An opportunity for researchers, lecturers, experts, distinguished professionals, and cultural practitioners: grants to support visits.
The Embassy of Italy is pleased to highlight a funding opportunity aimed at promoting study and research visits, with the objective of strengthening international cooperation and fostering joint research programmes.
The Directorate-General for Cultural and Economic Promotion and Innovation (DGCE), Office VI, provides grants (budget line 2619/7), upon application, for:
a) funding travel and accommodation expenses for Italian and foreign researchers, lecturers, experts, cultural figures and cultural professionals residing in Italy for at least two years, who are invited abroad by foreign universities or cultural institutions;
b) contributions towards travel and accommodation expenses for foreign researchers, lecturers, experts, cultural figures and cultural professionals, as well as Italian nationals residing abroad, who are invited by Italian universities or cultural institutions, with the aim of promoting collaboration and joint research programmes.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
Researchers, lecturers, experts, distinguished professionals and cultural practitioners:
a) Italian and foreign nationals residing in Italy for at least two years, invited to foreign universities or cultural institutions for study or research purposes;
b) foreign nationals and Italian nationals residing abroad, invited to Italian universities or cultural institutions for study or research purposes;
may apply to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) for a partial financial contribution towards travel and accommodation costs. The grant is awarded as a lump sum, up to a maximum of €1,500 or €3,000 depending on the destination, for a maximum duration of 10 days of activities. No funding will be provided beyond the tenth day of stay.
Only the days during which cultural and/or research activities are actually carried out are considered eligible.
AMOUNT OF THE GRANT
The grant consists of a comprehensive daily lump sum of €250 per day for stays of up to 5 days, and €50 per day from the sixth to the tenth day, whether the stay takes place abroad or in Italy, up to a maximum of €1,500 per mission.
Within the overall ceiling established by the call, missions abroad carried out by Italian applicants may include activities in more than one country. It should be noted that invitations from foreign institutions must not be conditional upon the granting of financial support by MAECI.
Please also note that reimbursement is not available for travel undertaken in classes other than economy class.
Grants will, in any case, be awarded subject to the availability of funds under the allocated budget line.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Interested applicants, both Italian and foreign, may submit their application to this Diplomatic Mission at the email address culturale.riga@esteri.it, copying dgce06.missioni@esteri.it.
Only applications submitted by candidates who have received a formal invitation from a university or cultural institution will be considered. Preference will be given to invitations within the framework of bilateral Cultural Cooperation Agreements and Executive Programmes.
For Italian applicants or those residing in Italy, the invitation must be issued by a foreign university or cultural institution. Conversely, for foreign applicants or Italian nationals residing abroad, the invitation must be issued by an Italian institution.
Applicants are required to use exclusively the pre-filled forms for Annexes 1, 6 and 7.
APPLICATION ASSESSMENT PROCESS
The application process begins when the candidate submits their request via email to the Diplomatic Mission, following the instructions provided in this notice.
The Mission will review the application and, within 10 working days of receipt, communicate its favourable or unfavourable opinion to the Directorate-General. The Directorate-General may request additional information or documentation and will take the final decision. The outcome will be communicated to the applicant by the Mission.
Within ten days of the end of the mission, in order to receive the grant, applicants must submit the following documents to both the Mission and the Directorate-General:
- Travel documents (e.g. flight tickets and boarding passes);
- Certificate of stay issued by the host institution;
- Final report on the activities carried out.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Applications will be assessed by the Mission on the basis of the following criteria:
- the applicant’s curriculum vitae;
- the potential medium- and long-term impact of the mission in terms of developing cultural or scientific projects and partnerships between Italian and foreign institutions;
- the prestige of the cultural institutions involved;
- the principle of rotation among grant beneficiaries.
In addition, the Directorate-General will also consider:
- the consistency of the mission with the geographical and thematic priorities identified by the Directorate-General;
- the existence of an Executive Programme of Cultural Cooperation in force between Italy and the relevant foreign country.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Applications must include the following documents:
- Annex 1 – Self-declaration
- Annex 2 – Invitation letter from the Italian/foreign university or cultural institution
- Annex 3 – Letter of acceptance of the invitation by the applicant
- Annex 4 – Curriculum vitae
- Annex 5 – Copy of a valid identity document
- Annex 6 – Privacy notice signed for acceptance
- Annex 7 – Form containing personal data and bank details of the beneficiary (to be completed and submitted exclusively in Word format; other formats will not be accepted)
- Annex 8 – Certificate of stay issued by the host institution
- Annex 9 – Final report on the activities carried out
- Annex 10 – Travel documents (e.g. flight tickets and boarding passes)
DEADLINE
Applications must be submitted by email to culturale.riga@esteri.it, copying dgce06.missioni@esteri.it, no later than 20 July 2026.
The grant is available for activities taking place between 1 January and 15 November 2026.
