Pre-departure information slides for students.

1. Pre-departure Information. Part 1:
‣ Dates & Flights
‣ Before and/or after Siena…
‣ Student Visa
‣ Social Media: Facebook & Instagram
‣ Italian Language Diagnostic Exam
‣ Host Families
‣ Service-Learning
Questions? info@sienaitalianstudies.com

2. Dates, Flights &
Arrival in Pisa
Spring 2018 Program Dates
Sun, Jan. 14 - Sun, May 6, 2018
Break: Sat, Mar. 10 - Sun, Mar. 18
Book your flight to land at Pisa
Airport PSA by 2:30pm on your
Arrival Day.
SIS staff will meet you at the airport
and take the group to Siena.
If you arrive at another airport or at
a different time, you will make your
way to Siena independently.

3. Dates, Flights &
Arrival in Pisa
Students will travel to their
departure airports independently.
TIP!
If you are planning on flying out of
Pisa, consider booking flights that
depart after 10am to avoid having to
spend the night by the airport.

4. Before and/or after
Siena
You can opt to go to our satellite
program in Cagliari, Sardinia Italian
Studies. Sardinia is the second
biggest island located in the
Mediterranean Sea. It is the ideal
place to spend some of your free
time while learning Italian as it is full
of history, nature, and art.
info: sardiniaitalianstudies.it

5. Student Visa
Any non-European citizen studying in
Italy with a program lasting longer than
90 days must obtain a student visa
prior to departure.
• At this point you should have received our visa
letter, which you will need to submit with your
visa application.
• Processing time can be quite long, so we
strongly suggest to get it started as soon as
possible if you haven’t already!
• You must apply at your ‘home’ Italian Consulate
– the consulate to which your permanent
address corresponds. This site lists all Italian
Italian embassies and consulates per country.
https://tinyurl.com/ItalianConsulates

6. Documents
You must check the visa
requirements specific to the
consulate that corresponds to you.
They are all different! Usually they
ask for:
• Acceptance letter in Italian from SIS
• Enrollment letter from you home institution
• International health insurance together with
the contract specifying coverage in Italy.
(Better if the contract is in Italian!)
• Round-trip airline tickets
• Bank account statement to proof enough
financial resources to support yourself in
Italy

7. Facebook
Like our Facebook page!
facebook.com/sienaitalianstudies
Join your specific program
group too
http://tinyurl.com/SIS-SP18
We will post announcements,
information there and answer
questions and post answers to
FAQs!

8. Instagram
Follow us!
@SienaSIS

9. Italian Language
Diagnostic Exam
If you taken any Italian, you should
complete the exam.
http://tinyurl.com/SISPlacementExam
Password: inter
• The exam assists our professors in
pre-program planning. Levels are
flexible and will be adjusted as
needed.
• Students who have not taken
Italian should not complete the
exam and inform us via email at
info@sienaitalianstudies.com.

10. Host Families
All students live with local host families.
• Our families are trusted, experienced and
a vital aspect of our programs.
• Please note that SIS does not offer
specific details about home stay
placements before arrival.
• The placements are sometimes
adjusted.
• Specific details with no context can
lead to more anxiety and negative
pre-conceptions.
• Host families provide breakfast and
dinner at home, and towels and bed
linens. Lunch passes will be provided by
SIS.

11. Service-Learning
We require you to complete at
least 5 hours of service per
week. Staff will discuss the
variety of service opportunities
available in and around Siena
during the first few days of the
program.
Areas of Service include:
• Healthcare
• Education
• Immigrant Assistance