Top 10 Italy Scholarships for International Students in 2026 (No IELTS Needed)

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Most students assume IELTS is non-negotiable for studying abroad in Europe. Italy just proved that wrong.

Right now, in June 2026, there are ten fully funded scholarship programs at Italian universities that do not require an IELTS score. Some cover full tuition. Some pay a monthly salary on top of that. One is backed directly by the Italian government and is open to students from dozens of countries — no IELTS, no tuition, monthly allowance included.

And almost nobody is applying for them.

That’s the information gap that costs students a year. The UK gets talked about constantly. Germany has built a strong international reputation. Italy — with its ancient universities, affordable cities, and genuinely funded scholarship programs — sits quietly in the background while students spend months preparing for an English test they don’t actually need.

This article changes that. Below are ten scholarships that are open to international students right now, all fully funded or heavily subsidized, and none of them require IELTS. Deadlines, benefit breakdowns, and direct links to every program are included.

If studying in Europe has been on your mind, keep reading. This is one of the more useful articles you’ll find on the subject today.

As of June 2026: All 10 programs listed here are either currently accepting applications or will open in the next intake cycle. Deadlines shift — always verify on the official program page before applying.

Why Italy Is One of the Best Study Abroad Decisions You Can Make in 2026

Before the list — a few things worth knowing that most scholarship guides skip over.

Italy has some of the oldest universities on Earth. Bologna was founded in 1088. Pavia in 1361. Venice’s Ca’ Foscari in 1868. These aren’t institutions coasting on historical reputation — they’re active research universities with international faculty, English-taught programs, and genuine academic output across engineering, medicine, economics, and the sciences.

Tuition fees in Italy are a fraction of what students pay in the UK or Australia. Living costs — outside of Milan — are among the most manageable in Western Europe. And Italy’s PhD programs work differently from most countries: doctoral students receive a monthly research salary, not just a bursary. That’s a meaningful distinction if you’re planning a research career.

Add the fact that IELTS isn’t required by most programs, and Italy becomes one of the most accessible, well-funded, and underrated study destinations available to international students this year.

What “No IELTS” Actually Means — Before You Apply

This question needs a direct answer because it creates confusion.

Waiving IELTS doesn’t mean waiving English requirements entirely. Italian universities that don’t ask for IELTS instead ask for one of the following:

A Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter from your previous university confirming your degree was taught in English. This is free to obtain and takes a few days to process. It’s the document you should request first.
A degree completed in an English-speaking country — UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Ireland. That credential is its own proof.
A university-issued language certificate accepted in your home country.
An admission interview conducted in English, particularly for PhD and research programs.

None of these require you to register for and sit a standardized test. That’s what makes these programs different — and that’s what makes them worth knowing about.

10 Fully Funded Italy Scholarships for 2026 — No IELTS Required

1. MAECI Scholarship — Italian Government

Offered by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI)
Level: Undergraduate / Master’s / PhD / Research
Covers: Monthly allowance + tuition exemption + accommodation support (varies by track)
IELTS: Not required
Status as of June 2026: Applications open through Italian embassies — check your country’s Italian embassy website for the current cycle

Start here. If you only have time to research one program on this list, make it this one.

The MAECI scholarship is Italy’s flagship international scholarship program, funded directly by the national government and administered through bilateral agreements with dozens of countries. It covers study programs at Italian universities, research stays, Italian language and culture courses, and doctoral programs — the specific track you’re eligible for depends on your nationality and the agreement your country holds with Italy.

Benefits are substantial. Recipients typically receive a monthly allowance, full exemption from university tuition fees, and in many cases support with accommodation. The scholarship is not administered through a central portal — it goes through the Italian embassy in your country, which means the process starts at home and involves your nearest diplomatic representation.

What makes MAECI particularly valuable is its scope. This isn’t a scholarship for one university or one field. It’s a government-level commitment to funding international students across Italy’s entire higher education system.

IELTS is not a requirement. Proficiency in the teaching language of your program — English or Italian depending on what you’re applying to — is demonstrated through documentation or an interview.

The bottom line: MAECI is the most comprehensive, most prestigious, and most broadly accessible Italy scholarship available to international students. Apply for this first and use the rest of this list to identify your target universities simultaneously.

Full details → kaistscholarship.com/maeci-scholarship

2. University of Bologna — Excellence Scholarship

Offered by: University of Bologna (the oldest university in the world)
Level: Master’s Students
Covers: Partial to full tuition fees + living allowance on some tracks
IELTS: Not required — MOI letter accepted

The University of Bologna doesn’t need much introduction. Founded in 1088, it’s the oldest continuously operating university in the Western world — and more relevantly, it’s currently one of Italy’s top-ranked research universities with a genuinely international student body.

Its Excellence Scholarship supports outstanding international Master’s students across a broad range of programs: engineering, economics, law, life sciences, computer science, humanities. Awards are merit-based, assessed primarily on your undergraduate academic record and the quality of your study plan and motivation letter.

Bologna as a city is worth noting separately from the scholarship. It’s a proper university town — affordable by northern Italian standards, compact enough to navigate by bicycle, and with excellent rail connections to the rest of the country. Students regularly day-trip to Florence (35 minutes by high-speed train) or Milan (just over an hour). The lifestyle is genuinely good, and the cost of living is manageable enough that a scholarship covering tuition goes a long way.

IELTS is not required. A medium of instruction letter from your undergraduate university confirming your previous degree was taught in English is the standard accepted alternative.

Full details → kaistscholarship.com/university-of-bologna-scholarship

3. Fully Funded PhD Programs Across Italian Universities

Offered by: Multiple Italian Universities
Level: PhD / Doctoral Researchers
Covers: Monthly research salary (typically €1,100–€1,400/month net) for 3 years
IELTS: Not required — interview-based assessment standard
Status as of June 2026: PhD calls open year-round; major cycles typically close in spring and autumn

Here’s something that surprises most students when they first encounter it: in Italy, a funded PhD isn’t a scholarship. It’s a salary.

Italian doctoral students on funded positions receive a monthly research contract — taxable income with social security contributions, paid for the full three-year duration of the doctorate. The amount varies slightly by university and field but typically sits between €1,100 and €1,400 net per month. In Italian university cities outside Milan, that covers rent, food, transport, and a reasonable quality of life without needing additional income.

This model applies regardless of nationality. Italian PhD funding is not restricted to Italian citizens — international applicants compete for the same funded positions through open selection processes that evaluate research proposals, academic records, and an interview.

English-taught PhD programs are available across dozens of Italian universities in engineering, computer science, natural sciences, economics, social sciences, and humanities. IELTS is rarely if ever required — the interview itself is typically conducted in English for English-language programs, and the quality of your research proposal carries more weight than a language test certificate.

For international students considering doctoral research in Europe, Italy’s PhD funding model is one of the most financially transparent and genuinely livable options available.

Full details → kaistscholarship.com/italy-phd-programs-scholarships

4. Ca’ Foscari University of Venice — PhD Scholarships

Offered by: Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Level: PhD Students
Covers: Full monthly doctoral salary for 3 years
IELTS: Not required

There are very few universities in the world located in Venice. Ca’ Foscari is one of them — and the fact that it runs a legitimate, fully funded doctoral program in one of the most extraordinary cities on Earth is something more students should know about.

The PhD scholarship here follows Italy’s standard doctoral salary model — full monthly funding for three years across humanities, social sciences, economics, environmental science, and computer science. The university has strong international partnerships and actively encourages doctoral students to spend research periods abroad as part of their degree, which adds a mobility dimension that many programs don’t offer.

Venice’s cost of living is moderate by Italian standards — higher than Trento or Pavia but manageable on the doctoral salary. The academic environment is focused and genuinely international, with faculty drawn from across Europe and beyond.

IELTS is not required. Doctoral admissions at Ca’ Foscari assess language competency through the application documents and an interview conducted in English for English-language programs.

Full details → kaistscholarship.com/ca-foscari-university-of-venice-phd-scholarships

5. University of Trento — International Scholarships

Offered by: University of Trento
Level: Master’s / PhD Students
Covers: Tuition fees + monthly living contribution on selected tracks
IELTS: Not required — MOI letter accepted

Trento is consistently ranked as one of the top research universities in Italy — particularly in engineering, information and communication technology, physics, mathematics, and cognitive science. It’s smaller than Bologna or Milan, which in practice means closer access to faculty, smaller class sizes, and a more focused research environment.

The city itself sits in the Italian Alps, at the northern edge of the country near the Austrian border. Cost of living is notably lower than the major Italian cities — which matters because it stretches scholarship funding considerably further. A tuition scholarship in Trento goes further in real terms than the same award in Rome or Milan.

The international scholarship program at Trento covers tuition fees for Master’s and PhD students, with some tracks providing additional monthly living contributions. Selection is merit-based, drawing on academic transcripts and a study plan that demonstrates why Trento’s specific research environment fits your goals.

English-taught programs are available across the university’s strongest departments, and IELTS is not required — Trento accepts medium of instruction letters and equivalent English proficiency documentation.

Full details → kaistscholarship.com/university-of-trento-scholarships

6. University of Siena — International Excellence Scholarship

Offered by: University of Siena
Level: Master’s Students
Covers: Full tuition fees for the program duration
IELTS: Not required — MOI letter or equivalent accepted

Siena is one of Italy’s most beautiful medieval cities, and its university — founded in 1240 — runs a dedicated Excellence Scholarship for outstanding international Master’s students that covers full tuition fees for the duration of study.

Eligible programs span law, economics, medicine, pharmacy, natural sciences, and humanities. The university has a genuinely international student community, English-taught programs across multiple departments, and one of the lowest costs of living of any university city on this list. Students living in Siena on a full tuition scholarship are in a meaningfully better financial position than peers at comparable programs in larger Italian cities.

The scholarship is competitive but not unreachable — Siena doesn’t attract the same volume of international applicants as Bologna or Milan, which means the effective competition pool is smaller than the award quality might suggest.

IELTS is not required. Applicants demonstrate English proficiency through a medium of instruction certificate, proof that their previous degree was completed in English, or an equivalent accepted document.

Full details → kaistscholarship.com/university-of-siena-international-excellence-scholarship

7. CICOPS Scholarships — University of Pavia

Offered by: University of Pavia
Level: Researchers / Postgraduate Academics
Covers: Monthly allowance + accommodation support
IELTS: Not required — research proposal assessed on merit

Most Italy scholarship programs are built for students in taught degree programs. CICOPS fills a different gap entirely — and it’s one that very few people outside the academic research community know exists.

The CICOPS scholarship at the University of Pavia funds research stays of three to ten months for academics and researchers from developing countries who want to conduct a collaborative research period at one of Italy’s oldest universities. It’s specifically aimed at people who already hold a university or research position in their home country and want to work alongside Pavia’s faculty on a defined project.

The monthly allowance and accommodation support make the stay financially viable. The research environment at Pavia — one of Italy’s most historically significant universities, with deep strengths in medicine, law, engineering, and science — provides genuine academic value.

For established researchers who feel excluded from Italy’s scholarship landscape because they’ve already completed their degrees, CICOPS is the program that was designed specifically for them.

IELTS is not required. Applications are assessed on the research proposal and the alignment between the applicant’s work and Pavia’s research strengths.

Full details → kaistscholarship.com/cicops-scholarships-at-university-of-pavia

8. University of Florence — International Scholarships

Offered by: University of Florence
Level: Master’s / PhD Students
Covers: Tuition fees + additional financial support on selected programs
IELTS: Not required — standard language documentation accepted

Florence is one of the most internationally connected cities in Italy — and the University of Florence reflects that. Its international scholarship program covers a wide range of disciplines including engineering, architecture, natural sciences, economics, humanities, and social sciences, making it one of the more broadly accessible programs on this list in terms of field eligibility.

The university has a large international student community, well-developed support services for students arriving from abroad, and English widely spoken across the city. For students who want the academic resources of a major Italian university with the social environment of a genuinely international city, Florence delivers both.

Scholarship awards are merit-based, covering tuition fees and in some programs providing additional financial support for living costs. IELTS is not required — language proficiency is assessed through standard documentation from your previous institution.

One practical note: Florence is more expensive than Siena or Trento but significantly cheaper than London or Amsterdam. A tuition scholarship here removes the largest single cost of studying in the city.

Full details → kaistscholarship.com/university-of-florence-scholarships

9. University of Verona — International Scholarship

Offered by: University of Verona
Level: Master’s / PhD Students
Covers: Tuition reduction / merit grants
IELTS: Not required — MOI letter accepted
Status as of June 2026: Scholarship consideration integrated into admissions process — apply to your program to be considered

Verona has been expanding its English-taught programs significantly in recent years, particularly in business, economics, computer science, and biomedical sciences. Its scholarship program awards tuition reductions and merit grants to high-achieving international students — and the application process is notably more streamlined than many programs on this list.

At Verona, scholarship consideration happens as part of the admissions process itself. You apply for your degree program, and scholarship eligibility is assessed simultaneously — no separate scholarship application, no additional portal, no extra deadline to track. That simplicity is genuinely useful when you’re managing multiple applications across different countries.

The city sits just an hour from Milan by train, which gives students access to northern Italy’s professional and economic networks while living somewhere considerably more affordable. For students in business or technology fields who want proximity to Italian industry without paying Milan prices, Verona is a practical and underrated choice.

IELTS is not required. A medium of instruction letter from your undergraduate institution is the standard accepted alternative.

Full details → kaistscholarship.com/university-of-verona-scholarship

10. STAR Scholarship — University of Brescia

Offered by: University of Brescia
Level: Master’s Students
Covers: Full tuition fees for the program duration
IELTS: Not required — university language certificate accepted

Brescia is an industrial city in Lombardy — less famous than its neighbors but economically active, with strong connections to Italy’s manufacturing, engineering, and healthcare sectors. The University of Brescia’s STAR scholarship reflects those strengths: it’s targeted specifically at Master’s students in engineering, medicine, economics, and law — the disciplines where Brescia’s academic departments are deepest.

The scholarship covers full tuition fees for the program duration and recipients receive support with university accommodation services. For students in technical or professional fields looking for career connections in northern Italy after graduation, Brescia’s location in Lombardy’s economic corridor is a meaningful practical advantage — not just a place to study, but a location with real professional infrastructure.

The application is assessed on academic transcripts, a statement of purpose, and letters of recommendation. IELTS is not required — applicants demonstrate English proficiency through a university-issued language certificate or equivalent documentation.

Full details → kaistscholarship.com/star-scholarship-at-university-of-brescia

The MOI Letter — Get This Document Before You Do Anything Else

If IELTS is the barrier that’s been holding you back, this section is the most practically useful thing in this entire article.

A Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter is a document issued by your previous university confirming that your degree was taught in English. Italian universities that waive IELTS almost universally accept this letter as proof of English proficiency for English-taught programs.

Here’s how to get one:

Step 1: Email your university’s registrar office, academic affairs office, or student services department. The subject line should be: “Request for Medium of Instruction Letter.”

Step 2: State your full name, your student ID, the degree you completed, and the years of study. Specify that you need confirmation the program was taught in English, and that the letter is required for a university scholarship application in Italy.

Step 3: Most universities process these within three to seven working days. Some charge a small administrative fee — usually the equivalent of a few dollars.

Step 4: Request a signed, stamped, and dated letter on official university letterhead. Some Italian universities also accept a simple email confirmation from your registrar — check each program’s specific requirements.

That’s it. No registration fee. No preparation time. No test day anxiety. Just a letter that takes a week to obtain and works in place of IELTS for every program on this list.

Practical Things Nobody Tells You About Studying in Italy

Deadlines are earlier than most students expect. Several Italian government and university scholarships close in the first quarter of the calendar year for programs starting the following October. If you’re reading this in late 2026, some deadlines for the next cycle may already be approaching — check official pages now rather than in a few months.

The PhD salary is livable — especially outside major cities. €1,100–€1,400 net per month sounds modest, but in Trento, Pavia, Siena, or Brescia, it covers rent, food, transport, and a reasonable lifestyle without additional income. The same amount in Milan is tighter but still manageable with careful budgeting.

Italian language skills aren’t required — but they matter. If your program is in English, you’ll complete your degree without Italian. But learning even basic Italian changes your daily experience substantially — at the market, with neighbors, at local restaurants, in conversations with non-academic staff. Most Italian universities offer free Italian language courses for international students. Use them.

The Italian university system uses a different grading scale. Italian grades run from 18 to 30 (with 30 being the highest, and 30 con lode — with honors — for exceptional performance). This surprises students from countries using percentage or letter-grade systems. Your scholarship application will convert your home grades, but understanding the Italian scale helps you interpret your program’s academic expectations once you arrive.

Public healthcare is available to international students. Students enrolled at Italian universities are entitled to register with Italy’s national health service (SSN) during their period of study. This is a meaningful practical benefit that isn’t always highlighted in scholarship descriptions but significantly reduces the cost of healthcare during your time in the country.

Key Takeaways

Ten fully funded Italy scholarships are open to international students in 2026 — none require IELTS.
The MAECI government scholarship is the most comprehensive option and should be the first application you complete.
Italy’s PhD programs pay a monthly research salary — not a bursary — for the full three-year duration.
A Medium of Instruction letter from your previous university replaces IELTS for every program on this list.
Cost of living in most Italian university cities is significantly lower than equivalent study destinations in the UK, Netherlands, or Scandinavia.
Application deadlines for Italian scholarships often open earlier in the year than students expect — check official pages as soon as possible.
The effective competition pool for Italy scholarships is smaller than comparable UK or German programs because Italy is systematically underrepresented in international scholarship conversations.

Final Thoughts

Italy is one of the best-kept secrets in international higher education — and that’s not an exaggeration.

The universities are ancient and genuinely respected. The scholarship programs are funded and accessible. The cities are affordable by Western European standards. The PhD system pays a real salary. And IELTS — the requirement that blocks so many students before they even start — isn’t needed for any of the programs on this list.

What’s missing isn’t opportunity. What’s missing is information.

Most students don’t know the MAECI scholarship exists. Most students don’t know Italy’s PhD programs pay a monthly salary. Most students have never heard that a simple letter from their university registrar can replace years of IELTS preparation for admissions in one of Europe’s oldest and most culturally rich countries.

Now you know.

Start with MAECI — it’s the broadest, most generous, and most prestigious option. Then shortlist two or three universities based on your field and the city you’d most want to live in. Request your MOI letter this week. Check the application deadlines for the current cycle.

The opportunity is here, it’s funded, and it doesn’t require a test score.

It just requires that you apply.

Track more fully funded scholarships, fellowships, and internships for international students at kaistscholarship.com.

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