The MAECI scholarship is Italy's foreign-ministry award for eligible international students and Italian citizens living abroad. Pakistani students apply through the official Study in Italy calls portal, not through a university agent or a private “nomination” website.
The next call controls the real deadline, eligible programmes, age cut-off and language evidence. The latest published cycle should be treated as the baseline, not a promise that every rule will repeat.
What the scholarship pays
Under the 2026/27 call, the award was structured around:
- €1,200 per month for nine months, paid in instalments according to the call;
- health and medical insurance for the award period;
- a possible tuition exemption, depending on the host university and programme;
- access to eligible master's, AFAM, PhD, research or advanced Italian-language routes listed in the call.
MAECI is not a universal “everything paid” promise. Regional taxes, travel to Italy, visa costs, accommodation outside the award period and programme-specific fees may remain. Read the call and the host university's fee page together.
The Italian Ministry's foreign-student scholarship page publishes the official framework. The 2026/27 English call is a useful reference until the next call replaces it.
Which Pakistani applicants should look closely
MAECI generally targets postgraduate and research applicants rather than every degree level. The exact eligible study types and countries are listed in each annual call. For a Pakistani student, the practical route is usually:
- choose an eligible master's, PhD or research option;
- confirm that the university and programme appear within the call's accepted routes;
- prepare the admission or pre-admission evidence requested by that programme;
- submit the separate MAECI application in the Study in Italy portal.
Do not confuse MAECI with university admission. A scholarship application does not automatically admit you to the degree programme.
Age limits: check the year-specific call
Age is a hard screen. The latest call set different limits by route, including a lower limit for master's/AFAM applicants and a higher limit for PhD or research applicants. The exact date on which age is calculated can also matter.
Before writing your statement:
- open the current call PDF;
- find the age clause for your study type;
- calculate your age on the stated reference date, not just on the application day;
- check any separate maximum for research or Italian-language courses.
If you are near the boundary, do not rely on a social-media summary. The call PDF is the only safe answer.
Language waivers and evidence
MAECI does not automatically mean IELTS is waived. Language proof depends on the programme and on the language in which the course is delivered.
For an English-taught programme, the call may accept an English certificate or a university-issued proof of instruction where the call allows it. For an Italian-taught programme, Italian evidence is normally required. A university's admission waiver is not automatically a MAECI waiver.
Use this sequence:
- read the MAECI call's language clause;
- read the target university's admission page;
- ask the admissions office whether your Pakistani degree was taught in English and what document they accept;
- upload the exact proof named by the portal before the deadline.
Keep the written reply from the university. It can resolve the difference between “IELTS not required for admission” and “language evidence still required for the scholarship.”
The motivation letter is a fit argument
Do not write a generic essay about loving Italy. A competitive letter makes a verifiable connection between your past work, the Italian programme and the public value of your return or collaboration.
Use a four-part structure:
1. Academic direction
Name the problem you want to study and show the coursework, project, job or research question that led you there. A Pakistani applicant in renewable energy might connect a final-year project to grid reliability, not simply say “I am passionate about engineering.”
2. Why this programme
Mention two or three programme-specific elements: a lab, module, research group, methodology or industry connection. Explain why the same training is not interchangeable with any master's anywhere.
3. Why Italy and MAECI
Show how Italy's academic or research ecosystem fits the project. Keep the claim concrete. MAECI is a public exchange award, so explain the collaboration you want to build rather than presenting the scholarship as only a personal financial rescue.
4. What happens after the degree
Give a credible Pakistan-facing outcome: a research role, public-sector application, teaching plan, product, clinical pathway or industry problem. Avoid promising to “change the world.” State the first institution, sector or problem you will work with and why the degree changes your capability.
Documents Pakistani applicants should prepare
The portal and programme can request different evidence, but prepare a clean folder containing:
- passport and recent photograph;
- degree certificate or official temporary completion evidence;
- transcripts and grading scale;
- CV;
- motivation letter;
- language evidence or an accepted medium-of-instruction document;
- admission, pre-admission or programme evidence where required;
- references, research proposal or portfolio for the selected route;
- translations and attestations requested by the university or consulate.
Use one consistent spelling of your name across passport, degree, transcript and portal. If a document is being attested or translated, scan the final version and keep the receipt.
A timeline that protects the application
| Task | Suggested timing |
|---|---|
| Identify eligible programmes and confirm language route | Before the call opens |
| Request transcripts, references and university letters | 6-8 weeks before the deadline |
| Draft and revise the motivation letter | 4 weeks before the deadline |
| Check age, country and route clauses against the call PDF | Before uploading |
| Submit on Study in Italy | Before the published deadline, not at the last hour |
| Complete university admission and visa steps | According to the host institution and consulate |
The 2026/27 call closed on 26 March 2026. The 2027/28 deadline is not published in this guide; check the official portal for the live date.
MAECI versus DSU
MAECI is a competitive ministry award with a national portal and a defined award period. DSU is a regional, need-based right-to-study process linked to the university region and ISEE Parificato. They are separate applications and may be incompatible when they cover the same academic year.
If you apply to both, disclose the other award when asked and read the incompatibility clauses. Never assume that winning both means you can keep both.
Final submission check
- I meet the age rule for my exact study route.
- Pakistan is listed as eligible in the current call.
- My programme and university fit the call's eligible categories.
- My language evidence matches both the programme and MAECI requirements.
- My motivation letter names a real academic fit and a credible Pakistan-facing outcome.
- My documents use the same name and dates.
- I submitted through the official Study in Italy portal.
Compare MAECI with other Italy scholarships on ScholarMatch →