MAECI or DSU? (A Comparison)

Which levels?

MAECI is not awarded at bachelor’s level — it serves master’s, doctoral, AFAM and language study. DSU covers every level, bachelor’s included. An undergraduate, then, is outside MAECI from the start, and DSU (plus the university awards) is the road. At master’s and doctoral level both are possible, and worth weighing together. Your level, in short, decides from the outset which scholarships are on the table.

Coverage: what do they pay for?

The two meet different needs. MAECI covers the monthly living allowance (roughly €9,000 a year), the fee exemption and health insurance — but not housing. DSU pairs its cash grant with support in kind — halls and the canteen — bringing down the cost of accommodation and food. Which is why the two genuinely complement each other: MAECI carries the living, DSU the housing. That complementarity is exactly why holding both is so powerful.

Holding both

Because they draw on different funds, MAECI and DSU can — conditions allowing — be held in the same year, a combination that can finance an Italian education almost completely: MAECI the monthly living and fee exemption, DSU the halls and the canteen. One caution: some regional agencies count the MAECI allowance into the income calculation (ISEE), which can affect your DSU award. Confirm the combination in writing, both with the regional DSU agency and against your scholarship’s conditions.

Which is for you?

The short answer: both, if you can. Forced to prioritise? With a strong academic file and a master’s or doctorate in view, lean MAECI; below the income threshold and/or heading for a bachelor’s, focus on DSU. Healthiest of all is applying to both as eligibility allows and catching the best combination. For the whole picture of which channels fit you, see the decision guide.

How do the application processes differ?

The application experience differs too. MAECI runs through one central portal (Study in Italy), where the motivation letter, the academic documents and the programme–university choices carry the weight. DSU runs through your region’s agency (ER.GO, EDISU, DiSCo) on its own portal, with the ISEE Parificato and the income documents at the centre. MAECI, in short, asks you to build an academic file; DSU an income file. The diploma–transcript translation is common to both — prepared correctly once, it serves the two applications together.

The shared documents: one file, two applications

Different criteria, largely shared core paperwork: the apostilled, sworn-translated diploma and transcript are needed in both. DSU adds the ISEE Parificato and the income documents; MAECI weights the motivation letter and academic references. The smart strategy, then: prepare the shared documents once at the start and use them in both applications. Plan the document side early and both calendars are comfortably met — upload your documents and see the batch translation price in advance.

When does which lead?

In sum: a strong academic file and a master’s or doctoral goal make MAECI your primary target. A family income below the threshold and/or a bachelor’s degree make DSU the higher-probability, fuller support. Eligible for both? Apply to both and catch the best combination. Remember: this is rarely an either/or choice — most of the time it is a both-at-once opportunity. For the whole picture, see the decision guide.

What they share: both official, both free

One last similarity worth underlining: MAECI and DSU are both official supports of the Italian state, and both are free to apply for. No intermediary is owed a fee; applications go directly through the official portals. The only costs that fall to you are the preparation items — the apostilles and sworn translations of the documents. Follow both scholarships at their official sources, and keep away from private intermediaries promising a “guaranteed scholarship”. The official, transparent, free process is the strongest thing the two have in common.

Frequently asked questions