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Siena Summer - Tradition & Cuisine in Tuscany
$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid
Academics
Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible—which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences.
You are required to enroll 2 courses, for a total of 6 credits. You can take 2 area studies courses or 1 language course plus 1 area studies course.
Past disciplines have included:
- Culture & Cuisine
- History
- Italian Language (beginning and intermediate)
- Sociology
Courses
This is a list of planned course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings in your MyIESabroad account.
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| SO/CU/HS 250 - History and Culture of Food in Italy and Tuscany | Summer | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| HS 255 - The Palio and the Contrade of Siena | Summer | English | 3 |
| SO/CU/HS 250 - History and Culture of Food in Italy and Tuscany | Summer | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| IT 101 - Italian Language in Context: Novice Abroad I | Summer | Italian | 3 |
| IT 201 - Italian Language in Context: Novice Abroad III | Summer | Italian | 3 |
| IT 301 - Italian Language in Context: Emerging Independent Abroad I | Summer | Italian | 3 |
| IT 401 - Italian Language in Context: Emerging Competent Abroad I | Summer | Italian | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| SO/CU/HS 250 - History and Culture of Food in Italy and Tuscany | Summer | English | 3 |
Field Trips & Events
Several one-to three-day field trips are organized each summer. You pay a portion of the cost, and IES Abroad subsidizes a majority of the trip. Possible sites include:
- Naples
- Pompeii
- Populonia/Baratti
Course-Related Trips
IES Abroad Siena organizes course-related trips that complement what you’re learning in the classroom, and contribute to your general knowledge of Italian culture and society.
Course-related trips may include:
- A visit to an organic farm
- Attendance at Palio events
- Cooking demonstrations
- Tours of San Gimignano
Daily Life
Part of making you feel at home in Siena is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that makes you feel prepared, housing that is well-located and comfortable, or the field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.
Orientation
From authentic Italian meals to a guided tour of the city, the first two days of the program give you a "taste" of the city and help prepare you for your Sienese summer.
IES Abroad faculty and staff conduct orientation sessions introducing you to the following topics:
- Personal safety
- Italian home life
- Practical aspects of life in Siena (transportation, banking, and shopping)
Housing
We want to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding which landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Siena, it will feel like home.
Apartments
Live with other IES Abroad students, as well as local Italian students, in the historic center of town. Furnished apartments are single-sex and include fully-equipped kitchens. Meals are not included.
Get to Know Your New City
Explore the Region
Discover the Tuscany countryside surrounding Siena through field trips, personal travel, and more.
Wander Through the 17 Contrade
The 17 neighborhoods of Siena date back to the Middle Ages and still define life today.
Taste Traditional Tuscan Dishes
From world-famous olive oil to bistecca fiorentina, there’s plenty to taste throughout Tuscany. Our tip: try the pasta e fagioli!
Practice Unaccented Italian in the Heart of Tuscany
Whether its while boutique shopping or ordering a pizza, Siena is the perfect environment for improving your italian.
Enjoy the Sights in the Piazza Del Campo
Grab a snack, a book, or some friends and head over to the Piazza to spend an afternoon lounging in the sun.
Program Cost
Consider these prices as a starting point. We encourage you to contact your study abroad office to determine the actual cost to you when factoring in financial aid, scholarships, your home school policies, and other factors.
| Term | Tuition | Housing | Insurance | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 2020 | $5,815 | $1,700 | $135 |
$7,650 |
Scholarships & Aid
Program-Specific Scholarships
Summer Need-Based Financial Aid
Open to students who apply to and attend an IES Abroad or IES Internships summer program.
Criteria reviewed to determine award:
- Level of financial need as determined from infromation provided on the application. Priority is given to Pell Grant recipients.
- IES Abroad program location.
- IES Abroad membership status of home campus
Use our budget worksheet to calculate your costs
$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid
Our Center
The IES Abroad Siena Center is located in a palace on the famous Piazza del Campo – a large, sunny plaza that is center of social life in Siena. The palace, called Palazzo Chigi Zondadari, was built in the 18th century and served as a home to the prominent Chigi family whose lineage includes many intellectuals, artists, businessmen, and even a pope!
Features include:
- Multimedia classrooms
- Student lounge and library
- Computer lab
- Wireless Internet access throughout the Center
Our Staff
Veronica Semeraro
Center Director
Veronica Semeraro has worked at our IES Abroad Siena Center since the founding of the program in 2006 when she was hired as the Student Affairs Coordinator. Since that time, she has been actively involved in all aspects of the program, including housing, customized programs, arrival and orientation, field trips, and academic coordination. Veronica was promoted to Center Director of IES Abroad Siena in 2012.
Prior to working with IES Abroad, Veronica graduated with honors in Archaeology from the University of Siena. Her thesis addressed the GIS platform of the newly discovered and frescoed rooms beneath the Cathedral of Siena. She contributed, with vectorial maps and archaeological drawings, to the publication Sotto il Duomo di Siena (2003). Upon winning a research grant following graduation, Veronica spent six years working in the University of Siena archaeology laboratory in Computer Science. She also spent several years drawing dig maps while working on site in various important archaeological digs in Tuscany (rooms beneath the Siena Cathedral, castle of Miranduolo, Podium Bonizio village) specializing in GIS technology. Veronica is an avid traveler and a member of an all-female Brazilian drum group in Siena.
IES Abroad Siena Staff
Vittoria Moggi
Student Services Coordinator
Matilde Santini
Student Affairs Assistant
Health & Safety
With 70 years of experience, we are proud to set the standard for health and safety in study abroad. Our Chicago-based and on-site staff are all highly trained and experienced in the matters of health, safety, and crisis management. We are here for you from predeparture to your return, and are ready to support you—no matter what time zone you’re in.
In response to COVID-19, enhanced safety guidelines will be implemented this spring—such as social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE) in on-site classes, in-country field trips and travel only, and apartment or residence hall housing (no homestays) that ensures proper space should self-quarantining be necessary.
How We Support You
We plan for "what if" so that you don't have to. From international health insurance included in the cost of your program to highly-trained local staff who can connect you to English-speaking healthcare providers, we are working around the clock to ensure your health and safety while abroad.
Learn more about the support you can expect to receive on our programs, including:
- International health insurance through CISI in the case you need to see a doctor or mental health professional
- 24/7 emergency support whether you encounter an issue while traveling or in your host city
- Location-specific health and safety information presented at orienation by on-site staff
- TripTracker system allowing you to share independent travel plans in case you need to be contacted swiftly in a crisis
- A mandatory cell phone policy so that you can be contacted locally and receive any emergency updates via call or text
- Crisis drills so that you feel prepared to respond to an emergency should one arise
- And more!
Health & Safety Resources
You safety begins with being accurately informed from the moment you're considering study abroad through to the day you return home.
Take note of ways you can maintain your health and stay safe abroad while reviewing our resources, including:
- IES Abroad MAP for Student Health, Safety & Crisis Management
- Study Abroad Safety Tips for Traveling
- IES Abroad Student Blogs on Safety and Mental Health
- And more!
AT A GLANCE
Latest from Siena
Contact a Past Student
From budgeting tips to housing insight, IES Abroad Ambassadors volunteer their study abroad and internship experiences and advice.
