Students in all SIS programs perform service in the community through the IC partner Ulisse Cultural Association. This service can range from 1 – 5 hours a week, with opportunities in a variety of service sites. Students might set tables at the city soup kitchen, visit with the elderly at a nursing home, teach English to local elementary school children or volunteer on the city ambulance. Volunteering in the community is an important way to improve language skills, get involved in the local social fabric and make a genuine contribution to the host community. For more information on volunteering see SIS Service Learning & Volunteer.

Courses & Schedule
All students begin the semester with a 3 week intensive Italian Language course (3 credits). All students also enroll in 2 semester-long courses: Italian Language and Intercultural Dialogue (3 credits), and Democracy and Global Citizenship (3 credits). Additionally, students select one of the following tracks:

• Elective Track: students enroll in 2 – 3 elective courses in various departments including Humanities & Social Sciences, Music & Visual Arts, Business, and Natural and Environmental Sciences. Students earn 15 – 18 US credits.
• Scientific Track: this track is geared toward students wishing to complete courses in natural, environmental and applied sciences, as well as math and statistics. Students enroll in 2 – 3 courses from a list of scientific track courses. One of the courses chosen can have a lab, for a total of 15 – 19 US credits.
• Service-Intensive Track: students in this track choose fewer academic content courses in order to allow for additional service-learning time. Students choose 1-2 elective courses, for a total of 12 – 15 US credits.

Italian Language Competency
SAI students enrolled in a semester at SIS can go from absolute beginner Italian speakers to advanced, all while taking language and subject coursework. Elective courses are conducted in a mix of English and Italian and students are given English language readings and supporting materials to ensure that the content is not compromised (scientific track courses are offered in English). As students’ linguistic competencies improve, more and more Italian is used and by the end, not only are lessons held in Italian, but also final papers are written in Italian.

Course Registration
Students complete their course registration during the SAI application process by selecting their primary course choices as well as required alternate courses. Course schedules are confirmed in Siena after students have been given an introduction to the courses and finalized which courses they will take.

*prices are subject to change

Note: certain SAI-affiliated US universities require specific payment arrangements. These may require that some fees are paid by the student directly to SAI, and other fees are paid to SAI by the affiliated university on behalf of the student. If you attend a SAI-affiliated university please contact your study abroad office or speak with your SAI Admissions Counselor for details.

This is a SAI 360° Services Program; it includes our full services!

• Program tuition and U.S. academic credit
• Accommodation in carefully selected student housing
• Airport pickup on arrival day
• Welcome reception and events
• Orientation to the host city and school
• On-site staff who foster a welcoming community for you and provide assistance when needed
• SAI Viva Experience: cultural engagement, excursions & wellness activities
• Student health insurance providing full coverage and medical emergency evacuation
• 24-hour on-site emergency support
• Farewell event

Pre-departure and Re-entry services

• Knowledgeable Admissions Counselor dedicated to you, providing friendly assistance
• Helpful pre-departure tools and resources
• Parent & family resources
• Online student groups to acquaint you with other SAI students
• Student visa advising
• Assistance with financial aid processing
• Need-based SAI scholarships
• Alumni Ambassador Program, with paid internship opportunities
• SAI alumni network

SAI offers all students the Viva Experience: frequent cultural activities, at no extra cost, for participants to get to know their community, city and country. Following is a sample of the activities included in this program. Please note that actual activities may differ.

Welcome Reception
Upon arrival, new students, host families and SIS faculty and staff unite at a welcome reception to kick off the semester.

Natural Hot Springs Spa
Students visit the Antica Querciolaia Spa in the town of Rapolano Terme and relax in the therapeutic waters. The spa features a series of large pools fed by the nearby natural springs and overlooks the rolling Tuscan hills.

Brussels Weekend Excursion
Students will visit Brussels, Belgium, the diplomatic and organizational center of the European Union. During the weekend excursion, students tour the headquarters of the EU parliament with an EU representative, visit related museums as well as other EU organizations, NGOs, and cultural attractions. 

Italian Weekend Excursion: Sulmona & the Apennine Mountains*
Students have the opportunity to explore Italy off the beaten path for an unforgettable weekend. The excursion begins with a stop in Assisi for a visit to the stunning city center, before continuing on to Sulmona in Abruzzo. Students explore the city that is nestled in a valley surrounded by the regional and national parks of the Apennine mountains. The group joins a guided hike through the mountains and enjoys local delicacies. To complete the trip, students stop at Rocca Calascio, the highest fortress in the Apennines, and then in Spoleto before returning to Siena.
* The Italian Weekend Excursion varies each term. Recent trips have also included Bologna, Modena and Verona, or Genova and Turin! Each trip is intended to help students explore places they may not have chosen on their own.

Tuscan Seaside
Students explore the breathtaking Tuscan coast by hiking to a secluded cove or relaxing on the dunes along the Mediterranean Sea. After beach time, the group heads to the breathtaking medieval town of Castiglione della Pescaia to explore and sample the best gelato around.

I Bottini: Siena’s Underground Aqueducts
Students tour the Bottini with a local guide, exploring a portion of the miles of galleries that run underneath the city of Siena. Carved during medieval times, the Bottini were used to gather Siena’s drinking water for centuries, feeding the many fountains scattered throughout the city.

Wine Tasting
Students visit a winery, learn about the winemaking process, and enjoy various tastings.

Day Trip to Florence
SIS Art History professor accompanies students on a day trip to Florence to visit the Uffizi Gallery and explore the city and visit one of its famous museums.

Tuscan Cooking Lesson
Students learn the art of Italian cooking in a hands-on, Italian cooking lesson, including appetizers, main courses and dessert. Lessons conclude with a meal of all that is prepared!

Visits to Tuscan Hilltowns
Students explore the Italian countryside, visiting one or more of the quaint towns tucked in the Tuscan hills, such as San Gimignano, Pienza, Montepulciano or Cortona.

Museum Visits in Siena
Students visit various museums in Siena as part of Italian class and other content courses. These include the Duomo, OPA Museum, the Museo Civico, the Santa Maria della Scala, as well as others.

Contrada Museum Visit
Students first have a historic/cultural lesson on Siena’s world-famous Palio and the history of its unique Contrade, then visit the museum and grounds of one of the 17 city districts to learn about it first hand from a contradaiolo.

Ceramics Workshop
Students participate in a hands-on ceramic workshop to create small ceramic objects, and learn a technique to paint decorative ceramic plates typical of Tuscan handicraft.

Farewell Dinner
After the exams are completed and final papers handed in, the students, faculty and staff share in a celebratory final meal to reflect upon the program experience and to say final goodbyes before departure.

Standard Housing: Family homestay
All participants are accommodated with local host families. Homestay accommodations include breakfast and dinner 7 days a week.  Students are also provided with a meal plan for weekday lunches at a local restaurant near the school each day. Depending on the particular family placement students could be in a shared or private room. Homestays are an integral and indispensable part of all SIS programs, offering students the opportunity to make life-long friends, reinforce the language skills acquired during daily lessons and to experience modern Italian culture from “the inside.” SIS’s carefully selected families, whether a single mother, a young married couple with children or an elderly widow, are all experienced in hosting American students. The host families view this experience as a form of cultural exchange and are eager to share their version of Italian culture with program participants.

Passports
Passports should be valid for 3 months after planned departure from Italy.

Student Visas
In accordance with Italian law, students studying in Italy for 91 days or more are required to obtain a student visa. Those with Italian/EU citizenship are exempted. Non-US nationals should consult their local Consulate for information on student visa requirements.

Depending on the consulate, students will either mail in their student visa application or appear in person to present their application to the consulate. Our Student Visa Office is available to assist students in preparing for the appointment; SAI Student Visa Consulting is part of the SAI 360° Services included in the program fee. SAI Student Visa Processing Service is available for select consulates only, for an additional fee.