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DSU Toscana Scholarship 2026/27
Download the official Locomotive-hosted bando, or read DSU Toscana's live portal. Everything below is a plain-English summary of both.
Disclaimer
This article is a simplified summary for informational purposes. The official "Bando di Concorso per l'a.a. 2026/2027," published by the Azienda Regionale per il Diritto allo Studio Universitario della Toscana (DSU Toscana), is the only binding source. Always verify dates and requirements at dsu.toscana.it before making decisions.
The DSU Toscana scholarship 2026/27 is the main financial aid programme for students at universities, conservatories and academies across Tuscany, run by the Azienda Regionale per il Diritto allo Studio Universitario della Toscana. Published on 20 July 2026, the bando awards scholarships (borse di studio) and housing places (posti alloggio) based on economic conditions and academic merit, for students in Florence, Pisa and Siena. This Locomotive guide breaks down the DSU Toscana scholarship 2026/27 in plain English.
Unlike some national schemes, the scholarship and housing place do not renew automatically — even students who held the benefit last year must submit a fresh online application through the Sportello Studente portal for 2026/2027, and reconfirm their need for housing in the same form.
The DSU Toscana scholarship 2026/27 can give an economically autonomous student up to €7,308 in cash per year — plus free daily meals, free housing, and a monthly mobility grant abroad.
What Is the DSU Toscana Scholarship 2026/27?
The DSU Toscana scholarship 2026/27 targets academically capable students with limited financial means. For 2026/27, winners receive:
- A cash scholarship based on income and, for later years, academic merit
- Free canteen meals — one a day for in sede/pendolare students, two a day for fuori sede students
- A free housing place in a DSU Toscana residence for eligible fuori sede students, or a rent contribution if none is available
- An international mobility grant of €600/month for Erasmus and similar programs, plus travel reimbursement
- Higher amounts for women in STEM courses, economically autonomous students, and students with disabilities
- Exemption from the €140 regional tax for the right to study (tassa regionale)
Who Can Apply for the DSU Toscana Scholarship 2026/27?
Competition is open to students enrolled — or intending to enrol — for 2026/2027 at the University of Florence, University of Pisa, University of Siena, and affiliated institutions, including the Cherubini Conservatory and Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence; the Mascagni and Boccherini Conservatories, the Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara, and Modartech in Pisa; and the University for Foreigners and Siena Jazz University in Siena.
Bachelor's & Single-Cycle
Laurea Triennale / Ciclo Unico
- ›3 years + 1 semester for bachelor's degrees
- ›Statutory duration + 1 semester for single-cycle degrees (e.g. Medicine, Law)
- ›+3 semesters, with a further semester of free housing/meals, for recognized disability
Master's Degree
Laurea Magistrale
- ›2 years + 1 semester of eligibility
- ›Leftover bonus credits from your bachelor's carry over
PhD & Specialization
Dottorato / Specializzazione
- ›Statutory duration of the program
- ›No fuori-corso or repeated years allowed
- ›Separate, later application window: 25 Sept – 16 Nov 2026
block You Cannot Apply If...
- › You already hold a degree (even from abroad, if equipollent) of the same or higher level as the one you're pursuing
- › You already benefited from a national right-to-study scholarship for the same conventional year and cashed the amount
- › You have more than one extra year or repeated year on your record, or you've exceeded the maximum number of years for the benefit
Medicine, Dentistry & Veterinary Students (Semestre Filtro)
Students admitted to the filter semester (semestre filtro) for Medicine and Surgery (LM-41), Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics (LM-46), or Veterinary Medicine (LM-42) can apply by the standard deadline and use the canteen and housing services while their enrollment is finalized. Students in a filter semester in another region who plan to transfer to Tuscany can apply between 1 February and 1 March 2027 instead.
DSU Toscana Scholarship 2026/27 — Key Deadlines
These are the dates that matter most for the DSU Toscana scholarship 2026/27. Missing any of them can mean losing your scholarship, or losing services you've already been using.
| Date | What You Must Do |
|---|---|
| 20 July 2026 | Application opens for bachelor's, master's and single-cycle master's students |
| ⚠️ 7 September 2026, 13:00 | FINAL deadline to apply and sign your DSU 2026 (bachelor's, master's, single-cycle master's). |
| 25 Sept – 16 Nov 2026, 13:00 | Application window for PhD and specialization students |
| 30 September 2026 | Provisional rankings published for laurea courses |
| 10 October 2026 | Deadline to request a status review (in sede/pendolare/fuori sede) or file an appeal on provisional rankings |
| 4 November 2026 | Definitive scholarship-only ranking for first-year bachelor's/single-cycle students; 20% paid by 10 Nov, 30% by December |
| 30 November 2026 | Definitive rankings published for all other laurea courses |
| 15 January 2027 | Definitive rankings for PhD and specialization students |
| 1 Feb – 1 Mar 2027 | Application window for semestre filtro students transferring from another region |
| 30 June 2027 | Second instalment (50%) paid for later-year and master's students |
| 10 August 2027 | Freshmen: deadline to earn required credits for the full remaining 50% |
| ⚠️ 30 November 2027 | Freshmen: absolute final merit deadline — miss it and you must repay the 50% advance |
DSU Toscana Scholarship 2026/27 Amounts: How Much Can You Get?
The DSU Toscana scholarship 2026/27 amount depends on your ISEE bracket and your residency status. Interestingly, pendolare students often receive more cash than fuori sede students, since fuori sede students receive free housing instead of the higher cash amount.
| ISEE bracket | In Sede | Pendolare | Fuori Sede |
|---|---|---|---|
| €0 – €13,500 | €2,385 | €3,880 | €3,338 + 2 meals + housing |
| €13,500.01 – €18,000 | €1,951 | €3,251 | €2,262 + 2 meals + housing |
| €18,000.01 – €27,000 | €1,690 | €2,413 | €1,060 + 2 meals + housing |
If your ISEE exceeds €27,000.00, or your ISPE exceeds €60,000.00, you are not eligible at all.
Increases and Special Tables
Students with disabilities (Law 104/92 or ≥66% invalidity) use their own amount tables and a reparametrized ISEE. Students awarded a semester-only scholarship receive 50% of the annual amount, plus free meals and housing for six months.
DSU Toscana Scholarship 2026/27: In Sede, Pendolare or Fuori Sede?
Your residential classification determines your DSU Toscana scholarship 2026/27 bracket, and whether you can apply for housing. Unlike some other regions, in Tuscany the pendolare category — not fuori sede — often receives the highest cash amount.
In Sede
You reside in the same municipality as your course, or a listed nearby municipality (e.g. Bagno a Ripoli or Sesto Fiorentino for Florence).
€2,385 base
Pendolare ⭐
You're neither in sede nor fuori sede — typically a different municipality reachable within about an hour.
€3,880 base
Fuori Sede
Your commute to your course venue takes over one hour by public transport from your residence.
€3,338 + free housing
info Foreign Students & Status Reviews
Foreign students are automatically considered fuori sede, regardless of where they live in Italy, unless their family resides in Italy or they qualify as economically autonomous. Detained students and students enrolled in online-only programs are always considered in sede. If you believe your assigned status is wrong, you can request a review by 10 October 2026 (27 December 2026 for PhD/specialization students) with supporting travel-time documentation. Fuori sede students can also opt into pendolare status if their commute is between one hour and 90 minutes.
DSU Toscana Scholarship 2026/27: ISEE, ISPE and Documentation
To qualify for the DSU Toscana scholarship 2026/27, your family's income and assets must stay below these thresholds. Exceeding either limit means automatic exclusion, even if you meet every other criterion.
| Indicator | Limit |
|---|---|
| ISEE (general students) | €27,000.00 |
| ISPE (general students) | €60,000.00 |
| ISEE (students with disabilities) | €34,600.00 |
| ISPE (students with disabilities) | €70,000.00 |
If You Live in Italy — DSU/ISEE
- Sign the DSU 2026 by 7 September 2026 (laurea courses) or 16 November 2026 (PhD/specialization)
- The declaration must be explicitly valid for right-to-study university benefits for the applying student — not for another family member
- Students with a parent residing abroad must also submit that parent's foreign income and asset documentation
- DSU Toscana retrieves your ISEE/ISPE electronically from the INPS database — no separate certificate upload is needed
EU and Non-EU Students
tips_and_updates Autonomous Student Status
You can be considered economically autonomous — unlocking the higher amount tables — only if you've lived away from the family home for at least two years in a place not owned by a family member, and have earned at least €9,000/year in qualifying employment income.
DSU Toscana Scholarship 2026/27: Academic Credit Requirements
Freshmen (1st Year Students)
If you're enrolled for the first time in a bachelor's, single-cycle master's or master's degree, your initial ranking is based purely on income — 50% of the cash amount is paid upfront, with merit checked afterward:
✓
Merit met by 10 Aug 2027
→ Remaining 50% + services until 30/09/2027
½
Merit met by 30 Nov 2027
→ Keep the 50% already paid, lose services from 1 Sept
✕
Merit not met by 30 Nov 2027
→ Repay the 50% advance
Upper-Year Students — Credit Requirements (by 10 August 2026)
| Year | Bachelor's | Master's | Single-Cycle Master's |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | 25 | 30 | 25 |
| 3rd | 80 | 80* | 80 |
| 4th | 135 | — | 135 |
| 5th | — | — | 190 |
| 6th / 7th | — | — | 245 / 300 |
*Or the maximum credits obtainable, excluding the final exam. Medicine and Surgery courses in Florence, Pisa and Siena, plus a handful of other specific degree paths, follow slightly different tables — see the official bando for exact figures.
Automatic Bonus Credits
If you fall short of the threshold, DSU Toscana automatically applies a credit "bonus," usable once across your entire university career:
| Bonus Credits | First Usable For |
|---|---|
| 5 credits | Second conventional year |
| 12 credits | Third conventional year |
| 15 credits | Fourth conventional year onward |
Bonus credits apply automatically — you don't need to request them. Unused bonus carries forward, including from a bachelor's into a master's degree, but bonus credits cannot be used by first-year students or toward the first-year merit deadlines, and cannot be used by students with disabilities, minor children, detained status, or athlete status (who already benefit from reduced thresholds).
DSU Toscana Scholarship 2026/27: Housing & Meals
Fuori sede students can apply for one of 4,822 housing places across Tuscany: 1,917 in Florence, 1,705 in Pisa (25 in Carrara, for Accademia di Belle Arti students), and 1,200 in Siena (25 in Arezzo). Only fuori sede students who win the scholarship can apply, and priority goes to students with a recognized disability of 66% or more.
If no housing place is available, eligible fuori sede scholarship winners can request a rent contribution of €3,150 for the full year or €1,575 for a semester, provided they hold a registered lease of at least six months near their course venue. A €262.50 refundable deposit applies when accepting a residence place.
Free Meals
Scholarship winners eat for free at university canteens and affiliated restaurants: one meal a day for in sede and pendolare students, two meals a day for fuori sede students, from 1 October 2026 through 30 September 2027 (annual winners) or 31 March 2027 (semester winners, at €262.50/month if the housing place is kept for the second semester).
DSU Toscana Scholarship 2026/27: International Mobility Grant
Scholarship winners admitted to an Erasmus or other international mobility programme can receive an additional grant named in memory of Lucrezia Borghi, Valentina Gallo and Elena Maestrini — three Tuscan students who died in a 2016 road accident in Spain during an Erasmus stay.
Requires recognition of at least 6 university credits (3 for short-term mobility) toward your degree. An advance of up to €900 can be requested starting 2 December 2026. Virtual mobility periods are not covered.
DSU Toscana Scholarship 2026/27: Payment Schedule
Payments are made only by bank transfer to an Italian or SEPA-area IBAN, entered directly in your application or via the online portal.
First-Year Bachelor's / Single-Cycle
- 20% (if ranking approved by 4 Nov)By 10 Nov 2026
- 30%By Dec 2026
- Remaining 50% (after merit)30 Jun or 31 Oct 2027
All Other Students
- First 50%By Dec 2026
- Remaining 50%By 30 June 2027
You must register your IBAN by 31 December 2028 at the latest — after which unclaimed scholarship funds are forfeited entirely.
9 Mistakes That Can Cost You the DSU Toscana Scholarship 2026/27
DSU Toscana Scholarship 2026/27 — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DSU Toscana scholarship 2026/27? expand_more
It's the main need- and merit-based financial aid programme for students at the universities, conservatories and academies of Florence, Pisa and Siena, combining a cash quota with free meals and, for eligible students, free housing or a rent contribution.
When is the DSU Toscana scholarship 2026/27 application deadline? expand_more
Bachelor's, master's and single-cycle master's students apply between 20 July and 7 September 2026 at 13:00. PhD and specialization students apply between 25 September and 16 November 2026 at 13:00.
How much is the DSU Toscana scholarship worth in 2026/27? expand_more
Standard amounts range from about €1,060 to €3,880 in cash depending on ISEE and residency status, plus free meals and housing for fuori sede students. Autonomous students can receive up to €7,308/year, and women in STEM courses receive additional increases.
What ISEE limit applies to the DSU Toscana scholarship 2026/27? expand_more
The general limit is €27,000.00 ISEE and €60,000.00 ISPE. Students with disabilities have a higher threshold of €34,600.00 ISEE and €70,000.00 ISPE.
What are the merit requirements for the DSU Toscana scholarship? expand_more
First-year students get 50% upfront and must hit merit thresholds by 10 August 2027 (full payment) or 30 November 2027 (keep the advance only). Students beyond the first year must hit credit thresholds by 10 August 2026, with a bonus credit system to help close small gaps.
Is there an international mobility grant with DSU Toscana? expand_more
Yes — scholarship winners on Erasmus or other mobility programs can get €600/month for up to 10 months (20 for single-cycle degrees), plus €100–€300 in travel reimbursement, provided they earn at least 6 credits abroad.
What's the difference between in sede, pendolare and fuori sede? expand_more
In sede means you live in the same municipality as your course. Fuori sede means your commute exceeds one hour by public transport. Pendolare covers everyone in between. Only fuori sede students can apply for housing, and pendolare students actually receive the highest cash amount since they don't receive free housing.
Preparing to Study in Tuscany?
Locomotive helps international students navigate every step of studying in Italy — including scholarship applications, ISEE documentation, and choosing between regions and universities.
Official link: dsu.toscana.it