Gap year students have the option of spending a semester in Sorrento and combining the program with another city for a semester:
- OPTION 1: Fall semester in Sorrento and Spring semester in Rome
- OPTION 2: Fall semester in Thessaloniki (Greece) and Spring semester in Sorrento
Please see all details below.
Gap Year Program 1
Sorrento + RomeSpend your gap year at Sant’Anna in Sorrento and the American University of Rome!
High school graduates often enter college without yet having the opportunity to explore world views and gain work experiences.
For gap-year students at Sant’Anna Institute, the months before home university enrollment are spent expanding global perspectives, opening new doors, and seizing once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
Features
This program is designed for students who want to take a step back before entering college and explore their options and passions while earning valuable college credit.
To create the most beneficial gap year experience for our students, we work in tandem with American University in Rome (AUR). This means that students will spend the fall semester at Sant’Anna in Sorrento, then move to Rome for the spring semester. Our program is designed in this way to ensure students acclimate well and get the most they can out of their year.
Sorrento and Rome are different yet complementary cities. Spending the fall in Sorrento, students will get to enjoy our beautiful fall weather, beaches, and natural wonders while taking courses in various fields and/or participating in our internship program. Once spring comes along, participants will be ready and excited to move on to the Eternal City where they can flourish in the history and culture of one of the world’s most beautiful metropolises while continuing their studies.
For exact dates, please check calendar here.
- Length: 2 semesters (Fall – Spring)
- Academic Credit: Up to 15 U.S. credits per semester
- Location: Sant’Anna Institute in Sorrento (fall) & the American University of Rome (spring) (https://www.aur.edu/)
- Housing: Double room in dorm with shared kitchen (Sant’Anna)/shared apartments (AUR)
- Departments: Italian Studies, Natural & Social Sciences, Art & Humanities, Business & Administration, Internships (see courses available here)
- Cost: $11,500 per semester (includes: housing, courses, group excursions, field trips, and welcome and farewell events)
- Amenities: Group excursions and field trips, welcome and farewell events, service learning and volunteering projects
For more details and info, please contact Director of Study Abroad Serena Vacca, or call +39 081 807 55 99.
Gap Year program 2: The Classical Civilizations Academic Year
Thessaloniki (Greece) + SorrentoThe Classical Civilizations Academic Gap Year aims to put students in contact with the foundations of Western civilization, focusing on two areas: Thessaloniki (Greece) and Sorrento (Italy), which are located in the center of the Mediterranean.
During the program, students will have the opportunity to study the languages, art, history, religion, and political systems of these two areas of the ancient world that shaped Western civilization.
Democracy, individualism, monotheism, architectural proportion, musical harmony: all of these concepts were first developed by the classical civilizations. Studying the roots of our culture will allow students to better understand the complexity of our era and society in the third millennium.
The program is specifically designed for students with majors in Classics, Archaeology, Art History, History, and Political Science, but it is also open to students from different majors who wish to explore the roots of our culture.
Program Structure
The program includes:
- the Fall Semester in Thessaloniki, Greece
- the Spring Semester in Sorrento, Italy
Students attend 5 courses during the Spring Semester and 5 during the Fall Semester for a total of 30 credits (15 + 15). Credits are issued by the American College of Thessaloniki for the courses in Thessaloniki and by Jacksonville University (Florida) – the school of record for Sant’Anna Institute – for the courses in Sorrento.
Courses in Thessaloniki can be selected from ACT’s wide variety of course options to fit your interest and academic goals. Choose up to 5 courses https://www.act.edu/studyabroad/course-offering
Popular selections in the classics include:
Classes at ACT include an interactive component called “Learning in ACTion” that brings students in contact with local experts, historical and archaeological sites, culture, and language.
Field-trips include the following:
- Thessaloniki City Tour
- Vergina Archaeological Site and Museum
Optional trips are also available.
Courses in Sorrento include the following:
- Italian, Latin, or Ancient Greek Language (3 credits)
- HUM 399 Special Topics: Archaeology Field Study (3 credits)
- IS 305 Special Topics: Mediterranean Culture and History (3 credits)
- 2 courses among:
- PHIL 375/RELG 350 Religions of the Classical Antiquity (3 credits)
- HIST 350 – Greek Influence in Southern Italy: Colonization & Culture (3 credits)
- PHIL 101 Introduction to Philosophy (3 credits)
An essential component of the above-mentioned courses are the field-trips to very important locations of the Roman and Neo-Greek civilizations in the Mediterranean Basin, such as: Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, Cuma, Capua, Paestum, etc.
Accommodations
Accommodation options include:
– Residence Hall
– Shared apartments
– Homestay (only in Sorrento)
Options are based on availability and student preferences. More details at:
https://www.act.edu/studyabroad/housing (Thessaloniki)
https://www.santannainstitute.com/housing/ (Sorrento)
Program fees:
- $11,700 Fall Semester in Thessaloniki
- $11,700 Spring Semester in Sorrento
Available Grants (not combinable /one per Semester):
– a $1,000 Merit Grant (must have a 3.6+ GPA for eligibility)
– a $1,500 Greek or Italian Heritage Grant
Program fees include:
– Application fee
– Tuition and study materials including e-books (when available)
– Accommodation in residence hall or shared apartment (host family available in Sorrento at a different cost, please see below for more information)
– Program orientation
– Administration fee
– Technology fee
– Repair fee (including weekly cleaning service for residence hall and shared apartments)
– On-site advisor and 24-hour emergency assistance
– 3 excursions for semester programs
– Field trips included in the chosen course(s)
– Credit transfer
– Welcome and farewell group lunch/dinner
For information on the application procedure and deadlines please contact both Serena Vacca at serena.vacca@santannainstitute.com and Vanessa Constantinidis at vancon@act.edu
Ready to start your application?
The next cohort starts on August, 2024Choose your Courses
Students may choose from over the courses for their plan of study. Check it out now on our website.Frequently asked questions
FAQsSant’Anna Institute is located overlooking the Marina Grande of Sorrento, a small and safe city on the Bay of Naples. The Institute is located a short 15 minute walk from the center of town and 20 minutes from the Sorrento Station.
From the train station, it is easy to reach any city in Italy, as well as the gems of the Amalfi Coast. Naples, the closest metropolitan city, is about an hour away, making travel very convenient.
Absolutely not. We offer Italian courses at every level from Beginner to Post Advanced. Upon arrival, your Italian level will be evaluated and you will be placed in the proper class.
Furthermore, all of our staff speak a proficient level of English, ensuring you will not be lost during your time here.
Our students enjoy a plethora of opportunities to explore the region and get to know the Sorrentine community. Internships: During their time at Sant’Anna students can participate in an comprehensive internship related to their field of study. This is a wonderful way to gain relevant work experience and develop as a professional in an international environment.
Service Learning: These are projects that accompany specific courses allowing the community to become a “living” text and source of data for classwork while giving something back to your new home. Excursions and Field Trips: There are three excursions per semester (one per summer term) included in the program.
Aside from Italian language classes, all of our courses are given in English. For a list of courses and descriptions please visit this link: https://www.santannainstitute.com/courses-and-description/
To accommodate our students, we offer full year, Spring and Fall semester, summer sessions, as well as J-term and Maymester programs.
To relieve some of the financial burden of studying abroad, we offer various merit-based grants, as well as a scholarship available to Golden Key members. For more information, please navigate to the “Tuition & Grants” tab.
Yes. Our courses are accredited through our partner university Jacksonville University, making transferring credits an easy process.
We are very lucky to be able to offer a students an abundance of facilities, including free Wi-Fi throughout the building, a library, a student lounge, an organic garden right outside the door, 24-hour assistance to students, an offsite English speaking doctor if medical assistance is required, as well as a newly renovated residence hall on the third and fourth floors of our building.
As mentioned above, we have a residence hall with ensuite double or triple rooms equipped with Wi-Fi, a mini-fridge, and linens. There is a fully furnished kitchen on the third floor where students can comfortably prepare their own meals and store food. Students can also elect to live with a trusted host family or in apartments located in the city.