The experience and security you are looking for.

Is your student considering Umbra, or have they already been accepted? Here is some important information that will make you feel more confident they made the right choice for you both. In short, Umbra is a full-service program with more than 20 years experience in study abroad. We are there to assist your student from the time they apply, upon arrival in Italy, and up to the day of departure. Our services and activities include:

Student Support and Safety

  • Orientation: During the mandatory academic meeting, Institute Staff gives a presentation on safety and security based on their expertise and experience with American students in Italy.
  • Housing Office: The Umbra housing staff offers apartment maintenance and assistance and is reachable via phone, email, or our Umbra App.
  • Emergency phone available 24 hours a day.
  • Umbra App safety check-in. In case of emergency, all students will receive a Safety Check-In notification via the Umbra App. They will then be prompted to respond with either “I’m Safe” or “Request Assistance,” so that appropriate steps can be taken to ensure their well-being. The Safety Check-In feature also communicates students’ locations to Umbra staff.
  • Doctors and medical care available 24 hours a day. Students can see any staff member to make an appointment, or call the emergency phone.  Umbra maintains a list of recommended medical personnel, including both general practitioners and specialists.
  • Up-to-date information. Umbra staff will communicate any national or international travel warnings as they arise and will inform students of transportation interruptions.
  • Travel Workshop: At the beginning of each semester, Umbra staff members host a workshop on traveling throughout Italy abroad safely, including what to do in case of emergencies such as a lost passport.
  • Travel Forms: Students are required to fill out a travel form when leaving Perugia in order for the Umbra Institute to reach them if needed.
  • Coaching and Counseling Service: Whether it is health problems, homesickness, depression, anxiety, roommate issues, eating disorders, culture shock, feelings of isolation, or any problems that students might like to seek counseling for, they are welcome to visit the Student Counselor and Coach. Studying abroad is a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow as a person with the right kind of support. If students would like guidance to develop new personal and social abilities while in Perugia, they can make an appointment or walk-in during office hours.

Comprehensive Orientation

  • Private airport pick-up in Rome and transfer to Perugia
  • First night 4-Star hotel stay along with an Italian welcome dinner
  • Orientation packets containing essential information about health, safety, course enrollment, academic field trips, and logistics are distributed
  • Opportunity to purchase an Italian cell phone and/or SIM card
  • Private shuttles to student apartments on move-in day
  • Practical city walking tour

Integration into Italian culture

  • Community engagement opportunities such as volunteering, service learning projects, academic practicums, Co-Ops, and more
  • Social events such as free pizza and gelato nights and Tandem language exchanges provide time to mingle with both Umbra and local Italian university students
  • Educational and cultural workshops including Chocolate-making, Coffee or Wine tastings, Travel and Career Workshops
  • Mandatory Italian language courses where students learn practical communication and listening skills.  Italian students from the Università degli Studi di Perugia are integrated into Italian classrooms as tutors and classmates in elective courses. Additionally, Tandem language exchange is held bi-weekly.
  • Staff-led Optional Day and Week-End Trips to explore scenic Italian destinations for a day or weekend trip, such as Sorrento, Naples, Capri, Rome, and Lake Garda
  • Co-curricular field trips to world-renowned historic sites and famous cities
  • Perugia is home to over 40,000 students and just under 200,000 residents, and is Italy’s “big university town in a small Italian city” – students love Perugia for the authentic Italian experience it provides.

Academic Program and Resources

  • International staff and faculty
  • Student resources: Monthly newsletters, WiFi in all students’ apartments, frequent posts on the Umbra Blog, the Pre-Departure Student Guide, and Umbra Guide to Perugia help keep students up-to-date during their time abroad, newsletters and a podcast. Extensive alumni relations ensure students remain connected with Umbra and one another after returning home.
  • State-of-the-art facilities: The Umbra Institute’s main building features multimedia classrooms, a library with over 3,000 holdings, student lounge, Wi-Fi internet access, a recording room, and free printing and copying.
  • Community engagement is the guiding philosophy behind all academic and social initiatives. Students can integrate into Italian culture through volunteer work, co-curricular service learning, community-based research, and academic practicum opportunities. Partners include local schools, museums, neighborhood associations, family-owned businesses, farms, and more.
  • Courses in a variety of fields for academic credit: Students can take courses through any one of our programs, including the General Studies Program, the Multicultural Psychology Program and the Food & Sustainability Studies Program, as well as via Direct Enrollment at the Università per Stranieri di Perugia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, or l’Accademica delle Belle Arti.

Informative Guides 

Umbra provides a series of guides for all accepted students, which are updated every semester. They include the Pre-Departure Student Guide, Umbra Guide to Perugia, and the Parent/Guardian Guidebook. Accepted students can download them by inserting the password that will be emailed to them prior to their arrival.