Student financial aid in Italy compared with Europe and the US
Student financial aid in Italy plays a key role in helping students access higher education regardless of their economic background. Although recent years have brought improvements, international comparisons show that several challenges remain, particularly in the areas of funding and student housing.
Student financial aid in Italy today
Support for university students in Italy is mainly provided through scholarships, financial benefits and regional services dedicated to the right to education. These measures aim to reduce barriers that may prevent students from pursuing a university degree. During the 2023-2024 academic year, scholarship coverage reached 97.7% of eligible applicants. This represents a significant improvement compared with previous years. However, several thousand eligible students still did not receive financial support. A considerable share of scholarship funding currently comes from European resources with a limited duration. As a result, long-term sustainability remains an important issue for policymakers and higher education institutions. Alongside scholarships, students can also access student loans designed to support university expenses. Even so, these tools are used by a relatively small share of the student population.
How Europe and the US compare
Different countries have adopted different approaches to supporting higher education. In Germany, the BAföG programme combines grants and low-interest loans for eligible students.
France relies on the CROUS system, which provides scholarships and student services across the country. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom uses an income-contingent loan model, meaning repayments are linked to graduates’ earnings. Across the United States, federal support includes Pell Grants for lower-income families as well as large-scale student loan programmes that help finance higher education.
Compared with these systems, student financial aid in Italy remains more focused on regional scholarship schemes and less dependent on borrowing as a primary funding mechanism.
The challenge of student housing
Housing costs represent one of the biggest expenses for students who move away from home to attend university. Rising rental prices in many Italian cities have increased financial pressure on families and students alike. The availability of student accommodation remains limited when compared with demand. Consequently, many students rely on the private rental market, where costs can be significantly higher.
France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States generally offer more developed student housing networks. Therefore, expanding accommodation capacity is widely considered a priority for strengthening student financial aid in Italy and improving access to higher education.
