The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation offers this annual scheme for study, training, and research at public or legally recognised private institutions in Italy. The 2026–2027 call covers Master’s degrees, first- and second-cycle AFAM programmes, PhDs, supervised research, and intensive Italian language and culture courses; Bachelor’s and single-cycle awards are available only as renewals under “Costruiamo il futuro”.
All funded activity must take place in person in Italy. The current cycle closed on 26 March 2026, and MAECI has not published the next opening date.
Benefits & funding
- Nine-month awards provide €10,800 in three instalments and run from 1 November 2026 to 31 July 2027.
- Three-month intensive Italian language and culture awards provide €3,600 in one instalment after the funding period; the course must occupy a full quarter between 1 January and 30 September 2027.
- MAECI provides health insurance for illness or accident during the award, excluding pre-existing conditions and dental care.
- Tuition waivers depend on the host institution; regional fees remain payable, and intensive language-course tuition is not exempt.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be adults and apply under one citizenship appearing on the official 2026–2027 list of eligible foreign countries and territories.
- Italian citizens living abroad qualify only if they hold solely Italian citizenship and reside in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Kenya, Lebanon, Morocco, Peru, the United Kingdom, Senegal, Spain, South Africa, Tunisia, Uruguay, or Venezuela.
- The age ceiling at the deadline is 28 for Master’s, AFAM, intensive-language, and “Costruiamo il futuro” routes; 30 for PhD; and 40 for research projects, with renewal exceptions stated in the call.
- Master’s applicants need a qualification equivalent to an Italian Bachelor’s degree; AFAM and PhD applicants must meet the selected institution’s academic and admission requirements.
- Italian-taught Master’s and AFAM applicants need B2 Italian, English-taught applicants need B2 English, and intensive Italian-course applicants need A2 Italian; PhD and research applicants do not need to prove language proficiency for the MAECI application.
- New applicants must not have studied or earned the specified school or higher-education qualifications in Italy, must enter the first year of the chosen programme, and must meet the other exclusions in the call; renewals follow separate conditions.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · Angola · Argentina · Armenia · Australia · Austria · Azerbaijan · Bahamas · Bahrain · Bangladesh
+ 135 more
Belgium · Benin · Belarus · Bolivia · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil · Bulgaria · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cambodia · Cameroon · Canada · Cabo Verde · Chad · Chile · China · Cyprus · Colombia · Comoros · Republic of the Congo · DR Congo · South Korea · Côte d'Ivoire · Costa Rica · Croatia · Cuba · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · Eritrea · Estonia · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Russia · Philippines · France · Gabon · Gambia · Georgia · Germany · Ghana · Japan · Djibouti · Jordan · Greece · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Equatorial Guinea · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Israel · Italy · Kazakhstan · Kenya · Kyrgyzstan · Kosovo · Kuwait · Laos · Lesotho · Latvia · Lebanon · Liberia · Libya · Lithuania · North Macedonia · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Mali · Malta · Morocco · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Moldova · Mongolia · Montenegro · Mozambique · Myanmar · Namibia · Niger · Nigeria · Oman · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · Poland · Portugal · UK · Czechia · Central African Republic · Dominican Republic · Romania · Rwanda · San Marino · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Serbia · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Singapore · Syria · Slovakia · Slovenia · Somalia · Spain · Sri Lanka · South Africa · South Sudan · Sudan · Switzerland · Tajikistan · Taiwan · Tanzania · Palestine · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tunisia · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Ukraine · Uganda · Hungary · Uruguay · Uzbekistan · Venezuela · Vietnam · Yemen · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Education required
High School · Bachelor · Master
Age requirement
≥ 18 yrs
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Application process
- 1Confirm that the citizenship route, programme type, age limit, qualifications, and language rules fit the call.
- 2Choose up to three course options of the same programme type and separately verify admission or pre-enrolment requirements with each institution.
- 3Register on Study in Italy, complete the application, and upload a valid identity document plus the documents required for the selected route.
- 4Submit through Study in Italy by the published deadline; applications or documents sent outside the portal are invalid.
- 5If shortlisted after the educational-merit review, attend the interview and follow the relevant diplomatic mission’s ranking; authorised supplementary documents were due by 1 July 2026.
Program timeline
Application deadline
26 March 2026, 14:00 Italian time
Deadline for authorised supplementary documents
1 July 2026, 14:00 Italian time
Nine-month awards start
1 November 2026
Permitted quarter window for three-month intensive-language awards
1 January–30 September 2027
Nine-month awards end
31 July 2027