How to Study in Italy for Free - A Complete Guide

Studying in Italian universities is not entirely free. Still, early bird discounts and scholarships are some ways to reimburse the tuition fee wherein high scores and good GPA in previous education can enable obtaining scholarships in Italy to international students. Some of the steps that can aid aspiring students to study in Italy for free are as follows:

1. Look for affordable or pocket-friendly universities and shortlist your desired ones. Then, check for scholarships in Italy for international students in your desired universities.
    

2. Prepare to apply to your desired universities, as various universities provide early bird offers. Applying early is highly recommended to grab all early bird discounts and benefits. In order to study in Italy for free, prepare some documents in advance, such as academic transcript, SOPs, updated scores and English proficiency test scores. You can check the exact requirements of the documents on your chosen university website.
    

3. Several universities in Italy offer scholarships to some extent, but some institutes, such as the University of Bologna, waive up to 100% of tuition fees. Scholarships can be obtained by applying on the online portal of the universities. Further, International students can also take advantage of government scholarships in Italy which cover tuition fees, medical insurance and financial grant that lead to almost free study in Italy for international students. Apart from this, Italy universities offer merit-based scholarships for international students.
    

4. Once the application is submitted to the university, students receive an offer letter in one to two months. Students can apply for the visa immediately after receiving the offer letter, where a strong Statement of Purpose and profile increase the possibility of visa approval.
    

5. International students can work part-time upon receiving an Italian visa and can afford the cost of living and studying in Italy.  

Mainly, there are two criteria to study in Italy for free by receiving scholarships, namely, need-based criterion and merit-based criterion.

Need-based scholarships can be obtained by showing family income and balance documents, wherein need-based scholarship covers tuition fee and regional fee needs to be borne by the student. Further, every university has different criteria for offering merit-based scholarships to international students but some universities offer upto 90% of meri-based scholarships.

Now, let’s look at some of the scholarships available to study in Italy for Indian students.

Scholarships provided by Italian universities cover students’ expenses effectively, including accommodation expenses, tuition fees and additional financial aid.

The list of some prominent universities in Italy which are affordable for international students is provided below:

• University of Bologna

• University of Pisa

• University of Perugia 

• University of Bergamo 

• Polytechnic University of Turin

• Politecnico di Torino

• University of Naples 

• Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

• University of Salerno 

• University of Piedmont

• European University of Rome

• The University of Padua

Q: Can international students receive free education in Italy?

A: Yes, international students can receive free education in Italy via scholarships offered by different universities, as mentioned in this blog and early bird discounts. The Italian universities consider family income, grades and academic history of students and academic performance to determine students’ eligibility to receive full scholarships.

Q: Is Italy affordable for international students?

A: Yes, Italy is affordable for international students in terms of food, accommodation and transportation expenses, but budget planning is necessary prior to moving to Italy for Study.

Q: Is studying in Italy worth it?

A: Yes, absolutely; studying in Italy is worth it, as international students experience a different culture, learn a new language and access quality education. However, students need to deal with language barriers and cultural differences, but the benefits of studying in Italy surpass the challenges or issues the students face.

Q: Do international students get scholarships in Italy?

A: Yes, international students can get scholarships and receive a partial or complete waiver of tuition-fee in Italian universities, and the list of some of those universities is provided in this blog.

In summary, Italy is an enticing and affordable option for students aiming to study abroad. International students can study in Italy for almost free because of the availability of scholarships in Italian universities. Need-based, merit-based and government scholarships are available for international students in Italy. Alternatively, applying early to your desired university can help you study for free in Italy. Opting for part-time work can ease your financial burden of living and studying in Italy.

Moreover, if you aim for Italy as a foreign study destination in the upcoming intake, contact our expert counsellors at any branch of Meridean Overseas Education Consultants (MOEC). You can also take free online counselling through our website. Our expert counsellors will provide you with the best support and guidance to apply for scholarships and take free education. For more information or any queries, you can mail us at application02@meridean.org or call us at our toll-free no. 1800-1230-00011.