Rahul is from Patna. He completed a B.Com from Patna University in 2024 with 74 percent. His family income is approximately ₹11 lakh per year — his father works in a government office, his mother runs a small tailoring business from home. They own their house in Patna.
Rahul wants to study International Economics at a public university in Italy. He has been told by two consultancies that studying abroad is expensive. One quoted him ₹1.8 lakh for their services. Neither mentioned the DSU scholarship proactively.
This article walks through Rahul's real numbers — not a marketing estimate, but a line-by-line account of what studying in Italy actually costs and what comes back.
Disclaimer: These numbers are based on typical scenarios for a student profile similar to Rahul's, using data verified by our Italy specialist and official sources. All figures are estimates. Actual scholarship amounts depend on ISEE assessment. Exchange rate used: ₹109 per euro (September 2026). Your numbers will differ based on your city, income, and region.
Before Rahul leaves India — the one-time costs
The first category of spending happens before Rahul boards a flight. These are costs he pays once and never again.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS exam fee | ₹17,000 | Required for English-taught programs |
| Document legalisation (HRD + Apostille) | ₹12,000 | After admission letter received. Includes courier costs. |
| Sworn Italian translations | ₹8,000 | After apostille. Per set of documents. |
| Application fees (5 universities) | ₹18,000 | Approximately €35 per university. Some are free. |
| Visa fee + VFS charges | ₹7,500 | National D-type student visa |
| Health insurance (1 year) | ₹12,000 | Minimum €30,000 coverage required for visa |
| Flight (Patna to Bologna via Delhi) | ₹52,000 | September travel, economy class |
| First month living costs (arrival buffer) | ₹65,000 | Until scholarship first instalment arrives |
| Total one-time costs | ₹1,91,500 | Approximately ₹1.9 lakh |
This is the real number: approximately ₹1.9 lakh to get from Patna to Bologna and through the first month. Not ₹10 lakh. Not ₹20 lakh. ₹1.9 lakh, one time.
The show funds — the number that confuses everyone
The Italian student visa requires Rahul to demonstrate approximately €15,000–16,000 (₹16–17 lakh) in available funds. This confuses families because it sounds like Rahul needs ₹17 lakh to study in Italy.
He does not spend ₹17 lakh. He shows ₹17 lakh. The Italian consulate checks the bank statement, stamps the visa, and the money stays in the family's account. After the visa arrives, nothing happens to that money. It is not paid to anyone. It is not locked up. It is simply verified as available.
The show funds are typically sourced from an education loan sanction letter (SBI, Bank of Baroda, Axis, Credila all offer education loans for Italy) or from documented family savings. Rahul's family does not need to have ₹17 lakh sitting in cash — they need a sanctioned loan letter or a bank statement showing the balance was available at the time of the visa application.
What comes in — Rahul's scholarship income
Rahul applied for the DSU scholarship through ER.GO, Bologna's regional scholarship authority. His family income of ₹11 lakh is well below the approximately ₹26 lakh threshold. His ISEE Parificato calculated by a Bologna CAF office came out within the lower income band.
| Scholarship component | Annual amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash stipend (Year 1) | ₹7,85,000 | €7,200 at ₹109/€. Non-resident student rate, no hostel allocated. |
| Cash stipend (Year 2) | ₹7,85,000 | Same rate, subject to credit progress renewal |
| Tuition fee waiver (Year 1) | ₹2,18,000 | €2,000 standard Bologna tuition — fully waived |
| Tuition fee waiver (Year 2) | ₹2,18,000 | Same |
| Total scholarship received | ₹20,06,000 | Over 2 years. Approximately ₹20 lakh. |
Why Rahul did not get a DSU hostel: Bologna is a popular university city and DSU hostel places are limited. Students who apply early and score well on the ISEE get priority. Rahul applied on the day the bando opened but was not among the first allocated. He rented a room in a shared apartment for approximately €300 per month — covered primarily by his cash stipend, which is higher for students without DSU accommodation.
Rahul's complete two-year picture
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total one-time costs (pre-departure and Year 1 setup) | ₹1,91,500 |
| Living costs Year 1 (rent ₹35,000/month + daily expenses ₹15,000/month) | ₹6,00,000 |
| Living costs Year 2 (same) | ₹6,00,000 |
| Miscellaneous (travel, phone, books, occasional trip) | ₹1,50,000 |
| Total two-year expenditure | ₹15,41,500 |
| Total scholarship received (stipend + tuition waiver) | ₹20,06,000 |
| Net position after 2 years | +₹4,64,500 |
Rahul spends approximately ₹15.4 lakh over two years — including everything. He receives approximately ₹20 lakh in scholarship income. His net position is positive by approximately ₹4.6 lakh.
This is without accounting for his part-time work income. Indian students in Italy can legally work up to 20 hours per week. Rahul works 12 hours per week at a logistics company near the university, earning approximately €9 per hour. This adds approximately €5,600 per year — roughly ₹6 lakh — in additional income that he uses partly for savings and partly for travel.
What the consultancy would have cost
The consultancy that quoted Rahul ₹1.8 lakh would have provided: a shortlist of universities, help with his application, and SOP guidance. They did not mention the DSU scholarship in their initial call. They did not ask about his family income.
Rahul used Admify instead. His AI Readiness Report cost ₹3,999 and included his scholarship probability assessment, a 10-university shortlist with honest Apply? verdicts, his IELTS gap analysis, and a 90-day action plan. He used the Application Blueprint for his SOP and portal guidance. His total Admify spend was ₹23,998 — a fraction of the consultancy fee, with full scholarship guidance included.
What this means for you
Rahul's numbers are not universal. Bologna is an expensive Italian city. A student in Macerata or Palermo would spend less on rent. A student who receives DSU hostel accommodation would spend significantly less on housing. A student with a family income closer to the threshold may receive a lower stipend.
The principle holds: for an income-eligible Indian student at an Italian public university, the financial case is genuinely strong. The scholarship system works. The question is whether you know how to access it — and whether you plan for it in advance, particularly around the bando deadline.
Your numbers are not Rahul's numbers. They depend on your income, your city, your ISEE score, and the regional DSU authority covering your university. The only way to know your actual picture is to calculate it for your specific profile.