A PhD in Italy · Corso Italy

In short. A PhD in Italy (dottorato di ricerca) lasts at least three years, full time. Most places come with a scholarship of at least €16,243 gross a year, and there are no tuition fees. Each university publishes its own call (bando) once or several times a year, usually between January and September. To see when each university’s call closed last year, how much it paid and whether the interview could be online, see PhD calls by university.

We use the 2026/27 call of the University of Tuscia as the main example. Other universities follow the same national rules, but details (dates, documents, fees) change: always read the call of the university you choose.

1. How the Italian PhD works

Duration: at least 3 years, full time. Some programmes last 4 years.
Cycles: each year’s intake is called a ciclo. The 42nd cycle started on 1 November 2026, the 43rd will start in autumn 2027. A few programmes start on another date (for example 11 September 2026 for the first call at Politecnico di Milano, 1 December 2026 at Humanitas).
Language: many programmes are taught and examined in English. The call says which languages you can use for the project and the interview.

2. Who can apply

Degree: an Italian laurea magistrale (or an older equivalent), or a foreign degree of the same level. There is no age limit and no citizenship requirement.
If you have not graduated yet: you can usually apply, but you must get your degree by the date in the call (31 October 2026 at Tuscia). If you don’t, you lose the place.
Foreign degree: the selection committee decides whether it is equivalent, for this call only. Tuscia asks for the master’s degree certificate with the grade, the certificate of a degree that lasted at least four years with the grade, and the transcript of records with the grading scale. Documents in languages other than Italian, English or French need an official translation.
A second scholarship is not possible: if you already had a PhD scholarship, you can only apply for a place without a scholarship.
A foreign language: you need to know at least one, and it is tested at the interview.

3. Types of places

With a scholarship (con borsa): most places.
Without a scholarship (senza borsa): you study without being paid, but you don’t pay tuition fees.
Reserved places: for employees of companies or public bodies, and sometimes for holders of foreign degrees or of a scholarship from their own government.
Some scholarships are tied to a set topic (tematica vincolata): your research must be on that topic.

4. The scholarship

Minimum: €16,243 gross a year (ministerial decree 247/2022), paid monthly. Social security contributions (INPS) are deducted, so the net amount is lower. The scholarship is exempt from income tax.
Some universities pay more. In the 42nd cycle, for example: Brescia €18,432.84, Politecnico di Torino €18,854.52, Humanitas €21,000, the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano €28,000.
Abroad: the scholarship goes up by 50% during authorised research periods abroad, for up to 12 months (18 months with joint supervision, co-tutela).
Research budget: at least 10% of the scholarship each year, also for students without a scholarship.
Fees: no tuition fees. At Tuscia you pay only the regional tax (€140) and the stamp duty (€16) each year, plus €25 to apply.

5. When the calls open

There is no national date. Last year’s calls closed from January (SISSA, Luiss) to September, and some universities have two or three rounds: the Politecnico di Torino’s second round closes on 16 November 2026 and its third on 15 February 2027. Our list by university shows the dates for each university we checked, and which calls are still open.

To find calls:

the PhD page of each university (look for Dottorato di ricerca or Bando);
the Ministry of University and Research database, which lists PhD calls from Italian universities.

Start preparing early: a good research project takes months.

6. How to apply, step by step

Choose a programme and read its call and annex (allegato or scheda). The annex has what matters: number of scholarships, topics, documents and how the selection works.
Prepare the documents. Usually:
- a CV;
- a research project, which is the most important document (the call says how long it can be);
- a motivation letter;
- your degree certificates and transcripts;
- sometimes reference letters (Cagliari, for example, asks for them) or your master’s thesis.
Apply online only, on the university’s portal (often PICA or Esse3). At Tuscia each file must be a PDF of at most 10 MB.
Pay the application fee with pagoPA. At Tuscia, a missing payment means exclusion.
Ask for an online interview when you apply, if you live abroad. At several universities (Padova, Florence, Tuscia) you can only ask in the application.

7. How the selection works

The committee assesses your qualifications and project. Some programmes add a written test, and almost all have an oral interview about your project.
Results are published as a ranking for each type of place. At Tuscia, if two candidates have the same score, the younger one goes first.
If someone who was admitted withdraws, the next person on the list takes the place (scorrimento). Keep checking the rankings after they are published.

8. After you are admitted

Enrol quickly: at Tuscia within 3 days of the email.
Visa: if you need one, it is a study visa (type D), with pre-enrolment on Universitaly. The university gives you an admission letter for the embassy. See our visa guide.
Starting from home: at Tuscia, students waiting for their visa can start remotely and must arrive in Italy by 30 November 2026.
Residence permit: apply within 8 working days of arriving, with the kit from the post office. It is renewed every year. See our residence permit guide.

9. During the PhD

Full time: any paid work needs the approval of the board of professors (Collegio dei docenti) and must respect the rules in force.
Extension: you can ask once, in the last year, for up to 12 more months to finish the thesis, for documented reasons and without a scholarship. Extensions and suspensions together cannot be longer than 18 months, except for maternity or paternity leave and other cases set by law.
The end: you write a thesis, which is reviewed and then defended in a final exam.

10. After the PhD

If you got your PhD in Italy, you can ask for a permit of 9 to 12 months to look for work or start a business (art. 39-bis.1 of the Immigration Act). You apply when your study permit expires. Conditions include a minimum income, health insurance and registering at the employment office. You can later convert it into a work permit.

11. Places for international students and students at risk

PhD at Risk (University of Padova): in the 42nd cycle, 3 scholarships for candidates at risk because of conflict, persecution or human rights violations, including refugees and asylum seekers. The scholarship was €17,443 or €18,643 gross a year, with help to arrive and settle in Italy. The call closed on 5 June 2026.
University of Cagliari: some places are reserved for holders of foreign degrees, with the interview online by default.
University for Foreigners of Siena: 2 places reserved for holders of a scholarship from a foreign government, with the interview online.
University of Florence, Pegaso programmes: international candidates could receive a one-off grant of up to €5,000 from Fondazione CR Firenze. Candidates had to be under 35 with English at about B2 level.

Our tips

Write to a professor who could supervise you, months before the call, and link your project to the programme’s research topics.
Read every line of the annex: a missing document means exclusion.
Apply to more than one university: the dates are spread over the year.

Official sources

This site gives general information only. Rules change often, so always check the official sources.