Action IV.2, "Support for families in paying university tuition fees (reduction and exemption based on income bracket)", part of the "PON Research and Innovation 2014–2020" programme and the REACT-EU initiative, supports students facing economic hardship by ensuring access to education and fostering recovery in vulnerable areas.
The increased funding provided by the programme made it possible for students enrolled in university programmes who met the merit and income requirements set out in Ministerial Decree no. 1014/2021 to benefit from full or partial exemptions from annual tuition fees.
From the 2021/22 to the 2023/24 academic year, 52,807 students at the University of Bologna received full or partial tuition fee exemptions. The amount allocated to the University by the Ministry of University and Research, co-funded through the "PON Research and Innovation" programme, totalled €28,249,071 to offset the lost revenue.
