Italian Government Scholarship (MAECI): Complete Guide

Updated: August 27, 2026 | Reading time: 5 min | Written by: StudyTribune Team

The Italian Government Scholarship, funded by Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), supports international students pursuing Master’s, PhD, AFAM (arts, music, and dance), research, or Italian language and culture programmes at Italian institutions. This guide covers current coverage, eligibility, and how the application cycle runs — including a real deadline that’s already closed, so you know what to expect for the next round.

What MAECI Scholarships Cover

• A financial grant of approximately €10,800 for full academic programmes (Master’s, PhD, AFAM, research), generally paid at roughly €900 a month for the duration of study, in installments
• A smaller grant of around €3,600 for standalone Italian language and culture courses specifically
• Tuition and enrollment fee exemption at many institutions, depending on the specific university
• Health and accident insurance coverage for the full duration of the grant

Who’s Eligible for MAECI

• International students residing outside Italy from an eligible country, or Italian citizens living abroad (IRE)
• The specific list of eligible countries is published each cycle on the official Study in Italy portal — this changes slightly year to year, so confirm your country’s current status directly rather than assuming based on a past cycle
• For Master’s, AFAM, and language/culture course applicants, an age limit generally applies (under 28 in recent cycles) — PhD and other programme types may have different age criteria, so check the specific call for your programme
• Study must take place physically in Italy — the scholarship cannot be used for online programmes or study outside the country

Renewal for Existing MAECI Scholars

If you received a MAECI scholarship for the previous academic year and are continuing the same full-time programme at the same institution, you may be eligible to apply for renewal rather than a fresh application. Priority for renewal is given to students who are duly enrolled and have earned at least 15 university credits (CFU) by the time of application.

Country-Specific and Named Allocations

Beyond the general scholarship pool, MAECI reserves some allocations specifically by country or in memory of named individuals in a given cycle — recent examples have included dedicated annual scholarships for Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, and three 9-month scholarships established in memory of Ambassador Luca Attanasio, Vittorio Iacovacci, and Mustapha Milambo. Check your country’s specific embassy page for any dedicated allocation that might apply to you beyond the general pool.

A Nice Extra for African Scholars

African MAECI recipients who speak an African language may also have the opportunity to join the WikiAfrica Higher Education Initiative, a partnership with the Aurora Foundation, Moleskine Foundation, and Wikimedia Foundation supporting the creation and sharing of specialized knowledge about Africa online — a genuinely distinctive add-on beyond the funding itself.

Key Dates

The most recently confirmed cycle (2026-27) closed applications on March 26, 2026, at 14:00 Italian time. If you’re reading this after that date, that cycle is closed — based on this pattern, expect the next cycle (2027-28) to open with a similarly timed deadline in the March window, though always confirm on the official Study in Italy portal rather than assuming an exact repeat date.

How to Apply: Step by Step

1. Check the current eligible country list and confirm your country is included for the open cycle, on studyinitaly.esteri.it.
2. Review the official call for applications in your language of choice (both Italian and English versions are published) for your specific programme type’s exact requirements.
3. Register and apply exclusively through the Study in Italy portal — MAECI does not accept applications through any other channel.
4. Prepare your documentation early, including academic records, a letter of motivation, and language certificates where applicable.
5. Submit before the stated deadline, 14:00 Italian time — late submissions are not accepted.
6. If you’re a returning MAECI scholar, check whether you qualify for the renewal process instead of a fresh application.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Applying through a third-party site instead of the official portal. Only studyinitaly.esteri.it is the legitimate application channel.
• Assuming the scholarship covers remote or online study. It’s explicitly for programmes physically attended in Italy.
• Missing the age limit for your programme type. This varies by programme, and Master’s/AFAM/language course applicants generally face a stricter cap than PhD applicants.
• Reapplying from scratch as a returning scholar. If you’re continuing the same programme at the same institution, check the renewal process first — it may be simpler than a new application.

FAQs

Related Reading

Strengthen your application with our guides to writing a recommendation letter for a scholarship and a personal statement for scholarship applications. If you’re comparing European options more broadly, our roundup of scholarships in Europe covers a wider set of countries and funding types.

The Italian Government Scholarship remains a genuinely strong route into Italian higher education and research — confirm the current cycle’s exact eligible countries and deadline directly on the official Study in Italy portal before you start preparing your application, since both are reconfirmed every year.