University of Padua International Excellence Scholarship

The University of Padua, one of the world’s oldest universities (founded 1222), offers International Excellence Scholarships to outstanding international students enrolling in Master’s degree programs. The scholarship provides a significant fee reduction for the duration of the program (typically 2 years). Padua has produced some of history’s greatest scientists including Galileo Galilei, and today ranks as Italy’s second-best university. The city of Padua is located in the Veneto region, just 30 minutes from Venice.

• Must be an international student (non-Italian citizens)
• Must be applying to or admitted to a Master's degree program at the University of Padua for the 2026-27 academic year
• Must hold a bachelor's degree with excellent academic performance (typically top 10% of graduating class)
• Must not have previously enrolled at an Italian university for the same level of study

• Annual tuition fee reduction of approximately €8,000
• Effectively reducing fees to near-zero levels for many programs. Access to university housing at reduced rates. University library
• Sports facilities
• And cultural activities. Italian language courses. Student support services.

Online application form, Bachelor's degree certificate and transcripts (officially translated if not in English or Italian), CV/Resume, Motivation letter (max 2 pages), English or Italian language proficiency certificate (B2 minimum), Passport copy, Portfolio (for art/design programs if applicable)

• Be a highly talented international student (not an Italian citizen, though dual citizenship including Italian is allowed) not resident in Italy at the time of application, holding a non-Italian secondary-school diploma (for bachelor's/single-cycle) or a non-Italian bachelor's degree (for master's) valid for admission to the Italian system, and applying to one or more English-taught degree programmes at Padua (you may apply to up to three) by the deadline
• There is no separate scholarship application: applying to the degree automatically makes you eligible, and each degree's teaching committee selects awardees on academic excellence
• Provides a tuition-fee waiver plus a gross scholarship of around EUR 8,000 per academic year (you pay only the annual admission/regional fee)