The Italian Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM) has officially confirmed the continuation of the “Progetto Studente-Atleta di Alto Livello” for the 2026/2027 school year, maintaining a structured national framework designed to help elite young competitors balance intensive athletic training with upper secondary education. According to ministerial documentation, the initiative enters its next academic cycle in continuity with previous iterations, relying on cooperation with the Department for Sport of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP), and Sport e Salute S.p.A.
First established under Ministerial Decree n. 43 of March 3, 2023, the experimental educational program targets state and equal secondary schools across Italy. Its core mechanism revolves around the creation of a Personalized Educational Path, known in Italian as a Percorso Formativo Personalizzato (PFP), tailored by local institutions to accommodate the demanding schedules of athletes competing at national levels.
Official monitoring data from the 2025/2026 academic year illustrate the program’s broad reach, recording participation from 2,644 secondary schools and 57,893 student-athletes. Enrollment distributions remained consistent across the five-year high school span, with the highest concentration of participants found among third-year students. Geographically, data showed notable spikes in school participation rates within the Campania and Lombardy regions.
When broken down by academic track, the ministry reported that scientific high schools (liceo scientifico) accounted for 35,13% of active projects, technical institutes represented 27,05%, and sports-focused scientific high schools made up 8,98%. Combined, traditional scientific tracks and technical institutes represent 62,18% of the total.
Athletic discipline breakdowns show high representation across several major national sports federations. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) recorded the largest share of requests, followed by the Italian Basketball Federation (FIP), the Italian Swimming Federation (FIN), the Italian Volleyball Federation (FIPAV), and the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR). Together, these five governing bodies account for more than 63,45% of total applications, though participation spans a wide array of other recognized sports.
For the upcoming 2026/2027 academic year, institutional participation remains optional. Participating schools incorporate the framework into their Triennial Educational Offer Plan (PTOF) or through annual plan updates, operating under guidelines outlined in directorial decree requirements issued ahead of the term.
Families and student-athletes seeking to join the program must verify their eligibility against technical criteria established by the evaluation and monitoring commission. Documentation from respective National Sports Federations and Associated Sports Disciplines—recognized by CONI or CIP—must be submitted through schools via the dedicated ministerial web platform.
Keep reading
