The University of Padova (Universita di Padova) offers the Padua International Excellence Scholarship to international students who enrol in one of its English-taught bachelor’s or master’s degree programmes. The award is worth EUR 8,000 gross for each academic year plus a full exemption from student fees, and up to 76 scholarships are offered.
There is no separate scholarship form. Your application to the degree programme is also your application for the scholarship, which means the admission deadline is the real deadline. For the 2027-28 academic year the first application call opened on 15 September 2026 and closes on 15 November 2026 for most degree programmes, and the scholarship calls for 2027-28 are published in November 2026.
Padua International Excellence Scholarship 2027-28 at a glance
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | University of Padova (Universita degli Studi di Padova), Italy |
| Last date to apply | 15 November 2026 (first call for the 2027-28 academic year; the degree application is also the scholarship application) |
| Official website | https://www.unipd.it/en/padua-international-excellence-scholarship-programme |
What the Padua International Excellence Scholarship covers
The scholarship has two parts, both confirmed on the official programme page:
- EUR 8,000 gross per academic year, paid in two instalments of EUR 4,000 gross each, released when you meet the academic requirements set out in the selection notice.
- Exemption from student fees for each academic year of the scholarship. Beneficiaries pay only the regional fee and the revenue stamp for that year.
- Maximum duration is 2 years for a master’s degree and 3 years for a bachelor’s or single-cycle degree. After that period you pay the normal tuition fees until graduation.
- Up to 76 scholarships are offered under the programme.
Living costs, flights, visa fees and accommodation are not part of the award, so budget for them separately when you compare Padova with other Italian universities.
Who can apply for the Padua International Excellence Scholarship
The official page lists four conditions. You must meet all of them:
- You must not hold Italian citizenship (dual citizenship is accepted).
- You must hold a non-Italian secondary school diploma if you apply for a bachelor’s or single-cycle degree, or a foreign degree if you apply for a master’s degree.
- You must not be resident in Italy at the time of application.
- You must apply to an English-taught degree programme at the University of Padova within the admission deadline.
Indian students qualify on all four counts with a standard 12-year school record: the university’s admission rules for bachelor’s and single-cycle degrees require a minimum 12-year school record, and the admission page explains the options if your qualification is shorter.
Two limits matter at the money stage: you cannot hold another scholarship at the same time, and you must complete your enrolment at Padova to receive the award.
How to apply: one application for both the degree and the scholarship
Padova does not run a separate scholarship portal. The programme page states that applying to the degree course automatically enters you in the scholarship selection, and that no additional documents are needed beyond the ones the degree programme already asks for.
- Choose an English-taught bachelor’s or master’s degree from the university’s course catalogue.
- Read that programme’s admission notice for its own requirements and deadlines.
- Submit the degree application in the first call: upload the required documents, pay the application fee and submit before the call closes.
- Wait for the Teaching Committee’s decision: scholarship results are published on the university website within the deadlines printed in the Admission Notice.
- If you are selected, you receive a separate notice with the acceptance procedure and deadline, and you must then complete enrolment.
The programme page is explicit that the scholarships are mainly reserved for candidates from the first call; the Teaching Committees may only exceptionally award them to candidates from the second call. Applying late therefore costs you the funding, not just the seat.
Important dates for the 2027-28 cycle
- 15 September 2026: first application call opens for most degree programmes (for applicants with a foreign qualification).
- 15 November 2026: first call closes.
- November 2026: the Calls for Application for the Padua International Excellence Scholarships for 2027-28 are published, with the detailed rules and the academic requirements.
- Second call: dates are set per programme in the Admission Notice; a scholarship there is exceptional, not the norm.
The university updates the programme page when the new calls go live, so check it in November before you rely on any figure or date quoted by an aggregator.
Conditions to keep the scholarship
The programme page sets out the rules that apply after the award is made:
- Earn at least 20 CFU (ECTS credits) by 30 November of the following academic year. Missing that bar can cost you the scholarship.
- Do not transfer to another university and do not withdraw from your studies.
- Do not accept another scholarship at the same time.
- If the scholarship is revoked, the instalments you have already received must be returned.
Documents you need
For the scholarship itself: none beyond your degree application. The programme page says there is no separate application and no additional documentation.
For the degree application, the documents are the ones listed in your programme’s admission notice and in the university’s document list for international applicants. The admission page links that list, a FAQ page and a video tutorial for international students, so use those rather than a third-party checklist.
Official links
Padua International Excellence Scholarship Programme – value, eligibility, selection and revocation rules.
Admission of international students – the first call for 2027-28 (open 15 September to 15 November 2026), document list and FAQ.
Scholarships and benefits for international students – the full list of Padova funding, including fee waivers and departmental awards.
Frequently asked questions
No. The programme page says applying to an English-taught degree at the University of Padova automatically makes you eligible for the scholarship, and no additional documents are required.
15 November 2026, the closing date of the first application call for the 2027-28 academic year, which opened on 15 September 2026. The scholarships are mainly reserved for first-call candidates.
EUR 8,000 gross per academic year, paid in two instalments of EUR 4,000, plus exemption from student fees. Only the regional fee and the revenue stamp are payable.
Yes. You must not hold Italian citizenship (dual citizenship is allowed), you must hold a non-Italian school diploma or degree, you must not be resident in Italy when you apply, and you must apply to an English-taught degree programme.
Up to 76 scholarships. Each runs for a maximum of 2 years for a master’s degree and 3 years for a bachelor’s or single-cycle degree.
You must earn at least 20 CFU (ECTS credits) by 30 November of the following academic year. If the scholarship is revoked, for example after a transfer or withdrawal, received instalments must be returned.
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