MAECI Scholarship: Who Can Apply and How It Works
Read the current government scholarship rules and plan university admission, funding and the next call separately.
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The MAECI scholarship is an Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs award, applied for through Study in Italy. It is separate from university admission and from the regional DSU scholarship. Start with the study category and the current call, then check whether it fits your course and circumstances.
Current call: 2026/27, applications closed
The official 2026/27 call closed at 14:00 Italian time on 26 March 2026. The Embassy of Italy in New Delhi has published a final-ranking notice. The earlier statement that 2025/26 was the latest call has been corrected.
Checked on 3 October 2026: we have not verified a published 2027/28 call on the Ministry pages checked. Its dates and terms must come from its own notice; do not reuse the 2026 deadline as a prediction.
MAECI: key facts for planning
| Question | 2026/27 rule | Planning consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Study types | Master’s, AFAM, PhD, supervised research and Italian language courses; specified renewal exceptions | Check the actual category, not merely the university name. |
| Age at the deadline | Generally no more than 28 for master’s/AFAM/language, 30 for PhD and 40 for research; renewal provisions differ | Read the call’s exact category and date-of-birth test. |
| Nine-month grant | €10,800 for November 2026–July 2027, subject to conditions | Check arrival, enrolment and progress rules before relying on the full amount. |
| Tuition | Exemption depends on the university; regional fees remain due | Obtain your university’s actual payment instructions. |
| Other Italian public awards | Incompatible, including regional DSU | Compare and choose in accordance with the relevant award procedures. |
Who should investigate MAECI?
It is worth investigating when your citizenship, qualification, course type and personal circumstances fit the current call. India had a 2026/27 selection, as the Embassy scholarship page confirms. Next year's country coverage still needs checking when that call appears.
University admission and scholarship selection are different checks. Do not assume that a good CGPA guarantees funding, or that a scholarship application reserves a university place. For new undergraduate Medicine and Surgery applicants, compare the appropriate regional DSU route rather than assuming MAECI is a general MBBS award.
Language evidence: read both sets of rules
The Study in Italy FAQ and call explain language evidence. For English-taught study, B2 is the scholarship baseline; the call provides alternatives for specified applicants, including documentary evidence for an entirely English-taught bachelor's degree. The university can impose additional requirements.
Keep two rows in your checklist: evidence accepted for MAECI, and evidence accepted for university admission. Ask the university about its own policy rather than assume a scholarship provision waives its language test.
Funding is not all arrival cash
The nine-month amount is paid in instalments with conditions. It is not an upfront transfer when you submit an application. A late arrival can reduce the award, and enrolment and progress evidence matter. Use the payment section of the current call and your award instructions to build your own calendar.
List rent, deposit, travel, tuition due and the costs before your first confirmed payment. Check your university's fee treatment directly. “Government scholarship” does not mean every fee or housing cost disappears.
Can MAECI and DSU be held together?
Article 12 of the 2026/27 call excludes other Italian public scholarships, including regional right-to-study awards. Separate portals do not make the awards compatible. If you receive more than one offer, check the acceptance and renunciation procedures before making a commitment.
| Body or university | Rule on MAECI | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ER.GO Emilia-Romagna | The grant cannot be combined 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 student who wins one renounces it and files proof within 15 days to keep the DiSCo grant | DiSCo Lazio call 2026/27, art. 5 |
| ALiSEO Liguria | MAECI scholarships for foreign students cannot be combined with ALiSEO; the student may choose one | ALiSEO call 2026/27, art. 25.2 |
| University of Calabria | MAECI scholarships are incompatible with the DSU scholarship unless the student gives one up | Unical DSU call 2026/27, Article 20 |
| University of Bari | Its own 2026/27 scholarships for international students cannot be combined with an ADISU Puglia or MAECI scholarship | UniBa call 2026/27 |
The regional examples above remain useful supporting evidence, but the national MAECI incompatibility rule itself is now stated directly. Compare confirmed cash, services, fees, payment timing and the conditions you must continue to meet.
How to organise the application
- Check citizenship and the eligible study category in that year's call.
- Identify suitable courses and their separate admission requirements.
- Make a document checklist from the current scholarship instructions.
- Use your own Study in Italy account and monitor its communications.
- Keep evidence of final transmission and track selection through the relevant diplomatic mission.
- If awarded, complete acceptance, admission, enrolment and visa steps under their respective deadlines.
The portal's official FAQ is the starting point for process questions. This planning list is not a way to submit a late 2026/27 application.
How ApplyAZ helps
For eligible students, we plan a suitable public-university route, handle university applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, prepare the scholarship file with you and organise the visa file. Your scholarship account and submission remain in your name where required.
We compare MAECI with the DSU route and IYT rather than assuming all awards can be combined. The Ministry decides the award, the university decides admission and the consulate decides the visa. Our agreed service and refund terms cover our service; they do not guarantee these external decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Is MAECI open for new 2026/27 applications?
No. The application deadline was 26 March 2026. Use the official portal and diplomatic mission for the result and any requirements applying to an existing award.
Can I apply for a new bachelor’s or Medicine and Surgery degree through MAECI?
Not through the ordinary new-degree route in this call. Read the eligible study categories and the specific renewal exceptions in the official call.
Do I need IELTS specifically?
Check Article 2.3 and the university’s separate language rules. The scholarship call provides accepted forms of evidence in specified circumstances; IELTS is not the only possible route.
Can I hold MAECI and DSU together?
The 2026/27 call excludes other Italian public scholarships, including regional right-to-study awards. Check the required choice or renunciation process before accepting funding.
Is a MAECI award university admission?
No. Scholarship selection and university admission are separate procedures. Plan both and meet the requirements of each.
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.
Further reading
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.
