Italy, Scholarships

Fully Funded PEGASO PhD Scholarship 2026 — University of Florence Italy

Faseeh Sultan

July 12, 2026
No Comments

Fully Funded PEGASO PhD Scholarship 2026 — University of Florence Italy

If you have been waiting for a fully funded PhD opportunity in Europe that is genuinely open to international applicants — this one is worth stopping everything for. The University of Florence has officially launched its PEGASO PhD Scholarship call for 2026/2027, offering funded doctoral positions across more than 30 research programs, a €16,243 annual stipend, a 50% top-up during approved research abroad, and a one-off relocation grant of up to €5,000 for eligible international candidates. The deadline is 6 August 2026 at 12:00 noon Italian time — and the online system closes automatically. This guide gives you everything you need to understand the opportunity, check your eligibility, and submit a strong application.

Detail	Information
University	University of Florence (Università degli Studi di Firenze — UNIFI)
Country	Italy
Scholarship Name	PEGASO PhD Scholarship 2026
Degree Level	PhD (Dottorato di Ricerca) — 3 years
Funding Type	Fully funded — stipend + research budget + relocation support
Annual Stipend	€16,243 (before social security contributions)
Deadline	6 August 2026 at 12:00 noon (Italian time)
Open To	All nationalities
PhD Start Date	1 November 2026
Official Link	PEGASO Call for Applications

🎓 About the University of Florence and the PEGASO Scholarship

Founded in 1321, the University of Florence is one of the oldest and most respected public universities in Italy — and in Europe. It sits in the heart of Florence (Firenze), Tuscany, a city that has defined art, science, and intellectual culture for centuries. Today, UNIFI is a major research-intensive institution with a full spectrum of disciplines, strong ties to European research networks, and a genuine commitment to international academic excellence.

What makes the PEGASO scholarship different from a standard PhD call is its funding source. These positions are supported by Regione Toscana through the PR ESF 2021/2027 Programme (European Social Fund Plus), under the Giovanisì Project — a Tuscan regional initiative designed to help young people build independent professional and academic futures. This is not just a university-funded stipend: it is a European structural investment in the next generation of researchers, backed by the Tuscany regional government. That means the funding is robust, purposeful, and tied to a broader innovation agenda.

The PEGASO call runs separately from the university’s general PhD call. It covers a specific set of PhD programs where Regione Toscana scholarships have been allocated. The 42nd doctoral cycle (academic year 2026/2027) is the most recent and currently open round, with programs starting on 1 November 2026.

🎓 What the PEGASO Scholarship Covers

Here’s the best part of this opportunity: the financial package is comprehensive in a way that most European PhD scholarships are not.

Annual stipend: €16,243 per year, paid monthly in arrears (before social security contributions payable by the recipient)

Research abroad top-up: The scholarship amount increases by 50% during any approved period of research activity abroad, for up to a maximum of 12 months over the three-year programme

Research budget: A minimum of 10% of the annual scholarship is allocated for research activities — both within Italy and abroad — covering conference travel, lab materials, research visits, and professional development

One-off international relocation support: Eligible non-EU international PhD students may receive a one-time grant of up to €5,000 to assist with initial settlement costs — visa fees, document legalization, translations, flights, and early rent deposits

Programme duration: Three years, starting 1 November 2026

Soft-skills training: PEGASO doctoral students participate in structured soft-skills and professional development courses alongside their research

Scholarships cannot be combined with other grants or fellowships, except in the specific case of approved international research mobility allowances.

🎓 Eligibility Criteria

Open to all nationalities — Italian and international, with no citizenship restriction
Applicants must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent second-cycle qualification (EQF Level 7) recognized under Italian regulations or equivalent to one under the Bologna Process
Final-year master’s students may apply provisionally, provided they obtain the degree before the enrolment deadline
Foreign qualifications are assessed for equivalency — applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a Diploma Supplement, a Dichiarazione di Valore from the Italian Consulate in their home country, or a CIMEA Statement of Verification
Documents not in English or Italian must include a certified or self-certified translation
No specific IELTS or TOEFL requirement is stated in the PEGASO general call — language requirements vary by individual PhD programme (verify in Annex 2 for your chosen programme)
Each PhD programme may set additional admission conditions; check the specific programme fact sheet in Annex 2 of the official call
The application fee is €30 (non-refundable), paid online during the application process

🎓 Who Should Apply / Who Shouldn’t

✅ A strong fit if you:

Hold or are about to complete a master’s degree in any research field
Want a fully funded, three-year European doctoral programme at one of Italy’s oldest and most recognized universities
Are eligible for the relocation grant (non-EU international students), making your first move to Italy significantly more affordable
Want to incorporate international research mobility into your doctorate — the 50% stipend top-up for research abroad makes this genuinely rewarding
Are prepared for a competitive, merit-based selection process involving academic qualifications and interview assessment
Want to live and research in Florence — one of the world’s most historically and culturally significant cities, with a thriving international academic community

❌ May not be the right fit if you:

Are not yet completing a master’s degree
Are looking for a bachelor’s or master’s-level scholarship (PEGASO is strictly doctoral)
Cannot meet the 6 August 2026 deadline — the online portal closes automatically and no extensions are expected for the PEGASO call
Need a programme where Italian language is not required at all — some programmes may require Italian proficiency; verify Annex 2 for your chosen field
Want a guaranteed position rather than a competitive one — selection is merit-based

🎓 Available PhD Programs

The PEGASO scholarship is linked to a specific selection of PhD programmes at UNIFI under the 42nd cycle. Based on the official call, PEGASO scholarships are spread across the full breadth of the university’s doctoral offering, spanning:

Biomedical Sciences — clinical research, experimental medicine, pharmacology, and health sciences under departments including the Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”

Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences — agri-food systems, sustainable agriculture, environmental forestry, in partnership with the University of Pisa and University of Siena (DAGRI Department)

Architecture, Design and Built Heritage — architectural history, urban studies, design, and territorial transformation (DIDA Department)

Engineering and Applied Sciences — structural engineering, materials science, biomedical engineering, industrial innovation

Humanities and Social Sciences — history, philosophy, cultural studies, law, economics, political science

Natural and Earth Sciences — biology, chemistry, physics, earth and environmental sciences

The complete list of PEGASO-funded programmes and their available scholarship positions is published in Annex 2 — PhD Scholarships Fact Sheets of the official call. Each fact sheet contains the research themes, number of positions, specific requirements, and evaluation criteria for that programme. Always verify Annex 2 before applying to confirm that PEGASO-funded positions are available in your chosen field.

View PhD Courses and Programmes

🎓 Required Documents

The following documents are typically required for the PEGASO application (verify the complete checklist in Annex 1 of the official call):

Completed online application form via the PEGASO application portal
€30 non-refundable application fee, paid during the online process
Valid passport or national identity document
Master’s degree certificate and academic transcripts (with certified or self-certified English or Italian translation if the originals are in another language)
Curriculum Vitae (academic and research-focused)
Research proposal or statement of research interest (requirements vary by programme — check individual fact sheets in Annex 2)
Any supporting equivalency documents: Diploma Supplement, Dichiarazione di Valore, or CIMEA Statement of Verification for foreign degrees
Self-declaration form (template available on the official call page)
Any additional documents required by the specific PhD programme (e.g., language certificates, reference letters — check each programme’s fact sheet)

All documents must be uploaded in PDF format through the PEGASO online application system.

🎓 Step-by-Step Application Process

Download Annex 1 and Annex 2 from the official call page: UNIFI Cycle 42 Call for Applications. Read the full call text and identify your target programme in Annex 2.
Confirm PEGASO scholarship positions are available in your chosen programme — Annex 2 specifies which positions are PEGASO-funded vs. general university-funded.
Register and log in to the PEGASO online application portal: Apply Here
Complete the online application form with your personal details, academic background, and chosen PhD programme.
Prepare your research proposal or statement according to the guidelines in your programme’s Annex 2 fact sheet — this is a key evaluation component.
Upload all required documents in PDF format. If your documents are not in Italian or English, include a self-certified translation at this stage.
Pay the €30 application fee through the online payment system.
Submit before 6 August 2026 at 12:00 noon Italian time — the system closes automatically. Do not wait until the last day.
Prepare for the selection process — each programme conducts its own evaluation of qualifications and an oral interview or exam. Check the specific admission board schedule for your programme.
Track results — final rankings are expected by 30 September 2026; successful candidates must complete enrolment by 7 October 2026.

Practical tip: Contact the Doctoral Research Office before submitting to confirm the language requirements for your target programme: dottorato@unifi.it

🎓 Important Dates

Milestone	Date
PEGASO Call Published	July 2026
Application Deadline	6 August 2026 at 12:00 noon (Italian time)
Final Rankings Published	By 30 September 2026
Enrolment Deadline	7 October 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CEST
PhD Programmes Begin	1 November 2026
Programme Completion	31 October 2029

The 6 August deadline is firm. The online portal stops automatically — submit well before the closing time.

🎓 Why Florence — and Why the PEGASO Scholarship

Florence is not just a beautiful city to live in. It is one of the most intellectually rich research environments in Europe. UNIFI’s research network spans Horizon Europe projects, Erasmus+ collaborations, and active partnerships with institutions across Italy and the EU. Doctoral students here work alongside researchers who are genuinely embedded in European science, culture, and policy.

What makes this different from many Italian PhD scholarships is the Regione Toscana backing. The Giovanisì project is not a symbolic gesture — it represents a sustained regional strategy to build a competitive research ecosystem in Tuscany, retain young researchers, and connect doctoral training to the EU’s green and digital transition priorities. Your PhD here is co-funded by a European structural program with long-term institutional commitment.

And then there is the city itself. Florence is internationally accessible, culturally extraordinary, and home to a large international student and researcher community. The cost of living, while higher than some southern Italian cities, remains significantly more affordable than Paris, Zurich, or London — and a €16,243 annual stipend goes meaningfully further here than in many Western European capitals.

For international candidates specifically: the up to €5,000 relocation grant is one of the most practical signals of genuine welcome you’ll find in any European doctoral call. It acknowledges that moving to another country has real costs, and it reduces the financial barrier for the first critical months.

🎓 Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the PEGASO scholarship the same as the general University of Florence PhD call? No — they are two separate calls. The general call (deadline 17 June 2026) covered a broader set of programmes. The PEGASO call (deadline 6 August 2026) is a separate, Regione Toscana-funded call linked to specific doctoral programmes. Check Annex 2 of the PEGASO call to see which programmes are included.

Q: Can I apply to both the general call and the PEGASO call? They are separate calls with separate portals and deadlines. The general call deadline has already passed (17 June 2026). The PEGASO call is currently open until 6 August 2026. Apply to the PEGASO call if you meet the requirements.

Q: Is the scholarship truly open to students from any country? Yes. There are no citizenship restrictions for the PEGASO scholarships. The up to €5,000 relocation support is specifically available for eligible non-EU international PhD students, making it especially valuable for applicants from outside Europe.

Q: Can the scholarship amount increase beyond €16,243? Yes. During approved periods of research activity abroad, the scholarship increases by 50%, up to a maximum of 12 months over the three-year programme. This is in addition to the 10% research budget.

Q: What language is required for the PhD? Language requirements vary by programme. Some programmes are conducted in English, some in Italian, and some are bilingual. Always check the specific fact sheet in Annex 2 for your chosen programme before applying.

Q: What is the application fee and is it refundable? The application fee is €30, non-refundable, paid online as part of the application process. This applies regardless of the outcome.

🎓 Official Source

PEGASO Call Page: University of Florence — Cycle 42 Call for Applications
Online Application Portal: Apply for PEGASO Scholarship
Annex 1 — Call Document (English): Available for download on the official call page
Annex 2 — Programme Fact Sheets (English): Available for download on the official call page
PhD Office Contact: dottorato@unifi.it
PEC (Certified Mail): dottorato@pec.unifi.it
Address: Settore Dottorato di Ricerca, Via Gino Capponi, 9 — 50121 Firenze, Italy
University Main Website: unifi.it

🎓 Summary Table

Detail	Information
Scholarship	PEGASO PhD Scholarship 2026
University	University of Florence (UNIFI), Florence, Italy
Funded By	Regione Toscana — PR ESF 2021/2027 / Giovanisì Project
Degree	PhD (3 years)
Annual Stipend	€16,243 (pre-social security)
Research Abroad Top-Up	+50% during approved periods (max 12 months)
Research Budget	Min. 10% of annual scholarship
Relocation Grant	Up to €5,000 for eligible non-EU international students
Application Fee	€30 (non-refundable)
Deadline	6 August 2026 at 12:00 noon Italian time
Results	By 30 September 2026
Enrolment Deadline	7 October 2026
PhD Start Date	1 November 2026
Eligibility	All nationalities, Master’s degree required
Apply	PEGASO Online Portal