The Italian Government Scholarships, usually called MAECI scholarships after the ministry that runs them, are Italy's national scholarship scheme for foreign students. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation funds study at Italian institutions across Bachelor's, Master's and PhD levels, along with research, training and Italian language courses. You can read the full scholarship details on our site, but this guide is about how the scheme actually works and where applicants slip up.
The first thing to understand is that MAECI is not one fixed program. Every year the ministry publishes a fresh list of eligible courses, and you apply for something on that list. If your course is not on it, there is no back door. That single fact shapes almost everything else in this guide.
The MAECI scholarship in one table
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) |
| Funding | Listed as fully funded: monthly stipend, tuition exemption at many public universities, health insurance |
| Levels | Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, research and training programs, Italian language courses |
| Fields | All fields |
| Course list published | January-February |
| Deadline | Around March 26 (varies slightly year to year) |
| Country | Italy |
| Official site | studyinitaly.esteri.it |
Who this scholarship suits, and who should look elsewhere
MAECI makes the most sense for a student who already has a fairly clear idea of what they want to study and is flexible about where in Italy they study it. Because the ministry covers many Italian universities rather than one, your options are wider than with a single university scheme. Italy's public university tuition is also historically low even without a scholarship, so the tuition exemption plus a stipend can make the overall cost of study manageable.
It suits you less if you are attached to one particular course that may or may not appear on this year's list. It is also a poor fit if you are not ready to check details course by course. Age limits, prior degree requirements and language level are set per listed course, and they can change from one cycle to the next. Students who skim the general rules and skip the course-level conditions are the ones who end up rejected for technical reasons.
What the stipend and tuition exemption actually cover
The scholarship is described as fully funded, and its support comes in three parts:
- A monthly stipend, commonly cited at around €900
- Tuition fee exemption at many public universities
- Health insurance
Read those lines carefully. The stipend figure is "commonly cited", which means you should confirm the current amount in the official call for your year rather than budgeting around a number you saw online. The tuition exemption applies at many public universities, not all of them. Before you commit to a course, confirm whether your chosen institution waives fees for MAECI scholars. If it does not, you may still face some fees, and that changes the maths.
From a Pakistani student's point of view, a monthly stipend in euros is the main living support. Plan a realistic budget for rent, food and transport in the specific Italian city, and keep some savings of your own for arrival costs, since stipend payments do not always start on the day you land. Confirm the payment schedule with the official portal or your host institution.
Eligibility for Pakistani students
The basic citizenship condition is simple: you must be a foreign (non-Italian) citizen. Pakistani nationals meet that condition. Beyond that, the real eligibility rules sit at course level. Each listed course can set its own:
- age limit
- prior degree requirement
- language level, in Italian or English depending on how the course is taught
Because these change cycle to cycle, do not rely on a friend's experience from a previous year or an old blog post. Open the current year's list on the Study in Italy portal and read the conditions for the exact course you want.
English-taught or Italian-taught: decide before you apply
Both English-medium and Italian-medium courses appear on the eligible list. This matters more than most applicants realise. If you pick an Italian-taught course, you will need an Italian language certificate, and you will need to actually follow lectures and sit exams in Italian. If you pick an English-taught course, an English certificate is what counts.
A lot of Pakistani students assume everything at Master's level in Europe is in English. On the MAECI list, that is not a safe assumption. Check the language of instruction for each course before you write a single line of your motivation letter.
If you are curious about Italian but not yet confident, the scheme also funds Italian language courses. That can be a gentler starting point for some students, though you should check what each language course leads to before choosing it.
The paperwork MAECI asks for
The document list is short, but each item needs to be in good order:
- Passport
- Degree certificates and transcripts
- Language certificate (Italian or English, depending on the course)
- Motivation letter
- Admission proof, for some programs
Start with your passport. If it is close to expiry, renew it now, not after you are selected. Get your degrees and transcripts ready early as well. Many Pakistani students lose time waiting on university offices and attestation, so our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide is worth reading before you start. For a broader view of what scholarship applications usually need, see the documents checklist for international scholarships.
The admission proof requirement applies only to some programs. Check whether your course needs it, because if it does, you will have to secure admission from the Italian institution alongside the scholarship application, and that has its own timeline.
Your motivation letter should be about the specific course you chose from the list: why that program, why that institution, and how it connects to your previous study and your plans. A generic letter that could be sent to any country is easy to spot.
How the application works on the Study in Italy portal
The process itself has three stages:
- Register on Italy's official study-abroad scholarship portal, the Study in Italy portal.
- Select an eligible course from the current year's published list.
- Complete and submit the application online before the deadline.
The portal is where you apply. You do not apply to MAECI by email or through an agent. Register early, even before you have settled on a course, so that any account problems are sorted out well before the deadline.
Why the January to March window is tighter than it looks
The course list is usually published in January-February, and the deadline falls around March 26, though the exact date varies slightly from year to year. That leaves you a few weeks between seeing the list and submitting.
Those weeks go quickly if you have not prepared. Language tests need booking and results take time. Transcripts and attestation can drag. If your course needs admission proof, that is another process running in parallel. The sensible approach is to prepare the documents that do not depend on the course list (passport, degrees, transcripts, a language test) in the months before January, then use the open window to choose your course and write a targeted motivation letter.
Always confirm the exact deadline for your cycle on the official portal. Do not treat "around March 26" as a fixed date.
Mistakes that cost MAECI applicants
Assuming last year's course is still available. The list is published fresh each year. A course that was eligible in a previous cycle may not be there now.
Ignoring course-level rules. The general eligibility is broad, but age, degree and language criteria are attached to each course. Missing one of them is enough to make an application ineligible.
Mixing up the language of instruction. Applying to an Italian-taught course with only an English certificate, or the other way round, is an avoidable error.
Taking the funding figures as guaranteed. The stipend is commonly cited around €900, and the tuition exemption covers many public universities, not every one. Verify both for your course.
Leaving visa preparation until after selection. A scholarship does not guarantee a visa. Reading up on common student visa rejection reasons early will help you avoid surprises.
If you are comparing MAECI with other options in the same country, our guide to all Italy scholarships brings them together.
Frequently asked questions
Is MAECI the same as the University of Bologna scholarship?
No. MAECI is a separate, government-wide program that covers many Italian universities. It is distinct from any single university's own scholarship scheme.
Can Pakistani students apply for the Italian Government Scholarships?
The citizenship requirement is foreign (non-Italian) citizenship, which Pakistani nationals meet. You still need to meet the age, degree and language criteria set for the specific course you pick from the current year's list.
Are English-taught programs included?
Yes, where they appear on the current year's published eligible-course list. Italian-taught courses are listed too, so check the language of each course.
How much is the MAECI monthly stipend?
It is commonly cited at around €900 a month. Confirm the current figure in the official call for your year before you plan your budget around it.
When does the MAECI application open and close?
The course list is usually published in January-February, and the deadline is around March 26. The exact date varies slightly each year, so check the official portal for the current cycle.
Do I need admission to an Italian university before applying?
Only for some programs. Admission proof is listed as a requirement for certain courses, so check the conditions attached to your chosen course on the list.
For the current course list and exact dates, go to the Study in Italy portal, and keep the full MAECI scholarship page bookmarked for a quick summary.