Sant'Anna Institute
Summer 5 weeks I 2024
3 - 7 credits

SAI’s 5 week summer programs in Sorrento take advantage of the school’s location on the Southern Italy coast, with courses that discuss Mediterranean culture, history and arts. Students enroll in 1 or 2 elective courses for a total of 3 - 7 credits. SAI offers two 5 week summer programs at SA, each with different start dates and course options: Summer I and Summer II.


Application: Closed

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

Highlights

  • Spend your summer on the sparkling Italian coast
  • Course Highlight: Archeology, Cities of Fire
  • Complete a part-time internship

Program Dates
May 26, 2024 – June 29, 2024


Eligibility Requirements

Age: 18+

Academic Year: High school graduate or above

Cumulative GPA:* 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale)

* contact SAI if you don’t meet requirements



Arts and Humanities
Business & Administration Studies
Italian Studies
Natural and Health Sciences
Social Sciences

Arts and Humanities

3.0 Credits
Archaeology | Course #: HUM 399 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
Archaeology studies past cultures and societies through their material remains. This course provides a basic introduction to the discipline, focusing on the study of some major Roman cities destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. The program combines the archaeological study with the analysis of the historical, economic, and social aspects of the Roman culture of the era. Students participate in several site visits to examine the remains and reconstruction of the ancient cities.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Creative Writing | Course #: ENGL 306WI | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
This course will introduce students to the process and techniques of creative writing (focusing on travel experiences). Students will experiment with various types of writing, including the writing of fiction and poetry. Class readings will expose students to various writing styles and provide examples of the successes and strategies of other writers. Class time will be spent discussing the writer's craft, the assigned readings, and student writing.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Cultural Studies | Course #: ENGL 212 /WGS 221 | Open
coming soon
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fine Art | Course #: ART 376 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
This course is offered to students enrolled at Sant'Anna Institute as part of the study abroad program based in Sorrento, Italy. Lectures and field sketching sessions are centered on drawing on location as the best way we have to increase our capacity to observe and to understand reality. An object, a tree, a person, cities or landscapes: during everyday life or while traveling, journaling and sketching from real is a profound and lasting experience. While drawing we learn to see and we can select information and highlight details better than we could with a camera.

Students will discover Sorrento, visiting Naples or surrounding archaeological sites while recording their observations in a travel sketchbook. Tips and examples will be given about sketching on location techniques as introduction to pen and ink drawings and to watercolors. Freehand drawing and location drawing as basic and complementary skills are recommended not only among architects, visual artists, animators and graphic designers, but also in disciplines such as archaeology, history, zoology, botany and geology.

Classic drawing warm up exercises, as suggested by authors such as Kimon Nicolaides or Betty Edwards, will also help beginners to break the ice with life drawing and get the most out of the experience. Final assignment will be a sketched reportage where each student will describe his/her life and experiences in Sorrento with images and words.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Italian Cinema | Course #: FVA 276 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
The course introduces the student to the world of Italian Cinema. In the first part the class will be analysing Neorealism, a cinematic phenomenon that deeply influenced the ideological and aesthetic rules of film art. In the second part we will concentrate on the films that mark the decline of Neorealism and the talent of "new" auteurs such as Fellini and Visconti. The last part of the course will be devoted to the cinema from 1970's to the present in order to pay attention to the latest developments of the Italian industry. The course is a general analysis of post-war cinema and a parallel social history of this period using films as "decoded historical evidence". Together with masterpieces such as "Open City" and "The Bicycle Thief" the screenings will include films of the Italian directors of the "cinema d'autore" including "The Conformist", "Life is Beautiful", "Le conseguenze dell'amore".
Students express their opinions and make their own criticisms and written assignments.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Philosophy | Course #: PHIL 101 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
An introduction to the discipline of philosophy. This course will cover a representative selection of texts and problems in the history of philosophy. The course will address the nature of philosophical inquiry and the methods it employs. Topics to be discussed include the foundations of ethics, the sources and limits of knowledge and historical approaches to metaphysical speculation.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Philosophy | Course #: PHIL 375/RELG 350 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
This course explores the religions of ancient Greek and Roman society from their earliest beginnings to the end of paganism and the emergence of Christianity. We will try to ask questions like how did Greeks and Romans conceptualize the divine and their relationship to it? How was ancient religion actually practiced? How does religion relate to myth and ritual? How did religion and politics interrelate? What exactly were the alternatives to civically practiced religion we call “mystery cults”? Who were the critics of ancient religions, and what was the substance of their criticisms? What was the distinction between magic and religion? These fundamental questions (and many others) will concern us in this course. While the course follows a broadly chronological outline, individual lectures concentrate on specific themes, such as forms and places of worship, philosophy and religion, death and afterlife, magic and the concept of conversion. The course is designed to introduce the tenets, beliefs, and certain spiritual practices of Classical antiquity and to investigate the social, cultural, and political background of which ancient religion was part. Students will benefit from attending their study abroad program in Sorrento, in the middle of ancient Magna Graecia.
Contact Hours: 45
4.0 Credits
Photography | Course #: ART 205 | Open
Pre-requisite: Required material: 1. camera film 35 mm; 2. digital camera SLR; 3. instant camera (fuji intax wide or fuji instax mini polaroid camera or polaroid zync). Suggested: 50 mm lens F 1.4/F 1.8/ F 2.8. Please note: this course requires a minimum enrollment of 4 students to run
Introduction to Digital Photography gives students fundamental skills for effectively recording travel, home, and work experiences. Using digital photography as a tool, students are encouraged to become more careful observers of the people, the landscape, the art, the architecture, and the culture that they encounter in their daily lives. The course concentrates on technical lectures and lab/studio time regarding the basic operation of a digital camera and the processing of images. Students develop an understanding of the elements that combine to create powerful visual images: subject matter, composition, color, and light. Through selected readings, assignments, lab/studio time, and critiques, students produce a written and visual final project for the course.

Required Material:
Students are responsible for providing their own cameras (digital), supplies, and image editing software. Digital camera: It does not matter which kind, though full manual exposure controls are helpful. Having RAW capability is appreciated but not essential.
Contact Hours: 60

Business & Administration Studies

3.0 Credits
Business | Course #: ENT 481 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
The focus is the study of the entrepreneur and the entrepreneurial start-up process. Areas of concentration include the search for new venture opportunities, evaluation of the viability and attractiveness of the new venture; determining the resources required and the sources of those resources and the development of a business plan appropriate for presentation to funding sources.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Business | Course #: INB 303 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
The aim of the course is to provide students with the analytic and conceptual instruments for an understanding of the EU functioning as well as the impact different policies may have on the European business environment. In particular, the course will focus on the framework that companies must face when doing business in Europe.

At the end of the course the student will be able to do the following:

1. Analyze the origins of the EU, its history and development to the point of enlargement.
2. Identify important steps in EU integration, name EU institutions and understand how they interact
with one another
3. Analyze the impact of the social and cultural influences brought about by the enlargement of the EU.
4. Determine how business and trade are conducted both internally and externally by the organizations
of the EU.
5. Conduct a sustainable business analysis (SWOTS) for a specific industry sector operating in Italy.
6. Analyze how companies should react and position themselves strategically and operationally
responding to key issues in Europe’s evolving sustainable business environment.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Business | Course #: INB 421 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
The course presents concepts of tourism relating to food and geography, using Italy as a case study. The course is relevant to students of all backgrounds but it has been designed specifically for students of hospitality, business, and culinary arts. Students will study international organizations operating in tourism (i.e. WTO) and the different types of tourism, with particular a emphasis on paid to sustainable tourism. Students will be asked to involves gate the tourism geography of Italy, becoming familiar with the most important tourist sites in Italy and Campania (through several excursions). The third module of the course will be dedicated to a very important kind of tourism in Italy and in the Campania Region: Food and Wine Tourism.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Marketing | Course #: COMM 325 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrolment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
This course examines the strategic use of social media and other digital platforms for professional communications by individuals and organizations. The course emphasizes experiential learning as students create and manage a digital presence, including building professional networks and content. Students will study theories, strategies and tactics for effective digital communications. Access to a laptop or mobile device is required.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Marketing | Course #: MKG 320 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
This course covers principles and applications of food marketing, focusing on current trends related to food production, distribution, consumption and the dynamics characterizing food systems. The course will center on the importance of understanding consumer behavior as a key factor in strategic food marketing and on the role of different agents in the food channel, particularly food producers, distributors, wholesales, retailers, and marketers. This course also highlights the interface between producers and consumers (e.g. farm to table). As a result, part of the course will be dedicated to assessing the importance of issues related to food sourcing (including alternative venues such as local and regional sourcing) and food access.
The delivery of this course includes live lectures, class discussions, case studies, field trips and the creation of a marketing plan for an agricultural or food product.
Contact Hours: 45

Italian Studies

3.0 Credits
Italian Language | Course #: WL 101-2 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. demonstrate a basic understanding of Italian spelling and pronunciation (assessment: Homework; oral participation in class; oral comprehension quizzes and tests; dictations)

2. demonstrate a basic understanding of part of the Italian grammar and syntax (assessment: Homework--workbook; computer assignments; essay; quizzes and tests)

3. participate in simple conversations on topics on everyday situations such as work, education, food, time,weather... (reinforced through in-class group activities)

4. demonstrate basic reading comprehension skills (in-class or homework reading assignments--from textbook or internet sites; quizzes and tests)

5. demonstrate some knowledge of Italian geography, history, culture and daily life
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Italian Language | Course #: WL 102- 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
Italian 102 will establish the foundations of conversation and grammar. Students will work on basic grammar and speaking skills through conversation, dialogues, exercises and drills; develop vocabulary through reading, discussing and writing; and learn more about Italian culture through reading, video and presentations.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Italian Language | Course #: WL 201 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
This course is designed for students who wish to develop the skills necessary to interact in the language and learn about Italian contemporary culture and society as well as Italy's history. Students will continue to refine their speaking skills by completing tasks with your classmates in pairs and small groups and by following models of native speakers presented on video. Students will develop reading and writing skills by reading increasingly more elaborate authentic texts and writing related, reaction essays, and your listening skills will be cultivated by completing on-line listening activities, viewing and analyzing short clips from Italian movies, and listening to short lectures on topics in Italian culture, society, and history, such as Pompeii, the contemporary demographic profile of Italy, the history of the language, and of the unification of Italy.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Italian Language | Course #: WL 202 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
This course is designed for students who wish to develop the skills necessary to interact in the language and learn about Italian contemporary culture and society, as well as Italy's history. Students will continue to refine their speaking skills by completing tasks with classmates in pairs and small groups. They will develop reading and writing skills by reading increasingly more elaborate authentic texts and writing essays, and their listening skills will be cultivated by in-class interactions, listening to short lectures on topics in Italian culture, listening to Italian music, and watching Italian movies.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Italian Language | Course #: WL 325 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
coming soon
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Italian Language | Course #: WL 325-0 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. demonstrate advancement in spoken and written language

2. communicate with advanced grammatical structures, idiomatic expressions and refined vocabulary

3. communicate personal opinions in group discussions on a variety of topics, articles, events and personal stories
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Italian Literature | Course #: WL 325 -1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
coming soon
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Italian Literature | Course #: WL 325-4 | Open
Pre-requisite: Students must have earned at least 12 credits of Italian language as the course will be instructed in Italian. Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved. Please note: course requires a minimum enrollment of 4 students to run
Students will study Italian literature of the Twentieth Century.

Students will critically analyze the internationally renowned literary texts in their original language.

Authors include Pirandello, Quasimodo, Ungaretti, Montale and others. Students will read excerpts from these works and engage in a historical, literary and rhetorical analysis of texts while determining techniques of poetic composition. Students will also learn about the lives of authors and the historical context and how these affected the masterpieces studied. Students are expected to actively participate and contribute to class discussion. They are also expected to do all the exercises assigned daily.

Students must have earned at least 12 credits of Italian language as the course will be instructed in Italian.
Contact Hours: 45

Natural and Health Sciences

3.0 Credits
Health Science | Course #: KIN 221 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
Students will examine evidenced-based relationships between nutrition and the promotion of long-term health and well-being. They will become familiar with food-related policy and recommendations, including Dietary Guidelines, Food Labels, and evidence-based nutrition programs, and gain practical skills to make healthful dietary choices. Moreover, students will learn health promotion strategies to help influence other people's food choices and apply these strategies to a specific modifiable chronic disease such as diabetes and heart disease.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Natural Science | Course #: JU 330-5 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
The course is an introduction to the volcanoes. It starts providing the basic knowledge of geology and Earth’s formation to understand the Plate Tectonics Theory and then the geodynamic processes leading volcanic activity. Among the main topics, different kinds of volcanoes will be analyzed, examining how magma’s chemical composition and rheology affect the volcanic eruptive styles. Furthermore, volcanic product and morphologies will be studied thanks to laboratory activities. Finally, secondary volcanism (geysers, hot springs, etc.) and volcanic risks will be analyzed, such as landslides in volcanic soils and related risks for peoples who live nearby volcanic areas around the world. Specific examples of the Campanian volcanoes will be examined to contextualize these topics in the Italian environment. In addition, a significant aim of this course is for students to gain a conscious relationship with the environment. The Campania region is an ideal place for experiential learning via site visits, with the opportunity for students to witness a wide range of geological and volcanological features.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Natural Science | Course #: MSC 113 | Open
This course focuses on the biology of organisms residing in the sea, from the diversity of planktonic communities to marine megafauna, taking into consideration the ecological principles that govern marine life. The course aims to provide a solid educational background in basic and applied marine biology. Emphasis will be placed on marine environment issues and the adaptive and evolutionary mechanisms of organisms that allow them to occupy marine habitats. In particular, the Mediterranean Sea and the conservation of marine environment will play a central role in the course subjects, profiting from the availability of unique ecosystems and a nearby renown marine protected area to conduct thematic field trips and practical tutorials.

REQUIREMENTS: bring a mask and a snorkel for marine bio field trips.
Contact Hours: 45

Social Sciences

3.0 Credits
Anthropology | Course #: PSYC 400 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
This course will examine how people meet each other and how they communicate; how they interact and create connections; how these encounters can be a source of creative change. The focus will be on the impact of experiencing different cultures and becoming aware of one’s own fears, which can be an obstacle in creating relationships, forcing oneself back to his/her own comfort zone. Specifically, the goals of this course are: 1) to increase awareness of common and important patterned social and cultural differences, 2) to provide a space for students to reflect on their own personal experience with cultural difference, and 3) to encourage students to engage with different cultures in a hands-on way and to meaningfully and mindfully experience cross- cultural communication.

Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
History | Course #: HIST 350-1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
The course examines the history of southern Italian organized crime syndicates from their origins to the present day. It also focuses on how these mafias work and have succeeded, on their activities as well as on modern-day approaches to combating the criminal presence in Italy, including the reaction of civil society organizations. Attention is paid to examples of Mafia enterprises, its past and present role in politics, and its evolution from a regional organization to one with an international reach. A research project, with both a paper and an oral presentation, is required in addition to two written exams.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
History | Course #: HIST/IS 350 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
In this course we will trace the history of Italian food from a transnational perspective. Challenging nationalist historiographies we will focus on circulation, exchanges, hybridity and mobility.

Borrowing from Edward Saids notion of overlapping territories and intertwined histories, we will discuss how food is part of a stratified and heterogeneous modernity suspended between the local and the global.

Special topics will include: Arab and Asian merchants before the European hegemony; Mediterranean currents; the Columbian exchange; Neapolitan food and the invention of tradition; Italian American food and issues of memory and ethnicity; Food and Southern Italian migrants in northern Italy; food and the boom economico; multiethnic food in contemporary Italy; space and place in connection with food in Italy and the United States. Some works of cinema and popular music will be included.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Political Science | Course #: POL 375 | Open
Pre-requisite: Please note that all courses are subject to adequate enrollment; therefore, it is important to get additional courses approved.
The purpose of this module is to examine the history, development, structure and efficacy of international human rights law. In this module, students will investigate the legal framework of the United Nations and regional systems relating to the protection and promotion of, inter alia, the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples, women's rights, the rights of migrants and refugees, cultural rights, and the emerging field of environmental rights. Students will assess the remedies that exist for violations of human rights law in the various systems and examine practical case studies where relevant.
Contact Hours: 45

Program Add-On: Part-Time Internship
Summer students participating in the 5 week program can apply for a part time 3 credit internship to be completed as part of the 3 credit program option. Students are placed in internships that complement their major or minor, and are supported by ongoing reflective coursework. At the completion of the internship students produce an analytical paper that synthesizes what they have learned. Please note that there is an additional fee for completing an internship. For more information on internships see SA Internships.

Part-Time Internship Application Requirements
Students wishing to participate in a part-time 3 credit internship during their program should select the Internship program add-on at application, and complete the following additional application items:

  • SA internship application; emailed once the SAI application is received. 
  • Resume and cover letter 
  • 2 letters of recommendation (professional or academic) 
  • Skype interview

Service Learning & Volunteer
Sant’Anna Institute holds service learning as a pillar of academic excellence, and several courses offer an optional service-learning component. Courses are intimately connected to the needs of various aspects of the community; they work in tandem with the community to create new ideas and new visions for future improvement. Service learning projects allow students to apply what they learn in the classroom in a professional manner, which develops their skills and gives back to their host community. For more information on volunteer work see SA Service Learning & Volunteer.

Courses & Schedule
SA courses run Monday – Friday. Students take one or two electives. Course schedules are confirmed 3 weeks prior to the program start. Please note that the Marine Biology Honors Research Project carries an additional course fee (see Fees below).

Course Registration
Students complete their course registration during the SAI application process by selecting their primary course choices as well as required alternate courses.


Pre-Departure Calendar
February 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)
February 26 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.
February 29 2024
Enrollment Closes
Students must complete their enrollment, including paying deposits, by this date.
March 12 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.
March 15 2024
SAI Scholarship Application Deadline
Students wishing to apply for an SAI scholarship must have all application items submitted by 11:59pm Pacific Time on this date.
March 27 2024
Balance of Total Program Fee Due

On-site Calendar
May 26 2024
Arrival & Housing Check-in
Students arrive at Naples International Airport (NAP). Students should arrive accordingly for the 12pm and 5pm airport pick up service. Upon arrival in Sorrento students are taken to housing.
May 27 2024
SA Academic Orientation & Welcome Events
SA academic orientation is followed by a walking tour of Sorrento and a group meal.
May 27 2024
Classes Begin
June 28 2024
Classes End
June 29 2024
Program End & Housing Check-out
Students must move out of 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: 3 – 4 credits
Includes tuition, standard housing and SAI 360° Services (see What's Included).
$6,250
Program Fee: 6 – 7 credits
Includes tuition, standard housing and SAI 360° Services (see What’s Included).
$7,050
Optional / Additional Fees:  
Program Add-On: Part-Time Internship
Required for students participating in a part-time internship.
$500
Course fee: Marine Biology Honors Research Project
Required for students enrolled in the course.
$250
Optional Private Room Housing Supplement
Private room in dorm / shared apartment, with a shared bathroom.
$925
Optional Off-Campus Dorm Housing Supplement: Shared
Shared room in off-campus dorm, includes 17 breakfasts and dinners.
$535
Optional Homestay Housing Supplement: Shared
Family homestay housing in shared occupancy room (with another study abroad student). Includes breakfast and dinner daily.
$200
Optional Homestay Housing Supplement: Private
Family homestay housing in private occupancy room. Includes breakfast and dinner daily.
$1,125
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 Naples
$900 $1,800
Books, Supplies & Course Fees
Course fees are sometimes imposed to cover field trips.
$25 / course $50 / course
Meals
Combination of cooking at home and eating out.
$600 / month $1,000 / month
Personal Expenses $250 / month $350 / month
Transportation within Sorrento area
Public transportation with some taxi rides.
$50 / month $100 / 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
  • 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

  • US-based admissions counselor assigned to you, providing friendly assistance
  • 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
All students are invited to a typical Italian meal welcoming them to the program and their host city.

Welcome Tour of Sorrento
Students tour Sorrento, including stops at popular shops, supermarkets, and places of entertainment, as well as important landmarks such as main squares, post offices, bus stops and taxi stands.

Pompeii
Students visit the Roman city of Pompeii, buried by volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. Though the site is still not fully excavated, visitors can see the ruins of villas, ancient temples and the Stabian Baths to gain an intimate knowledge of how wealthy Romans lived 2,000 years ago.

Gelato Making Course
Students visit the lab of a gelato shop and learn how to make the perfect Italian gelato as well as the techniques to blend different flavors. After the course students enjoy their creation.

Farewell Event
After classes are over students and staff share in a celebratory final meal to reflect and say goodbyes.

Standard Housing: Student dorm or apartment
Standard housing includes a shared occupancy room in the student dorm or in a shared student apartment. Dorm housing is assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis with limited availability. All SAI housing in Sorrento is equipped with basic furniture, towels and bed linens, wireless Internet, and air conditioning. Students have access to kitchen facilities, comfortable common areas, and washing machines.

Optional Housing: Family homestay (additional fee applies)
Students choosing the family homestay option will be placed with a local family, which could be an older married couple or a family with children. Homestay families are typically within a short walking distance to the school. The homestay option includes breakfast and dinner 7 days a week in a shared occupancy room (upgrade to a private bedroom available).

Optional Housing: Off-campus dorm (additional fee applies)
Students choosing the off-campus dorm option will be placed in a shared bedroom in a student dorm located approximately 20 minutes from campus. This housing option does not include access to a kitchen, but includes 17 breakfasts and 17 dinners served by the dorm’s cafeteria (vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options available) with the option to purchase additional meal vouchers as needed.

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.