Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI)
Italian Government Scholarships for Foreign Students (MAECI)
Italy's government scholarship for foreign students, awarded by country through the Study in Italy portal. Thai citizens are eligible for master's degrees (laurea magistrale), PhD programmes, supervised research, arts and music (AFAM) courses and short Italian language courses at Italian institutions.
Application round
The 2026/27 call closed on 26 March 2026 at 14:00 Italian time (20:00 in Thailand), with applications online through the Study in Italy portal.
Next round
The 2027/28 call hasn't been published yet. The last two calls were published in late winter and closed in late March, so expect a spring 2027 window and have your B2 English certificate ready by February 2027.
The IELTS requirement
MAECI doesn't quote an IELTS band. For an English-taught master's or AFAM course you need CEFR B2 English, uploaded with your application, so the test must be done before the March deadline; a bachelor's degree taught entirely in English also counts. IELTS 6.0 is a safe B2 benchmark, and Italian universities often ask for 6.0 to 6.5 anyway. Italian-taught courses need Italian B2. PhD and research applicants need no language proof from MAECI, though the university may ask for one.
Where is your IELTS score now?
Your university sets the IELTS score for this scholarship. Take the free level test to get an estimated band for each skill before you apply.
What it covers
- A grant of EUR 10,800 for a nine-month scholarship (1 November to 31 July), paid in three instalments
- EUR 3,600 for a three-month Italian language and culture course
- Health and accident insurance for the scholarship period
- Enrolment and tuition fees are waived by some universities, but regional fees are always payable
- Travel isn't covered
Who can apply
- Citizen of a listed country; Thailand is on the 2026/27 list
- Master's, AFAM and Italian language applicants: aged 28 or under at the deadline
- PhD applicants: aged 30 or under; research applicants: aged 40 or under
- Only for courses attended in person in Italy; the grant stops during study or internships abroad
- Dual nationals apply through their non-Italian country
- One application per round, through the Study in Italy portal
Key facts
- Provider
- Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI)
- Where you study
- Italy
- Study level
- Master's, PhD
- Funding
- Partly funded
- Application round
- Dates for the next round aren't published yet
Already know your score?
Build an IELTS plan for this scholarship
We've preselected 6.0, a typical requirement for this scholarship's courses. Check your own course and press Next to keep it, or choose a different score.
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What band do you need?
Your overall IELTS target.
We checked these details against the provider's official page on November 1, 2026. Rules and dates change every round, so confirm them there before you apply.
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