DSU Scholarship is another regional scholarship in Italy for Indian students. This scholarship is offered in the region of Tuscany. Indian students who get enrolled in the universities of Pisa, Siena or the University of Florence are eligible to apply. Get more details below for DSU Regional Scholarship:

4. EDISU Piemonte Scholarship

This is a regional scholarship in Italy offered to international students enrolled in a full-time bachelor’s and master’s degree at one of the Universities of Piedmont. This scholarship is given to international students if they meet the merit and economic requirements of the competition.

University Specific Merit Based Scholarships in Italy

The majority of universities in Italy offer scholarships to Indian students. Most of the scholarships in Italy for Indian students that are university specific are merit based. There are also some need based scholarships as well. Check out the top ranking universities in Italy offering scholarships to study:

5. University of Bologna Study Grants

Bologna University offers international students study grants to deserving students who wish to enrol on bachelor’s and master’s programmes. Through this study, Bologna University grants a total of €11,059 per academic year and full tuition fee waivers. There are Early Bird waivers for those who submit applications before the deadline at UniBo.

6. Politecnico di Milano Merit-Based Scholarships

Politecnico di Milano offers scholarships every year to meritorious international students. Students who get scholarships have to pay only an administrative fee of about €200. Scholarships of €5,000 to €10,000 per year are given on top of the tuition fee waiver. Check out what merit based scholarships of Politecnico di Milano cover:

7. University of Padua International Excellence Scholarship

The University of Padua offers scholarships to highly talented international students through its Padua international excellence scholarship programme. It awards a scholarship of a subsistence allowance of €8,000 and a tuition fee waiver. Check out more details about this scholarship in Italy for Indian studens below:

8. Bocconi Merit & International Awards

Bocconi University offers a range of merit-based scholarships for international students enrolled in its bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes. The scholarships range from €12,000 per year for Bachelor’s programme to €14,000 per year for the Master’s programme at Bocconi University. Get more details below:

9. The University of Pavia Scholarship

The University of Pavia awards 150 tuition fee waivers, providing an exemption from the payment of university tuition fees for all talented international students. The scholarship will be given to selected international students enrolled in the degree programme in the latest academic year.

Other Scholarships in Italy for Indian Students

Apart from the publicly funded scholarships in Italy or university specific scholarships, there are other scholarships as well. Another popular scholarship to study in Italy for Indian students is the research based scholarship. Check out the details below.

10. Scuola Normale Superiore PhD Scholarships

Indian applicants enrolled for research based courses in humanities or sciences in Italian universities are eligible for Scuola Normale Superiore PhD Scholarship. This is also a fully funded scholarship covering tuition and fee, living and travel expenses. Students also get a monthly stipend here.

Apart from these, there are few more scholarships in Italy universities for Indian applicants. Before applying, applicants must check and if eligible, apply.

How to Apply for Scholarships in Italy?

International applicants who wish to apply for scholarships in Italy can do so through official websites. Those want to know to know how to apply for scholarships to study in Italy can follow these instructions along with admission applications:

• Shortlist Italian universities offering scholarships for Indian students.
• Check if preferred course is available based on preferred Italian admission intake.
• Apply for admission and check if the scholarship application needs to be completed side by side.
• Mostly scholarship applications are accepted through the same official website.
• Applicants should check their eligibility and based on that select the scholarship and apply on or before deadline.

The process of scholarship application in Italy's universities is simple. Using the same credentials they can easily submit their applications. For detailed instructions, they can refer to the instructions or FAQs on the respective websites.

This was all about the different types of scholarships in Italy for Indian students. Fully funded, merit based and need based are all offered in Italy. Indian applicants can shortlist whatever suits them the best and apply well within time. For those looking at admissions in Italy, can get in touch with our team of counsellors and get guidance to shortlist and apply for Italian universities. They can simply sign up at Shiksha Study Abroad Counselling and request a call back from our team of experts.