Institute for Advanced Study of Pavia (Pavia/Italy) - Ghislieri College Scholarship

What the Ghislieri College place gives you

Whilst studying at the University of Pavia, you will be offered a free or heavily subsidised place in the ‘Collegio Ghislieri’ student halls of residence in the old town of Pavia, Italy. You will be allocated a spacious single room (many of which have en-suite bathrooms) and will receive meals in the canteen seven days a week. Free laundry facilities and Wi-Fi are included, as are a large historic library, study rooms, music rooms, a cinema and sports facilities. You will also receive telemedical and psychological support worth 24/7. Furthermore, you will benefit from one-to-one tuition from PhD students or professors, additional in-house courses alongside your degree programme, and access to international exchange programmes. How much you pay depends on your household income, which is determined using the Italian ISEE indicator. Students with an ISEE of up to 30,000 EUR pay virtually nothing. Those with an ISEE between 30,001 and 120,000 EUR receive a discount of up to 65% on the full annual fee of 11,500 EUR, and winners of the IUSS competition also pay nothing. The place is valid for the entire duration of the course and is reconfirmed each year. The Collegio Ghislieri is a secular academic foundation established in 1567 and recognised by the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research.

Who can apply

• University: You are enrolling at the University of Pavia on a Bachelor’s degree programme, an integrated Master’s degree programme or a two-year Master’s degree programme.
• Field of study: All subjects taught at the University of Pavia, ranging from the humanities and social sciences to engineering, natural sciences and medicine.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply. Proof of equivalence is required for foreign school-leaving qualifications.
• Grades (first year): You achieved a mark of at least 80/100 in your Italian final examination (Esame di Stato) or an equivalent foreign examination.
• Grades (later years): To obtain a Bachelor’s degree, an annual average of at least 27/30 is required, and all examinations must have been passed. To obtain a Master’s degree, an average of at least 28/30 is required, as well as a Bachelor’s degree with an average of at least 110/110.
• Age: You must not reach 23 in the year of application for the Bachelor’s programme, or 26 for the Master’s programme.
• No prior degree: At the time of applying for the Bachelor’s degree programme, you do not yet hold a ‘Laurea’ (an Italian higher education qualification).

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the Collegio Ghislieri website by 28 August, 12:00. If you are applying for the Bachelor’s or integrated Master’s programme, you must also register separately with IUSS University by the same deadline, even if you are only seeking a place at Ghislieri. Selection is based on an assessment. The Bachelor’s programme comprises two written examinations held in person in Pavia and two online oral examinations. The Master’s programme consists of an assessment of your application documents and an online interview.

How realistic are your chances?

Competition for these places is fierce. Each year, only around 16 to 30 undergraduate places and up to 10 postgraduate places are offered, and you must pass demanding written and oral examinations. Good grades are your ticket in, but they are no guarantee, as applicants are ranked according to their examination results. If you already meet the minimum grade requirements and age limits, prepare thoroughly for the examinations and apply in good time, you have a realistic chance of securing one of the places.