FAQ – Parents

All student accommodations are equipped with a kitchen and basic supplies. In general, students are encouraged to shop at the local markets and to prepare food at home with their apartment mates. Students tend to enjoy the market experience and cooking with all of the fresh foods.

SAI Florence offers a meal plan at Ganzo, a restaurant run by the Apicius students: http://www.saiflorence.com/services/mealplan.php. Prices for the various meal plans are available on request.

SAI Siena students are placed with families and will be provided 3 meals a day, seven days a week.

SAI Sorrento offers students the option of residing with a family. This option is offered as half board (breakfasts only) or full board (breakfasts and dinners). Students choosing to live in an SAI apartment will have a fully equipped kitchen at their disposal. In addition, students will receive several discounts using their SASL student ID at local restaurants.

SAI Rome/JCU students are welcome to join the JCU meal plan. JCU has arranged with local restaurants and cafés to provide meals Monday through Friday during the semester: http://www.sairome.com/services/mealplanJCU.html. Prices for the various meal plans are available on request.

SAI Rome/Italiaidea have the option of residing with a family and receiving one continental breakfast (Monday-Friday) and one complete meal per day (Monday-Thursday). Students choosing the SAI apartment option will have access to the shared kitchen.

SAI Milan does not have a formal meal plan. Although, NABA does have a cafeteria on campus and Domus has a popular cafe right across the street. Summer students enrolled in NABA course will receive one meal voucher each day they are in class. Vouchers can be redeemed at the NABA cafeteria.

SAI London has multiple campuses centrally located throughout London and each school has a cafeteria on campus. No meal plans are available. Students will have access to a kitchen in their student accommodations.

SAI is dedicated to providing education abroad opportunities to students with learning or physical difficulties. If a student experiences any learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia) which may interfere with his/her ability to pursue an academic course, and which he/she wishes to be taken into account, students should notify SAI during the application process. Although we may not be able to offer specialized instruction or resources, we can offer understanding and respect, and will do our best to replicate any assistance (extra time in tests, etc.) offered at the student's home institutions. Regarding physical difficulties, it is important to note that Italy’s infrastructure and ability to accommodate special needs differs from what is available in the US. Certain SAI program sites are better equipped to assist students with special needs than others. As this may be a factor in choosing which SAI program to attend, students should notify us of any special needs before applying.

Yes, SAI offers a number of short term programs in Italy for students of all ages and interests. For additional information, visit our adult programs page: http://www.saiprograms.com/adult-programs.

SAI offers courses in Food, Wine and Language, along with many options for short studies in Arts.

Beginning in 2011 SAI will offer two exciting Tours to Italy (10-14 days), each centered around a theme. In Fall 2011 we will offer a “Vendemmia” tour of Tuscany. Vendemmia is the grape picking season in Italy and we will include lectures and short courses, hands-on, in culinary and wine studies. The group will tour winemaking sites, participate in picking grapes, learn how olive oil, cheese and prosciutto are made. This tour includes 4-star hotel accommodations and experts in their field joining the group. Please contact our office, or look for details on our website under “Adult Programs”. In addition, our California Food and Wine Center, VIVA institute, offers a number of short term and weekend programs on Italian history, language, culture and cuisine. On request, VIVA also offers pre-departure weekend orientation programs in Sebastopol for students and parents throughout the year.

VIVA is located in Sebastopol, California, just 55 miles north of San Francisco in the heart of Sonoma County. 7160 Keating Avenue, Sebastopol, CA 95472 tel: 707.824.9913 or 800.655.8965 fax: 707.824.2285 www.saiprograms.com/VIVA viva@saiprograms.com.

SAI Program Coordinators regularly organize social and cultural events for SAI students, including: events held in cooperation with local students, sporting events and participation in sports, cultural events, volunteer & community service opportunities.

SAI can be reached at the following offices, in the US and abroad:

SAI California Office (Main Office)
7160 Keating Avenue
Sebastopol, CA 95472
Tel: (+1) 707.824.8965
Toll Free: 800.655.896
Fax: (+1) 707.824.0198

SAI suggests that students arrive in Italy with €200.00 or in London with 200 British Pounds to pay for taxis, trains, food and other immediate needs. After arrival, students should try to keep 150 euro/pounds in cash at all times in case of emergencies. There are three basic ways of obtaining money while abroad: traveler’s checks, ATMs and credit cards. Traveler's checks in US dollars are widely accepted in Europe and often get a better exchange rate than plain cash. American Express traveler's checks can be cashed anywhere. As for credit cards, Visa and MasterCard are universally accepted, while American Express, Diners Club, Discover are not. Credit/debit cards can be used at ATMs for cash advances with a valid PIN number or at any bank. In general, it is best for students to use an ATM card to withdraw money from their US account as needed. ATM cards are probably the easiest way to handle money and there are plenty of compatible ATMs in Europe. Students should check to ensure that their PIN number is valid in Europe.

SAI program offer the widest curriculum choices in Italy. In addition to Italian studies, our host schools offer a variety of disciplines to accommodate many different students. All courses are taught in English, with the exception of the Italian language courses and those designated ‘in Italian.’ To review our course catalogs, please visit the respective SAI program website. Our London programs of course do not include Italian studies. In London SAI offers a wide range of Arts, Design and Communication studies.

Each school maintains a library with copies of key textbooks and related reading which is sufficient for research related to course work. All students have free access to computers and internet at each school. Although, semester students are encouraged to bring their laptop computers.

Admission services ranging from application, course enrollment, housing assignment Carefully selected living accommodations in clean, pleasant city center lodgings HTH Insurance (comprehensive international health insurance including medical emergency evacuation and repatriation) Cell phone assignment prior to departure and pick-up upon arrival (Not yet available in London) US academic credit Academic programs taught in English Dedicated on-site SAI Program Coordinators providing personal assistance throughout the term Airport pick-up and transportation on arrival days Orientation: three day (semester programs) or two day (summer programs) in-depth orientation Welcome reception and events 24 hour emergency support line Weekly cultural activities Program inclusive 2 night, 3 day excursion as well as a number of day trips to selected locations Farewell evening: reception and dinner with all students Optional student visa service Optional excursions offered at an additional cost for each program Program cost does not include: Application fee, security deposit, single room supplement, airfare, meals, personal expenses, books, course fees, optional excursions offered by SAI or the host school.

The SAI on-site Program Coordinator organizes a series of meetings and events which are designed to provide students with a thorough orientation of the city and surrounding area. They also provide a full explanation of the academic program as well as an introduction to the host school faculty and staff. By the end of orientation, students should have a clear understanding of their new environment and feel confident moving about the city independently.

The program fee includes HTH Worldwide Insurance coverage for all SAI programs. Prior to departure, each student will receive an email explanation of benefits, instructions on how to print the HTH ID card.

For additional policy information, visit:
- www.hthstudents.com. This website provides students access to a description of insurance benefits, claim forms, contact information, as well as access to HTH Worldwide's Provider networks.
- www.hthparents.com provides parents with access to the same health and security resources that are available to students and advisors.

SAI is dedicated to providing academic and cultural learning experiences in Italy that enhance global awareness, professional development and social responsibility. SAI concentrates its programs in Italy, with a focus on understanding Italy’s unique global role in the geopolitical economy, humanities, and the arts, while intentionally linking the art and design programs in Italy with those in London. SAI accomplishes its work in a sustainable and responsible manner, with consideration to the environmental impact on global and local communities.

Each SAI program has a dedicated Admissions Counselor based in our California office as well as an on-site Program Coordinator. All SAI Italy staff are fluent in Italian and have lived or studied in the city in which they work. In case of emergency, SAI on-site staff can be reached 24 hours a day by calling the SAI emergency phone line. In addition, SAI provides all students with access to a US trained and certified counselor.