Call for applications for Scholarships for international students enrolling in English-taught Degree programmes at the University of Padua (A.Y. 2025/2026)

Internationalisation is one of the key objectives underlying the activities of the University of Padua. Accordingly, a specific programme of scholarships has been established in order to boost and support the academic career of international students not residing in Italy and holding a non-Italian citizenship and a foreign entry qualification. This Call for applications covers two kinds of scholarships:

• up to 62 Padua International Excellence Scholarships awarded to the most talented prospective international student of each degree programme¹ completely held in English (as decided by the Board of Administration at its meeting on 25 of February 2025). The full list of English taught programme of the University of Padua is available at: https://www.unipd.it/en/english-degrees

• up to 31 additional scholarships provided by the following Departments of the University of Padua for highly talented international students wishing to enroll in one of the English-taught degree programmes below:

●       Department of Biomedical Science (DBS)

• 1 scholarship for the Bachelor’s degree in Biology of Human and Environmental Health

●       Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (DICEA)

• 2 scholarships for the Master’s degree in Environmental engineering
• 2 scholarships for the Master’s degree in Mathematical Engineering
• 2 scholarships for the Master’s degree in Water and Geological Risk Engineering

●       Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialisation (DPSS)

• 1 scholarship for the Master’s degree in Applied child and adolescent psychology

●       Department of Industrial Engineering (DII)

• 1 scholarship for the Master’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering;
• 1 scholarship for the Master’s degrees in Chemical and Process Engineering;
• 1 scholarship for the Master’s degrees in Electrical Energy Engineering;
• 1 scholarship for the Master’s degrees in Energy Engineering;
• 1 scholarship for the Master’s degrees in Materials Engineering

●       Department of Land, environment, agriculture and forestry (TeSAF)

• 1 scholarship for the Master’s degree in Forest Science;

●       Department of Linguistic and Literary Studies (DISLL)

• 1 scholarship for the English-taught study track in English Studies of the Master’s degree in

Lingue e letterature europee e americane.

●       Department of Mathematics ‘Tullio Levi-Civita’ (DM)

• 2 scholarships for the Master’s degree in Cybersecurity;
• 2 scholarships for the Master’s degree in Computational Finance;
• 2 scholarships for the Master’s degree in Computer Science;
• 2 scholarships for the Master’s degree in Data Science;
• 2 scholarships for the Master’s degree in Mathematics

●       Department of Medicine (DIMED)

• 2 scholarships for the Single-cycle degree in Medicine and Surgery;

●       Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA)

• 1 scholarship for the Master’s degree in Clinical, social and intercultural psychology;
  • 1 scholarship for the Master’s degree in Social Science for Digital Data

●       Department of Political Science, Law, and International Studies (SPGI)

• 1 scholarship for the Master’s degree in  European and Global Studies;
  • 1 scholarship for the Master’s degree in  Human Rights and Multi-level Governance

ART.2 – Scholarship amount and conditions

The scholarship programme is highly selective: only the candidates with the highest achievements in their field of study and the best school/academic records may be successful. Selected students may be asked to act as Ambassadors and represent the University at a number of events.

The scholarship includes an allowance of € 8,000.00 (gross for the recipient) and a tuition fee-waiver per academic year. The only amount to be paid by scholarship recipients each academic year is an administrative fee, consisting of the regional tax for the right to education and the revenue stamp. Such amount is not refundable. Reimbursement of travel, insurance or other expenses is not included in the scholarship and will not be covered by the University of Padua.

The scholarship has a maximum duration of:

• two (2) consecutive academic years for Master’s degree programmes;
• three (3) consecutive academic years for Bachelor’s and Single-cycle degree programmes.

Once the above-mentioned period has elapsed, students will be required to pay the tuition fees due until graduation. Students can maintain their scholarship eligibility also in the following years if enrolled in the same degree programme of first enrolment. Scholarships cannot be combined with any other grant awarded by other public institutions. If a candidate has been awarded more than one scholarship, he/she must choose which one to accept.

Candidates are responsible for promptly notifying the Admissions and Welcome Unit – Global Engagement Office (international.admission@unipd.it) and the relevant Department of any incompatibility with other scholarships.

ART. 3 – Admission requirements and selection

To be eligible for the selection, under penalty of exclusion, applicants must:

1. hold a non-Italian upper secondary school certificate (to access Bachelor’s or Single-cycle degree programmes) or a non-Italian Bachelor’s degree (to access Master’s degree programmes) allowing admission to the Italian University system;
2. not have Italian citizenship (except for dual citizenship including Italian);
3. not already reside in Italy. For the purpose of this Call for applications the following are considered to be residing in Italy:
   1. applicants with non-EU citizenship and a valid residence permit allowing enrolment at an Italian university with no need to apply for a new student visa to the relevant Embassy, as per Italian Legislative Decree No. 286 of 25/07/1998;
   1. EU citizens and equated who have resided on a continuous basis in Italy for longer than 9 months. Citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the Republic of San Marino and Switzerland are treated as EU citizens.

1. apply for one or more English-taught degree programmes of the University of Padua according to the procedures and within the deadlines set. Please note that you can apply for up to three degree programmes.

The applicants who fail to meet one or more of these requirements are not eligible for selection for scholarships. All the students fulfilling the above-mentioned requirements are automatically admitted to selection. Neither a separate

application form nor further documents are needed in addition to those required for applying for the chosen degree programme.

ART. 4 – Selection procedure and awarding criteria

The Academic Committee of each degree programme shortlists eligible applicants and awards the most deserving candidates the scholarships, based on academic excellence in their field of study, quality, and records from their prior learning. In case of equal score, the youngest candidate will be given priority.

Scholarships are mainly reserved for candidates applying for the first application period; they may be awarded to eligible candidates of the second application period on an exceptional basis.

Scholarships selection results will be published at www.unipd.it/en/assessement-results:

• from 12 March 2025 in the case of unlimited access degree programmes (1^st application period: 2 November 2024– 2 February 2025);
• from 11 April 2025 in the case of limited access degree programmes (1^st application period: 7 January 2025– 7 March 2025);
• from 12 May 2025 in the case of limited access degree programmes for which no scholarships were awarded in the first application period. (2^nd application period: 7 March 2025– 7 April 2025);
• from 11 June 2025 in the case of unlimited access degree programmes for which no scholarships were awarded in the first application period. (2^nd application period: 2 March 2025 – 2 May 2025);
• following publication of IMAT test results in the case of the Single-cycle degree in Medicine and Surgery.

ART. 5 – Acceptance

Candidates selected for a scholarship will receive a specific scholarship offer from the Admissions and Welcome Unit – Global Engagement Office with the procedures and deadlines for accepting it.

To be granted the scholarship, selected candidates must:

• accept both the admission and the scholarship offer received and pay the admission fee by the deadline given;
• not benefit from other scholarships or grants;
• fulfil the admission requirements (e.g. obtaining the entry qualification) within the deadline given in the admission offer;
• [only for non-EU candidates residing abroad] meet the requirements and conditions for an Italian student visa (D

– enrolment);

• complete enrolment in the chosen degree programme, which will be finalised following checks on the authenticity of the required documents and on fulfilment of all the requirements for enrolment eligibility.

If scholarship recipients fail to meet any of these requirements, they must notify the Admissions and Welcome Unit – Global Engagement Office of it by emailing international.admission@unipd.it, and they will not be granted the scholarship.

Should scholarship recipients not accept the admission offer and the benefit granted or not fulfil any of the criteria above, scholarships may be awarded to the next eligible candidates meeting the requirements by the degree programme Academic Committees, within and not later than 30 June 2025.²

ART – 6 Payment methods and requirements to maintain scholarship eligibility A.Y. 2025/26

Scholarships will be paid via bank transfer in two instalments of € 4,000.00 (gross for the recipient) per academic year. Students will be credited with the first instalment of the A.Y. 2025/26 upon arrival in Padua and only after:

1. completing enrolment at the University of Padua;
2. opening a bank account – including an online bank account or a prepaid card with an IBAN – at any Italian bank or any other bank in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) of which the student is the holder or joint holder. It also might be possible for students to use the IBAN of their University Flash Card, provided the card has been upgraded at any Intesa Sanpaolo branch;
3. signing the Declaration of acceptance, through which students undertake to accept the scholarship terms and conditions and confirm that no incompatibility arises within the meaning of article 1 of this call for applications.

The first instalment of the A.Y. 2025/26 will not be credited:

• if scholarship recipients are going to arrive in Padua after the 15th of December 2025;
  • [only for scholarships awarded from the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (DICEA)] if scholarship recipients are going to arrive in Padua after the 30th of November 2025.
  • [only for scholarships awarded from the Department of Industrial Engineering (DII) and from the Department of Land, environment, agriculture and forestry (TeSAF)] if scholarship recipients are going to arrive in Padua after the 28th of February 2026.

Students will be credited with the second instalment of the A.Y. 2025/26, upon gaining at least 12 ECTS credits by the end of March 2026 (winter examination session – A.Y. 2025/26).

In case of enrolment with recognition of prior learning, the credits earned during previous university career cannot be considered for fulfilling the requirements to maintain scholarship eligibility.

ART. 7 – Scholarship renewal: payment methods and requirements to maintain scholarship eligibility

All the beneficiaries will receive the scholarship for the second year (A.Y. 2026/27) provided they meet the following merit requirements:

• 40 ECTS credits by the end of September 2026 (summer and extra examination sessions – A.Y. 2025/26) to be granted the first instalment;
  • 60 ECTS credits by the end of March 2027 (winter examination session – A.Y. 2026/27) to be granted the second instalment.

Bachelor’s degree and Single-cycle degree students will receive the scholarship for the third year (A.Y. 2027/28 provided they meet the following merit requirements:

• 90 ECTS credits by the end of September 2027 (summer and extra examination sessions – A.Y. 2026/27) to be granted the first instalment;
  • 120 ECTS credits by the end of March 2028 (winter examination session – A.Y. 2027/28) to be granted the second instalment.

In case of enrolment with recognition of prior learning, the credits earned during previous university career cannot be considered for fulfilling the requirements to maintain scholarship eligibility for the second and the third year (where applicable).

ART. 8 – Revocation of scholarship

If the aforementioned merit requirements are not met within the deadline, the payment of the scholarships will be stopped.

The University of Padua is entitled to revoke scholarships when:

1. students do not obtain at least 20 ECTS credits by 30 November 2026;
2. students transfer to another University or withdraw from studies.

In these two cases, students shall pay back the amount of the scholarship already received.

Specific duly reasoned situations can undergo examination by the Commissione per il Diritto allo Studio (Committee for the right to education) of the University of Padua.

ART. 9 – Information on the processing of personal data

Personal data shall be processed in compliance with the principles and provisions of EU Regulation 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation) and for the sole purposes of competition procedure. For detailed information:

http://www.unipd.it/privacy.

The Administration reserves the right to check the truthfulness of the admission and incompatibility requirements. Without prejudice to the criminal sanctions provided for in art. 76 of Italian Presidential Decree DPR no. 445/2000, should checks prove statements to be false, the scholarship recipient shall lose the benefit eligibility.

ART. 10 – Dispute resolution

This call for applications is translated into English for informational purposes only. Should any disputes arise and for all legal purposes, only the Italian version shall be considered valid.

ART. 11 – Final Provisions

The person responsible for the procedure is Dr Mattia Gusella, Head of the Global Engagement Office. For further information please email international.admission@unipd.it

The Rector Prof.ssa Daniela Mapelli

digitally signed as per Italian legislative decree no. 82/2005