Sapienza Scholarships for International Students
Sapienza University of Rome is Europe's largest university by enrolment and offers one of the most generous undergraduate scholarship schemes for international students at a public Italian institution. The Sapienza International Students Scholarship pays €8,000 in the first year and adds a tuition fee exemption for the duration of the Bachelor's (renewable based on academic progress). Selection is automatic during admission — every eligible applicant is ranked, and top candidates are awarded. Sapienza has strong English-taught Bachelor's options in Engineering Sciences, Bioinformatics, Business Management, Statistics, Architecture, and Classical Civilisation — a useful pathway for Sri Lankan A/L students who want a European Bachelor's at lower cost than UK/US options.
Open for September 2027 entry — application window typically February-April 2027 (non-EU early call closes earlier)
Sapienza University of Rome
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
First-Year Cash
€8,000
Tuition
Full Fee Exemption Across Bachelor's
Annual Awards
Around 200 for International Students
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
Sapienza University of Rome — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.
What it covers
€8,000 for First Year + Tuition Fee Exemption. This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.
Where we come in
We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Non-EU Citizen Outside Italy
Reserved for non-EU/EEA citizens residing outside Italy at the time of application. Sri Lankan passport holders applying from Sri Lanka qualify automatically.
Admitted to a Sapienza Bachelor's or Single-Cycle
You must apply for and be admitted to a Bachelor's degree (Laurea Triennale) or a Single-Cycle Master's degree (Laurea Magistrale a Ciclo Unico — e.g. 5-year Pharmacy, 5-year Architecture, 6-year Medicine). Programmes are taught in Italian or English depending on the course.
Strong Academic Record
Selection ranks applicants by secondary-school grades plus admission-test performance (where relevant). Sri Lankan applicants with strong A/L results (3As / 3 distinctions in relevant subjects) present competitively against the global field.
Language Proficiency
Italian-taught programmes require B2 Italian (CILS/CELI/PLIDA). English-taught programmes require IELTS 5.5-6.0 or equivalent. The English-taught Engineering Sciences, Bioinformatics, and Business Management Bachelor's are the most popular international options.
account_tree Application Process
Apply via Universitaly + Sapienza portal
Submit your pre-application via Universitaly.it (the Italian Ministry's central portal) AND the Sapienza online application. Pre-applications via Universitaly typically open in spring and close in mid-summer.
Academic + admission test
Some programmes (e.g. Engineering, Medicine) require an admission test. Many English-taught Bachelor's at Sapienza use the TOLC-I or TOLC-S online test, which can be taken from Sri Lanka. Submit transcripts, A/L results, and English/Italian certificate.
Automatic scholarship ranking
Once admitted, your academic profile is automatically considered for the scholarship — no separate application form. Rankings are published on the Sapienza international students scholarship page.
Renewal each year
The €8,000 is paid in year 1 only. The tuition exemption is renewable for years 2 and 3 (and 4-6 for single-cycle degrees) contingent on earning a minimum number of ECTS at a minimum grade — typically 40 ECTS at 24/30 average each year.
Why Sapienza?
Sapienza is Italy's largest and one of its oldest universities — founded in 1303 — and consistently ranked in the global top 100 for several disciplines (Classics, Physics, Archaeology, Architecture). Rome offers significantly lower cost of living than Milan, and Sapienza's central campus puts students minutes from the Colosseum, Vatican, and the city's cultural core.
#134
QS World Ranking 2026
1303
Founded (Oldest in Italy)
#1 world
QS Classics & Ancient History
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
Open the cost calculator arrow_forwardSort courses by lowest fee
The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
Browse lowest-fee courses arrow_forwardWhat Italy actually costs
Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for Italy, in LKR as well as local currency.
See the cost breakdown arrow_forwardCheck your proof of funds
Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
Check the requirement arrow_forwardSimilar Scholarships
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Padua International Excellence Scholarship
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Politecnico di Torino International Undergraduate Scholarship (TOPoliTO)
Politecnico di Torino