Fulbright U.S. Student Program (Italy - Open Study/Research Award) is sponsored by U.S. Department of State (through the Fulbright Program). The Fulbright U. S.

Student Program offers fellowships for U. S. graduating college seniors, graduate students, young professionals, and artists to study, conduct research, or be an English teaching assistant abroad for one academic year.

Italy - Open Study/Research Award The 2027-2028 Competition is now open . Start an application . Italy - Open Study/Research Award Middle East & North Africa 11 Open Study/Research Award Open Study/Research Award Up to 11 scholarships for candidates at all degree levels and in all fields of study.

Grants will begin on October 1, 2027, and end on June 30, 2028 (dates to be confirmed). Fulbright grantees will be required to participate in a two-to-three-day orientation program organized by the Fulbright Commission in early October. An online pre-departure orientation will be offered approximately two months before departure.

The following candidates are particularly encouraged: - those whose projects are in innovative and contemporary issues - those whose projects are in Science and Technology - those who wish to enroll in courses held at Italian universities Preference will be given to candidates interested in conducting the study/research project at a university/institution outside of large cities and/or in the South of Italy.

Priority will be given to students who are enrolled in a graduate program in the U.S. at the time of application. What is life like for Fulbrighters in the host country? Applicants are expected to research their host country.

Application materials should indicate a clear commitment to the host country community and a description of how you will engage with it. Information about Italy and life in Italy can be found on the following websites: https://www. italia.

it/en (official tourism portal of Italy) and Expatica Italy, https://www. expatica. com/it/ (One of the largest and most reliable independent platforms for expatriates in Italy).

Residency in host country NOT permitted in year prior to grant Dual citizens of this country are eligible Indicate how many months is considered residency: According to Italian laws and policies, dual nationals are eligible to apply. However, candidates with significant experience in Italy will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Candidates who have resided in Italy during the year preceding the grant might be considered ineligible depending on the length of the period and reasons.

Candidates who are in Italy with a study or work visa during the 12 months before the competition deadline, who reside in Italy at the time of the deadline, or who will travel to Italy with a study or work visa during the selection process and the awarding phase are not eligible to participate in the program, with the following exceptions: those who are in Italy on a tourist visa and those who are on a study visa for a summer or one-semester U.S. university study abroad program are eligible to apply.

The Commission does not accept research projects in any field that requires direct clinical patient contact by the grantee. Degree Level of Applicant Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) Form If required, submission of the Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is mandatory, even if you have advanced skills or are a native speaker of the language. Failure to submit the required FLE form may impact your eligibility.

Additional Information: Italian language proficiency commensurate with the project is necessary at the time of application. Language study begun after applying is considered insufficient. The U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission will make no provision for Italian language instruction.

On the Fulbright application, applicants should include the Language Self-Evaluation and a Foreign Language Evaluation by a professional language instructor in relation to their language proficiency. Foreign Language Proficiency Level by Grant Start If a Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is Required, applicants must have the following proficiency level by the start of the grant period.

If a Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is Recommended, applicants are encouraged but not required to have the following level by the start of the grant period.

Independent Study/Research: Letter required for independent study or research at deadline Graduate Degree Enrollment: Letter recommended but not required at deadline The role of the affiliation in the U.S. Student Program is to provide ongoing and substantive oversight and support to the grantee's project. Grantees will be required to have affiliations with accredited academic or research institutions in Italy.

Applicants must initiate contact with the host institution of preference and obtain a formal letter of affiliation between the applicant and the host institution. The letter should state that a host contact will be available during the grant year to mentor the applicant and/or supervise the applicant's work on the proposed project.

While issuing the letter, the host contact must describe the following points accurately: Origin of the collaboration; Role of the Host Contact in the Candidate's Project; Possible enrollment of the Candidate in classes held in English; How the Host affiliation is planning to involve the Candidate in the Institution's activities; Are the Candidate and host contact planning to explore potential collaborations?

; Access to facilities and resources; Collaboration with an ongoing project. Please note that the U.S.-Italy Commission will contact the proposed host institution of semi-finalist candidates and request that the host institution confirm these arrangements.

Although encouraged, candidates are not required to enroll in an Italian university; however, as indicated above, applicants must establish contacts and secure affiliations with an Italian university or research center. Semi-finalists who are enrolling in a graduate degree program must send the letter of admission as soon as it is available. The Fulbright grant is awarded pending admission into the program.

The Grantee's city of residence in Italy must be the host institution's city. Because grantees are encouraged to immerse themselves in the Italian academic system and the local community to fully experience the cultural exchange, affiliations with non-Italian institutions are strongly discouraged. Affiliations with U.S. institutions located in Italy are also discouraged.

They will be considered only if secondary to the affiliation with an Italian institution, and if “the faculty and student body of the school are primarily nationals of the host country, with courses and research opportunities primarily in non-U.S. subjects” (FFSB Policies). Applicants are encouraged to contact the Commission if they have doubts about the affiliation they intend to propose.

For information about Italian universities, please consult "Guide to Higher Education in Italy" at https://www. universitaly. it/sistema-italiano-istruzione-superiore of the Ministry of Education Applicants enrolling in an Italian university must follow the enrollment procedure through the Italian diplomatic missions in the United States.

Information can be downloaded from the following websites: https://www. cimea. it/EN/pagina-il-sistema-italiano-d-istruzione-superiore https://www.

cimea. it/EN/pagina-procedure-riconoscimento-titoli https://ambwashingtondc. esteri.

it/en/ Affiliation Fees/Tuition not covered in grant benefits The award provides a maintenance allowance of Euro 15. 000 (approx. $17,800) for 9 months as well as an international travel allowance of Euro 1.

100 (approx. $1,305) to cover the costs of a round-trip ticket. Please note that all allowances are disbursed in euros.

Any equivalent amounts shown in U.S. dollars are approximate and may vary due to fluctuations in the exchange rate. Candidates who are also planning to apply for funds from other sources, or will receive financial assistance from their U.S. institution while in Italy, must contact the Commission to inquire whether these funds can be cumulated with the Fulbright award. A stipend broadly based on the cost of living in the host country.

These funds may be used by the grantee to support housing, meals, and incidental costs during the grant period. International travel benefits Accident & sickness health benefits 24/7 mental health support line for urgent and non-urgent situations 12 months of non-competitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status within the federal government Stipend Amount This is an estimated amount and is subject to change.

The financial terms of the grant will be confirmed in the grant document issued after selection. €1. 666 (approx $1,978) monthly stipend amount in The total maintenance allowance is disbursed in four installments: 1° upon arrival in Italy, 2° mid-November, 3° end of February, and 4° upon return to the United States.

Additional Grant Benefits Fulbright Annual Meeting : Each June, the U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission hosts a meeting where U.S. grantees returning to the States after their grant and Italian grantees departing to begin their grant meet, interact, network, and often start relationships that continue in the United States.

The Meeting--a celebration of the Fulbright experience--is held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the United States. Italian alumni are also invited to participate in the day's activities. Estimated Cost of Living Consider using cost of living comparison websites to gain a better understanding of the potential costs in your host country.

As a rule, large cities in the North and the Center of Italy are more expensive, while living in the South is less costly, even in larger cities. An average monthly budget for two persons could range between €1. 400-€2.

700 ($1,650 -$3,180 approx.) Rent is usually the major expense, ranging between €700-€1. 600 ($825-$1,885 approx.)

Individuals’ lifestyles, and choosing to live downtown versus on the outskirts of a city, can make a difference. The official and most authoritative source of updated information is the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT), https://www. istat.

it/en/ The following websites could also help navigate the costs of living in Italy. While none of them is sponsored by official institutions, the information is provided mostly by international visitors themselves and expats. https://wise.

com/gb/blog/cost-of-living-in-italy https://internationalliving. com/countries/italy/cost-of-living-in-italy/ https://www. internationalcitizens.

com/living-abroad/costs/italy. php https://www. numbeo.

com/cost-of-living/country_result. jsp? country=Italy Dependent financial support is NOT available Fulbright grantees are required to arrange their own housing.

Applications in Music and Arts Candidates should establish contacts with Italian specialists in their fields who teach at Italian institutions (conservatories of music, art academies, or private institutes) and request a letter of affiliation. The Commission does not accept music and art students who wish to study exclusively with private teachers, and the cost of private lessons will not be covered.

Additional personal funds will be required to cover costs for private lessons, practice facilities, studio space, purchase of materials, etc. Grantees must enter Italy on a study visa covering the authorized length of the grant. The possibility to stay for longer periods and/or be accompanied by dependents is subject to the provisions and restrictions of Italian Law.

Detailed information about visas and the application process is available at http://vistoperitalia. esteri. it/home/en .

Italian embassy and consulates are the sole authorities in matters of visa issues. Basic Visa Information: U.S. grantees must apply for a Study Visa (D) at the Italian Embassy or Consulate having jurisdiction in the State where they reside.

The Commission will support their application with a letter that will be sent to grantees after they have signed the official grant authorization but will not be able to assist grantees in their application procedures. Due to restrictions in the Italian Immigration Law, there are potential challenges related to the duration of grantee stay in Italy, and the visa and permit-to-stay for their dependents.

The requested duration of the grantee's stay in Italy should not be much longer than the official grant period. In case of significant discrepancy (more than 30 days overall), the Consulate may reject the grantee's visa request. Grantees who wish to be accompanied to Italy by their family dependents should be aware that the Commission cannot sponsor their dependents’ visas.

Available options are: Dependents may stay in Italy without a visa for 90 days Dependents may enroll in an Italian language course and apply for their study visa (the Commission cannot assist in identifying the course, nor does it have the funding to allocate for this purpose) Dependents could apply for a Ricongiungimento Familiare.

The procedure entails that grantees travel to Italy on their own and once they arrive in Italy they must request a nulla osta per il "ricongiungimento familiare". The nulla osta will be issued within 180 days from the request, which may exceed their grant length. Only then will dependents be able to travel to Italy to join the grantee and to apply for a permit to stay for ricongiungimento familiare.

Fulbright Program Management Contact Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website http://www. fulbright. it/study-in-italy/ Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Contact Barbara Pizzella: bpizzella@fulbright.

it Chiara Petrilli: cpetrilli@fulbright. it