The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation provides grants upon request—under Chapter 2619/7—for:
- the funding of travel and living expenses for Italian researchers, professors, experts, cultural figures, and cultural professionals, as well as foreign nationals residing in Italy for at least two years, who are invited abroad by foreign academic or cultural institutions;
- contributions toward the travel and living expenses of foreign or Italian researchers, professors, experts, cultural figures, and cultural professionals residing abroad who have been invited by Italian academic and cultural institutions to promote collaboration and joint research programs.
ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS
The following researchers, professors, experts, cultural figures, and cultural professionals may apply for the aforementioned grants:
a) Italian and foreign nationals residing in Italy for at least two years who have been invited to foreign academic or cultural institutions for study or research purposes;
b) foreign and Italian nationals residing abroad who have been invited to Italian academic or cultural institutions for study or research purposes;
THE GRANT
This is a financial grant to partially cover travel and living expenses, provided as a lump sum of up to 1,500 or 3,000 euros depending on the destination and for a maximum period of 10 days of activity. The grant will not be paid beyond the tenth day of the stay.
For the purposes of calculation, only the days on which cultural and/or research activities are actually carried out are to be included. The grant consists of an all-inclusive daily lump sum, comprising 250 euros per day for stays of up to 5 days and 50 euros per day from the sixth through the tenth day of the stay abroad or in Italy, for a maximum total of 1,500 euros per mission.
In order to encourage cooperation with strategic but geographically distant areas, including Malaysia, a grant of 350 euros per day is provided for stays of up to 5 days and 250 euros per day from the sixth through the tenth day, up to a maximum of 3,000 euros per beneficiary. The Administration reserves the right to modify the list of countries included in the aforementioned areas. Within the lump-sum ceiling set by the call for applications, overseas missions carried out by Italian candidates may include activities to be conducted in multiple countries. It should be noted that the invitation abroad cannot be contingent upon the disbursement of the grant by the MAECI. It should also be noted that reimbursements are not permitted for travel not conducted in economy class. In light of the availability of funds under Chapter 2619/7, the MAECI may decide to disburse grants to foreign beneficiaries for a number of days fewer than those requested in the application.
Please note that it will not be possible to provide grants for missions taking place after November 15, 2026.
HOW TO APPLY?
Interested parties, both Italian and foreign nationals, may submit their application via email to the Italian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur ( ambkualalumpur@esteri.it ), copying the relevant MAECI office ( dgce06.missioni@esteri.it ), no later than July 17, 2026. The application must be accompanied by the completed and signed form and all required documentation (as indicated on the form itself).
Please note that only grant applications from individuals who have received an official invitation from a university or cultural institution will be accepted, with preference given to invitations under bilateral Cultural Cooperation Agreements and Executive Programs. For Italian applicants or those residing in Italy, the invitation must come from a foreign university or cultural institution. Conversely, for foreign applicants or Italians residing abroad, the invitation must be issued by an Italian institution. Grants intended for foreign beneficiaries will be disbursed through this Embassy, which received the application. Italian beneficiaries, on the other hand, will receive the grant directly from the relevant MAECI office.
EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS AND NOTIFICATION OF SELECTION RESULTS
Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received and according to the following evaluation criteria:
– the applicant’s curriculum vitae;
– the potential medium- and long-term impact of the mission in terms of the development of
cultural or scientific projects and partnerships between Italian and foreign institutions;
– prestige of the cultural institutions involved;
– principle of rotation among grant recipients.
The Embassy will forward valid and complete applications to the MAECI, which may request additional information or clarifications and will make the final decision on the awarding of grants.
The Embassy will notify applicants of the outcome of the selection process.
UPON COMPLETION OF THE MISSION
Within ten days of the end of the mission, for the purpose of disbursing the grant, the applicant must supplement their application with the following documents to be sent to the Embassy and the relevant MAECI office (DGCE-06):
– Travel documents, such as airline tickets and boarding passes;
– Certificate of stay issued by the host institution;
– Final report on the activities carried out
