In an increasingly unstable geopolitical and humanitarian landscape, the right to study is often denied or put at real risk. Many young people are forced to leave their own country in search of somewhere safe to keep studying and rebuild their future, often arriving in Italy without their family and facing real costs just for travel and everyday subsistence.
Each year, the University of Padova receives over 700 requests for support from young people fleeing crisis and vulnerability. Many arrive without any family or support network at all, facing the challenge of adapting to a new culture and society on top of their studies, a combination that calls for a structured, ongoing programme rather than one-off help.
The project
Students at Risk supports at-risk international students with a multi-year scholarship, giving them a genuinely safe environment in which to continue their education. Reception and accompaniment services, including flight coverage, housing, language courses, psychological support and a dedicated buddy and staff, help each student build real autonomy and integrate into both the university and the wider city.
Selection is based on merit and a proven refugee or "at risk" status, tied to discrimination or persecution on grounds such as gender, sexual or political orientation, ethnicity or religion, armed conflict, or other serious vulnerabilities. The project rests on the right to study, equity, inclusion and the recognition of merit, laying the groundwork for each student's socio-economic and professional future.
Who the project is for
The project's direct beneficiaries are 13 young people from around the world, expected for the 2026/27 academic year, selected on merit and their proven refugee or at-risk status.
Its impact reaches further, to the wider academic community and the citizens of Padova, who share in the university and city life these students become part of.
Project name: Students at Risk
Proposing organisation: Università di Padova
Area of intervention: Inclusion & Social Development
Country: Italy