At SYA Italy, each day is a new adventure filled with unique opportunities for learning, growth and language acquisition. Consequently, there is no "average" day at SYA Italy. The following schedule provides an outline for the full lives that high school students live while at SYA Italy during the majority of the academic year. Schedules vary from student to student and are different during the initial cultural orientation in the fall, during the final weeks of the capstone project, on extended educational trips to other provinces and on Fieldwork Wednesdays. You can watch a typical day in Viterbo for Francesca, IT'22, on our YouTube channel, or keep scrolling to read about a typical class day in the 2022-2023 academic year:

7:00 AM

Wake Up

Get ready for your day in Viterbo, Italy!

The camera is facing down a stone alleyway with cobblestone streets in the early morning.

7:15 am

Have Breakfast

Enjoy a traditional Italian breakfast with your host family.

An SYA Italy high school student sits with his host brother, holding a large jar of nutella.

7:30 AM

Head to School

All SYA students live near the SYA campus and walk, bike or take public transportation to school.

An SYA Italy student walks down some stone steps near a stone wall. She has white shorts and a pink top.

8:10 AM

Advisory

In your weekly advisory period, meet with your peers and advisor to support one another through the personal challenges and victories that come with living abroad.

9:00 am

Italian Language

Most students begin their year at SYA Italy as complete beginners of Italian. Through this fast-paced course and conversing with host families, students quickly absorb the local language and some even choose to take the AP Italian Language Exam after their year of intensive language immersion at SYA.

A small group of SYA Italy high school students sit at a table with a teacher as they practice speaking Italian.

9:50 am

Math Class

SYA students can choose from a variety of math courses (taught in English) ranging from Advanced Algebra to AP Calculus BC. These courses combine in-class and online learning activities in a hybrid learning environment, with a focus on developing independent learning skills.

A group of SYA Italy high school students sit in a classroom working on laptops.

10:40 am

Break

Meet your classmates at your favorite café for a cappuccino or cornetto.

An SYA Italy high school student sits sipping a cup of coffee in a cafe with red walls.

11:00 am

Ancient History through Art

Come to fully understand the Greeks, Etruscans and the Romans by reading and analyzing primary sources and archaeological remains.

Two SYA Italy high school students stand in front of a large painting. They are looking down at a textbook.

11:50 am

Experiential Italian

SYA students practice their growing language and cultural skills in real-world contexts at school, as well as via experiences within the city and region on fieldwork days.

A group of SYA Italy students sit outside in jackets and look at a teacher as she speaks and they take notes.

12:40 pm

Lunch

SYA Italy students eat lunch nearby at the mensa, a local dining hall for Italian students.

1:40 pm

Local and Global Perspectives

Interview Afghan refugees and hear their moving personal stories. Later analyze this issue from different perspectives

Several SYA Italy high school students abroad interview Afghan refugees.

2:30 pm

Applied Agroecology

Walk down the road from school to SYA's urban farm and learn hands-on about growing and producing Italy's world famous foods.

An SYA Italy high school student picks grapes off of a vine while wearing gloves.

3:20 pm

English

At SYA, English is taught by teachers from American independent schools. Using a variety of texts, you will further explore globalism and the abroad experience through literature while building critical and creative writing skills.

4:00 PM

Visit a Gelateria

Stop for a scoop of your favorite gelato with your friends.

4:30 PM

Extra-Curricular Activities

Spend your afternoons participating in sports teams, visual and preforming arts or Italian cooking classes.

An SYA Italy high school student practices her violin and looks at a piece of sheet music.

6:30 pm

Head back home

Stop to enjoy the view on your walk back home with your friends.

Four SYA Italy high school students stand in front of a bridge that overlooks the city.

8:00 pm

Dinner

Enjoy a buonissima Italian dinner with your host family!

A large white bowl of spaghetti and tomato sauce.

After Dinner

Complete your homework, relax with your host family and get ready for another day in Viterbo, Italy!

An SYA Italy high school student leans against her host Mother while a host grandmother sits nearby.

For a full list of available courses at SYA Italy, check out the SYA Italy Academics Page.