The Reichstag building in Berlin with the German flag flying above the glass dome at dusk.

Italy 2026/27 intake: study-grant call typically opens late 2025 / early 2026 with a deadline around March 2026 — confirm on unibo.it

University of Bologna Study Grants for International Students

The University of Bologna — the oldest university in the Western world, founded in 1088 — runs an annual Study Grants scheme for international students enrolling in its first-cycle (Bachelor's), single-cycle, and second-cycle (Master's) degree programmes. Each grant is worth EUR 11,000 per academic year and includes a full tuition-fee waiver plus a cash instalment toward living costs; grants are renewable for the standard duration of the programme subject to credit/merit conditions (about LKR 3.7M+ per year in combined value). Selection is merit-based and requires a separate study-grant application alongside admission. For Sri Lankan applicants, Bologna is an attractive, prestigious, lower-cost route into Italy: a strong A/L profile (Bachelor's) or a first-class/upper-second degree (Master's) is the competitive base. Many programmes are taught in English. Confirm the current grant value, number of awards, and deadlines on the Bologna study-grant call, as figures are set each year.

University of Bologna

University-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

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Value

EUR 11,000/yr (waiver + cash)

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Level

Bachelor's & Master's

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Application

Separate study-grant call

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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International Applicant

Open to non-Italian international students who meet the call's residence/qualification criteria. Sri Lankan applicants applying from Sri Lanka are eligible. Read the annual call for the precise nationality and prior-residence conditions.

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Academic Merit

Selection is merit-based. For Bachelor's, a strong A/L record in relevant subjects; for Master's, a first-class or upper-second Bachelor's from a recognised Sri Lankan university with good grades in the relevant discipline.

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Enrolment / Admission to an Eligible Programme

You must be applying to or admitted to an eligible Bologna degree programme. The grant is tied to enrolment in a first-cycle, single-cycle, or second-cycle programme covered by the call.

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Language of Instruction

Many Bologna programmes are taught in English (IELTS ~6.5 / TOEFL iBT ~88); some are in Italian and require Italian proficiency. Check your programme's language. Sri Lankan English-medium graduates may use an MOI route for English-taught programmes.

account_tree Application Process

Apply for admission to a Bologna programme

Submit your admission/enrolment application for an eligible Bachelor's or Master's programme via the University of Bologna portal, with transcripts and language evidence.

Submit the Study Grant application

Apply to the annual Study Grants call through the dedicated Studenti Online portal, attaching the documents the call specifies, before the deadline (typically around March).

Merit-based selection

Bologna ranks applicants on academic merit per the call's criteria and publishes results; a limited number of grants are awarded for the year.

Accept and apply for the Italian student visa

Accept your place and grant, then apply for the Italian student visa via the Italian consular service covering Sri Lanka (Delhi consular district), using your offer, grant confirmation, and financial evidence.

Why University of Bologna?

Bologna is the oldest university in the Western world and remains Italy's leading comprehensive research university, strong across the humanities, law, sciences, and engineering, with a large English-taught international offer. The historic city is a classic, affordable Italian student town with famous porticoes and food culture.