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Italy Regional Scholarships 2026/27: Complete Guide for International Students:
Studying in Italy can be significantly more affordable for international students because Italian regions provide financial support through regional right-to-study scholarships.
These scholarships are generally based on a student's economic situation and academic requirements and can provide financial assistance toward living and study-related expenses. Depending on the region and the student's circumstances, benefits may include a cash scholarship, subsidized or free meals, accommodation, and other university-related support.
The scholarship system is administered at the regional level, so the requirements, application deadlines, scholarship amounts and benefits vary depending on the region where the university is located.
What Is the Regional Scholarship in Italy?
Regional scholarships are part of Italy's Right to Study system. They are designed to support students who meet the applicable economic and academic requirements.
Students normally apply through the regional body responsible for their university's area.
For example:
These are separate regional systems rather than one single scholarship application for all of Italy.
Is the Scholarship Available to International Students?
Yes. International and non-EU students can participate in regional scholarship competitions, subject to the specific requirements and documentation of the relevant region.
For example, EDISU Piemonte specifically provides procedures for international students whose family income and/or assets are located outside Italy. Non-EU students may have to provide consular documentation concerning family income and assets, with translation and legalization requirements.
Similarly, DSU Toscana has a dedicated procedure for foreign students. For students from non-EU countries, documentation concerning family status, income, real estate and movable assets must be provided according to the applicable rules, including translation and legalization requirements.
How Is Eligibility Determined?
The main factor is generally the student's economic condition, together with academic/merit requirements and other conditions specified in the regional call.
For international students, the assessment can be more complicated because their family's financial circumstances are normally outside Italy.
Depending on the region, international students may need documentation concerning:
1-Family composition
These documents may need to be translated into Italian and legalized according to the relevant regional rules.
For example, DSU Toscana states that documentation for non-EU students must be translated into Italian and legalized by the Italian diplomatic authorities in the country of origin.
Lazio DiSCo also specifically requires international students to prepare documentation for the ISEEUP (Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator – Parified) for the 2026/27 Right to Study application.
What Is ISEE / ISEEUP?
ISEE is an indicator used in Italy to assess a household's economic situation for access to various benefits.
International students whose family income and assets are outside Italy may need an equivalent/parified economic assessment, commonly referred to as ISEEUP, depending on the regional authority.
The exact procedure differs between regions, so students should always follow the instructions in the current regional scholarship call.
For example, ERSU Catania states that international students need to provide the relevant ISEEUP rather than simply uploading a standard ISEE document.
The benefits vary by region and by the student's status, but regional scholarship packages can include:
Eligible students may receive a financial contribution. The amount can depend on factors such as:
For example, ER.GO's published 2026/27 amounts vary according to economic bracket and student status. For students with ISEE up to €16,666.67, the published maximum amounts are €7,171.11 for non-resident/out-of-town students, €4,190.71 for commuters and €2,890.16 for resident students.
These figures should not be presented as a guaranteed amount for every student in Italy because they apply to the ER.GO system and its 2026/27 rules.
Some regional systems provide accommodation or a housing benefit to eligible students.
For example, EDISU Piemonte allows students to apply for scholarship and accommodation services through its annual competition.
DSU Toscana also offers scholarship and accommodation benefits for the 2026/27 academic year.
Depending on the region and scholarship status, students may receive access to university canteens or subsidized meals.
Lazio DiSCo's 2026/27 Right to Education program, for example, includes scholarships, housing, grants for international mobility, graduation awards and access to discounted meal plans.
For international students, the regional authority may request documents such as:
The exact requirements vary by region.
For example, DSU Toscana specifically refers to documentation covering family status, income, buildings and movable assets for non-EU students.
EDISU Piemonte likewise requires international students with foreign income/assets to provide the relevant consular documentation, translated into Italian and legalized according to its rules.
In many cases, yes.
International students can often submit their scholarship application while they are still outside Italy, provided they meet the application requirements and can submit the required documentation.
The exact process differs by region.
For example, EDISU Piemonte specifically provides a temporary access-code system for international students who are coming to Italy for the first time and do not yet have SPID or CIE.
Pakistani students planning to apply for an Italian regional scholarship should start preparing their financial documentation well before the scholarship deadline.
This is especially important because family income and assets are generally located in Pakistan, while the scholarship authority is in Italy. Documents may need appropriate translation, legalization and/or consular certification, depending on the region.
Do not wait until you arrive in Italy to start preparing these documents.
The most important steps are:
1. Choose your Italian university
2. Obtain admission/pre-enrollment
3. Identify the regional scholarship authority
4. Check the current annual scholarship call
5. Prepare family income and asset documents
6. Complete the required economic assessment/ISEEUP process
7. Submit the scholarship application before the deadline
8. Monitor the provisional and final rankings
Useful links:
Official ER.GO scholarship information
Official DSU Toscana scholarship information
Official EDISU Piemonte scholarship information
Official Lazio DiSCo information for international students
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