Italian Institute of Culture - IIC Scholarships

What you get

You will receive 10,800 EUR in total to study, undertake vocational training or carry out research in Italy for a period of 9 months (from 1 November 2026 to 31 July 2027, which may sometimes be extended). The funds will be paid out by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAECI) in three instalments: 5,500 EUR from November, 2,300 EUR from February and 3,000 EUR from June. Your health insurance is included for the entire period. If, instead, you enrol on a shorter 3-month intensive course in Italian language and culture, you will receive 3,600 EUR as a one-off payment. The host university may waive tuition fees, though this is not guaranteed, and you must always cover regional fees yourself.

Who can apply

• Where you go: You are studying in Italy at a state or legally recognised Italian institution. This scholarship is available exclusively for on-campus degree programmes.
• What you study: A Master’s degree, a degree in art, music or dance (AFAM), a PhD or a research project.
• Prior degree: To enrol on a Master’s programme, you need to have completed a Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification.
• Age: to 28 for master’s, art or language degree programmes; up to 30 for a PhD; up to 40 for a research project, calculated as at the application deadline.
• Nationality: The programme is open to international students residing outside Italy and to Italians residing abroad in selected countries (provided they hold Italian nationality exclusively). Greece is a partner country in the programme.
• No earlier ties to Italy: You must not have previously studied at or obtained a qualification from an Italian school, university or AFAM institution, nor must you have received a MAECI research grant in the last 5 years.
• Enrolment: You are enrolled as a full-time student in the first year of your degree programme within the standard period of study.
• Language: For courses taught in Italian, a minimum language proficiency of Level B2 in Italian is required; for courses taught in English, a minimum language proficiency of Level B2 in English is required; for the 3-month language course, a minimum language proficiency of Level A2 in Italian is required. Applicants for PhD and research positions do not need to provide a language certificate.

How to apply

You must register via the ‘Study in Italy’ portal by 26 March 2026, 14:00 Italian time and submit your application there. A selection panel will assess the applications and draw up a ranking list. Those who pass the first stage will be invited to an interview before the final list is published.