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 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!
7:15 am
Have Breakfast
Enjoy a traditional Italian breakfast with your host family.
7:30 AM
Head to School
All SYA students live near the SYA campus and walk, bike or take public transportation to school.
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.
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.
10:40 am
Break
Meet your classmates at your favorite café for a cappuccino or cornetto.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
6:30 pm
Head back home
Stop to enjoy the view on your walk back home with your friends.
8:00 pm
Dinner
Enjoy a buonissima Italian dinner with your host family!
After Dinner
Complete your homework, relax with your host family and get ready for another day in Viterbo, Italy!
For a full list of available courses at SYA Italy, check out the SYA Italy Academics Page.
To read more about SYA's hands-on academics, visit our Curriculum Page.
Explore the SYA campus in Viterbo!