DSU Scholarship Italy 2026-27: Eligibility, Benefits, ISEE & How to Apply

DSU Scholarships 2026/27 by Region: All 16 Bodies Compared

Each DSU body runs its own 2026/27 call (bando), with its own income limit, grant and dates. The table compares the 16 bodies we cover and the main public universities each one serves. Every row links to a page with the full amounts, documents and deadlines for that body.

Source: each body's 2026/27 call (bando). Verified on 28 September 2026.

Politecnico di Milano's grant amounts and ISEE limit are pending Lombardy's decision, as on its page; we check again on 12 October 2026.

Three guides compare the same 16 calls on the questions that decide most applications:

• The ISEE parificato and the family documents from India: how the ISEE parificato (the income statement for families outside Italy) is built, and when the documents are due at each body.
• DSU deadlines and first-year payment dates for 2026/27: every application window, the calls still open and when the first instalment is paid.
• The credits first years need to keep the grant: the 10 August and 30 November 2027 checks and what is repaid if a target is missed.

The DSU Scholarship Italy is regional, need-based financial aid that can help eligible students reduce the cost of studying at Italian universities. Depending on the region and your student status, the benefits may include tuition fee relief, a financial allowance, meals and accommodation.

Students from India and other non-EU countries can also apply if they meet the requirements of the relevant DSU body. The most important thing to understand is that there is no single DSU application or nationwide deadline. The university sets which body the application goes to, and that body sets its own rules and deadlines.

Important for 2026/27: each body's bando sets its own deadlines. On 28 September 2026 only the University of Milan and University of Padua calls still take new applications, both until 30 September 2026; the other 14 closed between 22 July and 10 September 2026. For eligible students we track every date in all 16 calls.

DSU Scholarship at a Glance

DSU (Diritto allo Studio Universitario) is Italy's regional right-to-study aid. Each region's body pays a yearly grant, and often meals and a residence bed, to students whose family income and assets are under its limits. For 2026/27 the national minimum grant for a student living away from home is 7,171.11 EUR a year.

What Is the DSU Scholarship in Italy?

DSU stands for Diritto allo Studio Universitario, the right to university study. It is regional, need-based financial aid for students at Italian universities, paid by the body that serves each university under its yearly call (bando). Depending on the call, it covers a yearly grant, meals, a residence bed and relief on tuition fees.

Depending on the regional rules, support can help with:

• Tuition fees
• Accommodation
• Meals
• Living expenses
• Other student-related costs

However, DSU is not one single national scholarship with identical rules throughout Italy.

Different regions have their own scholarship authorities, application portals, deadlines and bando di concorso (official competition notice). Each authority determines its own eligibility criteria, benefits and procedures.

Who Manages the DSU Scholarship?

Each region's DSU body manages the scholarship, and there is no single national portal. The body is set by the university, not by the city: ER.GO runs the call for the Universities of Bologna, Ferrara, Modena and Reggio Emilia, and Parma, while the University of Milan, Politecnico di Milano and the University of Padua run their own.

The region table above shows the body for each main public university, and for eligible students we match the university to its body and work to that body's call.

This matters because the deadline, financial limits, documents, accommodation rules and payment schedule can differ between regions.

For example, EDISU Piemonte's 2026/27 applications opened on 22 July 2026 and closed on 4 September 2026 at 12:00 Italian time, while DiSCo Lazio's ran from 10 June to 22 July 2026.

What Does the DSU Scholarship Cover?

DSU covers a yearly cash grant and, depending on the call, canteen meals, a residence bed and relief on university fees. The package depends on the region, the family's economic situation and whether the student lives at home, commutes or lives away from home, so two winners can receive different support.

In detail, DSU support may include:

• Tuition fee exemption or reduction
• Annual financial allowance
• A bed in a student residence, in most calls with its value taken from the grant
• Canteen meals, included in the grant or at a reduced price, depending on the call
• Other student services or financial support

The exact package is not the same for every student.

For example, a student may qualify for financial assistance but not receive an accommodation place if accommodation is subject to separate availability or ranking rules.

So not every DSU winner receives the same cash amount or a residence bed.

Tuition is handled differently from call to call, and study can be tuition-free for eligible students where the rules provide it. Some calls refund fees already paid: Politecnico di Milano refunds them apart from the administrative fee once the grant is confirmed (art. 4.1), and ADISURC Campania refunds tuition and contributions paid (art. 8.9 to 8.11). ADSU Chieti-Pescara exempts the fee instalments after the first (art. 21). DiSCo Lazio, DSU Toscana, ERDIS Marche, ERSU Palermo and ERSU Catania leave university fees to each university's own rules. We check the fee rules of the call and the university for each eligible student.

How Much Is the DSU Scholarship in Italy?

There is no single DSU amount for all of Italy. For 2026/27 the national minimum for a student living away from home (fuori sede) is 7,171.11 EUR a year, and each body sets its own top figure, which depends on family income (ISEE) and on whether the student lives at home, commutes or lives away.

The amount can depend on factors such as:

• Your economic situation
• ISEE or equivalent economic assessment
• Whether you are classified as in sede (living at home), pendolare (commuter) or fuori sede (living away from home)
• Your region
• Your student status
• The benefits included in your award

This is why online claims such as 'DSU scholarship is always 6,500 euro' or 'every student gets 7,000 euro' can be misleading.

Each body's top fuori sede amount is in the region table above, and for eligible students we work out from the call which amount applies.

DSU Scholarship Requirements

The requirements vary by body, but every 2026/27 call checks three things: enrolment in an eligible programme at a university the body covers, family income and assets under the call's limits, and academic progress. First years are ranked on family income, and merit is checked afterwards on the credits registered during the year.

1. Enrolment in an Eligible Programme

DSU can cover eligible higher-education programmes such as:

• Bachelor's programmes
• Master's programmes
• Single-cycle master's programmes
• PhD and other eligible programmes

The university and programme must fall under the applicable regional scholarship system.

The eligible programme types can vary according to the specific regional bando.

2. Financial Need

Your family's economic situation is one of the main factors used to determine eligibility.

For international students, this can involve documents showing:

• Family income
• Family composition
• Property
• Financial assets
• Other relevant economic information

The regional authority uses its applicable economic assessment rules to determine eligibility and, where applicable, the level of financial support.

3. Academic Requirements

First-year students are ranked on family income, and merit is checked afterwards, on the credits the university registers during the year. In most 2026/27 calls a first year needs 20 credits by 10 August 2027 for the full grant, and missing the target by 30 November 2027 means losing the grant and repaying what was received.

Continuing students need minimum CFU/ECTS credits by 10 August to apply again. Each call sets its own numbers, which our guide to the credits that keep a DSU grant compares for all 16 bodies.

4. Other Conditions

Depending on the region, requirements can also concern:

• Previous qualifications
• Maximum period of study
• Enrolment status
• Student residence or domicile
• Accommodation status
• Academic progress
• Other conditions listed in the annual bando

DSU Scholarship for Students from Countries like India

Students from India can apply for the DSU scholarship of the body that covers their university if they meet its requirements. The key step is proving the family's income and assets outside Italy: India is not on the Ministry's list of particularly poor countries, so the simplified route for those countries does not apply.

You may need documents relating to:

• Family income
• Family members
• Property
• Financial assets
• Other sources of income or assets

These documents may need to be translated, legalised or given an apostille (the Ministry of External Affairs certification), depending on the call. Calls differ widely: the University of Milan asks families from India for no documents at application (art. 5.4), while EDISU Piemonte wants apostilled, translated originals sent by post (art. 30).

Requirements change by body and by academic year, so a checklist from another student or another region does not carry over. For eligible students we draw up the list from the call of the body concerned and check every certificate with the family.

What Is ISEE Parificato?

ISEE is the Italian indicator of a household's economic situation. For families whose income or assets are outside Italy, most calls use the ISEE parificato in its place, built from family documents issued abroad. Depending on the call, a CAF (tax assistance centre) or the body itself calculates it; ER.GO and DSU Toscana assess the documents directly.

This economic assessment can affect:

• Scholarship eligibility
• Scholarship amount
• Tuition fees
• Access to other student benefits

For 2026/27 the family documents are due between 5 August 2026 and 31 March 2027, depending on the body, and they take time to issue, legalise and translate. We prepare and check the family documents with each eligible student well before the body's deadline. Our ISEE parificato guide for families in India compares the route and the deadline at all 16 bodies.

Documents Required for the DSU Scholarship

The document list comes from the current call of the body that covers the university, so it differs by region. International students usually need a passport, admission details, and family income, family composition and asset certificates, translated and legalised or apostilled where the call asks, plus the ISEE parificato documentation.

A typical list includes:

• Valid passport
• University admission or enrolment details
• Family composition certificate
• Family income certificate
• Property or asset documents
• Bank or financial documents where required
• ISEE or ISEE Parificato documentation
• Translated documents
• Legalised or apostilled documents where required

The list that counts is the one in the body's current call, not a generic DSU checklist. For eligible students we set out that list and check each document before it is sent.

How the DSU Application Works, Step by Step

Every DSU application follows the same broad steps: admission to the university, matching it to its DSU body, reading that body's current call, preparing the family documents and the ISEE parificato, and applying online before the deadline. The dates and documents differ by body, and for eligible students we handle each step.

Step 1: University Admission

The university decides admission. In most calls the DSU application can go in before enrolment is complete, but the DSU deadline does not move for students admitted later. For eligible students we handle the university application and the pre-enrolment on Universitaly (the Italian pre-enrolment portal).

Step 2: The Body for the University

The DSU body is set by the university, and not every Italian university uses the same scholarship portal. We match each student's university to its body, using the region table above.

Step 3: The Current Bando

Each body publishes one call a year, and it sets out:

• Eligibility requirements
• Required documents
• Application deadline
• Income requirements
• Accommodation rules
• Ranking procedure
• Payment conditions

We read the 2026/27 call of the body concerned and set out what applies to each student.

Step 4: Family Financial Documents

The family's income, property, asset and family-composition certificates are issued in India, then legalised or apostilled and translated into Italian as the call requires. We prepare and check them with the family.

Step 5: The Economic Assessment

Where the call requires it, a CAF or the body itself calculates the ISEE parificato from those documents. We prepare the file for the CAF or for the body's own review.

Step 6: The Online Application

Applications are made online and close on a fixed day and hour, Italian time. Several calls require the student's own credentials, such as SPID (Italy's digital identity) or the body's portal account, so the application goes out in the student's name. We prepare the application with the student and check it before it is sent.

EDISU Piemonte, for example, takes applications for the grant and a bed, or for the grant only.

Step 7: Rankings and Results

After the window closes, the body publishes its rankings. Depending on the region, you may see terms such as:

• Idoneo: eligible
• Beneficiario: beneficiary
• Graduatoria: ranking
• Graduatoria provvisoria: provisional ranking
• Graduatoria definitiva: final ranking

Being eligible does not always mean receiving every benefit at once; the exact meaning depends on the body. We check each ranking with the student and prepare any correction the call allows.

Step 8: Follow-Up Requests

If the body asks for additional documents, corrections or declarations, they are due by the date it sets. We prepare them with the student and track each date.

DSU Scholarship Deadlines for 2026-27

There is no single DSU deadline for every university. Each body sets its own, and the 2026/27 windows ran from 5 June to 30 September 2026. On 28 September 2026 only the University of Milan and the University of Padua still take new applications, both until 30 September; the other 14 calls have closed.

The University of Milan's call closes at 23:59 Italian time on 30 September, and the other 14 closed between 22 July and 10 September 2026.

Later steps continue for students who applied in time. EDISU Piemonte publishes its provisional grant ranking on 21 October 2026 and its final rankings on 9 November and 16 December 2026; ALiSEO Liguria takes the ISEE parificato until 19 October 2026 to avoid suspension; and DiSCo Lazio takes the signed ISEE parificato until 10 December 2026.

Every window and first-year payment date is in our 2026/27 DSU deadlines table for all 16 bodies, and we track these dates for every student we work with. The 2027/28 calls are not published yet; in 2026 the calls with a printed opening date opened between 5 June and 22 July.

Does the DSU Scholarship Cover Every Cost?

No. DSU is need-based regional aid, not a fixed package that pays every cost of study. Depending on the region, the family's economic situation and student status, an award may combine a cash grant, meals, a residence bed and fee relief, and an award does not mean the maximum cash amount or a bed.

Depending on your region, economic situation and student status, your award may combine:

• Tuition fee exemption or reduction
• Financial allowance
• Accommodation
• Meals

The exact amount and combination of benefits can vary.

Receiving a DSU award does not automatically mean that you will receive the maximum cash amount or accommodation.

This distinction is important when planning your budget for studying in Italy.

Is Accommodation Automatic?

No. A residence bed depends on each body's rules and on availability, and some bodies run a separate housing ranking alongside the grant, so a scholarship is not a promise of a room. Some calls include no bed at all: the University of Milan's call has none, as university housing has its own call (art. 5.1).

Where a call has a separate housing request, such as EDISU Piemonte's option to apply for the grant and a bed, we include it in the application for students who want a bed and follow the housing ranking.

How Is the DSU Scholarship Paid?

DSU grants are paid in instalments rather than as one payment at the start of the academic year. Most 2026/27 calls pay first years about half the grant by December 2026, often 20% by 10 November and 30% by 31 December, and the rest only after the credit check in 2027.

The exceptions matter. ALiSEO Liguria pays no cash in 2026 and pays the whole grant after 20 credits (art. 24.2). ERDIS Marche pays non-EU first years the first instalment only once the credits are reached, unless the student provides a surety bond or the family filed an Italian tax return for 2024 (art. 17.3). ERSU Palermo and ERSU Catania calculate the first instalment at the pendolare rate for students who are not in sede (art. 24).

Payment also needs a codice fiscale (Italian tax code), an Italian or SEPA IBAN in the student's name and, in some calls, the residence permit or the visa. We track each condition and prepare the documents for it.

The grant is therefore not available on arrival, and the first months in Italy are budgeted without it.

The DSU Scholarship and the Italian Study Visa

The DSU scholarship does not replace the funds needed for the study visa, which the ministry sets at 10,179.85 EUR a year (about INR 11,19,666 at the FBIL reference rate of 18 September 2026). Without an explicit scholarship certificate, applying for DSU or meeting its requirements cannot be counted (MUR circular 2026/27 and 2027/28, Part II, Section 2(a)).

Some calls also depend on the visa. EDISU Piemonte wants the type D visa (long-stay national visa) uploaded by set dates (art. 31), Politecnico di Milano pays only once the visa is issued (art. 18), and ALiSEO Liguria excludes a winner who does not obtain it (art. 25.2). The consulate decides the visa.

For eligible students we prepare the visa file, check every document against the office's checklist and time it around the DSU calendar. Our guide to the financial proof for an Italy student visa explains the funds rule, and the Italy student visa guide for India covers the rest of the file.

Can You Renew the DSU Scholarship?

Renewal is not automatic. From the second year the grant needs a new application each year, and minimum credits by 10 August are a condition of it. In the 2026/27 calls most bodies asked second-year Bachelor's students for 25 credits and Master's students for 30; the 2027/28 figures come with next year's calls.

Continuing students normally need to meet the applicable:

• Academic progress requirements
• CFU/ECTS credit requirements
• Financial conditions
• Enrolment conditions
• Application deadlines

Our credit targets for all 16 DSU calls show the numbers body by body, and we prepare the next year's application with each student.

Common DSU Scholarship Mistakes

The mistakes that cost students the most are treating DSU as one national scheme, working from an old deadline or another region's checklist, starting the family documents too late, and counting on the grant as visa funds or as a promise of a bed. The full list:

• Assuming DSU has one national application
• Using an old deadline
• Confusing university admission with the DSU application
• Starting financial-document preparation too late
• Submitting incorrect family information
• Ignoring translation or legalisation requirements
• Assuming accommodation is automatic
• Assuming 'eligible' automatically means 'beneficiary'
• Planning your budget around the maximum scholarship amount
• Forgetting renewal and CFU requirements
• Counting on the DSU scholarship as proof of funds for the visa

DSU Scholarship Italy FAQs

Can students from countries like India apply for the DSU scholarship?

Yes. Students from India can apply for the DSU scholarship of the body that covers their university if they meet its financial, academic and enrolment requirements.

Is DSU available for international students?

Yes. Eligible international and non-EU students can apply under the rules of the relevant regional scholarship authority.

Do I need ISEE Parificato as an international student?

International students with family income or assets outside Italy may need an equivalent economic assessment such as ISEE Parificato. The exact procedure depends on the regional authority.

Is accommodation automatic?

No. Accommodation depends on the regional rules, application and availability. Some regions use separate accommodation rankings, so applying for the scholarship should not be treated as a promise of a hostel room.

Can I renew the DSU scholarship every year?

Yes, with a new application each year. From the second year the grant depends on minimum credits by 10 August, as well as on the financial and enrolment conditions and the body's deadlines.

Does a DSU scholarship count as proof of funds for the Italian study visa?

Not on its own. The ministry circular for 2026/27 and 2027/28 says that, without an explicit scholarship certificate, applying for a regional DSU scholarship or meeting its requirements cannot be taken into account. The visa file needs at least 10,179.85 EUR a year from lawful, traceable sources.

Can ApplyAZ handle my DSU application for me?

For eligible students, yes for the work: we match the university to its body, prepare the family documents and the application with you and track every date. Calls that need your own credentials are sent from your account, and the body decides the grant. Check your eligibility first. If you are eligible, you book a one to one consultation with one of our Italy experts, and from there we take care of everything.

Final Takeaway

DSU can cut the cost of studying in Italy through a yearly grant, meals, a bed and fee relief, but each body's own 2026/27 call decides eligibility, amounts and dates. For students from countries like India, the process runs through the steps below, and for eligible students we handle the work around each one:

• University admission and pre-enrolment on Universitaly
• Matching the university to its DSU body
• Reading the current 2026/27 bando
• Preparing the family documents early
• The ISEE parificato, where the call requires it
• The application, sent before the body's deadline
• Rankings and document requests
• Tracking the credits that keep the grant

Most importantly, a generic DSU deadline or a fixed '6,500 or 7,000 euro' figure is no substitute for the body's official 2026/27 call, which is the final authority on eligibility, amount, accommodation, deadlines and payment conditions.

Next Steps

• Every 2026/27 date in one place: DSU application windows and payment dates by body
• Family documents from India: what the ISEE parificato needs
• After the award: how many credits keep the grant
• The visa file: Italy student visa from India, office by office
• Recognition of the degree: how the DOV (declaration of value, dichiarazione di valore) works for Indian degrees

Check your eligibility first. If you are eligible, you book a one to one consultation with one of our Italy experts, and from there we take care of everything.