Foundation Year in Art and Design
University preparation courses for students interested in studying Visual Arts, Design and Fashion in Italy.
Learn Italian language and develop essential skills and knowledge to successfully enrol to undergraduate degrees in the best Universities and Design Academies in Italy. Focus on your areas of interest while improving your technical skills in a friendly international environment.
Your Pathway to Studying in Italy
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The ideal preparation for your degree in Art, Design, Fashion or Architecture in Italy
The Foundation Year program gives the opportunity to international students that wish to
The program is offered in 2 options:
FALL SEMESTER:
- September start
- 9 months on-site
- 660 academic hours
OR
SPRING SEMESTER:
- January start
- 6 months on-site
- 420 academic hours
Both options include: pathway courses, Italian language classes, a CILS exam preparation course, arts and design practical labs, cultural excursions and have the option of extending the program to participate in the MADE LABS International Summer School in the month of July.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will take the CILS B1 or B2 level exam (Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language) and receive academic titles with legal value, accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education, valid for enrolment into Italian undergraduate degree programs in Fine Arts and Design Academies in Italy.
During the Foundation Year, students will attend culture, art and design classes at the MADE Program | Fine Arts and Design Academy. Upon completion of the Foundation Year program, students will have the option to be directly enrolled (without entry test) and receive a scholarship for one of the 3-year Bachelor of Fine Arts degree programs at MADE Academy: BFA in Design, BFA in Visual Arts, BFA in Fashion and Textile Design, BFA in Digital Media.
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Pathway Courses & Workshops
- Pathway workshops
- Introduction to European Design and Architecture
- Italian Art History
- Technical Drawing
- MADE Labs (optional)
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Italian Language Courses
- Italian: beginner to intermediate
- Italian Culture
- CILS Italian Exam preparation
- Pathway workshops
- History of Italian Art
- Intro to European Design and Architecture
- Italian Language
- CILS Exam Preparation
- Italian Culture and Society through Cinema
Students will take part in a series of practical labs and hands-on workshops, guided by expert faculty that will help to develop the core skills and techniques for art and design studio work and mastering artisanship with different materials.
Students enrolled in the Foundation Year may also optionally choose to participate in the MADE Labs Summer School in the month of July for an additional fee. The MADE Labs offer a series of thematic workshops in various arts and design fields with critically acclaimed European artists and designers and global thought leaders.
The Pathway workshops will also expand the student’s portfolio which is an essential requirement for enrolment in design degree programs in Italy.
Italy has been one of the most crucial centers of discovery in art and culture and the main phases of its art, especially from the Renaissance to the Baroque and Neoclassical periods, have influenced and still fascinate the world. The course is defined as a dynamic path towards the knowledge of the historical/theoretical phases of the most important profiles that characterize Italian history from the Middle Age to the most recent trends in art, including Futurism, Conceptual Art, Arte Povera
Students learn about the history of Architecture and Design in Italy from the early 19th century to today. After an overall introduction to the European artistic and cultural context, the course will develop the topics of the architect and designer’s role in Italian society and its transformation from the pre-industrial to the post-industrial age.
The Italian language course is offered as:
– 9-month on-site program
– 6-month on-site program
The program is intended to allow students starting at beginner levels to achieve the required intermediate (B1) or upper intermediate (B2) level of Italian language competence required for enrolment into Italian university programs. Such language objectives require commitment and dedication on behalf of each student, our instructors and student service team are here to support to create an optimal learning enviroment for students to succeed.
Students are taught by expert, highly qualified native Italian language instructors that implement the communicative method in the classroom to achieve the best results in all 4 linguistic skills: speaking, writing reading and listening comprehension.
Students take part in a 30-hour intensive CILS exam preparation course, which will cover the best practices for academic writing, preparation tests with CILS past papers and oral exam simulations led by instructors that are University of Siena CILS examiners.
The Italian Academy is a CILS exam
The course aims to guide students through the main historical events of Italy as represented by Italian filmmakers from the
“This incredible experience has helped me to explore my passions and find my true interest in the field of design, to have a clear idea on the degree specialization and career path I want to follow. The staff and professors at the Academy were incredibly supportive and made me feel welcome in the sunny city of Siracusa as from the first day of the program. I have made friendships with students from Italy and all over the world during the workshops and language exchanges events, it is an invaluable experience for my personal and professional development!”
Top Reasons to Join our Foundation Year program
Students who wish to choose carefully which discipline of art and design they want to work, while developing their practical skills and personal portfolio:
✓ Graphic design
✓ Fashion design
✓ Product design
✓ Interior design
✓ Architecture
✓ Creative Art
✓ Photography
✓ Drawing
✓ New Media
✓ Visual Communication
Students with less than 12 years of schooling that wish to enrol into Arts or Design degree programs in Italy.
Also, students who studied in the American or British school systems and do not have the three Advanced Placement exams or A-Level exams required to enrol at an Italian university.
Students that need to improve their Italian language skills.
The achievement of a recognized B2-level (upper intermediate) certification of Italian language is required to take part in Italian undergraduate degree programs.
#1 Helps Fill the Gaps for Italian university
The Italian university system requires at least 12 full years of primary and secondary education for enrolment to all degree programs. Universities and Design Academies also require a certificate for Italian language B2-upper intermediate level and a personal portfolio (for design undergraduate programs) .
#2 Designed for International Students
Our students come from a range of countries, age groups and backgrounds. We welcome intelligent, creative, motivated people who are interested in moving into an art and design vocation.
#3 Select the specialization that fits you
Besides allowing you to become familiar with the language and culture of Italy before starting your degree, the Foundation Year also provides the opportunity to visit universities and academies throughout the country and decide which program is right for you.
Program Information
What are the program dates and fees?
FALL track: 9-month on-site program:
September 2023 – June 2024
Tuition Fee: € 7,500
Application Fee: €350
SPRING track: 6-month on-site program:
January 2024 – June 2024
Tuition Fee: € 5,600
Application Fee: €350
Complete your application and upload documents here:
Does the Foundation Year allow students to enrol into any degree program in Italy?
OPTION A: Direct Admission to MADE
The Foundation Year program grants direct admission to the BFA degree programs at MADE Program | Fine Arts and Design Academy. The Bachelor degree programs are:
All students that enrol in a BFA at MADE after completing the Foundation Year receive a yearly scholarship for the value of 50% of the International Tuition Fees for the entire duration of the program.
OPTION B: Admission to other University or Fine Arts and Design Academy in Italy
Upon completion of the Foundation Year program, students may choose to apply to any Fine Arts, Fashion, Design or Architecture program in Italy, having achieved the necessary pre-requisites for academic and linguistic competence (and fulfilled the minimum number of schooling years) required for admission to university in Italy.
Depending on the Academy or University of choice, students may be asked to provide additional documentation or to pass an admission test for the program of choice. It is also possible to join preparation courses for admission tests offered by The Italian Academy.
What are the prerequisites to enrol to the Foundation Year?
Students applying to join the Foundation Year program should provide the following documents:
– Secondary school leaving certificate or diploma (if you have not yet completed your final year, please inform our admissions team)
– English language B1 (lower intermediate) level certificate: IELTS 4.5, Cambridge PET or equivalent)
What are the enrolment procedures and deadlines?
To apply to the program, students should follow the following steps:
- Complete the >> ONLINE APPLICATION FORM << and upload the documents
- Complete payment of the Application Fee (€ 350)
Students that complete the application will receive an offer and the program contract. To complete the enrolment students should then:
- Make the payment of the 1st instalment of the tuition fee
- Sign the program contracts
Tuition Fee Payment deadlines:
1st instalment (50%) is to be paid at 30 days prior to the start date of the program:
2nd instalment (50%) is to be paid within 60 days after the start of the program
NB. non-EU students that require a study visa should pay the 1st instalment of the Tuition Fees at least 60 days prior to the start of the program in order to receive the letter of enrolment for the Italian consulate. In the unlikely case of visa denial, the Tuition Fees are fully reimbursable.
Application Deadline for Spring 2024 Intake
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Syracuse, Sicily
Student housing
About The Italian Academy
The Italian Academy is an international school specialized in offering language and culture programs with a focus on Mediterranean Studies. The Italian Academy is a University of Siena CILS local center.
Located in the city center of the city of Syracuse (Sicily), next to St. John’s Church, which gives access to the Catacombs and the Crypt of St. Marcian: the first place of Christian worship in the West, where St. Paul is said to have preached. The villa is also adjoining the Archaeological Museum and the Basilica of Our Lady of Tears, while the Greek Theater and the island of Ortygia are at a short walking distance.
About MADE Program
Degree-granting Fine Arts and Design Academy, the first of its kind in Italy, that aims to work at the crossroads of design, art, traditional crafts, and local culture, creating an operational platform based in the South of Italy, in Syracuse.
Your Pathway to Art and Design Studies in Italy
Get In Touch!
Our team of student advisors is glad to support you every step of the way: from enrolment and visa application, to departure preparations, orientation and settling into your new city and home.
Address
Neapolis Campus: Piazzale San Marziano, 1, 96100, Siracusa, Italy
MADE Program: Via Cairoli, 20, 96100, Siracusa, Italy
Call Us
+39 0931 61424
+39 389 5030 603 (Whatsapp only)
Email Us
info@theitalianacademy.com