program DETAILS
- Arrival date: Late June 2022
- Departure Date: Late July 2022
- Program length: 4 Weeks
- Dickinson Credits: 1 (equivalent to 4 semester credits)
- Program Fee: TBA
- Pre-requisites: None
- Application Deadline: 04/01/2022
Get a Global Perspective
Study abroad should be more than tourism, more than a language barrier, more than culture shock… it should challenge you as a person. Take on a summer program that makes you think critically about the world around you, teaches you to navigate situations with empathy and respect, and helps you develop the skills and knowledge base to not just learn, but to do.
Summer in Italy
program highlights
- Take college-level coursework
- Expand your understanding of global issues and interdependence, and their impact on local communities
- Live in a homestay and experience life in Italy as locals do
- Travel with your group for day trips to Florence and San Gimignano, and a 4-day trip to Rome
SUmmer TAKEAWAYS
- College credit on an official transcript from Dickinson College
- Develop a solutions-focused mindset in the face of complex issues
- Build independence, confidence, and experience as you live away from home and experience a new culture
- Exposure and advancement with learning the Italian language
Global Learning from Italy
Take on Global Issues
Explore broader global themes and issues at every level—how they influence you on a personal level, how they play out in a US-based context, and finally what they look like nationally in Italy and regionally in Tuscany. Compare the American approach to civic engagement with local norms and processes. Examine Italian national identity and culture against that of the US. Then connect with peers all over the world for even more perspectives.
Introduction to Global Perspectives
Your core course explores global interdependence through identity/power/culture, public health, environmental sustainability, and civic engagement. To foster a global understanding inclusive of many perspectives, you and your Global Perspectives peers (based in China, France, Spain, Japan, and Washington, DC) maintain a summer-long discussion online. Compare respective responses to environmental emergencies, juxtapose national identities and cultures, and identify the most critical barriers to public health across all countries. See the class syllabus.
Benvenuto in Italia!
Italian language learning is weaved into every module throughout the summer. Not only do you learn vocabulary and grammar sets that help you navigate your daily life abroad, but you also learn terminology specific to the program’s academic themes. And because you can’t learn a language without real-world practice, your assignments use Siena as an extended classroom.
Exploring Italy
Enjoy worry-free travel with program-sponsored excursions to Florence, San Gimignano, and Rome. Ride the train to Florence and grab a bite at San Lorenzo Market before taking in world-class art at L’Accademia. Another week, explore the small, medieval town of San Gimignano. After a group lunch, climb to the top of Torre Grossa and visit Museo Civico. Then finish your program with four days in Rome—make a wish at the Trevi Fountain, visit Vatican City, and explore the Colosseum.
YOUR Italy Itinerary
Summers with CET are packed with classes, activities around the city, and even regional travel. These are a few highlights to give you a better idea of what your summer might look like outside the classroom.
Week
1
- Attend orientation and get to know your group during the welcome banquet
- Roam the historical city center with your class and a local guide
- Contrada (neighborhood) dinner with locals in celebration of Palio season
Week
2
- Climb the Torre del Mangia for 360 views of Siena from Piazza del Campo
- Day trip to Florence—see the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, and Sante Croce
- Attend the Palio, a centuries-old horserace with deep local roots
Week
3
- Try your hand at Italian cuisine with a group cooking class
- Spend the day exploring the medieval, walled town of San Gimignano
- Visit the local market to buy groceries for a group dinner
Week
4
- Attend the farewell celebration before departing Siena
- Travel to Rome for a 4-day trip with the group
- Climb the Spanish Steps, tour St. Peter's Basilica, and enjoy free time
Life in Siena, Italy
- Known locally as: Siena
- Population: 53,772
- Local Currency: Euro
- Famous for: Strong sense of community, thriving university scene, less spoken English, medieval brick architecture, Palio horse races, Piazza del Campo
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. Converse with friendly locals in Italian and discover the deep 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. Enjoy an evening gelato in the Piazza del Campo.
HOUSING & MEALS
Where you live and what you eat is another layer of developing your global perspective. You go beyond a tourist’s experience and live with locals in a residential neighborhood of Siena.
- Local homestay
- 1-2 CET students per homestay
- All meals included
- Internet access, bed linens, basic furnishing, kitchenware
You either have your own furnished room or share one with another CET student or a host sibling of the same gender. All homestays (vetted by CET staff) will look different but provide the same general amenities. And as the locals do, you commute to class with a leisurely 5-20 minute walk through the city center.
Connecting Locally at Home
Living in a homestay is the best way to get to know and experience life in another country. It’s more than just housing—it’s connecting with locals and understanding what life looks like in Italy. See how a family birthday is celebrated in an Italian home, get your host parent to teach you the secret to making your new favorite Italian dish, or watch a movie with your host sibling. Your hosts will love learning about your culture, and more importantly, they will love sharing theirs with you.
Eating in Siena
Your program fee includes three meals a day, giving you ample opportunity to fully explore Italian cuisine. Your breakfasts and dinners, are shared with your host family, providing a daily platform for cultural exchange over food. Lunches are either taken with the group or packed by your host parents. Make sure to try the favorite local pasta, pici al cinghiale (pasta with wild boar sauce), and ribollita (soup with bread and vegetables).
Program Costs
2022 Summer Fees: TBA
CET’s high school programs are designed to be as inclusive as possible. You pay for your flights and your own personal spending, and we take care of the rest.
All of your classes and course materials are included with your tuition.
All of your meals are included with your program fees.
We arrange for you to live with a local family in a CET-vetted homestay in Shanghai. Families are hand selected and trained by local CET staff and matched with students based off the housing questionnaire.
We are your support network. From pre-departure questions to academic support to emergency management, we’ve got your back.
You’re provided with a comprehensive insurance plan through GeoBlue. It even includes evacuation coverage for individual medical emergencies.
The activities and excursions that we arrange are included in your program fee. All you need to do is remember to bring your camera!
You receive a CET Certificate of Completion and an official transcript from Dickinson College at the end of the program… the icing on the cake for your college applications.
Estimated
Out-of-Pocket
Costs
- Round-trip Airfare: $1,300 - $1,700
- Personal Expenses: 300 EURO
For CET high school and pre-college programs, you must:
- Be between ages 14-18 at the program start date
- Be a rising sophomore, junior, or senior in high school, or a recent graduate not yet enrolled in a college or university degree program
Competitive applicants are motivated high school students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. However, admission decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, so students with lower GPAs are still encouraged to apply.
Complete the application through your online CET account. This is a brief form that asks for basic information and has a few short answer questions about why you want to study abroad.
Your online CET account has specific instructions for submitting an official transcript.
Use the link in your online account to send a recommendation request to one of your current or previous instructors.
Priority Application Deadline:
February 1st 2022
Final Application deadline:
April 1st 2022
Questions? Get in touch!
Melanie Mackenzie
Student Services Coordinator,
High School & Pre-College Programs
202.846.7662
[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.