Full-Immersion Italian Language
This full-semester program is open to students of all levels of Italian – from absolute beginners to fluent speakers. The program is a dynamic and immersive experience ideal for students seeking to spend their time abroad focusing exclusively on the Italian language and culture, and to actively engage in contemporary Italian life, not simply as “study abroad students”, but as temporary citizens of their new university town.
Students are enrolled for an entire semester at the University for Foreigners (Università per Stranieri di Perugia), with academic programs dedicated exclusively to teaching Italian language and culture to foreigners. As a student, you will be able to study alongside a diversity of international students representing over 100 countries, while experiencing European university life as part of the local Italian and international student community.
The program allows students to study and practice the Italian language naturally in a wide variety of real situations, which ensures a practical application of the linguistic structures to the Italian cultural context. It is intensive, immersive and international, and most of all, widely recognized as the best way to gain fluency in Italian and enjoy university life in Italy.
The program includes between 18 and 21 hours per week of courses in language instruction, skills development lab, and conversation at the Italian University, all supplemented with weekly tutoring sessions at the Umbra Institute. Upon arrival, students will take an assessment exam (test d’ingresso) and be placed in one of six levels of language proficiency (A1-C2). The six major levels of instruction are based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: and each level is divided into three sublevels. Students begin the first month at a particular sublevel (based on placement exam or prerequisites) and then advance one sublevel each month, for a total of four months.
At the levels A1 to B2 (ITAL 101 – ITAL 403), the curriculum is fixed and may not be modified, whereas in courses at the C1 and C2 levels (ITAL 407 – ITAL 503), students select separate components in various disciplines including Dante, Italian Renaissance Art, business writing, Italian literature, and more. C1-C2 level students also explore topics such as phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, dialects, and historical linguistics. These courses supplement the language program and are used as tools to not only teach the subject, but also continue to improve Italian language skills. Advanced students create their own program and may choose up to three elective courses from a variety of offerings in Italian studies in the humanities and social sciences.
What level are you? Unless you are a complete beginner, you will begin at the next level course in your progression you follow at your home university. Each college and university numbers their courses differently, and it also makes a difference if you have taken the language recently or if your experience lies some time in the past. For example, if you have taken IT201 and IT202, the next course in your progression most likely will be in the 300 level, but you might also test into the upper 203 or lower 401 level depending on the pace of the Italian instruction at your home institution and your experience. In any event, before starting classes, you will take a placement test that will determine the level that best fits your proficiency and curricular needs.
If you are concerned about your placement level or have questions about courses and/or graduation requirements, feel free to contact us for a preliminary assessment.
To ensure that students are able to make the most of their immersion opportunities, they will be guided through all enrollment and bureaucratic procedures at the Università Italiana per Stranieri by a dedicated Umbra Institute staff member. Students will also meet weekly for individual or group tutoring sessions (depending on level and needs) with an Umbra Institute instructor in order to review the materials studied and prepare for the exams at the university. The Umbra instructors’ role is to guide, assist, and assess students through their learning experience at the local university. They set weekly assignments, exams, and determine students’ final grades in the program.
In addition to the activities offered by the Università per Stranieri, which students can participate in all events and activities organized by the Umbra Institute.
About the Universita’ per StranieriThe Università per Stranieri di Perugia represents the oldest and most prestigious Italian institution specialized in Italian language instruction. Founded in 1921, today the Università is an important center for both the teaching of Italian and the development of new educational methodologies. It hosts approximately 5,000 students from over 100 different nations each term. The university’s principal location is in the beautiful Palazzo Gallenga located in the heart of the city, opposite the 2,500-year-old Etruscan arch of the ancient city and a short walk from the Umbra Institute.
What level are you? Unless you are a complete beginner, you will look to take the next level course in your progression. Each college and university numbers their courses differently, and it also makes a difference if you have taken the language recently or if your experience lies some time in the past. For example, if you have taken IT201 and IT202 last year (third and fourth semester, second year courses), the next course in your progression most likely will be in the upper 300 level, but you might also test into the lower 400 level depending on the pace of the Italian instruction at your home institution. Before starting classes, you will take a placement test that will determine the exact level for you. If you are concerned about your placement level or have questions about your curricular needs and/or graduation requirements, feel free to contact us for a preliminary assessment.
Click the program levels below to see the semester program courses, descriptions and material covered.
Intermediate
→ ITAL 201 Start Level Semester Program
→ ITAL 202 Start Level Semester Program
→ ITAL 203 Start Level Semester Program
Advanced Intermediate
→ ITAL 301 Start Level Semester Program
→ ITAL 302 Start Level Semester Program
→ ITAL 303 Start Level Semester Program
The Umbra Institute provides weekly support sessions and office hours for additional assistance when needed. Umbra instructors are experts in the fields of teaching Italian and assessing language acquisition.
Any student – even absolute beginners – who wish to gain proficiency in Italian through an intensive full-immersion experience in Italy;
Students who desire a truly authentic study abroad experience, studying at an Italian university, living with locals, and becoming part of an international community of students.
Italian majors or students wishing to use their semester abroad to add an Italian language minor to their degree;
Intermediate students who wish to perfect their linguistic skills and move to the advanced level, or students who wish to complete the equivalent of two years of language study in one semester abroad;
Advanced students looking to perfect their skills in a wide variety of courses taught entirely in Italian, including subjects such as culture, linguistics, and social sciences; and
Italian studies majors at the intermediate level who seek to become fluent enough to be prepared to return to their home institution and enroll in advanced level area-studies courses taught entirely in Italian.
The semester program yields 14-16 semester credits. Transcripts will reflect courses covered at the various levels and are based on the start level at the beginning of the semester. Students may start at their desired level if they meet the prerequisites or take a placement exam.
Housing is provided for all students in shared apartments with either Italian or international students. There is no meal plan, but apartments are equipped with full kitchens and students have full access to the University cafeteria. Homestays are available upon request.
Program participants have access to all social and sports activities offered by the Università, which include the Chamber Music Group, University Musical Association of Perugia (Agimus), University Social Center (concerts, shows, plays, exhibitions, and Italian films are shown; students can participate free of charge in the events and can also exhibit their artistic works), excursions (weekend trips organized by the Università to important Italian cities and historical and artistic monuments of Perugia and Umbria), and sports (all students have access to the University Sport Centre of Perugia, the CUS, which organizes athletics, basketball, soccer, swimming, judo, tennis, cycling, volleyball, etc.).
