Sapienza University of Rome has no single “fully funded” scholarship for international students. Funding comes from several separate schemes. The biggest for a newly arriving student is the Lazio regional DiSCo grant, which also gives housing and meals, combined with Sapienza’s tuition exemption for low-income students. On top of that sit smaller Sapienza awards: €1,290 a month post-degree internships, €2,821 thesis-abroad grants, paid campus jobs, and calls for women in STEM and students with caring duties. The Italian government’s own scholarship for foreigners is also open to Sapienza applicants.
Most 2026-2027 deadlines have passed. DiSCo closed on 22 July 2026 and the Italian government scholarship on 26 March 2026. The one call still open today is Wanted the Best (deadline 30 October 2026), but it is only for graduates of other Italian universities. Below is each scheme with its verified amount, who qualifies and the latest deadline, plus the dates to plan around for 2027-2028.
Sapienza University scholarships at a glance
| Scholarship | Amount | Open to international students? | Latest deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DiSCo Lazio regional scholarship | Grant, housing, meals (amount by income band) | Yes, income-based | 22 July 2026 (closed) |
| Tuition exemption (ISEE up to €24,000) | No tuition | Yes, with an ISEE | With enrolment |
| Italian government (MAECI) scholarship | Set in the MAECI call | Yes, eligible countries only | 26 March 2026 (closed) |
| Rieti campus scholarship for international students | €7,098.62 a year for 3 years plus no tuition (2024-25 call) | Yes, non-Italians living abroad | 14 November 2024 (last call verified) |
| Wanted the Best | €3,000 a year for 2 years | Only with a first degree from another Italian university | 30 October 2026 (open) |
| International Post-degree Scholarship | €1,290 a month for 6 to 12 months | Sapienza graduates of any nationality | 16 September 2026 (closed) |
| International Thesis Scholarship | €2,821 gross in total | Enrolled Sapienza students | Set by each faculty |
| #100ragazzeSTEM | €3,000 a year | Women living outside Lazio | 17 April 2026 (2025/26 call) |
| 100 scholarships for carers and vulnerable students | €1,000 gross each | Enrolled students | 29 May 2026 (2025/26 call) |
| Student collaboration scholarships | €1,295 for 150 hours (€1,500 tax-free for disability support work) | Enrolled students past first year | Periodic calls |
Sapienza scholarships for new international students
1. DiSCo Lazio regional scholarship and housing
This is Italy’s right-to-study grant, paid by the Lazio region’s agency DiSCo to students at Rome universities, including Sapienza. One application covers the cash grant, a university residence place, discounted meals in DiSCo canteens, mobility top-ups and graduation awards. The 2026/2027 call accepted students who were about to enrol, including first-years, and closed at 12:00 on 22 July 2026.
Eligibility depends on family income and assets. For 2026/2027 the limits were ISEE (ISEEUP) €28,339.88 and ISPE (ISPEUP) €61,608.48. If your family lives outside Italy, you cannot self-declare: you need documents from the Italian embassy or consulate in your country covering household members, 2024 income, property with floor area, savings and rent, translated into Italian. Getting those papers takes months, which is why I would start in early 2027 for the next round. The process works much like the one in my University of Milan regional scholarship guide, which explains the ISEE parificato step by step.
2. Tuition exemption and reduced fees
Sapienza charges tuition by income. Its exemptions page says first-year students with an ISEE of €24,000 or less pay no tuition. To keep the exemption you need at least 10 credits (CFU) by 10 August of your second year and 25 in later years, and you must not fall behind your programme length. Students with a certified disability (Law 104/1992) or a specific learning disorder pay only a €16 stamp duty. International students holding an Italian government scholarship, or a foreign government grant of at least nine months meant for university study, pay a fixed €30 a year.
For 2026/2027, tuition is paid in three instalments: 5 November 2026, 17 December 2026 and 25 March 2027. Late payment costs €65, doubling after 60 days.
3. Italian government (MAECI) scholarships
Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers scholarships to foreign citizens from eligible countries, and to Italians living abroad, for courses at Italian universities, including Sapienza. You apply only through the Study in Italy portal. The 2026/2027 call closed at 14:00 CET on 26 March 2026. Past calls opened early in the year, so watch the portal from January 2027. The monthly amount and age limits are in each year’s call, which I could not open, so check them there.
4. Rieti campus scholarships for international students
Sapienza’s Rieti campus runs a three-year award for the English-taught bachelor’s in Sustainable Building Engineering. The 2024/2025 call offered 5 scholarships of €7,098.62 a year, plus a tuition exemption, to non-Italian citizens living abroad. Ranking was by SAT score (Reading and Writing plus Math), with ties going to the younger candidate. The deadline was 14 November 2024. Later instalments depended on credits earned and a valid residence permit, and the award cannot be combined with a DiSCo grant. I could not find a 2026/2027 version, so ask the Rieti campus whether it is running again before you plan around it.
Sapienza scholarships for enrolled students and graduates
Wanted the Best 2026-2027
Eighty-five two-year scholarships of €3,000 a year for students enrolling in a Sapienza master’s in 2026/2027. You need a first degree from an Italian university other than Sapienza, graded between 105/110 and 110/110 cum laude. The deadline is 30 October 2026. Many sites list this as open to “international students”, but a degree from a university abroad does not qualify.
International Post-degree Scholarship
€1,290 a month for a 6 to 12 month internship abroad, for recent Sapienza graduates of master’s, single-cycle or old-system degrees. The 2026 call offered 400 months of funding and closed on 16 September 2026. The call comes out each April or May. Sapienza’s page gives the age limit as both “28 or younger” and “under 29”, so confirm it in the call.
International Thesis Scholarship
€2,821 gross in total for at least two consecutive months of thesis research at a foreign university, company or institute. It is open to first-year students on two-year master’s and to final or second-to-last year students on single-cycle degrees. Each faculty publishes its own call.
#100ragazzeSTEM
The 2025/2026 call paid €3,000 a year to young women in the first year of a STEM bachelor’s who live outside Lazio, finished secondary school with 90/100 and had an ISEE up to €45,824.71. Applicants were ranked by ISEE, and the deadline was 17 April 2026. Some sites say it gives full tuition waivers and mentoring. The official notice describes a cash scholarship.
100 scholarships for carers and students in vulnerable circumstances
100 one-off awards of €1,000 gross for students who are parents, caregivers or young caregivers, care leavers, or victims of gender-based violence, terrorism or organised crime. The 2025/2026 call closed at 23:59 on 29 May 2026.
Student collaboration scholarships
Paid part-time work in libraries, labs and information desks for students past their first year: €1,295 for 150 hours, usually in shifts of 2 to 4 hours a day. Support work for students with disabilities or learning disorders pays €1,500 tax-free.
Mobility: Erasmus+ and Italian Erasmus
Enrolled students can get Erasmus+ or Sapienza funding to study or train abroad, and Italian Erasmus funds a stay at another Italian university. Some sites quote “up to €50,000” for Italian Erasmus. I found nothing official to support that figure and have left it out.
Payment gap
Sapienza does not pay scholarships in December and January while its accounts close for the year, so budget for those two months.
How international students apply to Sapienza and its scholarships
- Choose a programme: check its language (English or Italian) and admission rules in the Sapienza course catalogue.
- Apply to the programme: follow the programme’s own admission call and deadlines.
- Pre-enrol on Universitaly (non-EU students living abroad): required for a study visa. The 2026/2027 deadline was 23:59 Italian time on 30 June 2026.
- Apply for MAECI if your country is eligible: on Study in Italy, usually with a deadline around March.
- Collect consular income documents: for the ISEE parificato, legalised and translated into Italian.
- Apply to DiSCo Lazio: online in the DiSCo reserved area before the July deadline. Saving the form without sending it does not count.
- Enrol and pay: fees go through PagoPA. Then apply for Sapienza’s internal calls (collaboration, thesis abroad, STEM) once you are a student.
For questions, Sapienza’s international help desk is at hello@uniroma1.it, and the right-to-study office is at dirittoallostudio@uniroma1.it.
Sapienza scholarship dates to plan for 2027-2028
Sapienza and DiSCo have not published 2027-2028 calls yet. Based on the 2026 calendar, this is when to watch:
| Month (based on 2026) | What to do |
|---|---|
| January to March 2027 | MAECI call on Study in Italy (2026 deadline: 26 March) |
| Early 2027 | Start consular income documents for ISEE parificato |
| April 2027 | #100ragazzeSTEM (2026 deadline: 17 April); post-degree call published April or May |
| By 30 June 2027 | Universitaly pre-enrolment, if the date repeats |
| July 2027 | DiSCo Lazio application (2026 deadline: 22 July, 12:00) |
| September to October 2027 | Post-degree deadline (2026: 16 September); Wanted the Best (2026: 30 October) |
If you want one funded master’s with a monthly stipend instead of stacking smaller awards, compare Sapienza with the Erasmus Mundus scholarship, which pays €1,400 a month.
FAQ: Sapienza University scholarships
Does Sapienza University offer fully funded scholarships for international students?
Not as a single award. The closest is a DiSCo Lazio grant with housing and meals, plus Sapienza’s tuition exemption for an ISEE up to €24,000. Both depend on family income.
What is the deadline for the DiSCo Lazio scholarship at Sapienza?
For 2026/2027 it was 12:00 on 22 July 2026 and is now closed. The 2027/2028 date is not out yet, but expect July 2027.
Can international students with a foreign degree apply for Wanted the Best?
No. It requires a first degree from an Italian university other than Sapienza, graded 105/110 or higher.
How much are Sapienza tuition fees for international students?
Fees depend on your ISEE, and first-years with an ISEE of €24,000 or less pay none. Holders of an Italian government grant, or a foreign grant of nine months or more, pay €30 a year.
Sources and updates
Checked on 24 October 2026 against Sapienza’s scholarships page at uniroma1.it and its pages on Wanted the Best 2026-2027, the International Post-degree Scholarship, the International Thesis Scholarship, #100ragazzeSTEM, the 100 scholarships for carers, the Rieti campus calls (including the 2024/2025 call for international students), tuition fees and benefits, exemptions, and non-EU pre-enrolment. DiSCo Lazio 2026/2027 limits and deadline come from reports of the official call on studenti.it, skuola.net and newsistruzione.it. The MAECI deadline comes from the Italian Embassy in Addis Ababa’s notice. This post was first published in June 2026 and fully revised in October 2026; I will add 2027-2028 calls as Sapienza publishes them.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
