FAQs U.S.

In addition to having already been admitted to, or having applied for admission to, a Master's, Ph.D., or postdoctoral program in neuroscience/neurobiology or chemistry at a U.S. university, applicants must demonstrate that their household's gross annual income, based on the most recent available reporting period (and, in any case, no later than the year preceding the submission of the application), does not exceed USD 120,000. Furthermore, applicants must not have any employment, consulting, subordinate, or quasi-subordinate working relationship with Dompé farmaceutici and/or the Dompé Foundation, whether direct or indirect, including any such relationships involving cohabitants or family members. Only applications that satisfy all of the above eligibility requirements will be considered.

Yes. The scholarships are open exclusively to students and researchers of any nationality who are enrolled in, or have been admitted to, a Master's, Ph.D., or postdoctoral program in neuroscience, neurobiology, or chemistry at a U.S. university.

No. Applicants do not need to be affiliated with a Department of Neuroscience, Neurobiology, or Chemistry. The only requirement is that their academic or research activities fall within one of these fields, regardless of the department in which they are carried out.

No. As stated in the Call for Applications, the only requirement is that the proposed research falls within the fields of neuroscience, neurobiology, or chemistry.

Yes. Scholarships may be awarded for up to two years to students enrolled in a Master's program or researchers pursuing a postdoctoral program, and for up to three years to students enrolled in a Ph.D. program, regardless of the overall duration of their academic program.

For example:

• If your postdoctoral program lasts three years and you apply during your second year, you may receive funding for the remaining two years. If you apply during your third year, you may receive funding only for the final year.
• If your Ph.D. program lasts five years and you apply during your second year, you may receive funding for the following three years. If you apply during your third year, you may receive funding only for the remaining two years.

Yes. More than one applicant from the same research laboratory may receive a scholarship, provided that each applicant independently meets all eligibility requirements.

All documents must be uploaded in PDF format. Each file must be named using the document type followed by the applicant's last name (for example, "CV Rossi" or "Passport Rossi"). The following documents will not be accepted: files in formats other than PDF; files whose names do not clearly identify the document; files named using or shortened names/surnames. Documents may be submitted in either Italian or English. Applications containing attachments that do not comply with these requirements will be automatically excluded from the selection process.

The CV must be prepared in Europass format, which is available for download online. It must include all personal data, including the applicant’s residential address and personal e-mail address, and must be accompanied by a photograph. The CV must also provide comprehensive information on the applicant’s academic background, including education, as well as professional and research experience.

As provided under Article 3.2 of the relevant Call for Applications, the cover letter must include information about the applicant’s academic background, personality (highlighting both strengths and areas for improvement), hobbies, and personal interests. The letter must be written in Italian or English, using Times New Roman font, size 12, with 1.5 line spacing, and must not exceed two pages. The applicant’s full name must be included in the header, and the document must be signed at the end. Applications accompanied by cover letters that do not comply with these requirements will be automatically excluded from the selection process.

The abstract must include a title and contain between 200 and 400 words, excluding spaces. It must also include: your full name in the header; the name of the university where you are pursuing your academic or research program; and your signature at the end of the document. Applications accompanied by an abstract that does not comply with these requirements will be automatically excluded from the selection process.

No. A letter of recommendation is not required as part of the application.

The required document is the U.S. income tax return, namely “US FORM 1040” or “US FORM W2”. As an alternative to this document, the applicant may submit a self-declaration certifying, under his or her civil and criminal liability, the total gross annual income of his or her household for the year preceding the submission of the application. The self-declaration must be dated and signed and must be accompanied by one of the following documents: a letter of admission to a Master's, Ph.D., or postdoctoral program; or a statement issued by the university or research center certifying any monthly compensation received by the applicant.

Yes. You may resubmit your application with corrected documentation that complies with the formatting and content requirements set out in the Call for Applications, provided that the revised application is submitted before the application deadline. Applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully review all documents to ensure they fully comply with all applicable requirements before resubmitting their application.

The selection process is conducted by the Foundation's Scientific Committee, which consists of four members: two representatives from Dompé farmaceutici and two external members. Where appropriate, the Committee may also seek the support of external experts.
Profiles of the four Committee members are available at the following link.

Applications are evaluated primarily on the basis of the documentation submitted. The Scientific Committee reserves the right to invite applicants to an online interview if it considers that additional information is necessary to complete its evaluation.

Yes. Dompé Foundation will notify all applicants of the outcome of the selection process by e-mail, regardless of whether their application is successful.

Yes. You can submit a new application in future editions of the Call for Applications. However, if you choose to reapply, please make sure to mention in your cover letter that this is a new application.

Yes. This scholarship may be held together with other forms of financial support. Applicants may therefore receive funding from public or private organizations, or already be receiving a salary or another scholarship, without affecting their eligibility.

Scholarship funds will be transferred by bank wire to the account designated by the recipient upon acceptance of the scholarship. Recipients are responsible for verifying with their financial institution whether any restrictions or limits apply to incoming international wire transfers and for promptly informing the Foundation of any such limitations. Please note that recipients who are not Italian citizens may receive scholarship payments only after obtaining an Italian tax identification number (codice fiscale), issued by the competent Italian Consulate in the United States. This requirement is necessary for tax purposes, as Dompé Foundation is an Italian legal entity.

Yes. Applicants who are not Italian citizens must obtain an Italian tax identification number (codice fiscale) before scholarship funds can be disbursed. Any delay in obtaining the codice fiscale will result in a corresponding delay in the payment of the scholarship. The codice fiscale can be requested through the Italian Consulate with jurisdiction over your place of residence in the United States.

No. Scholarship funds are not subject to any specific spending restrictions, and recipients are free to use them according to their individual needs. Recipients are nevertheless expected to use the funds responsibly and in a manner consistent with their academic, research, and professional development.

Payment dates may vary depending on administrative and accounting procedures. As a general guideline, payments are expected to follow the schedule below.

Chemistry Scholarships – Academic Year 2025/2026

• Year 1: by November 2026
• Year 2: between March and May 2027
• Year 3: between March and May 2028

Neuroscience/Neurobiology Scholarships – Academic Year 2026/2027

• Year 1: between June and July 2027
• Year 2: between March and May 2028
• Year 3: between March and May 2029

The third-year payment schedule applies only to recipients enrolled in Ph.D. programs.

No. Scholarship payments are not subject to Italian social security contributions (INPS), as they do not establish an employment relationship between the recipient and the Foundation.

Yes. The Foundation is responsible for handling the tax obligations associated with the scholarship. For this reason, the scholarship amounts indicated in the Call for Applications are gross amounts, before any applicable taxes.

Yes. Each year, scholarship recipients will receive the Italian Certificazione Unica (CU), which summarizes the tax information relating to scholarship payments received during the previous calendar year.

Dompé Foundation requires scholarship recipients, generally in November of each year, to provide an update by e-mail on their academic or research progress and to report any changes that may affect the eligibility requirements set out in Article 2.1 of the Call for Applications. On this occasion, recipients must promptly notify the Foundation of any relevant changes. If a scholarship recipient no longer meets one or more of the eligibility requirements, the scholarship will be revoked and any subsequent installments will no longer be paid. However, the recipient will not be required to reimburse any amounts already received. In the event of failure to report relevant changes or the submission of false or fraudulent statements, the scholarship will be revoked and Dompé Foundation may request the reimbursement of amounts already disbursed.

Yes. Any changes to the research project compared with the description provided in the original application, even significant ones, will not result in the loss of the scholarship. Dompé Foundation recognizes that research paths may evolve over time and lead to new questions, methodologies, or areas of investigation. Therefore, the Foundation does not require the project to be carried out exactly according to the original proposal. To maintain the scholarship, however, the recipient must remain duly enrolled in the Master's, Ph.D., or postdoctoral program for which the scholarship was awarded and must continue to meet all other eligibility requirements set out in the Call for Applications.

No. The scholarship is awarded in connection with a specific Master's, Ph.D., or postdoctoral program and cannot be transferred to a different program. For example, if a candidate is awarded the scholarship while enrolled in a Ph.D. program and is subsequently admitted to a postdoctoral program, any unpaid scholarship installments cannot be transferred to the new program. The candidate must submit a new application.

No. Once the online application form has been completed and submitted, you will not receive a confirmation e-mail. Applicants are therefore advised to save the “Thank you for your application!” message displayed on the screen after clicking “SUBMIT”.

Applicants are kindly invited to carefully review the relevant Call for Applications and these FAQs. If any questions remain after reviewing these materials, or if further clarification is required, applicants may contact Dompé Foundation’s Administrative Office at the following e-mail address: segreteria@fondazionedompe.org. Dompé Foundation reserves the right not to provide further responses to questions whose answers are already addressed in the Call for Applications or in these FAQs.