Our goal is to offer every course every term, but sometimes factors like faculty availability, student course rankings, and program enrollment keep us from reaching that goal. If you’re concerned about needing to enroll in one particular course, please contact us!
CET Siena: Summer Study Abroad
CET Siena: Summer At-a-Glance
Summer
- Arrival: 05/27/2027
- Departure: 07/24/2027
- Recommended Credits: 9-11
- Fee: $9,990
- Application Deadline: March 1
Siena offers a study abroad experience that other Italian cities simply cannot provide. Study Italian, computer science, history, politics, or economics. Enjoy the tight-knit local community. Witness the world-famous Palio di Siena, which embodies the rich traditions and pride of this city. Spending the summer in Siena offers an unmatched opportunity to experience Italian culture.
Academics in Siena
Summer
Snapshot
- Pre-requisites: None
- Italian language classes for all levels
- Wide variety of elective options
- Computer Science electives
- Out-of-class learning & assignments
- School of Record: University of Virginia
Curriculum & Syllabi
You take one or two semesters’ worth of Italian language and one or two electives for a total of 9 to 11 recommended credits.
Design Your Curriculum
- Option one: 1 semester’s worth of Italian Language + 2 electives
- Option two: 2 semesters’ worth of Italian language + 1 elective
Italian Language
You take one or two of these language courses depending on your curriculum choice.
Note: Each course covers one semester’s worth of Italian language.
- 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
Choose one or two 3-credit electives for a total of 9 to 11 recommended credits (including your language course):
ART HISTORY
- ARTH 2054 Roman Art and Archaeology
- ARTH 3525 Topics in Renaissance Art History: Sienese Art and Architecture
Computer science
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
Political Science & International relations
- PLCP 2110 Italian and European Politics
- PLIR 2500 Special Topics in International Relations: The European Banking System
Note: Because elective offerings are based on total program enrollment and faculty availability, not every elective is offered every term.
Tailor your summer in Siena
Study Italian. Want to dive deep? Take an intensive eight-week course and complete the equivalent of two semesters of Italian. Prefer a lighter load? Choose a four-week course for one semester’s worth instead. Whichever path you choose, your language class will give you the confidence to connect more meaningfully with locals and navigate daily life.
Electives for everyone. Choose one or two electives from a long list of possibilities. Support your major or embrace your passion. Studying finance? Enroll in Special Topics in International Relations: The European Banking System. Learn about ancient history at the source with Roman Art and Archaeology. Majoring or minoring in Computer Science? Sign up for Artificial Intelligence or Database Systems. Your summer in Siena is up to you.
Housing and Meals
- Homestay
- Live in a local household
- 1-3 students/homestay
- 1-2 students/room
- Shared common areas, bathroom, laundry done 1x/week by your homestay
- Wifi, fan, basic furnishing, bedroom and bathroom linens, weekly room cleaning, weekly linen change
- Breakfasts and dinners included
- Apartment
- Live with CET peers and an Italian student
- 2-10 people/apartment
- 2-3 people/room
- Fully-equipped kitchen, common area, shared bathroom per 2-4 students, washing machine access
- Wifi, bedroom and bathroom linens, basic furnishing, kitchenware
Living Like a Local
Live with an Italian household. Choose to live in a homestay for a completely immersive experience. Hosts 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—handpicked by CET to help you connect with Italian culture. Relax at a local hot spring or enjoy aperitivos in Piazza del Campo together. Learn more about living with a local roommate.
Eating in Siena. Eat breakfasts and dinners with your host family, or if you stay in an apartment, cook for yourself and swap recipes with roommates. You can also 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
See your neighbors at the open-air market. Go for a run or bike ride in the countryside outside the city walls. You’ll make daily discoveries about the local culture, whether you’re people-watching or exploring the picturesque side streets of the historic city center. Though your travels may take you far from Italy on the weekends, you’ll always be glad to return home to Siena.
Experience Italy with CET
Around the city. Spend the weekend on the beach at Cinque Terre. On a quiet weekend, venture just outside the Siena city walls with some friends, biking along the old pilgrim road of Via Francigena. You won’t run out of ways to enjoy Siena and surrounding Tuscany with your CET peers and Italian roommates.
Experience Palio season. The centuries-old Palio horserace is Siena’s claim to fame. While Italian tourists flock to the city to see the action, you’ll already be there, waiting for the races to begin. You’ll learn about the Palio in your Italian language classes, and you’ll have plenty of opportunity to choose your favorite contrada (neighborhood). If you opt for a homestay, you will have the rare chance to “live the contrada life'” and cheer for your local banner alongside your family.
Every program tells a story
See Italy through the eyes of students and staff.
Student Resources
Explore more resources:
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
Summer
$9,990
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.
Activities & Excursions
The activities and excursions that we arrange are included in your program fee.
Insurance
You’re provided with a comprehensive insurance plan that even includes medical evacuation coverage.
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.
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, $7,540 goes to tuition and fees, and $2,450 goes to housing and other student life fees.
Local Cost of Living. Siena attracts fewer tourists than cities like Florence and Rome, resulting in a slightly more affordable cost of living. Some things might be cheaper (e.g. groceries, coffee, bus tickets), but other things can be much more expensive (e.g. utilities, taxi rides).
Estimated out-of-pocket expenses:
- Homestay Fee (if applicable): $1000
- Round-trip Airfare: $1,000 - $1,600
- Meals (apartment): $1,500 - $2,000
- Meals (homestay): $800 - $1,400
- Personal Expenses: $500 - $1,000
additional resources
How to Apply
Eligibility
- • Pre-requisites: None. Open to students of any Italian level, including absolute beginners
- • 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 online CET 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 online account.
Official Transcript
Your online CET account has specific instructions for submitting an official transcript.
Have a question? Get in touch!
Karen "Kay" 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.