01. Am I eligible to apply? Is there a G.P.A. requirement?

NABA Semester / Summer Students:

• Students are required to be 18 years of age
• Students must submit a transcript with a minimum GPA of 2.8

DA Semester / Summer Students:

• Students are required to be 18 years of age
• Students must submit a transcript with a minimum GPA of 2.8
• Students to submit a Curriculum Vitae (Resume)

DA Master's students:

• Students need to submit a Curriculum Vitae (Resume)
• Students need to submit a portfolio (optional for students applying to the Masters in Cultural Experience Design and Management OR Masters in Business Design)
• Students need to submit a personal statement
• Students need to submit a transcript with a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher
• Students need to submit two letters of recommendation

Students with a GPA less than a 2.8 will be considered on an individual basis, and should contact the Study Abroad Italy office to discuss enrollment.

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02. Do you cater to students with Learning/Physical difficulties?
Study Abroad Italy is dedicated to providing education abroad opportunities to students with physical disabilities or learning difficulties. If you experience any learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia) which may interfere with your ability to pursue an academic course, and which you wish to be taken into account, please notify Study Abroad Italy during your application process. Although we may not be able to offer any 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 disability, it is important to note that Italy’s infrastructure and ability to accommodate disabled individuals differs from what is available in the United States. Among our program choices, certain sites are better equipped to assist students with disabilities than others. As this may be a factor in choosing which SAI program abroad to attend, please notify us of any and all disabilities before applying.

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03. Can I get a scholarship or other financial aid?

Chiara Family Scholarship (fall & spring semester)
The Chiara Family Scholarship, a need-based scholarship is offered each fall and spring semester. The recipient will receive $6,000 to be applied towards tuition. The scholarship will not cover the application fee or Security Deposit.

This scholarship is generously offered to SAI students through a private family with a strong relationship to Italy and its heritage. Through SAI’s exceptional programs, it is their desire to continually offer the valuable educational experience of studying in Italy to a deserving student with evident financial need.

Summit State Bank Scholarship (fall semester)
Summit State Bank generously provides a fall semester scholarship of $2,500. The only requirement for this scholarship is that the student be a resident of Northern California.

See our scholarships page for more details.

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04. Can non-US students enroll?
Yes. Both NABA and Domus Academy are Italian institutes catering to students from Italy and all over the world.

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05. What programs do the schools offer?
Both NABA and Domus Academy offer a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate programs throughout the year.

See our program pages for details.

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06. Do the schools offer excursions or field-trips?
NABA students can choose to register for the Tuscany Optional Excursion.

See our optional excursions page for more details.

More Optional Excursions will be available soon!

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07. Are the schools accredited? Can I get US academic credit?

NABA/DA Undergraduate Students: Students enrolled in SAI programs from affiliated universities will receive US credit for courses from their home university.

All SAI students enrolling from non-affiliated universities will receive US course credit from Fairfield University in Connecticut. Study Abroad Italy will automatically process non-affiliate students through Fairfield University with no additional fee.

DA Masters Students: DA is a private graduate school, with course credits and degrees provided by the University of Wales in the UK. At the end of their studies, students will receive an internationally recognized Masters Degree from the University of Wales in addition to a Masters Diploma from Domus Academy.

If a student is required to enroll through a US university in order to receive US credits and be eligible for financial aid, he/she may enroll through Fairfield University, in Connecticut. As Fairfield University's Western Regional Office for International Studies, the Study Abroad Italy Office in California processes all Fairfield/DA applications. Please contact our office for more information.

See our US Credit page for details.

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08. How do the course numbers work?
Course codes consist of two pairs of alpha characters and one 3-digit numeric component.  
Example: PD DA 410

1. The first alpha characters designate the various fields/categories of design:

IN = Interior Design
FD = Fashion Design         
FS = Fashion Styling
PD = Product Design
CA = Contemporary Art
FM = Fashion Merchandising
GD = Graphic Design
FJ = Fashion Journalism
SD = Shoe Design
CL = Cool Hunters

2. The second alpha characters designate the school in which the course takes place:

NB = Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti / NABA Courses
DA = Domus Academy / DA Courses 

3. The 3-digit numeric component indicates the course Level:

Lower division - 100 and 200
Upper division - 300 and 400

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09. What is the grading system?
Classes are graded according to the following scheme:

10. Are courses taught in English?
All undergraduate courses are taught in English. Graduate courses are simultaneously translated.

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11. Who teaches at the schools?
Our faculty is mainly of Italian nationality, all with excellent proficiency in English.

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12. How many students are in each class?
Studio courses have a maximum of 20 students.
Academic courses have between 7-18 students.
Lectures can have up to 30 students.

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13. Do I have to take Italian?
There is a required Italian language component to all undergraduate semester programs.
Summer session students are not required to take Italian language.
Master students have the option of enrolling in an Italian Language course once in Milan.

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14. Do I need to take placement exams?
An Italian language placement exam is administered to those students with some knowledge of Italian who plan to enroll in an Italian course. The exam is used to determine the student’s level of proficiency in order to ensure correct course selection. All placement exams are administered during week one.

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15. Do I have to buy books or pay any lab fees when I arrive?

Undergraduate Students: Lab fees and textbooks are included in the program cost.

Masters Students: Lab fees are included in the program cost. Students should expect to pay 300 Euros for textbooks.

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16. Do I need a visa?
All students must obtain a student visa (see our page on visas). Upon acceptance SAI will send you the application procedures for your student visa (Via email and regular mail). It is very important that you start this process as soon as you are enrolled in the program, as the procedure will take time. For some Italian Consulates, SAI is able to handle the visa processing for you and the fee for this service can be found below in the on the costs page.

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17. How do I travel to Italy?
Student should arrange to fly into Milan Malpensa Airport on the designated check-in day/s between the hours of 9am and 4pm. See our travel advice page for details.

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18. Are there group flights?
Group flights are not offered through Study Abroad Italy; students must make their own flight arrangements. See our travel advice page for details.

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19. Can I arrange an airport pickup?
All SAI Undergraduate students (and Masters students paying the optional student services fee) arriving at the Milan Malpensa airport during the official check-in dates, will be met by an SAI representative who will coordinate shuttle transfer to program check-in, apartment check-in and cell phone pick-up. This service is at no cost to the student.

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20. Can the Host Schools store advanced shipments of my belongings?
We recommend that you do not ship your belongings to Milan unless you will be there to receive them. SAI has no facility to store shipments at either school in Milan.

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21. Where are the schools located?
Both schools are located in the Navigli area of Milan.
Domus Academy is located at Via Watt, 27.
NABA is located at at Via Darwin, 20.

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22. What is the city like? Is it safe?
Milan poses no special threat to visitors in either health or safety. It is perfectly safe to drink water from a faucet and to eat at any restaurant. As elsewhere in Italy, pickpockets are a menace, especially in crowds, on buses, and near the train station. Backpacks and purses are easy prey to thieves. Women traveling alone will draw attention from Lothario-types, and walking alone after dark should be avoided (take a Taxi).

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23. What's the best map/guide book for Italy?
Most good bookstores have maps of European countries and cities. The best series of guide books for Italy are the Blue Guide series. In addition to maps, these guides will provide you with cultural and historical information as well as restaurants and hotel suggestions. Blue guides are published for Southern Italy, Northern Italy (including Milan), Florence, Rome and Sicily.

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24. What will the weather be like/what shall I wear?

Spring Term
Winter weather in Milan is cold, especially from late January through much of March. As on the east coast of the U.S., you will need an overcoat, scarf, hat and wool (or at least heavy) clothes. Snow usually falls only once or twice during the winter. April and May can be rainy months and have mild temperatures.

Fall Term
September and October are very mild, warm months. In fact, September is the Italians’ favorite time to go swimming in the sea since water and air temperatures are quite warm. The weather in Tuscany cools as December approaches; you’ll need  a jacket in November and warmer, heavier clothing in December. Rain falls often in November and December.

Summer Terms
The weather in June is fairly unpredictable in Lombardy. It can be either very pleasant or intermittently rainy and cool. July and August can be quite hot; temperatures can range from 80 - 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

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25. Where will I live?
Although you are free to arrange your own accommodation SAI, with our rental agency partners, offers shared student apartments in Milan.

Study Abroad Italy aims to create a comfortable living environment for each student by providing safe, well maintained student-level housing. We offer quality apartments and our staff will be on hand to greet and help orient you to your new city, and will remain available throughout the school term to answer questions and help with maintenance needs that may arise.

See our housing page for details.

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26. What furnishings will be in my apartment?
Each student shared apartment is equipped with the following:
— basic kitchen supplies
— furnishings
— one set of sheets per student
— washing machine and iron

Apartments are NOT equipped with: telephones (students can use their cell phones); clothes dryers (Italians use clothes lines), bath towels.

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27. Will I have a phone?
Study Abroad Italy provides all students with rental cell phones free of charge for the duration of their stay in Italy. No charges are made for incoming calls and text messaging received while in Italy. If a student opts to use the cell phone to make outgoing calls and/or text messages, relevant charges will be billed on a call by call basis.

Masters students choosing to pay the optional student services fee will receive a cell phone.

For registration and billing information see: http://www.studentcells.com.

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28. How do I receive mail in Italy?
Your mail should be addressed to:

NABA
Student Name
Study Abroad Italy c/o Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti
International Relations Office
Via Carlo Darwin 20
20143 Milano, Italy


DA
Student Name
Study Abroad Italy c/o Domus Academy
Via Watt 27
20143 Milano, Italy

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29. Should I bring my laptop computer?
The schools offer both free wifi and a limited number of computers with internet access.
Students also have the option of renting a laptop modem for the duration of the term. For more information click here.

We recommend students bring a personal laptop.

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30. What about Internet access?
Both NABA and DA have their own internet labs available to students.
Both schools also offer free wireless.
Students can also rent modems for their laptops. For more information click here.

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31. How should I handle money while abroad?
We suggest that you arrive with 200 Euros cash which will help with your initial costs such as essential food items. You might also want to have enough traveler's checks to pay for books and supplies, etc. After that it is best to use your ATM card to withdraw money from your US account, as needed.

ATM cards are the easiest way to handle money; there are plenty of compatible ATMs in Milan. Check with your bank to ensure that your PIN number is valid in Europe. In order to use your ATM card you will need to be a member of either the PLUS or CIRRUS bank network. When planning major expenditures remember that you will have the same daily withdrawal limit (about $300) as at home. ATMs in Milan have instructions in English.

*ATM, in Milan, is the name of the mass transit network. In Milan bank machines are called BANCOMAT.

Try to keep 150 euro in cash with you at all times in case of possible emergencies. There are three basic ways of obtaining euros in Italy: traveler’s checks, ATMs and credit cards.

Traveler's checks in U.S. dollars are widely accepted. In Europe, US traveler's checks often get a better exchange rate than plain cash. American Express traveler's checks can be cashed anywhere, but the American Express office cashes them without a commission.

The American Express office in Milan is located at:
Via Larga, 4.
20121 Milan, Italy
Phone: (39) 02721041

It is open M-F 9am-5:30pm and on Sat from 9am-12:30pm. You can also have money wired to you at this office.

Visa and MasterCard are universally accepted; American Express and Diners Club less so; Discover not at all. The exchange rate is good, and there are no transaction fees. Using your credit card at ATM's for a cash advance will work if you have a valid PIN number. You may also request a cash advance on your credit card at any bank.

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32. What's the exchange rate for Euro?
For exact current figures: Currency Converter

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33. What is the cost of living in Milan?
The cost of living in Milan is similar to that in the U.S. In Italy, a cappuccino costs about $1.50 and fruits and vegetables are perhaps a little less expensive than in the States, especially if you buy them at the open market. Telephones, on the other hand, are more expensive in Italy, as is energy in general (gas, electricity, gasoline), so things tend to even out. If you cook in your own house, you can live relatively cheaply. Italian consulates expect you to have about $1,000 - $1,200 per month for your stay in Italy, and this is a good estimate of the minimum basic living cost.

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34. Can I get a Job in Italy?
Legally, you are not permitted to work as a foreign student in Italy. The school cannot be helpful to you in securing work.

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35. Am I Insured?
Study Abroad Italy automatically provides all students with HTH Worldwide Insurance "Health Select Overseas Policy". prior to your departure, you will receive an email explanation of benefits, as well as instructions on how to print your ID card from HTH and an "HTH (UNICARE) Authorization Form". This form must be completed, signed and returned to the Study Abroad Italy Office as soon as possible, or prior to departure.

Masters students choosing to pay the optional student services fee will receive health insurance.

See our insurance page for details.

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