Politecnico di Milano merit scholarships
Who: International students admitted to a Master of Science
Covers: Tuition waiver; some awards add a cash grant
Scholarships in Italy
Make Italy more affordable with the right scholarship.
Italy offers regional, government and university funding to international students. Here's how each works and how we help you apply on time.
DSU · Diritto allo Studio Universitario
The regional scholarship most students ask about.
DSU is need-based support run by each Italian region for students at public universities, including international students. You apply through the regional body's portal (EDISU in Piedmont, for example), and eligibility depends mainly on family income and assets, then on academic merit in later years.
Each region publishes its own call, deadlines and amounts every year, usually in summer. Missing the deadline usually means waiting a year, so we plan your DSU documents alongside your admission.
Tuition
Fee waiver at your public university.
Accommodation
A place in a student residence, where available.
Meals
Free or reduced-price canteen meals.
Living allowance
A cash grant paid in instalments.
How it works
Applying for DSU, step by step.
- 01
Confirm eligibility
We check your university, region and family financial profile against the current call.
- 02
Prepare income documents
Family income and asset documents from India, translated and legalised as the region requires.
- 03
Register on the portal
Create your account on the regional DSU portal and complete the application before the deadline.
- 04
Track results
Rankings are published by the region. We help with any follow-ups and renewal requirements.
University & government awards
More scholarships worth knowing.
Amounts, numbers of awards and deadlines change every year. We check the current call before recommending any of these.
University of Milan excellence scholarships
Who: New international master's students
Covers: Cash scholarships and tuition exemptions
University of Padua international excellence
Who: High-achieving international degree students
Covers: Tuition waiver plus a living allowance
Politecnico di Torino international scholarships
Who: Non-Italian engineering and architecture students
Covers: Annual grant for the length of studies
Bocconi graduate merit awards
Who: International students admitted to master's or LLM
Covers: Partial tuition coverage on merit
University of Bologna study grants
Who: International bachelor's and master's students
Covers: Support towards tuition and living costs
University of Pavia fee waivers
Who: International bachelor's and master's students
Covers: Full tuition waiver for eligible students
Università Cattolica international scholarships
Who: International applicants
Covers: Tuition reduction
Italian Government (MAECI) scholarships
Who: Foreign students in master's, PhD, arts and language courses
Covers: Monthly allowance, tuition exemption, health insurance
Before you apply
What strengthens a scholarship application.
- Strong academics: many merit awards look for a solid GPA, typically a CGPA around 2.5 – 3.0 or above on a 4-point scale.
- A clear personal statement that respects the word limit.
- CV, transcripts, language certificates and recommendations ready early.
- Your admission letter, since most awards need it.
- Calendar reminders for every deadline. They differ by award.
FAQs
Costs & funding.
Public university tuition is typically around €500 – €3,000 a year, and many public universities link fees to family income. Living costs are usually €600 – €1,200 a month depending on the city: Milan and Rome sit at the top, smaller cities like Padua, Pisa and Pavia lower.
Yes. The regional DSU scholarship can cover tuition, accommodation, meals and a living allowance for eligible students at public universities. There are also university merit scholarships and Italian Government (MAECI) awards. We help with the portals, documents and income certification.
Your next step
Talk to someone who knows Italy, before you decide.
Get guidance on university options, application requirements and your next steps in a free, no-pressure consultation.