italian language school

Courses & Accommodation questions:
How much Italian can I expect to learn during the courses?
What’s the weather like in Italy?
What is the time difference in Italy?
When are the shops open?
Where can I go for medical help?
How can I travel around Italy?

Pre-Departure Checklist
What happens if they want to change class?
What is Continuous Enrolment?
How is it possible to start on any Monday?
How will they be sure that they are making progress?
How will they be placed in class?
What teaching methods are used?
Will they be given special examination preparation?

Cost of living in Siena
Food, drink, bus, etc;

VISA questions:
Entry VISAS and long-term stay permit
School procedure for VISA'S

How much Italian can I expect to learn during the courses?
Obviously this depends on the level of Italian already known, and the amount of time you spend with us. As all our courses are specifically planned to meet the needs of our students, and all lessons are held in the Italian language, you can be sure to learn the most amount of the Italian that you require, in the time given.

What’s the weather like in Italy?
The summer months are very warm throughout Italy. The south is always a few degrees warmer than the Centre and the North. The average temperatures for the summer are between 18°C – 30°C (64°F – 86°F), and for the winter 4°C – 16°C (39°F – 61°F). During the winter it is best to bring warm clothes, also for wearing around the house, as Italians tend to turn off the heating at night, due to the high costs.

What is the time difference in Italy?
Italy is on the Middle European Time (MET). Rome is 1 hour ahead of London, 6 hours ahead of New York, and 8 hours behind Japan. During the summer months (March-October) the clocks are set one hour forward.
When are the shops open?
Most shops are open between 9:30-13:00 and 15:30-19:30. During the summer, many shops stay open all day during the week, but close Saturday afternoon and Monday morning, but this differs from shop to shop. On Sundays, shops and banks are closed all day, so it is a good idea to make arrangements if you arrive on Sunday.

Where can I go for medical help?
The First Aid (Pronto Soccorso) service at the hospital is free for anyone who needs it. In the city-centre there is always one chemist open 24-hours. Chemists take it in turns for this 24-hour service, but the timetable is clearly shown outside each one.

How can I travel around Italy?
Siena is linked to Florence, Pisa and Rome by train and bus. Special discounts on trains are sometimes available for Under-26s. It is possible also to buy a season ticket, saving you money on your travel. Siena is also very close to the main motorway system, making it easy to travel around during your stay. Cars are not allowed in the city-centre, and parking is outside, but the city is small and it is easy to travel around on foot.

Pre-Departure Checklist
Valid Passport/ID card
Visa (If required – not for EU citizens) – Check with Italian Embassy.
Tickets/Reservations
Insurance Documents
Money/Traveller’s Cheques/Credit Cards - It is a good idea to change money once in Italy (commission rates are lower in banks), but to bring some cash for the first few days. 
Any medicine or prescriptions
E111 Form (EU citizens only)
Necessary plug adaptors for electrical goods - Italy has a 220volts/AC system, and the 2pin plug system

What happens if I want to change class?
It is no problem if the student want to change class at any time. It is important for the students to be happy with the level and rate of progress of the class and if the students are not happy for any reason, they can speak to their teacher or the Director of Studies.

What is Continuous Enrolment?
Continuous enrolment means that it is possible to start and stop any week. We have a system where the syllabus is divided into separate weekly modules. Each teacher is given a study program that should be covered for each level so the Director of Studies knows exactly what the students are doing. She also visits every class each week to check the levels and the students’ progress.

How is it possible to start on any Monday?
On Mondays all classes start (and end) 1 hour later than usual so that there is time for all new students to be given a full placement test before the classes start. The weekly module starts on Monday and ends on Friday. There is some time allocated for special requests and to revise topics that the teacher feels need further practice.

How can I be sure that they I'm making progress?
Students benefit from intensive classes and their progress is measured and evaluated on a weekly basis. And, every two weeks they are given a little test to verify that they have understood all the concepts, functions and vocabulary covered in that period. During this time, they are also given an opportunity to revise and to deal with any specific areas of interest or difficulty. This constant monitoring of the students’ progress ensures their confidence and success. Because of the tightly structured syllabus, it is also easy to change a level without losing any time or repeating the same aspects of the course.

How will they be placed in class?
New students are tested on their first day, Monday, at 8:00 am and start their lessons at 10:00 am. The test is multiple choice in format. Each student also has a short oral assessment to check his/her communicative ability. There are eight different levels and usually 2 levels within each of those as in 1A and 1B, 2A and 2B, and so on. This makes it possible to place students within the right group for their level.

What teaching methods are used?
The classes are full immersion in that only Italian will be spoken by the teacher in class and students are politely but strongly dissuaded from speaking their mother tongue in class. All four language skills will be explored in class—speaking, listening, writing and reading. Emphasis is placed on speaking and listening for most classes, while written work is usually done as homework and checked by the teacher.

Is there special examination preparation?
The school offers students the opportunity to sit an exam after completion of the third level or after completion of the sixth level. Otherwise students can sit the PLIDA (Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri) which is offered at 4 levels on specific dates in November and May every year. There is a special examination course offered for preparation for the PLIDA. (more info)  

Cost living Siena
Food and drinks come in all price ranges, from reasonably priced eateries to fine dining.
The following can be used as reference for food costs:
one loaf of bread: 1.40 euro;
250 gr. of butter: 1.40 euro;
one litre of milk: 1.30 euro;
one litre of mineral water: 30-50 cents;
one ca of Coke: 1.50;
one bottle of beer:1.80 euro
Complete lunch in an average restaurant will cost about 20.00/25.00 euro,
Typical italian breakfast of a pastry and coffee or cappuccino costs about 2,00 euro,
Delicious italian gelato (ice-cream) costs 1,70 euro.
If you feel like having a snack, there are plenty of cheap pizzerias, where a slice of pizza costs about 1.10 to 1.50 euro.

A local phone call costs 0.30 cents, and a cinema ticket will cost 6.00 euro.
A full cycle of washing, including drying, at the launderette, costs 6.00 euro.
Urban bus is 90 cents for a one-way trip, while a monthly pass will cost 24.00 euro.

Entry VISAS and long-term permit
Nationals of a European Union member State (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and The United Kingdom), as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, must register at the Foreign Office of the main Siena police station (Questura). Nationals of these countries do not require a visa for entry into Italy.

All other students must obtain a study visa from their Italian Embassy. They may either request a 'Visto Schengen Uniforme - Tipo C', valid for up to 90 days, or a 'Visto Nazionale - Tipo D', valid for more than 90 days.
Within eight days of their entry into Italy, non-EU citizens must apply for a long-term stay permit (permesso di soggiorno) at the Foreign Office of the main Siena police station (Questura).

Students should be in possession of the following when requesting the permit:
pre-enrolment certificate issued by the Soc.Dante Alighieri - Siena Committee;
passport or other valid identification document;
three passport-size photographs;
receipt of payment for lodging;
health insurance (see below);
one revenue stamp (marca da bollo) for the value of 10.33 Euro.
Students must also demonstrate that they have sufficient means to pay for their stay in Italy.

School procedure for VISA'S
For students who require VISA's, here is some information on School Policy and Procedure and an easy Step-by Step Guide when applying for VISA's:  
Enrol and pay the full cost of tuition fees in full and also the accommodation fee, see our website for different methods of payments;
We will send you a Certificate of Enrolment by post with the necessary details required by the Italian Consulate;
Federal express cost (Euro 35,00) will be added to the fees;
Apply for a VISA for Study Reasons at the Italian Consulate giving them our Certificate;
If they give you the VISA you will come to Siena and attend our course; please take note that we must inform the Foreigners Police Office of Siena if one of our students doesn't attend our course without a specific reasons (i.e. health problems);
If the VISA is refused, they will return to you our certificate;
You need to return to us by post the original Certificate of Enrolment;
Once we have received the Certificate, we will refund you the fee in total for the Tuition and Accommodation.