University of Milan Regional Scholarship 2026/27 (DSU) for International Students

Here's the honest headline first: the University of Milan's DSU regional scholarship for the 2026/27 academic year closed on 30 September 2026 — so if you're reading this after that date, you're preparing for the 2027/28 round. Don't let that discourage you, though. This is one of the most genuinely generous financial aid packages in Italy — a real cash grant, complete tuition exemption, and free daily meals — and it runs every single year. Thousands of international students fund their entire Milanese degree through it. Let's walk through exactly how it works, what you need, and how to be ready when the next call opens.

In short: The DSU (Diritto allo Studio Universitario) regional scholarship at the University of Milan is a need-and-merit-based benefit funded by the Lombardy Region and the Italian Ministry of University and Research. It gives enrolled students a yearly cash grant, full (or 50%) tuition fee exemption, and free refectory meals. Applications for 2026/27 ran from 10 July to 30 September 2026; the next round is expected in summer 2027.

Quick Overview

• Host Country: Italy
• Host Institution: University of Milan (Università degli Studi di Milano — "La Statale")
• Degree Level: Bachelor's, Master's, single-cycle degrees, and eligible doctoral/postgraduate programmes
• Program Duration: One academic year (renewable by reapplying annually)
• Funding Type: Fully funded for winners (cash grant + full fee exemption + free meals)
• Deadline: 30 September 2026, 23:59 GMT+2 (closed; next call expected July 2027)

Benefits of the University of Milan Regional Scholarship

This isn't a marketing-style "scholarship" that's really just a small discount. For full winners, the package genuinely removes the biggest costs of studying in Milan. Here's what the official call provides:

• Annual cash grant — A sum of money paid in instalments onto your Carta La Statale (the university's personal badge). For 2026/27, published figures place the grant between roughly €2,143 and €8,248 per year depending on your income bracket and whether you're in university housing. The exact brackets are published in the official call each year, so treat these as the reliable range rather than gospel.
• Full tuition exemption for winners — Scholarship winners pay zero university fees for the academic year. That's the whole fee bill wiped out, which at a public Italian university is already modest but still a real saving.
• Partial winners get 50% off — Students who qualify for partial status receive a 50% exemption from university fees instead of the full one.
• Free midday meals, Monday to Saturday — Winners get one free lunch at the university refectories six days a week. In a city like Milan, where eating out daily gets expensive fast, this is worth a lot more than it sounds.
• Free refectory access — The scholarship is formally defined as a sum of money plus free access to refectory (canteen) services, so meals are a core part of the benefit, not an afterthought.
• International mobility supplement — Scholars spending time abroad on mobility programmes can receive an additional monthly allowance (reported at €600 per month) plus travel reimbursement up to €500. Apply for it separately by its own deadline.
• Graduation incentive award — Students who finish their degree within the standard duration may receive an extra award, subject to available funding — a nice bonus for finishing on time.

A note on honesty: the DSU does not directly provide a free private apartment. Accommodation is covered only where university residences are involved, through the grant amount or separate housing arrangements. But with tuition at zero, meals handled, and a cash grant in hand, most winners genuinely study in Milan without worrying about money.

Eligibility Criteria for the University of Milan Regional Scholarship

The DSU is a need-based competition with a merit component — you need both. The requirements, straight from the official call:

• Enrolment at UniMi — You must be enrolled, or intending to enrol, in an eligible degree programme at the University of Milan for the 2026/27 academic year. You can submit your application from 10 July even before your enrolment is finalised, but the benefit is only confirmed once you enrol within the stated deadlines.
• Financial requirements (income and assets) — You must fall within the income and asset limits published in the call. Italian students prove this with an ISEE University certificate; international students whose family income and assets are outside Italy submit equivalent documentation, with its own submission deadline. Start gathering this early — it's the single most common reason applications stall.
• Academic merit — Merit requirements (credits earned or results thresholds) are defined in the call. There's no scholarship "for merit alone" or "for income alone" — both conditions must be met together.
• Open to international students — Italian and international students compete in the same competition. Your citizenship doesn't disqualify you.
• Not holding similar benefits — You can't receive the DSU while already receiving comparable benefits for the same programme year.
• Who is excluded: students in vocational master's programmes and postgraduate medical schools, PhD students already receiving a scholarship or research grant, part-time students or those on shortened career paths, repeating students, and students who already hold an Italian degree at the same or a higher level.
• Previous winners must reapply — The benefit never renews automatically. If you won in 2025/26, you must submit a fresh application for 2026/27.

How to Apply for the University of Milan Regional Scholarship

The application happens through the university's own portal. Here's the sequence:

1. Register on the UniMi portal. You need university credentials before you can touch the scholarship application. International students should register as prospective students. 2. Set up SPID access. As of recent years, you access the unimi.it portal using SPID, Italy's digital identity system. Foreign students should check the university's Registration page for the procedure available to them. 3. Open the Online Helpdesk (Sportello online). From 10 July to 30 September 2026, log in and find the regional scholarship application. You can apply even if you haven't finalised your enrolment yet. 4. Fill in the application carefully. Enter your personal details, programme of study, and income/financial information exactly as documented. 5. Submit your ISEE University certificate or equivalent foreign documentation. For families resident abroad, you submit the alternative documentation on foreign-held income and assets by the call's stated deadline. Don't treat this as optional — missing financial proof means automatic exclusion. 6. Activate your Carta La Statale as a prepaid card. Scholarship payments are made onto this card, which must be activated as a Flash Up Studio La Statale prepaid card before money can reach you. 7. Watch the ranking lists. A provisional ranking is published in the Online Helpdesk (typically by late October), then a final ranking (typically by late November). Appeals can be filed online within 7 days of the provisional ranking.

Required Documents

• Completed online application via the Online Helpdesk
• Valid ISEE University certificate (Italian-resident families) or equivalent documentation of income and assets held abroad
• Proof of enrolment or pre-enrolment at the University of Milan for the 2026/27 academic year
• Identity document (passport for international students)
• Academic records relevant to merit requirements
• Carta La Statale activated as a Flash Up Studio prepaid card (for receiving payments)

University of Milan DSU Scholarship Deadline

Applications for the 2026/27 academic year were accepted from 10 July to 30 September 2026, submitted through the university's Online Helpdesk. The provisional ranking then follows (usually late October), with a 7-day appeal window, and the final ranking in late November. The first instalment of the grant is typically paid by December.

If you missed this round, mark your calendar: the call is annual, and the next one is expected to open around July 2027 with a late-September deadline. Use the waiting months to sort your financial documentation — for families abroad, that's the part that takes the longest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Milan DSU scholarship really fully funded?

For full winners, effectively yes: you get a yearly cash grant, complete exemption from university fees, and free daily meals at the university refectories. It doesn't hand you a private apartment, but the combined package genuinely covers the core costs of studying in Milan.

Can international students apply?

Absolutely. Italian and international students compete in the same annual competition. The only extra step for international applicants is documenting your family's income and assets held outside Italy, using the call's specified alternative documentation instead of the Italian ISEE certificate.

What's the difference between full and partial winners?

Full winners receive the cash grant, 100% tuition fee exemption, and free meals. Partial winners receive a 50% tuition fee exemption along with the other partial benefits. Your status depends on how far below the income thresholds your finances fall.

How much money do winners actually receive?

The annual cash grant is banded by income and housing situation, with published figures for recent calls ranging from about €2,143 to €8,248 per year. The exact brackets are set in each year's official call, so always confirm on unimi.it.

Do I need to be enrolled before I apply?

No. You can submit the scholarship application from 10 July even if you haven't finalised your enrolment, including if you're waiting on admission tests or a bachelor's degree. But the benefit is only confirmed once you actually enrol within the deadlines.

Do PhD students qualify?

PhD students can apply, but only if they are not already receiving a scholarship or research grant. If your doctorate already comes with funding, you're excluded from the DSU competition.

What about the mobility supplement?

Eligible scholars studying abroad through mobility programmes can apply separately for an international mobility supplement — reported at €600 per month plus travel reimbursement up to €500. It has its own application deadline within the same year.

Can I lose the scholarship after winning it?

Yes, if you don't meet the merit requirements checked during the year, or if your circumstances change so you no longer qualify. The second instalment for first-year students, for example, is paid only after an ex-post merit check.

Is there an application fee?

No. The DSU application is a public competition run by the university — there is no fee to apply, and no legitimate agent should charge you for it.

Should I reapply if I won last year?

Yes — renewal is never automatic. Every previous winner must submit a new application each year to compete for the next academic year's benefits.

Final Words

The Milan DSU is one of those rare schemes where the headline matches reality: real money, real fee exemption, real daily meals, year after year. The 2026/27 call is now behind us, but the 2027/28 call will follow the same rhythm. If Milan is on your list, start assembling your financial documentation now — that's the hard part — and be ready when the Helpdesk opens next summer.