Language course in Italy: scholarships

'Language Course in Italy' (Corso di lingue in Italia) scholarships constitute a grant to partially cover the expenses of a foreign language course that works towards obtaining a certification for a level of language proficiency based on the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR).

These scholarships are available to children and orphans or equivalent individuals of public administration employees and pensioners enrolled on the Unified Scheme for Credit and Social Benefits (ex Credit Fund) and pensioners on the Civil Servants' Pension Scheme (Gestione Dipendenti Pubblici, GDP).

There are 5,000 'Language Course in Italy' scholarships that can be awarded by applying to enter a competition. The course must involve at least 60 hours of lessons and take place in the academic year for a duration of no fewer than four months and no more than nine months.

Beneficiaries who have attended the last two years of primary school and middle school will have to sit the exam for an A2, B1 or B2 level certification.

Beneficiaries who are secondary school students will have to sit the exam for a B1, B2 or C1 or C2 level certification.

The maximum amount that can be awarded for the scholarship is EUR 800. If the applicant passes the language certification exam, they will be awarded an additional grant of EUR 200.

The 5,000 obtainable scholarships are distributed based on the school year attended by the beneficiary in the previous academic year:

500 scholarships for students in the fourth and fifth grade of primary school for the A2, B1 or B2 level certification;
1,500 scholarships for middle school students for the A2, B1 or B2 level certification;
3,000 scholarships for secondary school students for the B1, B2, C1 or C2 level certification.

The amount that can be awarded to the beneficiary is given by a percentage of either the maximum scholarship amount (EUR 800) or the cost of the language course, whichever is lowest. This percentage is based on the Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator value of the beneficiary's household.

Percentages that apply are listed below:

Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator value of the beneficiary's household	Percentage of scholarship to be awarded out of the maximum obtainable
up to EUR 8,000	97%
from EUR 8,000.01 to 16,000	95%
from EUR 16,000.01 to 24,000	90%
from EUR 24,000.01 to 32,000	85%
from EUR 32,000.01 to 40,000	80%
from EUR 40,000.01 to 48,000	75%
from EUR 48,000.01 to 56,000	70%
from EUR 56,000.01 to 72,000	65%
over EUR 72,000.01 (or if no DSU- Single Substitute Statement is provided before applying for the scholarship)	60%

REQUIREMENTS

Students must have attended the last two years of primary school, middle school and secondary school and cannot be over 23 years of age.

In addition, applicants (the parent or guardian) must have provided the Single Substitute Statement (DSU) beforehand in order to determine their Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator.

If they fail to submit the Single Substitute Statement, which serves to determine the ordinary Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator or the Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator for minors, they will be ranked for the highest Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator by default.

WHEN CAN I CLAIM?

Claims must be submitted before the deadlines set out in the call for tender in electronic format using the PIN number and through the appropriate service on the INPS website.

HOW CAN I CLAIM?

Before filling out and submitting the online claim, applicants must ensure that:

they are registered on the database;
they have a PIN number;
their computer is correctly configured.

Despite being entitled to submit a claim, some individuals are not recognised by the electronic system as there are no institutional relations between them and the INPS Civil Servants' Pension Scheme, or because they cannot be classified as applicants (survivor parents of the child of an enrolled individual or pensioner, or guardian of the child of an enrolled individual, pensioner or student aged under 18). In this case, they will have to fill out the claim to be registered on the database, which must be handed in directly to the competent INPS office based on the young beneficiary's place of residence.

Alternatively, forms can be submitted by:

certified email (PEC);
non-certified email by attaching a copy of an identity document;
registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt by enclosing a copy of an identity document;
fax, together with a copy of an identity document.

Addresses, fax numbers and email addresses are available in the contact details section.

Once the rankings of the eligible approved claimants have been published, the applicant must upload via the appropriate service on the website a document that proves they have enrolled on a course with the same characteristics as those stipulated in the call for tender.