Opportunities in Italy

Italian government scholarships for foreigners are promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). Consulates list three kinds: grants awarded by the Italian government, scholarships offered by Italian universities, and special-project schemes such as Invest Your Talent in Italy, which has focused on English-taught master's programmes for students from selected countries. Calls are published per academic year, and the 2026/2027 Invest Your Talent call opened in spring 2026, so applicants should plan well ahead.

Non-EU students who stay longer than 90 days need a national study visa. The process starts with pre-enrolment on the Universitaly portal, which the chosen university validates and forwards to the embassy or consulate. The visa application then requires, among other documents, a recognised comparison or declaration of the foreign qualification, accommodation, health insurance and proof of funds. Processing can take about three months, and students must enrol in the exact programme named at pre-enrolment. After arrival, a residence permit must be requested within eight working days.

Italian degrees, research positions and graduate jobs are generally approached through individual universities, so international offices are the key contact. Rules on staying to work after graduation, including any job-search permit and quota limits, are set by Italian immigration authorities and should be checked with the Questura or official sources. Common mistakes include starting pre-enrolment close to the visa deadline, missing the declaration-of-value or comparability document, and enrolling in a different programme than the one validated.