Invest Your Talent in Italy Scholarship 2027: Master’s Study in Italy Guide

Invest Your Talent in Italy — usually shortened to IYT — is one of the most distinctive Master’s scholarships in Europe, because it does not treat study and work as separate worlds. Run by Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) together with the ICE Agency for foreign trade and Uni-Italia, the programme funds a Master’s degree or a one-year postgraduate course at a participating Italian university, taught in English, and then requires you to complete an internship inside an Italian company. You graduate not only with an Italian qualification, but with real Italian workplace experience, a network of Italian employers, and a foundation in the Italian language. For students from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and the other eligible countries listed below, it is one of the few European government scholarships designed specifically around that study-to-career bridge.

This guide explains the programme exactly as the official call sets it out. The most recent verified call at the time of writing is the 11th edition, for the 2026–2027 academic year, published on the official Invest Your Talent in Italy current call page. That call is the factual basis for the amounts, dates, country list and rules in this article. If you are reading this while preparing for the following cycle — the intake most applicants will call the 2027 cycle — treat the dates and figures here as the latest published pattern, and confirm every detail against the new call when it appears, because the country list, the age cut-off and even the total scholarship amount have all changed between editions in the past. Nothing in this guide is a promise of selection: IYT awards are allocated in quotas per country after a comparative evaluation, and places are competitive.

Before you go further, check the single most important eligibility fact: your country must be on the list for your edition. In the 2026–2027 call, Bangladesh, India and Indonesia are eligible; Pakistan, Nepal and Nigeria are not on that edition’s list. If your country is not listed, this scholarship is not open to you in that edition, however strong your grades are — and you should look instead at the wider options in our scholarships directory and plan your search through our study abroad guides.

Invest Your Talent in Italy at a Glance

Two points in that table deserve emphasis because older articles online get them wrong. First, the money: many secondary websites still quote €900 or €1,000 per month and a €9,000 total, which described earlier editions. The 2026–2027 call states an annual scholarship of €10,800, paid in three quarterly instalments of €4,800, €3,000 and €3,000 — the first instalment is deliberately larger to help you settle in. Second, tuition: the call positions this as an exemption from enrolment fees and university contributions under Italian law for holders of Italian Government scholarships, not as a blank cheque. The regional tax for the right to education, stamp duty, and any accident, civil liability and health insurance costs are explicitly excluded from the exemption and remain yours to pay. Those amounts are small compared with full tuition, but you must budget for them.

Who Can Apply: Eligibility in Full

Citizenship and residence

Scholarships are reserved for citizens of the listed countries who are permanently resident there. The 2026–2027 list contains 23 countries: Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brazil (listed as Brasile in the Italian text), Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Mongolia, Paraguay, Peru, the People’s Republic of China, Tunisia, Türkiye, Uruguay and Vietnam. Compare that with the previous edition, which included the Republic of Korea and did not include several of the Latin American countries now listed: the list genuinely changes, so never rely on last year’s version. Dual nationals holding Italian citizenship must upload both passports, and Italian Resident Abroad (AIRE) status does not create any reserved quota.

Academic qualification — you must already hold it

You must hold an academic qualification that is valid for enrolment in the Master’s or postgraduate programme you choose. The call is unusually strict here: students who are about to graduate are not eligible. If you have completed all your exams but your degree certificate has not yet been issued, you may apply if, in addition to your final transcript, you submit an official certificate on university letterhead, dated and signed, confirming that you have completed the academic programme and are awaiting the certificate. If you are still in your final semester with exams outstanding, you must wait for the next edition. Students who are currently studying at an Italian university, and anyone who already holds an Italian university degree, are not eligible at all.

Pre-admission to a participating course comes first

Only students who have applied for pre-admission to one of the courses included in the IYT programme, following that university’s own procedures, are eligible for the scholarship. No exceptions are made for courses or universities outside the project. You may apply for only one course in your IYT application; for limited-enrolment courses you may indicate a second preference, but the order you give is binding — you cannot swap later if you are admitted to both. In practice this means your application has two parallel tracks that must both succeed: the university must admit you to the course, and the IYT Technical Committee must award you the scholarship for that same course. Start with the university’s pre-admission deadline, which may fall well before the IYT portal window, and work backwards. You can compare Italian institutions alongside other destinations in our universities directory and check how institutions place in our rankings section before you commit to a single course.

Age and language

Applicants must have been born on or after 1 January 2000 for the 2026–2027 call, except applicants seeking a renewal. On language, you must attach certification of English proficiency at B2 level or above. The call accepts, among others, Cambridge qualifications, IELTS, TOEFL iBT, Trinity ISE (digital and paper), PTE, Linguaskill, ESOL and TOEIC covering listening, reading, speaking and writing. If your Bachelor’s degree was taught entirely in English, a certificate from your university stating that English was the language of instruction may be accepted, and the call notes it may be treated as proof at C1 level. Italian is treated differently: a certificate of Italian knowledge is not mandatory, but it contributes to your evaluation score. If you do not have one, you must upload a self-declaration committing to attend a classroom or self-study Italian course before departure. Do not treat that declaration lightly — renewal later depends in part on verified attendance at the Italian course your university offers.

Benefits and Coverage: What the Scholarship Actually Pays

The financial core is the €10,800 award for a nine-month period starting 1 October. It is paid quarterly into an Italian bank account held in your own name, and the first payment can only be made after you have enrolled at your institution and submitted the required documents. The payment schedule in the call is specific: the October–December quarter pays €4,800, released in December/January, against documents including your bank details affidavit, passport copy, arrival boarding pass, attendance declaration, enrolment certificate and verification that you attended an Italian language course before departure. The January–March quarter pays €3,000 in March/April, and by then you must show an enrolment certificate with exams taken — at least one exam in the current academic year. The April–June quarter pays another €3,000 in June/July, by which point at least two exams must appear. Read that schedule as a warning as much as a benefit: the money follows academic engagement, and a student who enrols but does not sit exams will stall their own payments.

On top of the cash, holders are exempt from enrolment fees and university contributions, as described above. The programme also builds in two non-cash benefits that are arguably worth as much as the money over a career. The first is the compulsory internship at an Italian company or professional association, which is a structural part of the programme, not an optional extra: you will complete on-the-job training in Italy, in your field, before you finish. The second is the Italian language course offered by your university, which the programme expects you to attend regularly — both because Italian transforms your internship and daily life, and because attendance is verified for renewal.

Now the honest gaps. The call states plainly that the scholarship does not cover travel expenses and does not include accommodation. You must arrange and pay for your own health and medical insurance to cover illness and accidents in Italy. You must still pay the regional education tax, stamp duty and insurance-related costs that sit outside the tuition exemption. And the scholarship only covers courses attended in Italy: you cannot use it while on an international mobility programme, do your internship abroad, or conduct thesis research abroad. Budget for flights, a rental deposit, the first weeks before the larger first instalment arrives in December/January, and your insurance policy, from your own resources or family support. Students who plan that cash flow in advance have a calm first semester; students who assume €10,800 arrives in October have a stressful one. Our student tools, including budgeting and cost calculators, can help you model those first months.

Renewal for the second year

A two-year Laurea Magistrale cannot be finished in nine months, so the programme allows renewal. For 2026–2027 first-year holders, renewal applications for the second year are uploaded to the portal by 20 July 2027 and require your university certificate of exams taken (in CFU credits), a certificate of attendance at at least one Italian language course offered by the university, and an internship project. Renewal of both the scholarship and the tuition exemption is conditional on achieving at least 30 credits by 20 July 2027 and on verified regular attendance at the Italian course. The call also stresses that, for this edition, submitting the internship project is once again mandatory, that internship paperwork must be completed for a start by 20 January 2027 even if a signing date is extended, and that completing the internship by the end of the second year remains essential. In short: 30 credits, language attendance, internship progress — miss any one of the three and renewal is at risk.

University scholarships inside the programme (Borse Ateneo) and Design scholarships

Some participating universities additionally offer their own scholarships, called Borse Ateneo, to the most talented candidates for their Master’s courses. In the 2026–2027 edition the universities named are Parma, Florence, Bergamo, Tuscia, Ca’ Foscari Venice and Brescia; these are assigned by the Technical Committee using dedicated rankings that take account of your course preferences, and payment follows each institution’s own arrangements. Separately, MAECI reserves a portion of IYT scholarships for Architecture and Design courses, to promote Italian expertise in contemporary architecture and urban regeneration, for students from India, Indonesia, Türkiye, Brazil and Ethiopia. If you are an Indian or Indonesian design applicant, that reserved quota is a genuine strategic reason to look closely at the design courses in the programme list.

Programmes and Fields of Study

IYT courses cluster in the fields where Italy is internationally strongest and where its companies most want international talent: Engineering and Advanced Technologies, Architecture and Design, and Economics and Management. The programme’s own materials describe more than 200 postgraduate courses at more than 20 participating Italian universities, all taught entirely in English — which is precisely why B2 English certification, rather than Italian, is the hard language gate at application. Within engineering you will find the kinds of programmes Italian technical universities are known for: for example, the University of Padova’s published IYT course list spans aerospace, computer, control systems, data science, energy, environmental and management engineering, alongside sciences and economics — and Padova’s page confirms the same €1,000-per-month-equivalent framing used in its edition, the 9-month duration and the mandatory three-month traineeship; see the University of Padova Invest Your Talent page for a concrete university-level view. Always work from the current course list on the official IYT site for your edition, because courses join and leave the programme.

Choosing your single course is the most consequential decision in this application, because you cannot hedge across several universities inside IYT. Choose for fit with your Bachelor’s degree first — Italian Laurea Magistrale admissions check curricular coherence closely, and a prestigious course you are not admissible to is worth nothing. Choose second for the industry around the university: engineering in the industrial north, design in Milan’s ecosystem, and management programmes near the companies you hope to intern with will all make the compulsory internship easier to turn into something valuable. And choose third for total cost of living, because the same €10,800 goes much further in a smaller university city than in Milan or Rome.

How to Apply, Step by Step

1. Read the current call in full on the official IYT website and note your edition’s country list, age cut-off, portal window and document list. Editions differ; the call is the only authority.
2. Shortlist one IYT course from the programme’s course list that matches your Bachelor’s qualification, and check the university’s own pre-admission requirements and deadline for that course.
3. Apply for pre-admission to the university through its own portal and procedures. Without this step you are not eligible for the scholarship, whatever you later submit to IYT.
4. Prepare your documents early: final transcript with degree mark or CGPA, English certificate at B2 or above (or the English-medium instruction certificate), Italian certificate or the commitment declaration, one-page CV, valid passport, and your motivation video of no more than 59 seconds.
5. Film the video carefully. The call suggests covering why you want to study in Italy, the professional goals you hope the programme will help you reach, and how you would benefit from an internship in an Italian company — plus what you can offer in creativity, innovation and growth. It may be filmed in English or Italian; choosing Italian is viewed positively in evaluation.
6. Submit online via the IYT portal inside the window. For the 2026–2027 call that window was 20 April to 11 May 2026 at 6:00 pm Italian time. Enter your name exactly as it appears in the machine-readable line of your passport. Multiple applications using different email addresses are strictly prohibited and rejected.
7. Wait for the Technical Committee’s comparative evaluation. The committee — MAECI, the ICE Agency and Uni-Italia, possibly assisted by an ad hoc commission — awards scholarships in quotas defined for each country. Successful candidates are informed by email, in the summer, at the address used at registration.
8. If awarded, prepare your visa immediately. The call warns that an IYT award is not, by itself, a guarantee of a visa; check requirements on Italy’s official visa portal and have your documentation ready in advance.
9. On arrival: enrol, open your Italian bank account, buy health insurance, begin the Italian course, and submit the first-quarter payment documents — including your arrival boarding pass — promptly.

Required Documents

• Final transcript / certificate of exams taken for the qualification that admits you to the Master’s, including the final degree mark or CGPA. If the degree certificate is still pending, add the signed university statement confirming completion, as described in the eligibility section.
• English language certificate at B2 level or above from an accepted provider, or the university certificate attesting English as the medium of instruction for your degree.
• Italian language certificate, if you have one, or the self-declaration committing to attend a classroom or self-study Italian course before departure.
• Motivation video, maximum 59 seconds, in English or Italian.
• Curriculum vitae, maximum one page.
• Valid passport; dual Italian–foreign nationals upload both passports.

Documents must be in English, French or Spanish; anything issued in another language needs an official translation, with both the original and the translation submitted. Incomplete applications are not considered eligible, and documents cannot be sent by email after the fact — the portal submission is the whole application. Keep every file small, legible and correctly named, and upload well before the final evening: a portal window that closes at 6:00 pm Italian time closes in the late evening in South Asia, and last-hour uploads are where otherwise strong applications die.

Deadlines and Timeline

For the next cycle, expect — but do not assume — a similar shape: the call and portal window have moved between editions (an earlier edition closed in March), which is exactly why this guide labels every date with its edition. When the new call is published, its dates override everything in the table above.

Selection Criteria and How to Improve Your Chances

The Technical Committee awards scholarships on a comparative evaluation of the applications, within quotas defined for each country. There is no published points grid for the whole application, but the call tells you where evaluation weight visibly sits: your academic record (the transcript with final mark or CGPA is a core document), your language profile (Italian certification explicitly adds to your evaluation score even though it is not compulsory), and your motivation video, which is your only chance to speak directly to the committee. The programme’s purpose also shapes selection: IYT exists to build economic and cultural links between Italy and the partner countries, so an application that connects a specific Italian course and a specific kind of Italian company internship to a credible professional goal — ideally one that uses the Italy connection afterwards — reads as aligned with the programme in a way a generic “I want a European degree” application does not.

Practical ways to strengthen a file: pick a course your Bachelor’s genuinely prepares you for, so pre-admission is secure; sit an Italian course and obtain even an elementary certificate before applying rather than relying only on the commitment declaration; keep the CV to one page but make every line earn its place; and in the video, be specific — name the field, the skills the Italian course adds, and the type of company where you want to intern — while staying natural and within 59 seconds. Rehearse it; a rushed, overtime or inaudible video undermines an otherwise excellent file.

Common Mistakes

• Applying to IYT without university pre-admission. The scholarship application does not replace the course application; both are required, and no exceptions are made.
• Applying while still finishing your Bachelor’s. Students about to graduate are not eligible; you need the completed qualification (or the formal completion statement if the certificate is pending).
• Quoting old money. Budgeting around €9,000 from an old blog post, or assuming monthly payments from October, misstates the current €10,800 quarterly schedule.
• Assuming tuition exemption means zero costs. Regional tax, stamp duty and insurance remain payable, and travel and accommodation are not covered at all.
• Submitting several applications with different emails, or applying for a course outside the IYT list. Both lead to rejection or ineligibility.
• Neglecting the Italian course or exams after arrival. Payments require exams, and renewal requires 30 credits plus verified Italian course attendance.
• Combining IYT with another Italian Government or public scholarship. The award is incompatible with other Italian Government or public-institution scholarships and financial benefits, including Erasmus+ and regional scholarships.
• Treating the award as a visa guarantee. It is not; visa requirements are separate, and you should check them early on the official Visa for Italy portal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Invest Your Talent in Italy fully funded?

It is generous but not fully funded in the all-expenses sense. It pays €10,800 over nine months and exempts you from enrolment fees and university contributions, but travel, accommodation, health insurance, the regional tax and stamp duty are yours. Plan supplementary funds, especially for arrival costs before the first instalment.

Can I apply if I am in the final semester of my Bachelor’s degree?

No. The call states that students who are about to graduate are not eligible. You may apply once you hold the qualification; if you have finished the programme but await the certificate, the signed university completion statement described in the call lets you apply.

Do I need to speak Italian to apply?

No — courses are taught in English and B2 English certification is the requirement. But an Italian certificate adds to your evaluation score, and if you have none you must commit to studying Italian before departure and attend the university’s Italian course in Italy, which is checked for renewal.

Can students from Pakistan, Nepal or Nigeria apply?

Not under the 2026–2027 call: those countries are not on its list of 23 eligible countries. Bangladesh, India and Indonesia are. Because the list changes between editions, check the current call for your cycle. Readers from non-listed countries can explore other routes in our scholarships directory, and compare this programme with the research-focused route in our guide to the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships.

How long does the scholarship last, and can it cover a full two-year Master’s?

The award covers nine months from 1 October. For a two-year Laurea Magistrale you may apply for renewal for the second year if, by the July deadline, you have at least 30 credits, verified Italian course attendance and an internship project. Renewal is conditional, not automatic.

Is the internship guaranteed and paid?

An internship at an Italian company or professional association is a compulsory, structural part of the programme that you must complete by the end of the second year for Master’s students. The call does not present it as a salaried job or guarantee a specific employer; treat it as professional training experience and engage with your university’s placement support early.

Can I combine IYT with Erasmus+ or a regional Italian scholarship?

No. The call makes IYT incompatible with any other scholarship or financial benefit from the Italian Government or Italian public institutions, expressly including Erasmus+ and regional education scholarships.

What happens if I do not take exams?

Your instalments depend on them: the second quarterly payment requires at least one exam taken in the current academic year, the third requires at least two, and renewal requires 30 credits. Enrolling without progressing academically stops the money.

Sources and Verification

This article was written from the official Invest Your Talent in Italy call for the 2026–2027 academic year (11th edition) on investyourtalent.esteri.it — the source for the €10,800 amount and quarterly schedule, the 23-country list, the 1 January 2000 age cut-off, the 20 April–11 May 2026 window, the tuition exemption scope, renewal conditions and incompatibility rules — cross-checked against the University of Padova’s official IYT page for course-list and traineeship detail, and the official Visa for Italy portal for visa framing. Amounts, country lists and dates change between editions: always confirm the current call on the official website before applying. StudyGraduate is an information portal, not an agency, and cannot promise selection, admission or visa approval.

Disclaimer: Scholarship details change yearly. The figures and dates above are the latest verified official call at the time of writing; check investyourtalent.esteri.it for your cycle before making any decision or payment.