How to Apply for a Scholarship in Italy

First of all, what is a scholarship?

It is financial aid given to a student for the purpose of education, based on academic accomplishment or other factors that may include financial need. Merit-based and need-based scholarships are the two most frequent types of scholarships. The criteria for recipient selection are determined by the donor or department financing the scholarship, and the grantor specifies how the money will be used. The grants are used to help students pay for tuition, books, room and board, and other expenditures directly related to their university studies.

Academic accomplishment, departmental and community activity, employment experience, areas of study, and financial need are all considerations that are considered when scholarships are offered.

Scholarships in Italy

Italian public school is free and from 6 to 16 years of age, it is compulsory for everyone.

At the end of the compulsory period, students can decide whether to continue their studies by taking a secondary school diploma and then enrolling in university or entering the world of work.

It is not uncommon to come across families who cannot afford the expenses required to educate one or more children. University expenses are substantial and not all Italian families can afford to keep a child at university. However, the right to study is a right sanctioned by the Italian Constitution and by the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Therefore, there is an instrument that facilitates the right to study of the most capable and deserving, but who have little economic means.

Students who decide to continue their education, but do not have the economic possibilities, can apply for a scholarship to support the payment of annual tuition fees, which is a financial contribution that will allow them to complete their education.

How to Get a Scholarship

In order to obtain a scholarship, it is necessary to participate in the selection process announced by the organization that provides it. There are, therefore, different types of scholarships.

In particular, they can be granted:

By the Ministry of Education, University and Research (Miur);
By the Regions and Autonomous Provinces;
Universities;
By the INPS.

Scholarship by the MIUR (Ministry of Education, University and Research)

The State has established the “Fondo Unico”, a fund for student welfare and the right to study, providing scholarships for students enrolled in secondary schools of the national system of state and equal education, who have a low income, in order to combat early school leaving.

To take advantage of it, all you have to do is connect to the Miur website and check the announcements of competition issued in this regard, in which the requirements, deadlines, documents to be submitted, and how to participate are specified. The application can only be submitted electronically by the over 18 year old student or, for minors, by the parent or guardian.

Usually, when you are applying for this kind of scholarship you have to demonstrate that you are in economic difficulty, and you can prove that with Isee certification, which is used to assess and compare the economic situation of households that intend to apply for a subsidized social benefit.

On the website you can find the procedures for the distribution of the scholarships, then, are also published by the Ministry of Education, University and Research (Miur) under the heading highlighted with “Iostudio – Borse di studio”. The scholarships can be collected at any post office in Italy.

For student beneficiaries 18 years of age or older, simply present at the counter:

an identity document;
a tax code.

For minor student beneficiaries, the parent or guardian must present:

ID;
their own tax code and that of the beneficiary;
a completed copy of the substitutive declaration published in the Student Portal, to be signed exclusively by the post office operator.

Regional Scholarships

Regional scholarships are forms of support made available by individual regions. Any college student residing in that region may apply for one. This funding is available to those who are struggling financially or those who are performing well in their studies. Of course, every region has a different amount of money available depending on their founding.

In fact, the regions receive economic aid from the state, which is necessary to allocate scholarships. To obtain this type of grant, it is necessary to participate in an annual competition.

University Scholarships

All Italian universities grant scholarships to deserving students and those with low incomes. According to the beneficiaries to whom they are granted, it is possible to distinguish three different types of university scholarships.

The university scholarships can be:

for off-campus students, that is, for students who move from their hometown to study at the university;
for commuting students, who reside at a certain distance from the university and who need to cover the costs of travel and various movements;
for on-site students, i.e., those who live in the same municipality or in a neighboring area of the university.

To obtain one of these scholarships, students must participate in the application process. In addition, they must meet the requirements specified in the announcement, which are published by the university.

Such scholarships are also provided for so-called off-campus students. Some universities, moreover, have established a “reward” system. That is, the student collaborates with the university for a total of 150 hours of work and obtains financial compensation. The assignments in these cases are usually administrative and assistance.

Inps Scholarships

Every year the Inps provides scholarships to support the educational path of children and orphans of employees and pensioners of the public administration registered with the Public Employees Management.

The scholarships may concern middle school and high school, universities, and masters.

In addition, participants must meet all the requirements outlined in the specific announcements that can be consulted on the institution’s website in the Welfare Initiatives section. They are generally published between the last quarter of the year and the first quarter of the following year.