Students

As the center of the Mediterranean, Italy has riches that are as powerful a lure to scholars today as they have been for millennia. SAI takes advantage of that wealth by offering its modern study abroad programs in four historical cities spanning the Italian Peninsula and the island of Sicily, Milan, Florence and Rome. Along with the four programs in Italy, SAI has recently expanded to include Central Saint Martins in London.

Each of our program sites is unique.

Rome is the capital of Italy, and the repository of the art and architecture of the Roman empire; Florence is the cultural birthplace of the Italian Renaissance; and Milan is the bustling center of Italian commerce and fashion. The city of Syracuse, at the opposite end of Italy, was the center of Greek Italy and boasts a wealth of archaeological and architectural remains, ranging from Classical to Baroque and from Gothic to Arabesque, reflecting the overlapping historical narratives of all Italy.

London is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world. The capital's reputation as a multicultural city has been in the making for centuries, and the vibrant mix of nationalities and cultures among its seven million inhabitants is one of the many pleasures of living and studying in the city.

Students enrolled in SAI Programs from affiliated universities will receive US credit for courses from their home university. All SAI students enrolling from non-affiliated universities will receive US course credit from Fairfield University in Connecticut. SAI will automatically process non-affiliate students through Fairfield University, with no additional fee. Our programs in Milan, Florence, Sicily and London are accredited by Fairfield University in Connecticut. Students attending the program at John Cabot University (JCU) in Rome will receive US credit directly from JCU, since JCU is already a US accredited university.

All courses are taught in English with the exception of Italian language (immersion style for English-speakers). For advanced Italian language students, a few courses are offered each term taught in Italian, marked "in Italian" in the catalog and class schedules.

Each year SAI offers a number of Scholarships for study abroad. See our page on scholarships for details.

Semester students in Florence, Sicily and Milan MUST take at least three credits of Italian language as part of their program. Summer session/Intersession students are not required to take Italian language. Students attending our Rome program are not required to take Italian language as part of their program.

A number of classes at each school require academic field trips; see course descriptions for details. Optional events and excursions of varying lengths are offered at each location. Costs for excursions range from approximately $400 - $800.

The following overnight excursions are currently offered at our host schools:
Rome • Walking tours are common and have included the following: Trastevere & the Janiculum with Art Historian; Roman Forum & the Palatine with Art Historian; Campo Marzio with Art Historian; Fountains of Rome; Roma Antica • SICILY excursion • FLORENCE excursion • TUSCANY excursion • CINQUE TERRE excursion • ROME excursion • VENICE excursion • SORRENTO, CAPRI, & POMPEI excursion • VIENNA excursion • URBINO excursion Syracuse • NAPLES/POMPEII excursion • AEOLIAN ISLANDS excursion • TAORMINA excursion Milan • LUGANO excursion • TORINO excursion • London: TBA

For further information or if you have any questions, contact the Admissions Officer for Rome, Florence, Sicily, Milan or London in our California office.

Our US based admissions officers conduct regular site visits to the host school and are able to answer any questions about the programs as well as any aspect of the admissions process, from course enrollment through housing assignment. You can click on the "Contact Us " button at the top of each program web site to be immediately connected to an admissions officer and ask your questions through live chat.

You can also contact us at the following address:
SAI Programs
7151 Wilton Avenue, Suite 202
Sebastopol, CA 95472 USA
tel: 1-800-655-8965
web: www.saiprograms.com
email: mail@saiprograms.com

Visiting parents in Florence receive an 8-10% discount when reserving with our partner, Windows on Italy. They offer a range of accommodations from luxury villas to lovely central apartments. Instead of completing their online booking form, you must email them directly first, letting them know you are referred by SAI, in order to benefit from the discount.

Each student shared apartment is equipped with the following:
— basic kitchen supplies
— furnishings
— one set of sheets per student
—washing machine and iron.

Apartments are NOT equipped with: towels (students should pack or purchase towels in Italy); telephones (students can use their cell phones); clothes dryers.

The cost of living in Italy/London is similar to that in the U.S. In Italy/London, a coffee costs about $2.00 and fruits and vegetables are perhaps a little less expensive than in the States, especially if you buy them at the open market. Telephones, on the other hand, are more expensive as is energy in general (gas, electricity, gasoline), so things tend to even out. If you cook in your own house, you can live relatively cheaply. Consulates expect you to have about $1,000 - $1,200 per month for your stay in Italy/London, and this is a good, though somewhat generous estimate of basic living cost. The value of the US dollar has dropped dramatically in the past year, which has raised the cost of living for US students studying abroad. Of our different locations, Milan or London are perhaps the most expensive cities and Syracuse (in Sicily) the least, in terms of general cost of living.

Italy: We like to suggest the Blue Guide series. In addition to maps, these guides will provide you with cultural and historical information as well as suggestions for restaurants and hotels. Blue guides are published for Southern Italy, Northern Italy (including Milan), Florence, Rome and Sicily. Of course there are also Let's Go and Lonely Planet guides available, which will address more specifically the questions of a young person, such as inexpensive food and lodging.
London: TimeOut London and Let's Go London are both great guide books. London Mini A-Z is excellent for maps.

SAI provides all students with rental cell phones free of charge for the duration of their stay in Italy. No charges are made for incoming calls and text messaging received while in Italy. If a student opts to use the cell phone to make outgoing calls and/or text messages, relevant charges will be billed on a call by call basis. Our cell phones are provided by Student Cells, and their rates are among the lowest available, however students should realize that cell phone costs in Italy can be higher than in the US. For registration and billing information see: http://www.studentcells.com.

Students studying in London will have access to a telephone in their student apartment and will be given the option of renting a cell phone while abroad. Mail should be sent to the apartment address.