Invest Your Talent in Italy Scholarship Explained
Check the selected course, current scholarship requirements and funding restrictions before planning the IYT route.
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universities only, where study can be tuition-free for eligible students
English-taught programmes
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Invest Your Talent in Italy (IYT) links selected postgraduate study with a compulsory company internship. It has its own course list, application and funding rules. It is not the ordinary MAECI scholarship and does not replace university admission.
Current IYT call: 2026/27
The official 11th-edition call accepted applications from 20 April to 11 May 2026, 18:00 Italian time. That window has closed. India is one of its 23 eligible countries; applicants must also meet its residence and other requirements.
Checked on 3 October 2026: we have not verified a published 2027/28 call on the official pages checked. Do not use the past deadline or age cut-off as next year's rules.
IYT scholarship: key facts
| Question | 2026/27 call | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Programme | Listed postgraduate courses with a compulsory internship | Your exact course appears in the current IYT list. |
| Age | Born on or after 1 January 2000, except renewals | Use the call’s date test, not a generic “under 28” rule. |
| Qualification | Completed qualifying study; students still about to graduate are excluded | Read the certificate provision if you completed study but await the certificate. |
| Award | €10,800 over nine months from 1 October 2026 | Payments are conditional and made in instalments. |
| Costs outside the award | Travel, accommodation and specified taxes/insurance | Prepare a separate arrival and housing budget. |
| Combining awards | Other Italian public scholarships/benefits are excluded | Do not plan to receive IYT and regional DSU together. |
Which course should you choose?
Start with the programme's official course list. Then open the university's own admission notice. The two checks answer different questions: whether a course participates in IYT, and whether the university will admit you.
For the public-university route, compare the curriculum and your transcript before deciding. A similar degree title at a participating university is not automatically an eligible IYT course. Keep the exact course name and call year in your records.
Language evidence and completed qualifications
The current call requires English evidence from B2 and provides for university-issued evidence of English-medium study in specified circumstances. It also requires Italian-language evidence or a commitment to study Italian. Read Article 3 and the document provisions before choosing an evidence route.
Make a checklist with separate entries for the university and IYT. Do not assume the scholarship's accepted document also satisfies university admission. If you are waiting for a final certificate, distinguish completed study from being about to graduate and follow the precise current-call provision.
How much is IYT, and when can you spend it?
The headline award is not arrival cash. The payment section sets enrolment, attendance and document conditions. It also links later payments to academic progress. Read Article 11 and your award instructions before committing to costs that depend on a particular transfer date.
The call exempts winners from enrolment fees and university contributions but excludes specified taxes and insurance, and it does not supply accommodation or travel. Confirm the university bill and arrange the required health insurance. Prepare enough accessible funds for housing and the period before payment.
How does IYT differ from MAECI?
| Comparison | IYT 2026/27 | MAECI 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| Application channel | IYT’s own portal and listed courses | Study in Italy and its eligible study categories. |
| 2026 application deadline | 11 May, 18:00 Italian time | 26 March, 14:00 Italian time. |
| Course planning | Check the selected postgraduate course and internship | Check the study category and separate university admission. |
| Choosing funding | Apply the current incompatibility clause | Apply the current incompatibility clause. |
The MAECI comparison now uses the published 2026/27 call, rather than the outdated 2025/26 deadline. Our MAECI guide explains that route.
Can you combine IYT with DSU?
Article 14 of the current IYT call excludes other scholarships or financial benefits from the Italian Government or public institutions, including regional awards. It is therefore not enough to say that a regional call mentions only MAECI: IYT has its own incompatibility provision.
| DSU body | Rule on Ministry (MAECI) scholarships | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ER.GO Emilia-Romagna | Not with Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs scholarships unless the other one is renounced | ER.GO call 2026/27, Sez. II art. 10 |
| DiSCo Lazio | Not with MAECI scholarships; a winner renounces one and files proof within 15 days | DiSCo Lazio call 2026/27, art. 5 |
| ALiSEO Liguria | Not with MAECI scholarships for foreign students; the student may choose one | ALiSEO call 2026/27, art. 25.2 |
| University of Calabria | MAECI scholarships incompatible with the DSU grant unless one is given up | Unical DSU call 2026/27, Article 20 |
The regional evidence above remains useful, but read the national IYT clause as well. If two offers arrive, ask the awarding bodies about the choice and renunciation procedure before accepting them. Compare net cash, fees, services and obligations rather than simply adding two headline amounts.
Prepare the application as two connected procedures
- Confirm that your citizenship, residence, qualification and exact course fit the current call.
- Follow the university's pre-admission procedure within its own dates.
- Build the scholarship document checklist from Article 5, including its CV and short video instructions.
- Use your own account and keep the final submission evidence.
- Track selection messages and complete the award, enrolment and visa steps that apply.
- Plan attendance, Italian study, the internship and renewal requirements if awarded.
Do not reuse an old video limit, document list or renewal deadline without checking the new call. The timeline above is a planning method, not an open late-application route.
How ApplyAZ helps
For eligible students, we assess suitable public-university courses, handle university applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, prepare the scholarship file with you and organise the visa file. The scholarship application remains in your name where required.
We compare IYT with the regional DSU route before building the funding plan. The programme decides its award, the university decides admission and the consulate decides the visa. Our agreed service and refund terms are separate from those external decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Was India eligible for IYT in 2026/27?
Yes. Article 2 of the current call includes India and requires applicants to be citizens permanently resident in an eligible country. Next year’s call must be checked separately.
Is the IYT application window open?
The 2026/27 window closed on 11 May 2026. We have not verified a published 2027/28 call on the official pages checked on 3 October 2026.
Does every English-taught master’s qualify?
No. Use the programme’s official course list and its current application rules. A university’s participation does not mean every course is eligible.
Can IYT be combined with DSU?
The 2026/27 IYT incompatibility clause excludes other Italian public scholarships or benefits, including regional awards. Check acceptance and renunciation procedures before accepting funding.
Does IYT pay for accommodation and travel?
The current call excludes accommodation and travel. Build an arrival budget and arrange the insurance required by the call.
Your next step
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.
Sources and checks
Official sources checked on 3 October 2026. The planning checklists and worked examples are ApplyAZ guidance; they do not replace a university or scholarship call.
Where they're studying now
Students who started exactly where you are
English-taught programmes that can be tuition-free for eligible students, and the DSU grant landing in their account every year. The funding mechanics are identical at every Italian public university: the same ISEE Parificato, the same regional bando, the same ranking. Only the authority and the dates change.
They began right where you are
Now they're studying at Italian public universities, where a degree can be tuition-free for eligible students, with DSU scholarships of up to about €8,250 a year for students living away from home, depending on the region.
