Computer Science in Siena. Italy has a long history in the applied sciences, thanks to scientists and engineers such as Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, and Guglielmo Marconi. Fill upper-level CS credits at your home university to stay on track while you’re in Siena—and enjoy small class sizes (5 to 15 on average!) for an engaging semester abroad.
CET Siena Study Abroad
CET Siena: At-A-Glance
Fall
- Arrival: 09/04/2025
- Departure: 12/20/2025
- Recommended Credits: 12-18
- Fee: $20,990
- Application Deadline: May 1
SPRING
- Arrival: 01/15/2026
- Departure: 05/02/2026
- Recommended Credits: 12-18
- Fee: $20,990
- Application Deadline: October 1
Fall
- Arrival: 09/04/2025
- Departure: 12/20/2025
- Recommended Credits: 12-18
- Fee: $20,990
- Application Deadline: May 1
SPring
- Arrival: 01/15/2026
- Departure: 05/02/2026
- Recommended Credits: 12-18
- Fee: $20,990
- Application Deadline: October 1
CET Siena study abroad students are looking for a meaningful Italian immersion experience plus courses that help them stay on track at home. Take Italian language courses paired with computer science, politics, Italian studies, or art history courses taught in English. Your courses help you build the intellectual foundation for understanding, engaging with, and appreciating Italian culture.
Academics in Siena
Semester
Snapshot
- Pre-requisites: None
- Italian language classes for all levels
- Customize your experience with elective options
- Computer Science electives
- Out-of-class learning and assignments
- School of Record: University of Virginia
Curriculum & Syllabi
You take one or two semesters’ worth of Italian, and two to four electives to meet the total 12 to 18 recommended credits.
- Option one: 1 semester’s worth of Italian Language + 3 or 4 electives
- Option two: 2 semesters’ worth of Italian language + 2 or 3 electives
Italian Language
You take one or two of these language courses depending on your curriculum choice.
- ITAL 1010 Elementary Italian 1 (4 credits)
- ITAL 1020 Elementary Italian 2 (4 credits)
- ITAL 2010 Intermediate Italian 1 (3 credits)
- ITAL 2020 Intermediate Italian 2 (3 credits)
- ITAL 3040 Advanced Italian 3 (3 credits)
- ITAL 3050 Advanced Italian 4 (3 credits)
Electives
Depending on your curriculum choice, choose two to four 3-credit electives for a total of 12 to 18 recommended credits (including your language course):
ART HISTORY
- ARTH 2054 Roman Art and Archaeology
- ARTH 3525 Topics in Renaissance History: Sienese Art and Architecture
COMPUTER SCIENCE
- CS 3120 Discrete Mathematics and Theory 2
CS 3130 Computer Systems and Organization 2
CS 4414 Operating Systems (spring only)
CS 4710 Artificial Intelligence
CS 4730 Computer Game Design (fall only) - CS 4750 Database Systems
GLOBAL STUDIES
- GSGS 2310/ANTH 2541 Intercultural Communication- Topics in Linguistics
- GSGS 3100 Critical Conceptions of the Global
ITALIAN STUDIES
- ITTR 2710 Italian Cultural History
- ITTR 3107/MDST 3107 Evolution of Media in Italy: From Unification to the Present
- ITTR 3670 Contemporary Italian Cinema: From Canon to the Fringe
- ITTR/WGS 3680 Foodscapes in Women’s Writing, Culture and Society
POLITICAL SCIENCE & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- PLCP 2110 Italian and European Politics
- PLIR 2500 Special Topics in International Relations: The European Banking System
- PLIR 3500 International Energy Policy: Oil, Gas & Green Technologies
Note: Because elective courses are based on total program enrollment and faculty availability, not every elective is offered every term.
Enhance your learning in Siena
Tailor your semester. No matter what your academic focus is, you won’t fall behind in Siena. And the best part? Your classes help you explore the city too. Take Critical Conceptions of the Global and visit a sewing collective founded by migrants, or Intercultural Communication and learn at a local bakery and Castel Brolio in the Chianti region.
Take as much Italian as you like. You have options for Italian language learning. Want more credits? Choose 2 semester’s worth of Italian over 15 weeks. But if that’s not for you, take 1 semester’s worth of Italian in 8 weeks.
Housing and Meals
Choose your housing preference:
- Homestay
- Live with a local Italian family
- 1-3 students/homestay
- 1-2 students/room
- Common living areas, laundry done 1x/week by your homestay
- Internet access, bedroom and bathroom linens, basic furnishing
- Apartment
- Live with CET peers and an Italian student
- 2-9 people/apartment
- 2-3 people/room
- Fully-equipped kitchen, common area, shared bathroom per 2-4 students, washing machine access
- Internet access, bedroom and bathroom linens, basic furnishing, kitchenware
Living Like a Local
Live with an Italian family. Choose to live in a homestay for a completely immersive experience. Host families are selected by CET and are all within the historic city center. They love learning about your culture, and more importantly, they love sharing theirs with you.
Live with a local student. If you opt for an apartment, you share your unit with other CET students and one local roommate. Roommates are local university students selected by CET. Learn more about living with a local roommate.
Eating in Siena. If you live in a homestay, you eat breakfasts and dinners with your host family. For other meals, or if you stay in an apartment, take your pick of Siena’s many restaurants and cafés offering some of the best dishes in Italy. Learn more about accommodating your dietary needs in Siena.
Learn more about
Life in Siena
- Known locally as: Siena
- Population: 53,772
- Local Currency: Euro
- Famous for: Strong sense of community and history, thriving university scene, less spoken English, medieval brick architecture, Palio horse races, Piazza del Campo, UNESCO World Heritage site
It’s no wonder Siena is a crowd favorite—with its beautiful cityscape, impressive food scene, and close-knit community feel, it’s hard not to love this Tuscan city. Enjoy deeper cultural immersion as you converse with friendly locals in Italian and discover the profound connection residents have to the city and their contrada (districts with origins dating back to medieval times). Bump into your neighbors at the open-air market. Stroll down winding brick alleyways to your favorite café.
Experience Italy with CET
Around the City. Experience the opera. Take a CET-sponsored Italian cooking class. Follow a local guide on a polaroid tour of the city. For a lowkey weekend, relax at the thermal springs or on the idyllic Tuscan coast. And there’s even more to see on your own.
A Weekend Away. Get ready for a 3-day excursion to the Emilia Romagna region. Visit FICO Eataly World and immerse yourself in Italian food in Bologna. Spend the day taking in beautiful Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna. Visit an Acetaia and understand the art of making balsamic vinegar. Check out the Ferrari Museum before returning home to Siena.
Volunteer in Siena. Consider giving back to the community that is hosting you. Teach English at a local school, help out at a youth home for migrants and refugees, or even volunteer at the local cat shelter. We work with you to find experiences that match with your interests and goals.
On-the-ground support
Navigating a new city, country, and culture is a big challenge worth taking—and we’re here to help you along on this adventure. Our on-site team is bilingual, provides round-the-clock support, and is passionate about sharing their love of Siena (and Italy!) with you.
Program Fees
Fall/Spring
$20,990
What's Included
Tuition
All of your classes and program-related learning are included with your tuition.
Housing
If you choose to live with a local roommate in an apartment, your housing is covered. If you opt for a homestay, there is an additional fee to help cover the costs of an extra member in the household.
Staff Support
From pre-departure to orientation, from on site to re-entry, CET provides you with the support you need every step of the way.
Visa Support
We guide you step-by-step through the visa process. You do the legwork, but we’ll make sure you have the documents & information you need, when you need it.
Insurance
You’re provided with a comprehensive insurance plan through GeoBlue that even includes medical evacuation coverage.
Activities & Excursions
The activities and excursions that we arrange are included in your program fee. All you need to do is remember to bring your camera!
Course Materials
Your textbooks and course supplies are covered and waiting for you on site.
Transcript
You’ll receive an official transcript issued by UVA at the end of the term.
More on finances
Program Fee Breakdown. Of the total program fee, $16,590 goes to tuition and fees, and $4,400 goes to housing and other student life fees.
Local Cost of Living. Relative to the US, the cost of living (e.g. groceries, healthcare, etc.) is slightly lower. However when compared to the rest of Europe, life in Siena costs about the same as any other city.
Estimated out-of-pocket expenses:
- Homestay Fee: $1,400
- Round-trip Airfare: $1,000 - $1,500
- Meals (apartment): $2,000
- Meals (homestay): $1,000
- Personal Expenses: $1,000 - $1,200 (excludes personal travel)
- Visa Application Fee: $50
additional resources
How to Apply
Eligibility
- • Pre-requisites: None for the program. Open to students of any Italian level, including absolute beginners. Individual courses may have pre-requisites, see syllabi for details.
- • Must be 18 or older at the time of program participation.
- • Open to students from any US college or university
- • GPA: 3.0 or higher is recommended, students with lower GPAs will be asked for a faculty recommendation to supplement their application
Online Application Form
This is a brief form that asks for basic information and has a few short answer questions about why you want to study abroad.
Passport Information
Upload a scan of your passport to your CET Compass account. This should be a single scan that includes the signed signature page and the photo/personal details page. Don’t have a passport yet? Let us know and we can help advise you.
Study Abroad Office Recommendation
This is an online form that your study abroad office completes to let us know you meet the requirements to study abroad. To send the electronic form request, simply enter the name and email address of your study abroad advisor in the designated fields of your CET Compass account.
Official Transcript
Your CET Compass account has specific instructions for submitting an official transcript.
Have a question? Get in touch!
Karen "K" Olivas
Student Services Coordinator
202.349.7321
[email protected]
Price Subject to Change:
CET reserves the right to increase quoted charges at any time without prior notification, based on increased instruction costs, exchange rate fluctuation or other cost increases beyond CET’s control.