Private schools receive a €1,500 bonus: who is eligible and how to apply.

The private school bonus will arrive in 2026: a contribution of up to €1,500 for families with an ISEE (Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator) of less than €30,000 , and applies to students attending a private lower secondary school or the first two years of a private upper secondary school. This means middle school or the first two years of high school.

The measure will be determined according to brackets inversely proportional to ISEE income and has a spending cap of 20 million euros for next year.

A decree from the Minister of Education, in agreement with the Minister of Economy, will be needed to establish the detailed criteria, "taking into account the sums allocated" for the same objective by the Regions.

From January 13th to February 14th, registration for the first classes for the 2026/2027 school year will be open.

Applications for the first and second cycle of education can be submitted online, through the Unica platform, at: https://unica.istruzione.gov.it/it/orientamento/iscrizioni

Online enrollment is also available for vocational education and training (IeFP) programs and private schools that voluntarily opt for online enrollment.

Access to the Unica platform is via SPID (Public Digital Identity System), CIE (Electronic Identity Card), CNS (National Services Card), or eIDAS (electronic IDentification Authentication and Signature) credentials.

Applications for enrollment in preschool, schools in the Aosta Valley, Trento, and Bolzano, as well as those for specific programs outlined annually in the Ministry of Education and Merit's memo, remain paper-based and must therefore be submitted directly to the school offices.

The Unica platform offers detailed information about schools ("Find your school") and specific guidance sections, designed to help families and middle school students choose their next educational and professional path. These include: "Your Path," "E-Portfolio," "Teacher Tutor," "Choosing Guide," "Education and Work Statistics," and, starting this year, "What's Next: Guidance in the Metaverse," an innovative digital service.

For the 2026/2027 school year, applications will also be open to enroll in the first year of the four-year technological-professional training programs and the first year of the Made in Italy High School.

(Unioneonline/vl)