Italian Government MAECI Scholarships 2026/2027
There’s a specific kind of relief that comes with finally seeing your name, or in this case, your application protocol number, on an official list after months of waiting, and that’s exactly where a lot of this cycle’s MAECI applicants currently find themselves. Italy’s flagship international scholarship, funded through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, opens doors to Master’s, PhD, fine arts, and research studies across public and recognised Italian institutions, backed by a genuinely comprehensive funding package.
Worth flagging as you read on: the 2026-27 application window closed on 26 March 2026, and results have already started appearing through Italian embassies worldwide, with the first ranking lists published in early June. This guide covers the full scholarship structure, the country-specific eligibility rules that catch a surprising number of applicants out, the special Attanasio Scholarships worth knowing about if you’re from Nigeria, Morocco, or the DRC, and what checking your results actually involves.
What the Italian Government MAECI Scholarship Involves
MAECI has run this scholarship programme for decades under Italian law 288/55, and its purpose sits at the intersection of cultural diplomacy and genuine academic opportunity: to strengthen Italy’s international cooperation in cultural, scientific, and technological fields, while spreading the Italian language and supporting Italy’s global economic profile.
The programme funds five distinct categories of study: Master’s degrees (Laurea Magistrale), higher education in Fine Arts, Music, and Dance (AFAM), PhD programmes, supervised research projects, and shorter Italian language and culture courses, all delivered exclusively on-site in Italy, with online study explicitly excluded from eligibility. Selection runs country by country: MAECI allocates a set number of scholarships to each eligible nation, and you can only apply through the selection process tied to one single country, even if your circumstances connect you to several.
Italian Government MAECI Scholarships Summary
| Fellowship Name ⇒ | Italian Government MAECI Scholarships |
| Host Country ⇒ | Italy |
| Study Level ⇒ | PhD |
| Benefits ⇒ | €10,800 total grant, paid in three instalments, plus health insurance |
| Funded by ⇒ | Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | Approximately 140+ eligible countries and territories, plus IRE (Italians abroad) in 20 specific countries |
| Application Deadline ⇒ | 2026-27 cycle closed 26 March 2026, 14:00 CET. Results began appearing through Italian embassies from early June 2026 |
What Makes You Eligible for This Scholarship
- You need citizenship of one of MAECI’s roughly 140 eligible countries and territories, a genuinely broad list spanning Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe
- You need a valid passport or national identity document
- You need the specific academic qualification your chosen programme requires. A relevant Bachelor’s degree for Master’s applications, for instance, or admission already secured for PhD applicants
- You need to meet the age limit tied to your category: maximum 28 years for Master’s and AFAM programmes, maximum 30 for PhD programmes, and maximum 40 for research projects
- You need language proficiency at B2 level in Italian if your programme is Italian-taught, or in English if it’s English-taught
- You cannot already hold a degree from an Italian institution
- You cannot be enrolled beyond the legal duration of your current study programme
If you hold dual citizenship, including Italian citizenship alongside a foreign one, you apply only through your foreign country’s selection process, entering that foreign citizenship in the portal’s citizenship field. If you hold multiple foreign citizenships, you choose just one eligible country to apply through, you can’t hedge your chances by applying under more than one nationality.
What the Attanasio Scholarships Add
Alongside the general country-based allocation, MAECI runs a specific reserved stream called the Attanasio Scholarships, available exclusively to applicants from Nigeria, Morocco, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, specifically for study in fields connected to international relations, development cooperation, and human rights. If you’re from one of these three countries and your intended field of study fits this focus, it’s worth checking whether you qualify for this reserved allocation specifically, since it sits alongside, not instead of, the general country quota.
What the IRE Stream Covers
Separately from the main international applicant pool, MAECI reserves scholarships specifically for Italian citizens living abroad (IRE), but only for applicants holding Italian citizenship exclusively, and only if they’re resident in one of twenty specified countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Kenya, Lebanon, Morocco, Peru, the United Kingdom, Senegal, Spain, South Africa, Tunisia, Uruguay, or Venezuela. If you hold both Italian and another citizenship, you don’t qualify for this stream; you apply through your foreign citizenship’s process instead.
What This Scholarship Actually Covers
- €10,800 as a total grant, paid across three instalments throughout the academic year
- Health and medical insurance coverage for the duration of your programme in Italy
- Some universities additionally offer tuition fee exemptions, though this depends entirely on each institution’s own policy rather than being guaranteed as part of the MAECI award itself
Programme duration varies by category: nine months, renewable, for Master’s, AFAM, and PhD programmes; nine months, non-renewable, for research projects; and three months for Italian language and culture courses specifically.
What Documents You Need to Prepare
- A valid passport or national identity document
- Academic qualification certificates
- An admission letter, specifically required for PhD applicants
- A language proficiency certificate, in Italian or English, depending on your programme
- A research proposal and supervisor invitation letter for research project applicants specifically
- Any additional documents your specific programme category requests
What the Application Process Requires
- Check the official eligible countries list on the Study in Italy portal to confirm your citizenship qualifies, and under which specific country allocation you’ll be applying
- Visit the official Study in Italy portal (studyinitaly.esteri.it). Direct applications submitted by email or through any other platform are not accepted
- Create an account using a valid email address
- Complete the online scholarship application form in full
- Upload every required document for your specific programme category
- Submit your application before the deadline. Applications and university admission are two entirely separate processes, so submitting your MAECI scholarship application doesn’t itself constitute a university application
- Wait for results, published as ranking lists through the relevant Italian embassy or consulate for your country of application, generally identified by application protocol number rather than by name for privacy reasons
- If selected, use your official award letter to apply separately for admission to your chosen Italian public university, mentioning your MAECI Scholarship status
- Complete your university enrolment and apply for your Italian student visa at the embassy or consulate in your country
Deadline and Results Timeline
- Application deadline: 26 March 2026, 14:00 CET. This cycle’s window has now closed, and late applications were not accepted under any circumstances
- Results: Began appearing from early June 2026, published progressively by individual Italian embassies and consulates worldwide, each managing its own country-specific allocation and ranking process
- Reserve lists: Being placed on a reserve list doesn’t mean rejection in previous cycles, reserve candidates have been upgraded to full scholarship status weeks after the initial announcement, as originally selected candidates decline or fail to complete enrolment steps
- Programme start: Courses generally begin in the autumn term, following university enrolment and visa processing after results are confirmed
- Next expected cycle: Based on this year’s pattern, expect the 2027-28 call for applications to open around February or March 2027, with a deadline likely falling in late March — confirm exact dates on the Study in Italy portal as the period approaches
What to Do While You Wait, or While Planning Ahead
- If you’ve already applied, check your relevant Italian embassy or consulate’s website directly using your application protocol number, since each embassy manages and publishes its own ranking list independently rather than through one central MAECI announcement
- If you land on a reserve list, don’t treat that as a final no — reserve candidates have historically been upgraded even weeks after initial results, so continue monitoring your embassy’s updates
- If you’re planning for the next cycle, start your B2 language proficiency preparation early, whether in Italian or English, since testing and certification can take real lead time
- Research your specific country’s scholarship quota and the Attanasio or IRE streams if either applies to you, since these can meaningfully change your competitive pool
- Begin identifying and contacting a potential Italian supervisor now if you’re aiming for the research project category, since a letter of invitation typically requires genuine relationship-building beforehand
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the MAECI Scholarship still open for 2026-27 applications?
No. The deadline was 26 March 2026. Results have been progressively announced through Italian embassies worldwide starting in early June 2026.
How do I check my results?
Through the website of the Italian embassy or consulate responsible for your specific country of application, using your application protocol number rather than your name.
Does being on the reserve list mean I didn’t get the scholarship?
Not necessarily. Reserve candidates can still be awarded the scholarship if selected winners decline or fail to complete their enrolment, sometimes weeks after the initial results are published.
Can I apply through more than one country if I hold multiple citizenships?
No. You choose one country’s selection process only, even if you hold citizenship in several eligible countries.
Does this scholarship cover online or distance study?
No. MAECI scholarships apply exclusively to in-person study within Italian territory.
Disclaimer: All scholarship details, dates, and figures in this post are verified from official MAECI and Italian embassy sources as of July 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm your specific results and next steps directly through the Italian embassy or consulate responsible for your country, or on the official Study in Italy portal (studyinitaly.esteri.it). ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
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