FAQ – International Students
How do I access the Reserved Area if I do not live in Italy?
If this is your first time accessing the site, you must register at www.laziodisco.it and complete an in-person identity check at an affiliated CAF office.
If you are already registered, log in using your existing credentials.
Is a PEC (certified email address) mandatory if I live abroad?
Yes. You must enter it in the “PEC” section of your profile within the Reserved Area.
Alternatively, you may elect a legal domicile in Italy. Without one of these options, payments will be suspended.
Can I receive the scholarship on a foreign bank account?
Yes, but only if the account is within the SEPA circuit. DiSCo does not cover delays or transfer fees.
My household lives for at least 50% of the year outside Italy, and I do not have a rental contract. What will my status be?
You will automatically be considered an “off-site” student unless you are enrolled in online or distance-learning courses.
Make sure the section about your household in the application form is correctly filled in. Your status will be determined based on what you declare.
What documents do I need for the ISEE if I live abroad?
You must request the “ISEE Universitario Parificato” (ISEEUP) exclusively through a CAF affiliated with DiSCo [link] by 10 December 2025.
You must provide official documents regarding your income, assets, and household composition. These documents must be translated and legalised by the Italian Embassy in your country of origin.
I have a qualification obtained abroad. Do I need to declare it in the application?
Yes, it is mandatory. If you hold a foreign academic qualification (even from a foreign university based in Italy), you must declare it in the application form.
You may only apply for benefits for the next level of studies after the one already obtained and officially recognised in Italy.
DiSCo may request official documentation at any time (such as academic recognition, CIMEA certificate, DOV or ARDI). Failure to provide it within the given deadline will result in exclusion from the benefits.
FAQ – First-Year Students
What are the requirements to receive the scholarship if I am a first-year student?
In addition to income requirements, you must earn at least 20 ECTS credits by 10 August 2026 to keep the scholarship.
If you reach 20 ECTS after 10 August but by 30 November 2026, you will receive only 50% of the total amount.
If you do not reach 20 ECTS by 30 November 2026, you will lose the scholarship entirely and must return any amount already received, including services (accommodation, meals), by 31 December 2026.
If I previously withdrew from a course and enrol again, am I still considered a first-year student?
Yes. If you formally withdrew from your previous studies and enrol in a new first year in 2025/2026, you are considered a first-year student for the purposes of the call.
If I was previously enrolled at a university but never formally withdrew, am I still a first-year student?
No. If you never formally withdrew from your previous course—even if you did not complete it or never enrolled in the second year—you are not considered a first-year student.
If I enrol in a Master’s degree after completing a Bachelor’s, am I a first-year student?
Yes, you are considered a first-year student as you are starting a new level of study.
How is the enrolment year calculated for first-year students?
For first-year students, the enrolment year is calculated from your first enrolment at the same level of study.
If I formally withdrew from a course, does the count restart from the beginning?
Yes. If you withdrew formally or your previous enrolment lapsed and you start a new course without credit recognition, the count starts from the new enrolment year.
I received credit recognition (shortened programme). From when is my enrolment year calculated?
If you were granted credit recognition, the enrolment year is calculated from the academic year in which the credits were recognised.
However, for the purpose of the call, you cannot use recognised credits or claim bonus points. You must earn the required credits anew within the deadlines for first-year students.
How do I correctly enter my first enrolment year in the application?
Remember, the application refers to the academic year 2025/2026.
You must subtract the number of years you have actually studied from 2025/2026.
Example: if you are currently in your third year and your path has been regular, the first enrolment year to enter will be 2023/2024.
You are responsible for ensuring that the year you declare is consistent with your actual study progress.
FAQ – Students in Later Years
What are the academic merit requirements?
Refer to Annex H of the call and the tables in Article 45.3.
I am enrolled in a later year. From when is my enrolment year calculated?
As with first-year students, the enrolment year is based on your first enrolment at the current level of study.
You must be enrolled in the year of study that corresponds to the number of years passed since then, unless you changed course and received credit recognition.
I received credit recognition (shortened programme). From when is my year of study calculated?
In such cases, the year is calculated from the academic year in which credits were recognised.
However, you cannot use these credits for the purposes of the call, nor can you access bonus points. You must earn the required credits from scratch within the deadlines.
I had credits recognised. How should I fill in the first enrolment year in the application?
For application purposes only, calculate your first enrolment year by subtracting your current year of study from 2025/2026.
📌 Example: if in 2025/2026 you are in the third year of a Bachelor’s degree—even if you enrolled this year after previously withdrawing—you must indicate 2023/2024 as your first enrolment year, not the actual year you re-enrolled.
👉 This is only for benefit calculation and is separate from your official academic record.
I am in my first extended year (fuori corso). Am I entitled to the scholarship?
Yes, but you will receive only 50% of the amount.
Students with ≥66% disability are entitled to the full amount and may apply up to their second extended year.
FAQ – Residency Status and Independent Students
What is the difference between on-site, commuter, off-site and calculated commuter status?
- On-site: you live in the same municipality as your course.
- Commuter: you live within 50 km or in one of the municipalities listed in Annex B.
- Off-site: you live more than 50 km away or in one of the municipalities in Annex C and have a valid rental contract of at least 10 months between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026.
- Calculated commuter: you meet off-site criteria but have no valid rental contract or receive housing benefits elsewhere.
Who is considered an independent student?
A student who has lived away from their family home for at least two years and has declared employment income (or equivalent) of at least €9,000 per year .
What happens if I forget to upload my rental contract by 27 December 2025?
You will be reclassified as a “calculated commuter” and will receive a reduced scholarship.
FAQ – Students with Disabilities
What benefits are available for students with a disability of 66% or more?
You are entitled to:
- A 10% increase in the scholarship amount;
- Two additional semesters of benefits beyond the standard duration of your course;
- No reduction in the scholarship amount, even if you are in an extended year;
- Exemption from the 20 ECTS requirement if you are a first-year student;
- Relaxed merit requirements.
If I am an international student, must I provide disability documentation?
Yes. You must upload certification of a disability of ≥66% or an official recognition of disability under Article 3, paragraph 3, of Law 104/1992 via the specific function in the Reserved Area.
A temporary certificate is acceptable if updated by 10 December 2025.