Overview
CET Siena provides students with a meaningful Italian immersion experience with courses that help them stay on track. Students will take a combination of a required Italian language class offered at any level and English-taught electives. What's unique about this program is that you can take upper-level Computer Science courses while enjoying small class sizes for an engaging semester abroad!
Academics
Students blend one or two semesters' worth of Italian language with two to four English-taught electives. No matter your academic focus, you won’t fall behind in Siena, and your classes help you explore the city, too. Depending on your academic needs, English-taught electives are across several fields, including Art History, Computer Science, Italian Studies, Political Science, International Relations, and more.
Program Features
You will have the option of living in a shared apartment with CET peers and a local roommate or a homestay.
Siena is famous for its strong sense of community. On this program, you'll gain a deeper cultural immersion as you converse with friendly locals in Italian and discover the profound connection residents have to the city and their contrada (districts with origins dating back to medieval times).
Beyond the historic city, you'll participate in a 3-day excursion to the Emilia Romagna region, where you'll visit FICO Eataly World and immerse yourself in Italian food in Bologna. You'll also have the opportunity to spend the day taking in beautiful Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna and check out the Ferrari Museum before returning home to Siena.
Eligibility
Review eligibility to ensure that you meet all Columbia requirements to study abroad.
Review the external program webpage to understand any additional program prerequisites.
Application Instructions
To apply, you must complete the two steps below. Deadlines vary, and some applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Therefore, you should complete the steps below simultaneously:
- To apply for Columbia clearance (approval) to study abroad, click on "Start Your Application" on this webpage. Clearance applications are approved on a rolling basis until the application deadline listed on this webpage.
- To apply for program admission, complete an external application directly on the program webpage. Note that this deadline may be in advance of the Columbia clearance deadline.