There are many important cultural cross-roads in Italy, locations which have blossomed over the centuries into great cities where diverse currents of thought, commerce and tradition converge. Rome, Venice, Florence, Ravenna, Sorrento, Syracuse: each of these communities can boast its own proud history. But few cities in all of Europe can claim both deep historical significance and vital contemporary relevance in so many domains as Milan.

Located in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, Milan is the country’s crown jewels; a city which has attracted artists, thinkers, students, and business people for hundreds of years. Second only to Rome in terms of population, Milan is Italy’s undisputed capital of design, commerce, and fashion. At once a fully-modern metropolis and a locus of deep history, Milan is home to diverse institutions, including the Italian Stock Exchange (Borsa Italiana), the Triennale di Milano Art and Design Museum, and the world-famous La Scala opera house.

SAI Milan students at the Duomo

To help students discover this extraordinary location, SAI partners with two of Milan’s premier institutions of higher education: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Cattolica) and Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano (NABA). Each of these schools brings students face-to-face with world-class faculty, as well as with renowned professionals in their areas of expertise. 

Cattolica’s Milan campus

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Cattolica)

Cattolica is a private research university founded in 1921 offering a wide range of degree programs in both English and Italian. The main campus of Cattolica is located in central Milan, just fifteen minutes’ walk from one of Europe’s largest gothic cathedrals, the Duomo di Milano. Visiting study abroad students enjoy a diversity of course offerings in English, including within the departments of Business & Economics, Italian Culture, Fashion & Design, Media & Communications, and Sociology, Psychology & Law. 

In addition, SAI semester students in their junior or senior year can apply for a part-time three-credit internship to be completed as part of their elective program. Students are placed in internships which complement their major or minor, and complete 120 – 150 hours of internship work, which could include interning in a company’s office or conducting research or specific projects for the company.

SAI students can also supplement their regular semester of studies with the SAI Global Leadership Certificate (GLC). The GLC has been designed by SAI to help enrich students’ experiences, while acknowledging their academic and service work by providing an additional credential beyond a university transcript. Students enrolled in the Global Leadership Certificate program broaden their awareness of global issues and deepen their knowledge of the host community’s role in an increasingly interconnected world through exploration of research, engagement in community service and interaction with experts and leaders.

For more information about SAI’s program at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore please visit: www.saiprograms.com/milan/ucsc

NABA’s Milan campus

Nuova Accademia de Belle Arti di Milano (NABA)

Founded as a private academy in 1980, NABA holds the distinction of being the first Italian Academy of Arts to be listed on the 2022 QS World University Ranking 100 Best Art and Design Universities. The school subscribes to the philosophy that creativity is best cultivated in an international atmosphere, and welcomes students from over 60 different countries. The main campus is located in the Navigli area of Milan and comprises 12 buildings to provide exceptional equipment and studio space for its 2,000 students.

Visiting study abroad students are invited to take classes from the following academic departments at NABA: 

• Communications & Graphic Design
• Design
• Fashion Design
• Media Design & New Technologies
• Visual Arts

NABA instructors include renowned academics, as well as artists, professionals, and designers active within the creative industries in Milan. NABA’s teaching method stresses the cultural, theoretical, and practical aspects of design, while prioritizing direct student contact with companies and professionals. 

For more information about SAI’s program at Nuova Accademia de Belle Arti di Milano please visit: www.saiprograms.com/milan/naba

Want to know what Milan is like for a SAI student’s perspective? Take a look at this Day in the Life TikTok.

Have questions or want to get started? Reach out to a SAI Admissions Counselor today via livechat (bottom right box on this page), or by booking a call.