Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti
Summer 4 weeks I 2024
6 credits

NABA’s 4 week summer programs offer students a synthesis of NABA expertise in the fields of Design, Fashion, Visual & Digital Arts, and Communication under the guidance of, and collaboration with, professionals in the field. Students are immersed in Italy’s thriving creative community through visits to museums, companies, production facilities, and design studios. SAI offers two 4 week summer sessions at NABA, each with different start dates and course options: Summer I and Summer II. In both 4 week sessions, students enroll in two back-to-back 2 week courses, each worth 3 credits.


Application: Closed

Application Requirements
Complete online application
Personal statement (300-500 words)
Official transcript
Passport scan (photo page)
Digital photo (passport style)
Italian privacy consent form

Highlights

  • Study in one of the greatest design capitals of the world at Europe’s largest private art academy.
  • Take multiple levels of a subject within a single program

Program Dates
June 20, 2024 July 20, 2024


Eligibility Requirements

Age: 18+

Academic Year: Freshman (1st year) or above

Cumulative GPA:* 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale)

* contact SAI if you don’t meet requirements



Art & Design
Communication & Graphic Design
Design
Fashion
Media Design and New Technologies
Sound Design
Visual Arts

Art & Design

3.0 Credits
Art & Design | Course #: AR CA 300 | Section: 2 | Open
Coming soon
Contact Hours: 45

Communication & Graphic Design

3.0 Credits
Digital Illustration | Course #: CG NB 250 | Section: 1 | Open
Throughout this course, students will learn how to create effective graphic vector images applicable in many different professional and design areas. Focusing on practice, through practicing with various tools, students will learn to create from simple graphs to basic shapes, icons, illustrations, and logos.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Urban Graphics & Design | Course #: GD UX 400 | Section: 2 | Open
Pre-requisite: Advanced level class. Prerequisites TBA.
TBA
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Visual Design | Course #: CG NB 267 | Section: 2 | Open
During this intensive course, students will gain knowledge of the different visual communication concepts and tools. Participants will be guided through a path marked by both lectures and practical workshops in order to learn digital skills and the methods of visual representation. At the end of the course each student will be able to find his own visual style and to develop his own personal project.

Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Visual Design | Course #: GD NB 280 | Section: 1 | Open
Course Description
This course provides theoretical, conceptual and practical competences that are propaedeutic to the design of communication elements within graphic design: from the scientific study of shapes and signs (basic design), to the visual identity of companies/services (corporate identity), with attention to the use of typography and to the right balance between aesthetic, strategic and technological components.

Course Overview
The course will focus on the following topics:
-Introduction to the scientific study of signs and shapes: basic design
-Presentation of the designing methodology aimed at creating brand identity (brand, logotype, naming, colourpalette, etc.) including the graphic and typographic elements that are necessary to the creation of a coordinatedimage.
Contact Hours: 45

Design

3.0 Credits
Interior Design | Course #: DD NB 265 | Section: 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Course requires a minimum of 4 students to run.
A full immersion course will provide students with an overview of the Italian Design methodology. Students will be provided with the necessary tools to analyze the elements of space and will have the opportunity to dive into intensive project works. Students will be introduced in the world of design in all its aspect and through experimentation, they will learn to recognize the various design typologies and spaces.

At the end of the course, students shall be able to:
- Analyze contemporary interior spaces through observation, based on personal research of Italian art and design into the city
- Take personal notes through drawings, pictures, texts
- Design an interior layout for a special location in the city selected on the first phase of the course and present the final results in a sort of class exhibition
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Interior Design | Course #: DD NB 365s | Section: 2 | Open
Pre-requisite: Interior Design I. Course requires a minimum of 4 students to run.
Students will have the chance to analyze contemporary interior spaces and develop a designer’s professional attitude searching for materials, inspired by city exploration. The project-based work will be geared toward the creation of a model of interior design, using only regenerated or discarded materials. Final results will be presented in a final class exhibition.

At the end of the course, students shall be able to:
- Analyze contemporary interior spaces through observation based on personal research of Italian art and design into the city of Milan
- Develop a professional attitude in acting an interior designer and searching for materials as source of inspiration
- Develop a project with physical model of interior layout, using different materials and technique
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Interior Design | Course #: DD NB 455 | Section: 2 | Open
Pre-requisite: This is an advanced course. Course requires a minimum of 4 students to run.
The course will enable participants to understand the combination of aesthetics, functional and operational aspects to design successful hotels. Students will acquire the ability to solve design problems, open their imagination, find alternative solution, be inspired by space and context.

Students will:
- Directly experience basic Hospitality Design business practices, including the ability to organize design projects and to work productively as a member of a team.
- Analyze contemporary hotel typologies, the latest hotel design trends and information regarding materials, furniture, and lighting.
- Gain knowledge and skills in the use of basic tools, techniques, technologies, and processes.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Product Design | Course #: DD NB 280 | Section: 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Course requires a minimum of 4 students to run.
Students will be introduced and exposed to the design process, in order to understand what lives behind the creation of a product. They will have the opportunity to dive into intensive project work geared towards creative thinking and exploring form and functionality. Students will work in small groups, in an open discussion environment, developing their creative process from the idea to the final presentation. The final project will be presented in a simulating, small exhibition, through a model and a short story in a digital format.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Product Design | Course #: DD NB 380 | Section: 2 | Open
Pre-requisite: Some background in Art and Design. Course requires a minimum of 4 students to run.
Students will develop a project, which consists of a coordinated product line created by using hand or digital drawing, as well as a product prototype. The project will be carried out in groups as a studio work, under the supervision of an established designer in an open-discussion setting. Specific workshops, that will focus on materials, on the history of design, and on the biography of an object, will expose students to multiple possible approaches.
Contact Hours: 45

Fashion

3.0 Credits
Accessories Design | Course #: FD NB 320 | Section: 2 | Open
Pre-requisite: some background Art and Design. Course requires a minimum of 4 students to run.
Focused on the discovery of the fundamentals of luxury accessories brand collections, specifically of Made-in-Italy shoes and bags, the aim of the course is to plan a new Luxury accessory brand made in Italy. Students will learn to recognize Contemporary Luxury Accessories brands in Italy and to develop a new conscience about the Luxury Accessory field. Students will have to develop a personal collection proposal for a Luxury accessory brand.

During the course, students will:
- coordinate and develop a new luxury accessories brand
- acquire the technical methodology to make shoes and bags
- evaluate knowledge on Made in Italy accessory design
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fashion Design | Course #: FD NB 260 | Section: 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: This course is intended for students without any academic background in the specific subject area and for students attending their first year of university studies in Art and Design. Course requires a minimum of 4 students to run.
An inspiring discovery of the Italian Fashion pipeline with lectures by experienced professionals and guided visits to Milan's best fashion areas and showrooms. Students will be given an overview of the Italian Fashion System, and they will learn to produce fashion sketches, to carry out research to be used to develop a fashion collection.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fashion Design | Course #: FD NB 362 | Section: 2 | Open
Pre-requisite: This course is intended for students with some background in that specific subject area and to students attending or having completed one or two years of their university studies in Art and Design who are keen on building upon this through hands-on training experience. Course requires a minimum of 4 students to run. Course requires a minimum of 4 students to run.
In this course students will create a capsule collection. Concepts, moods and themes will be conceived and developed to provide inspiration for clothing, color and shape. Students will experiment studio and workshop practice, and they will work on the development of a prototype with handcraft tailoring methods.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fashion Marketing & Communication | Course #: FD NB 215 | Section: 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: This course is intended for students who have no background in fashion and who are attending or will attend their first year of university studies in art and design. Course requires a minimum of 4 students to run.
This course focuses on the fashion industry through a business and management perspective. It will provide students the necessary tools to understand the dynamic context of Italian and international fashion business. Students will be introduced to fundamentals such as fashion industry sourcing, supply chain, fashion buying cycle, vendor selection and fashion buying decision criteria, retail brand marketing in the fashion industry, internationalization of fashion retailing, international branding, and flagship stores.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fashion Styling | Course #: FD NB 272 | Section: 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: This course is intended for students with some background in that specific subject area and to students attending or having completed one or two years of their university studies in Art and Design who are keen on building upon this through hands-on training experience.
Students will be given a specific technical training in the field of fashion styling to teach them to create a new image for a body and its clothes encompassing make-up techniques, hair shapes, location, light, photography. Students will experience the excitement of producing a photo shooting in a real work environment: live models, shooting location, and in a professional studio. Personal research and observation will be used to analyze contemporary advertising. Field tools used to promote fashion products for the targeted consumer audience.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fashion Styling | Course #: FD NB 323 | Section: 2 | Open
Pre-requisite: This course is intended for students with some background in that specific subject area and to students attending or having completed one or two years of their university studies in Art and Design who are keen on building upon this through hands-on training experience.
Students will be given a specific technical training in the field of fashion styling to teach them to create a new image for a body and its clothes encompassing make-up techniques, hair shapes, location, light, photography. Students will experience the excitement of producing a photo shooting in a real work environment: live models, shooting location, and in a professional studio. Personal research and observation will be used to analyze contemporary advertising. Field tools used to promote fashion products for the targeted consumer audience.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Visual Merchandising | Course #: FD NB 357 | Section: 2 | Open
Pre-requisite: This course is intended for students with some background in the subject area and for those currently attending or having completed the second year of their university studies in Art and Design. Students must be keen on building upon their prior academic work through hands-on training experience.
The analysis of visual merchandising strategies for showrooms, concept stores, mono- brand stores, and department stores, will be the key elements of this course, along with the study and understanding of the tools used to create a strategic language for fashion brands. Students will develop a theoretical, analytical, and critical approach through guided tour visits to the most relevant concept stores in Milan. At the end of the course they will be asked to develop their own retail strategy.
Contact Hours: 45

Media Design and New Technologies

3.0 Credits
2D and 3D Design & Animation | Course #: MD NB 350 | Section: 2 | Open
Pre-requisite: Intermediate level class. Prerequisite: Visual Effects or equivalent.
Students will be introduced to Motion Graphics and will gain an understanding of both theory and practical components for after effects including compositing and layering; 3D effects using 2D elements and digital image manipulation.


This course is designed to give beginners with a basic understanding of after effects the skills to deliver design solutions and bring their idea to life for television, websites, film or events.

Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Game Design & Development | Course #: MD NB 268 | Section: 2 | Open
Pre-requisite: This course is intended for students without any academic background in the specific subject area and for students attending their first year of university studies in Art and Design.
Learn how to create video games using Unity 3D, a free-to-use game development engine. You will have the opportunity to develop 3D gaming experiences with sophisticated storylines, interactions, aesthetics, and technical aspects. You will discover how to use the core features of the software while designing your very first game, starting with learning how to create a new project and manage your game assets. You will practice the elements of building a fully playable prototype in Unity: installation and setup, pathfinding, lighting and light mapping, artificial intelligence basics, camera animations, character animations, scripting, materials, skyboxes, particle effects, sound effects, and music.
Contact Hours: 45

Sound Design

3.0 Credits
Sound Branding | Course #: SD SB 300 | Section: 2 | Open
Coming Soon
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Sound Design | Course #: ID NB 355 | Section: 1 | Open
The course combines historical-cultural knowledge, creative research, the technical and technological process within the analysis and the design of the different musical productive sectors: DJing, Electronic Music Production, Sound Art, Sound Design and Sound Branding. The didactic and operative methodology develops synergically over different educational layers: History, Analysis, Theory, Composition, Instrument and Laboratory. The new digital technologies for audio are the instrumental palette used in order to compose and explore the techniques of manipulation, editing and mixing of sampled or electronically generated sounds.


Objectives: At the conclusion of the course, participants will have acquired the necessary tools in order to be self-sufficient in audio production and will have started developing a personal musical project and will be involved in the activities of NABA WEB RADIO.

Contact Hours: 45

Visual Arts

3.0 Credits
Curatorial Studies | Course #: AR NB 350 | Section: 1 | Open
The work of the curator includes a plurality of skills and multiplicity of approaches to understand the present time, interact with the past and produce new perspectives. Alongside theoretical knowledge, the course covers a structured path to develop curatorial projects, from research and production of a concept, to organization and display. During the course, students will work on a personal or group project that will be presented in the spaces of Naba with a moment open to the public, using a variety of possible formats, from video screening to lectures, from exhibition to online publications. In addition to class lessons, the course includes visits to exhibitions and contemporary art spaces in Milan.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Illustration | Course #: MD NB 269 | Section: 1 | Open
Students will learn to create effective, powerful images and interesting illustrations applicable to different professional areas. Alternating lectures and practical workshops, the course will show different techniques, processes and approaches.

This course is intended for students who have no background in illustration.
Contact Hours: 45

Courses & Registration
NABA summer courses run Monday – Friday between 10:00am and 4:00pm. Students participate in two back-to-back two week sessions, taking one course per session. Students complete their course registration during the SAI application process by selecting their primary course choice for section 1 (course held during the first two weeks of the program) and section 2 (course held during the last two weeks of the program) as well as required alternate courses for each two week section. Course schedules are confirmed 3 weeks prior to the program start.

Note: This program consists of back-to-back courses; students enrolling in this program must complete the full program length.


Pre-Departure Calendar
March 15 2024
Application Closes
Applications accepted after closing as space permits.
Within 1 week of acceptance
SAI Deposits Due
$500 Confirmation Deposit (applied toward program fee)
$300 Security Deposit (refundable)
March 15 2024
SAI Scholarship Application Deadline
Students wishing to apply for a SAI scholarship must have all application items submitted by 11:59pm Pacific Time on this date.
March 22 2024
50% of Total Program Fee Due
Students who are accepted and submit SAI deposits after this date will have an amended pay schedule. Either 50% or 100% of Program Fee will be due within 5 business days, based on the deposit payment date.
March 29 2024
Enrollment Closes
Students must complete their enrollment, including paying deposits, by this date.
April 6 2024
SAI Financial Aid Verification Deadline
Students wishing to defer payment until financial aid disbursement must submit the financial aid verification forms to SAI by this date.
April 21 2024
Balance of Total Program Fee Due

On-Site Calendar
June 20 2024
Arrival & Housing Check-in
Students arrive at the Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) or Milan Linate Airport (LIN). SAI airport pickup is provided between 10:00am and 3:00pm, and students are transferred to SAI housing.
June 21 2024
SAI Orientation
Mandatory SAI orientation introduces students to their city while covering safety, policies, housing, and culture.
June 25 2024
NABA Academic Orientation
NABA orientation includes academic policies and information, as well as opportunities for students to get to know each other and meet professors.
June 25 2024
Classes Begin: Section 1
July 5 2024
Classes End: Section 1
July 9 2024
Classes Begin: Section 2
July 19 2024
Classes End: Section 2
July 20 2024
Program End & Housing Check-out
Students must move out of SAI housing by 10:00am to return home or pursue independent travel. 
SAI Program Fees* USD
Application Fee $120
Security Deposit
Refundable at the end of the term.
$300
Program Fee
Includes tuition, standard housing and SAI 360° Services (see What’s Included).
$7,200
Optional / Additional Fees:  
Optional Private Room Housing Supplement
Private room in a shared apartment, with a shared bathroom.
$800
International Mailing Supplement
When applicable, students are charged an international mailing supplement to ensure visa paperwork arrives in a timely manner.
$90

*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.

Budget Low Est. High Est.
Airfare to/from Milan
$900 $1,800
Books, Supplies & Course Fees
$50 / course $200 / course
Meals
Includes groceries and eating out.
$600 / month $1,000 / month
Personal Expenses $250 / month $350 / month
Transportation within Milan area
Public transportation with some taxi rides.
$100 / month $250 / month
Weekend Travel
Cost varies greatly by student.
$300 / month $1,000 / month

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 and transportation on arrival day
  • Welcome reception and events
  • SAI orientation to the host city and school
  • SAI staff on-site dedicated to fostering a welcoming community for all students by providing assistance to diverse needs
  • SAI Viva Experience: frequent cultural activities & trips outside host city
  • Student health insurance providing full coverage and medical emergency evacuation
  • 24-hour on-site emergency support
  • Farewell event with all students

Pre-departure and Re-entry services

  • Personal assistance from your dedicated Admissions Counselor
  • Helpful pre-departure tools and resources
  • Online student groups to acquaint you with other SAI students
  • SAI Student Visa consulting
  • Assistance with financial aid processing
  • Need-based SAI scholarships
  • Paid registration fees for national re-entry conferences
  • SAI Ambassador Program for SAI alumni, 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 Event
SAI welcomes students to Milan with aperitivi at one of the hidden and local trendy spots in the Naviglio district.

Duomo Rooftop and Milan Walking Tour
Students admire the architecture of the spire-laden Duomo up close as they walk among the buttresses and statues and enjoy a panoramic view of the city from the rooftop. Following the tour, the group discovers the fashion district including the Galleria, Montenapoleone and La Scala.

Lake Como Day Trip
Students take a break from the bustling city of Milan and head to nearby Lake Como, which has been a popular retreat for the wealthy since Roman times. The group takes in the beautiful scenery on a boat ride backdropped by the snow-capped Alps, and then takes the funicular for a beautiful view of the lake and Bergamo Alps.

Farewell Event
Students celebrate the end of a successful term abroad and say their goodbyes over a delicious Italian meal.

Standard Housing: Student apartment
SAI student apartments are convenient and well equipped, with shared occupancy bedrooms (option to upgrade to private bedroom, if available). Typical residences house 2 – 8 students and contain a combination of private and shared bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and living areas. Furnishings, a washing machine, basic kitchen supplies, bed linens and towels are provided. All apartments are equipped with wireless Internet. Housing configurations are designated as female, male, and in some locations, gender-inclusive. SAI on-site staff is available to respond to any maintenance needs that may arise.

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

Student Visas
In accordance with Italian law, U.S. students studying in Italy for 90 days or less are not required to obtain a student visa. Therefore all U.S. students do not require a student visa for this program. Non-US nationals should consult their local Consulate for information on student visa requirements.