In recent years, accessing university and continuing one’s studies has become an increasingly difficult challenge. In this context of crisis, factors of exclusion and economic barriers have become more severe and widespread.
In Piedmont, following the drastic cuts made during the Cota administration, which placed our Region at the bottom of the rankings in terms of scholarship coverage, the situation has been improving significantly since 2014, thanks in part to a greater dialogue between institutions and student organizations like ours.
That being said, one of the most important victories was the reintroduction of student representation within the Authority for the Right to Education and the establishment of a consultative body called the “Regional Assembly of Students for the Right to University Education.” This body plays a crucial role in connecting student demands and proposals with the institutions that must address and implement them. This democratic victory, along with the results of student elections, has allowed us to increase pressure on the Region to demand more resources, more effective policies, a more participatory management of services, and a genuine role for us students in decisions that affect us.
The most significant achievement has undoubtedly been the full coverage of scholarships: since 2015/16, the Piedmont Region has consistently provided enough funding to allow EDISU to award 100% of the scholarships. As a result, in recent years, all eligible students have always received a scholarship. This might seem like a given, but it was a result achieved only after a long period of struggle, during which we promoted and led dozens of protest initiatives, even going so far as to occupy and self-manage the cafeteria on Via Principe Amedeo for over two months. This long path of mobilization brought the issue of the Right to Education back to the forefront of public discussion.
After years of battles, even the Polytechnic University now offers numerous welfare benefits for students.
At our suggestion, the Polytechnic’s tuition regulations introduced the “NO-TAX area”: more than 4,000 students at the Polytechnic do not pay a single euro in fees! That’s not all: also based on our proposal, the Polytechnic offers all students a contribution to purchase the GTT public transport pass and a choice between a Fablab membership card or a museum card for the Piedmont region.
An overview
EDISU
Info Borsisti Edisu Piemonte
DSU e ISEE
ISEE
The information required for the submission of the DSU, necessary to obtain the ISEE, is as follows (for all members of the family unit):
General Information:
- Name, surname, tax code, date and place of birth.
- Any certifications of disability or invalidity.
- Any separation or divorce decree.
- Alimony received or paid for the maintenance of a spouse and children in the previous fiscal years.
Residence Information:
- Address, details of the rental contract and annual rent if the house is rented.
- Presence of parents in the family unit or verification of the student’s autonomy for university benefits.
Financial Assets:
- Average balance and balance as of the end of two years prior of all bank and postal accounts (including savings books and prepaid cards with IBAN).
- Indication of the value of other forms of financial assets: (deposit accounts and/or bonds, collective investment schemes and/or asset management, certificates of deposit and savings bonds, equity holdings in listed or unlisted companies, net asset value for individual businesses with standard accounting, capitalization or mixed life insurance contracts).
Real Estate Assets:
- Value for IMU (property tax) of all buildings and land owned, and indication of any remaining mortgage capital.
- License plate and/or registration details of all vehicles or motorcycles with an engine capacity of 500 cc or higher, as well as any owned pleasure boats.
Income Earned in the Fiscal Year 2021:
- The main income information is provided directly by the Revenue Agency and INPS (National Social Security Institute), so it does not need to be self-declared.
Must be Self-Declared:
- Income subject to substitute tax or withholding tax.
- Tax-exempt income (including scholarships, both those provided by EDISU and those granted by other entities, such as Erasmus scholarships and 200-hour collaborations!), excluding benefits provided by INPS.
Other less common income types should also be self-declared, as specified in the instructions for completing the DSU.
We recommend always referring to the guidance provided by the staff at the CAF you consult. Always remember to request a UNIVERSITY ISEE, which is valid for subsidized social services related to the Right to Education; otherwise, your certification will not be usable by EDISU or the Polytechnic!
Politecnico's Services
In Italy, according to Article 53 of the Constitution, all taxes are proportional (meaning they are paid as a percentage of income) and progressive (meaning the percentages are not fixed but increase with higher income). This also clearly applies to university fees.
If you have submitted your ISEE, your fees will be calculated based on your family’s economic situation. If you consented to access your data from the INPS database during the enrollment process, the procedure is automatic. To verify your fee bracket, consult the Contribution Guide
A few years ago, thanks to significant student representation and advocacy efforts, we were able to achieve the “NO-TAX Area.” Students included in this area are completely exempt from paying tuition fees at the Polytechnic, paying only the €161 in additional mandatory contributions: regional tax, insurance, and stamp duty. The total “NO-TAX Area” applies to ISEE brackets from 1 to 14.
Example: A first-year student in bracket 14 used to pay €777.69. Now, they only pay €161, which covers the extra fees (insurance, various stamps, regional tax, etc.).
Students in ISEE brackets above 14, up to 50, fall into so-called buffer brackets, with discounted amounts.
Example: A first-year student in bracket 16 used to pay €836.40. Now, they only pay €321.
For first-year enrollment (both bachelor’s and master’s programs), the NO-TAX Area and buffer brackets apply to all students without any additional requirements. For subsequent years, there are minor merit requirements to be met, as established by the Ministry.
The costs of university life are not solely related to tuition fees, but also include transportation, services, and access to culture. Over the years, we have proposed various welfare initiatives to alleviate these burdens, culminating in the “Mobility and Culture Package.”
The Museum Subscription card allows for free access, whenever desired, to museums, Royal Residences, castles, gardens, fortresses, permanent collections, and temporary exhibitions in Turin and Piedmont that are part of the network (for all information, visit www.abbonamentomusei.it). Instead of the standard €32, it is available at the Polytechnic of Turin for just €11. Some discouraging data regarding usage in previous academic years led the administration to request a contribution; however, we managed to keep the price reasonable and ensured that all savings were reinvested into welfare.
Additionally, as an alternative to the museum card, students can request a subscription to the FabLab in Turin.
Investing in public transportation serves a dual purpose: on one hand, it provides concrete economic assistance to students by helping us save on necessary costs; on the other hand, it promotes a culture of sustainability.
All enrolled students who meet minor requirements in terms of CFU (credit points) and purchase a GTT subscription (or any other Trenitalia, Formula, Sadem subscription that is useful for reaching the Polytechnic) can receive a partial reimbursement, calculated as follows:
| ISEE BRACKET | MAXIMUM SPENDING CONSIDERED | REIMBURSABLE PERCENTAGE |
|---|---|---|
| ISEE Bracket 1 | ISEE < €12,500 | €208 |
| ISEE Brackets 2-9 | €12,501 < ISEE < €20,500 | €208 |
| ISEE Brackets 10-19 | €20,501 < ISEE < €30,500 | €208 |
| ISEE Brackets 20-24 | €30,501 < ISEE < €35,500 | €208 |
| ISEE Brackets 25-39 | €35,501 < ISEE < €50,500 | €208 |
| All others, including those without ISEE | €258 | 10% |
Example:
- Purchase value indicated in receipts: €278
- Reimbursable amount for a student in bracket 1: €202.80 (→ 97.5% of €208)
- Reimbursable amount for a student in bracket 32: €72.80 (→ 35% of €208)
- Reimbursable amount for a student in bracket 50: €25.80 (→ 10% of €258)
Since 2019, the Polytechnic, through CUS Torino (University Sports Center), has been offering free sports activities after years of advocacy by our representatives in the Sports Committee (which oversees the management of sports facilities) and the Operational Table (which ensures the operational coordination of sports initiatives). CUS Torino provides students of the Polytechnic with 50% of the available spots in the weight training gym on Via Braccini during afternoon and evening hours, totaling 435 free spots each week.
For the fitness gym, students can book one time slot per day for a maximum of two days per week, with the option to add a reservation for musical activities. Alternatively, students can book two musical lessons and one weight training slot. In total, students can reserve three slots weekly.
Conditions for Using the Free Fitness Service:
- Request a CUS Card (free of charge). A sports medical certificate is required.
- Reservations must be made on “FREE Fitness Universitari | Braccini” after logging in.
- Reservations should be made 48 hours in advance (available at www.custorino.it/easy-sport/ or through the “CUS Torino” app).
To prevent unused slots from being wasted due to no-shows, the procedure states that if someone books a slot and then does not show up without a valid reason, the first offense results in a one-week suspension from making further reservations, and the second offense results in a one-month suspension.
In addition to Free Fitness, there are also free hours available for renting playing fields (Beach Volleyball, Basketball, 5-a-side Football, 7-a-side Football, Tennis) for university students, provided that all participants are university students with a CUS Card. Reservations can be made at servizi.custorino.it/affittocampi or through the “CUS Torino” app. In some cases, it may be necessary to call the facilities directly to book fields.
The CUS website also lists all the courses for which university students receive discounts of 30-50% off the standard rate.
For More Information:
Canteens
With the Campus Piemonte ID Meal app you can eat in all EDISU canteens at a reduced price
For the combination of First Course + Second Course + Side Dish + Dessert/Fruit, the rates are as follows:
| ISEE | BANDS | FULL MEAL |
|---|---|---|
| Up to €26,306.25 | 1 | €2.50 |
| From €26,306.26 to €41,500.00 | 2 | €3.60 |
| From €41,500.01 to €56,500.00 | 3 | €4.60 |
| From €56,500.01 to €71,500.00 | 4 | €5.40 |
| Above €71,500.01 | FULL RATE | €6.85 |
You can consult the other rates here.
Study Halls
EDISU manages study halls that give the possibility to all to study in a reserved environment.
Verdi (292 seats) at Via Verdi 26 (city center district): open from 8:30 AM to midnight Monday through Friday, and from 8:30 AM to 2:00 AM on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. During exam periods, closing time is extended to 2:00 AM every day! Seat reservation is required.
Ormea (134 seats) located in the premises of the old cafeteria on Via Galliari (San Salvario): open Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM. During exam periods, it is also open on Saturdays and Sundays with the same hours. Seat reservation is required.
Principe Amedeo (96 seats): located in the same building as the cafeteria of the same name (city center district), it is open Monday to Saturday from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM. However, during the lunch break from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM, it is also used for cafeteria meals. Seat reservation is required.
Torino Student Zone (81 seats) at Murazzi del Po 22 (left side): open every day from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM. It also houses the River Canteen, where you can have lunch and dinner at EDISU rates, as well as a bar. No reservation is required.
In collaboration with the Politecnico and the University of Turin, EDISU, and the City of Turin, we have launched the “Campus Diffuso” project, which consists of setting up around 2,300 study spaces scattered throughout the city. More information can be obtained from the EDISU website: https://www.edisu.piemonte.it/it/campus-diffuso-universitario.
Attention: Study room hours may be subject to change.
Check the EDISU website for the most up-to-date information: https://www.edisu.piemonte.it/it/servizi/sale-studio-e-altri-servizi/sale-studio
Access to some study rooms requires booking a seat using the Campus Piemonte App or the website: https://edisuprenotazioni.edisu-piemonte.it/
Rent controlled Apartment
If you are an out-of-town student, you most likely had to search for housing in the rental market. A valid rental contract must be drawn up in writing and registered with the Revenue Agency within 30 days of signing. The registration costs are split 50% between the landlord and the tenants.
Having a regular contract is doubly beneficial: first, it protects you in various disputes with the landlord, and secondly, it is necessary to purchase a GTT subscription at discounted rates.
Agreed rent. In the City of Turin, there is a Territorial Agreement that regulates agreed contracts and provides several benefits: lower rents than market rates for tenants and tax benefits for landlords. On the City of Turin website, there is a page dedicated to agreed rent where you can also download a contract template:
Under this Agreement, special contracts for university students are provided, with a duration ranging from 6 months to 3 years (renewable), as well as shorter-term contracts (called temporary). These contracts can be signed individually (one student per apartment) or collectively, with a cohabitation agreement outlining the management of common areas.
As representatives of Alter.POLIS students, we have always given great importance to the “rising rent” issue, which, particularly in the post-COVID phase, increasingly affects university areas in the city of Turin. In the past, many of the contracts for new residences ended up being just major profits for private operators (with rooms costing as much as 600 euros a month). We have always fought for a substantial public investment plan in this regard: we need services, housing, and residences, not luxury student accommodations that see us as easy targets to exploit.