Checked on 23 October 2026
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Italian government scholarships for foreign students and Italians resident abroad, on Italian territory only: EUR 10,800 for a 9-month grant in 2026–27. Apply only on the Study in Italy portal. The 2026–27 call closed on 26 March 2026, 14:00 Italian time; Tunisians were eligible in that cycle (ranking published by the Tunis embassy on 7 September 2026). The 2027–28 call is not published yet.
EUR 10,800 for 9 months (2026-2027 call); 2027-2028 amounts to be confirmedAmount checked on 23 October 2026
Under the 2026-2027 call, a nine-month MAECI scholarship (master's, AFAM, PhD, research project or renewal) is worth EUR 10,800 in total, paid in three parts: EUR 5,500 from November 2026, EUR 2,300 from February 2027 and EUR 3,000 from June 2027. The last payment depends on earning 27 credits or on the tutor's statement. The full amount assumes you are in Italy by 15 November 2026; later arrivals receive a pro-rata amount. A three-month intensive Italian language course pays EUR 3,600 in one instalment. Amounts for the 2027-2028 cycle are to be confirmed.
As of 23 October 2026 the new call is not out. Check the Call page of the Study in Italy portal and the Embassy of Italy in Tunis website; 2027-2028 dates are to be confirmed (the 2026-2027 call closed on 26 March 2026 at 14:00 Italian time).
Make sure Tunisia is on the new call's country list. In 2026-2027 you had to be an adult and, at the deadline, no older than 28 for a master's, AFAM or intensive Italian course, 30 for a PhD and 40 for a research project.
Find programmes on Universitaly and check each university's admission or pre-enrolment rules. You can list up to three choices, all of the same type. Online courses, Italian 'master universitario' programmes (1st and 2nd level) and one-year courses are not funded.
For the 2026-2027 call: B2 Italian for an Italian-taught course, B2 English for an English-taught course, A2 Italian for the intensive course. No certificate was needed for PhD or research applications.
Applications are only accepted on studyinitaly.esteri.it and are free. Use an email address you check often, as all messages go there.
PDF only, up to 2 MB per field (you may merge several papers). If your degree or certificate is still pending, tick Yes for supplementary documents (in 2026-2027 these were due by 1 July at 14:00 when requested).
The call states that portal slowdowns near the deadline are not an excuse. Only applications sent through Study in Italy are valid.
After the file review, only shortlisted applicants are invited to an interview. The Embassy of Italy in Tunis then publishes the final ranking (7 September 2026 for 2026-2027). Winners must complete Universitaly pre-enrolment, apply for the tax code and obtain the study visa before the grant starts on 1 November.
Tunisians could apply in the 2026-2027 cycle: the Embassy of Italy in Tunis relayed the call on 17 March 2026 and published the final ranking for Tunisia on 7 September 2026. For 2027-2028, check the country list again as soon as the call is out. You apply only online on Study in Italy; the embassy steps in later for the ranking and the visa. At the application stage, the official FAQ says scans of the original documents are enough, with no translation or legalisation. At the visa stage, however, the embassy asks for documents translated into Italian and apostilled, plus a declaration of value or a CIMEA certificate for your degree; Almaviva sets the appointment by email once your Universitaly pre-enrolment has been validated. Start the sworn translations and apostilles early. Good to know: the embassy's 2026-2027 visa page says a certificate for an Italian government scholarship of at least EUR 10,179.85 replaces the blocked bank account proof, and the 2026-2027 MAECI grant is above that threshold. On language, an Italian-taught course needs B2 Italian and an English-taught course needs B2 English; the FAQ notes that Duolingo is accepted for English only. Common mistakes: going over the age limit, assuming the scholarship equals university enrolment, mixing course types in your three choices, and combining it with another Italian public grant, including a regional right-to-study grant, which is not allowed. Opporiva is free and never applies on your behalf.
Checked on 23 October 2026
